Church Power and the State in England

This section explains the power of the church and the state in Norman England. Faith and religious devotion played a central role in the life of William of Normandy, alongside his military prowess. As Duke of Normandy, William had already shown his commitment to the Church by supporting the construction of new monasteries in Normandy in the 1060s, including the Abbey of Caen. There, he appointed Lanfranc, a highly respected Italian monk and lawyer, as abbot. William was deeply devout and personally committed to his faith, despite being illiterate and unable to read or write. He could follow the Latin Church services, however, and viewed the Church as a key pillar of his rule. His loyalty to the Pope was also a significant factor in his successful invasion of England, as he relied on papal support to legitimise his conquest.

Church and the State in Norman England

In Norman England, the relationship between the Church and the State was complex and involved three key figures: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the king, and the Pope. These figures each held significant influence in the governance of both religious and secular affairs.

The Archbishop of Canterbury

By the time of the Norman Conquest, the Archbishop of Canterbury had become the most powerful religious figure in England. The position was often contested, with the Archbishop of York regularly claiming equal authority. One notable conflict was the controversy surrounding Stigand, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who held multiple high-ranking positions – including Bishop of Winchester – in a practice known as pluralism. The Pope opposed Stigand’s pluralism, but William initially kept him in power until 1070. However, following the Pope's intervention, Stigand was deposed.

The Role of the King

Although William was a devout Christian king, he was not the head of the Church, a position that would not be assumed by an English monarch until Henry VIII in the 16th century. Nevertheless, the king had significant influence over church matters in England. Religious leaders controlled vast landholdings and their support was vital to the king, both for practical reasons, such as maintaining control over the legal system and collecting taxes, and for spiritual authority. William’s devoutness and loyalty to the Pope meant that he worked closely with the Church to ensure his rule was supported and sanctioned.

The Role of the Pope

The Pope, based in Rome, was the supreme authority in the Christian Church and expected all priests and laypeople to obey his directives. The Pope’s greatest challenge at the time came from the Holy Roman Emperors, who believed they had the right to appoint church leaders in their empire. This dispute, known as the Investiture Controversy, had wide-reaching implications for the Church’s authority throughout Europe.

Pope Alexander II had a key role in the events following William’s conquest of England. He not only blessed William’s invasion but also, in 1070, took action to resolve the issue of the English Church’s leadership by deposing Stigand and appointing new Norman leaders.

1070  A Turning Point for the Anglo-Norman Church

The year 1070 marked a significant turning point for the Anglo-Norman Church. After William had secured his position in England and subdued rebellion in the North, Pope Alexander II sent an ambassador to carry out a second coronation of William. This took place at Easter, and the Pope’s envoy also deposed Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Aethelmaer, Bishop of Elmham. Soon after, at Whitsun, a synod (a church council) convened and appointed two new Norman prelates: Lanfranc as Archbishop of Canterbury and Thomas of Bayeux as Archbishop of York, replacing the late Ealdred. This was part of William’s broader strategy to replace English church leaders with Normans who would be loyal to him and the Pope.

Church Organisation in Norman England

As Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc implemented a number of reforms to strengthen the structure and organisation of the Church. He worked to ensure that local priests were under the control of central church leaders, such as bishops and archbishops, and that church governance was more unified and efficient.

The Church was divided into dioceses, each controlled by a bishop. To assist in managing the dioceses, bishops appointed archdeacons, who were responsible for overseeing the priests and ensuring that religious laws were adhered to. Each diocese was further subdivided into smaller areas called deaneries, which were managed by deans who ensured that canon law – the body of church law – was followed.

Power Structure in the Church
A diagram of the church’s power structure in Norman England might look like this:

• Pope (Head of the Church worldwide)
• Archbishop of Canterbury (Primacy over all English Church leaders)
• Bishops (Leaders of dioceses)
• Archdeacons (Assistants to bishops in managing dioceses)
• Priests (Leaders of individual parishes)

William and Lanfranc ensured that church leaders held regular synods, or national church councils, to discuss key matters of organisation, church law, and religious life. Between 1071 and 1086, eight synods were held, helping to centralise and standardise church practices across England.

Additionally, the establishment of church courts marked a major development in the relationship between the Church and secular authority. Church courts dealt with cases concerning canon law, including moral and religious matters such as adultery and marriage disputes. These courts were separate from secular courts, and bishops were responsible for overseeing the legal cases within their dioceses.

The Primacy Debate: Canterbury vs. York

Once Lanfranc and Thomas of Bayeux were firmly in place as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, a long-standing debate about the supremacy, or "primacy," of Canterbury over York resurfaced. In 1071, both archbishops went to Rome to seek the Pope's approval for their new positions. During this visit, Thomas raised the issue of which archbishopric held greater authority, claiming that York should be seen as equal to Canterbury.

The Pope, however, refused to take sides in the dispute, recognising that doing so could disrupt William’s authority in England. Instead, Pope Alexander II instructed an English synod to resolve the issue. In 1072, the synod concluded that Canterbury would remain the leading archbishopric in England, with Thomas having to accept the primacy of Lanfranc.

Conclusion

The relationship between the Church and the State in Norman England was shaped by complex interactions between the king, the Church leaders, and the Pope. While the king was not the head of the Church, he wielded considerable influence over church appointments and governance, ensuring that the English Church remained loyal to him. Pope Alexander II played a pivotal role in ensuring the stability of Norman rule by supporting William's conquest and endorsing key church reforms. Lanfranc’s reforms helped consolidate the Church’s power, creating a more centralised and hierarchical system that reinforced the authority of the Church in both spiritual and secular matters. Ultimately, the strengthening of the Church under Norman rule helped to stabilise William's conquest and facilitated the integration of England into the broader Christian world.