Church Catholic Successor Baldwin Aunts Empress Matilda Predecessor Alured Role Bishop of Worcester | Term ended 9 or 10 August 1179 Name Roger Worcester Appointed 1163 Ordination 23 August 1163 | |
Died August 9, 1179, Tours, France Parents Mabel FitzRobert, Countess of Gloucester, Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester Cousins Henry II of England, William FitzEmpress, Geoffrey, Count of Nantes Grandparents Henry I of England, Robert Fitzhamon Great-grandparents William the Conqueror, Matilda of Flanders, Hamo Dapifer Similar People Robert - 1st Earl of Gloucester, Henry I of England, Matilda of Scotland, Robert Fitzhamon, Empress Matilda | ||
Roger of Worcester (died 9 or 10 August 1179) was Bishop of Worcester from 1164 to 1179. He had a major role in the controversy between Henry II of England, who was Roger's cousin, and Archbishop Thomas Becket.
Life
Roger's father was Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. His illegitimate half-brother Richard was Bishop of Bayeux from 1135 to 1142. Roger was a younger son and he was educated with the future king, Henry II, afterwards ordained priest, and consecrated Bishop of Worcester by Thomas Becket, on 23 August 1163. He adhered loyally to Thomas, and though one of the bishops sent to the pope to carry the king's appeal against the archbishop, he took no active part in the embassy, nor did he join the appeal made by the bishops against the archbishop in 1166, thus arousing the enmity of the king.
When Thomas desired Roger to join him in his exile, Roger went without leave in 1167, Henry having refused him permission. He boldly reproached the king when they met at Falaise in 1170, and a reconciliation followed. After the martyrdom of St. Thomas, England was threatened with an interdict, but Roger interceded with the pope and was thereafter highly esteemed in England and at Rome. Pope Alexander III, who frequently employed him as delegate in ecclesiastical causes, spoke of him and Bartholomew Iscanus Bishop of Exeter, as "the two great lights of the English Church".
Roger died on 9 August 1179 or on 10 August. His death was commemorated on 9 August.