Biography of Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet 1152-1212

Around 1152 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet was born illegitimately to King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 18) and Ykenai.

Before 1170 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 17) was appointed Archdeacon of Lincoln.

In 1173 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 21) was appointed Bishop of Lincoln.

Chronicum Anglicanum by Ralph Coggeshall. King Richard, once raised up to the throne of the kingdom, gave the archbishopric of York to his illegitimate brother Geoffrey (age 37); to Geoffrey [Godfrey] de Lucy, son of Richard de Lucy, he gave the bishopric of Winchester; to Richard, archdeacon of Ely, he gave the bishopric of London; to Hubert Walter (age 29), clerk of Ranulf de Glanville, he gave the bishopric of Salisbury; and to William de Longchamp¹, he gave the bishopric of Ely, who also was made chancellor of the lord king, and to whose industry the kingdom of England and the affairs of the realm were entrusted when King Richard set out for Jerusalem.

Rex autem Ricardus in regni solio sublimatus, fratri suo notho Galfrido Eboracensem dedit archiepiscopatum; Godefrido de Luci, filio Ricardi de Luci, Wintoniensem dedit episcopatum; Ricardo archidiacono Helyensi, Londoniensem; Huberto Waltero, clerico Ranulfi de Glanvilla, Salesberiensem; Willelmo de Longocampo, Helyensem, qui et cancellarius domini regis effectus est, cujus etiam industriæ regnum Angliæ et negotia regni commissa sunt, rege Ricardo Hierosolymam proficiscente.

Note 1. William de Longchamp, died 1191. He was appointed, or bought, the office of Lord Chancellor and Bishop of Ely. He became Regent whilst King Richard was on crusade. He was forced from power in 1191.

In 1189 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 37) was ordained.

In 1191 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 39) was appointed Archbishop of York.

After 1191 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 39) was imprisoned by Bishop William Longchamp at Dover Castle [Map].

Chronicle of Roger de Hoveden. 30th March 1194. On the thirtieth day of March, a Wednesday, Richard, King of England, held the first day of his council at Nottingham. Present at this council were: Queen Eleanor (age 72), his mother, Hubert (age 34), Archbishop of Canterbury, who sat on the king's right, Geoffrey (age 42), Archbishop of York, who sat on the king's left, Hugh (age 69), Bishop of Durham, Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, William, Bishop of Ely, the king's chancellor, William, Bishop of Hereford, Henry, Bishop of Worcester, Henry (age 46), Bishop of Exeter, John, Bishop of Whithorn (Candida Casa), Count David (age 42), brother of the King of Scotland, [his uncle] Hamelin (age 65), Earl of Warenne, Ranulf (age 24), Earl of Chester, William (age 26), Earl of Ferrers, [his illegitimate half-brother] William (age 18), Earl of Salisbury, Roger Bigod (age 50).

Tricesima die mensis Martii, feria quarta, Ricardus rex Angiiæ celebravit primum conciJii sui diem apud Notingliam; cui interfueiunt Alienor regina mater ejus, et Hubertus Cantuariensis arcbiepiscopus, qui in dextris regis sedebat in concilio illo, et Gaufridus Eboracensis arcbiepiscopus, qui a sinistris ejus sedebat, et Hugo Dunelmensis, et Hugo Lincolniensis, et Willelmus Eliensis regis cancellarius, et Willelmus Herefordensis, et Henriecus Wigornensis, et Henricus Exoniensis, et Johannes Candidæ Casæ episcopi; et comes David frater regis, Scotiæ, et Hamelinus comes de Warenna, et Ranulfus comes Cestriæ, et Willelmus comes de Ferreres, et Willelmus comes de Salesbiria, et Rogerus Bigot.

Chronicle of Roger de Hoveden. 16th April 1194. On the sixteenth day of April, after dinner, the [his half-brother] King of England (age 36) moved from Winchester Castle to the Priory of St. Swithun [Map]¹, where he spent the night and had himself bathed. That evening, he ordered Geoffrey (age 42), Archbishop of York, not to bring his cross to his coronation the next day, lest a tumult arise between him and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Because he was forbidden from carrying his cross, Geoffrey refused to attend the king's coronation.

Sextadecima die mensis Aprilis, post prandium, transtulit se rex Angliæ de castello Wintoniæ ad prioratum Sancti Swithuni, et ibi nocte illa jacuit, et se balneari fecit; et mandavit Gaufrido Eboracensi archiepiscopo, ne ipse in crastino ad coronationem suam accederet cum cruce sua, ne forte tumultus fieret inter ipsum et Cantuariensem archiepiscopum. Et quia prohibitum erat ei crucem suam portare, noluit coronationi regis interesse.

Note 1. The Priory of St Swithun was a cathedral monastery attached to Winchester Cathedral, providing the clergy for the church.

Chronicle of Roger de Hoveden. [1200] In the meantime, by command of the said king, Geoffrey (age 48), archbishop of York, his brother, was deprived of all the manors and property of his archbishopric. On this occasion, James de Poterne, who was the then sheriff of York, violently entering upon the manors of the said archbishop, made waste of his property; on which the archbishop excommunicated the said sheriff, and all the authors and abettors of the said violence, with candles lighted and with bells ringing. He also excommunicated all who had excited or wished to excite his brother John to wrath or indignation against him without any fault on his own part. He also excommunicated the burgesses of Beverley, and suspended that town from the celebration of Divine service, and from the ringing of bells, because the said burgesses had broken into his park, and had disturbed and lessened his other possessions, which Roger, archbishop of York, his predecessor, and he himself, for some time, had held without molestation.

In 1207 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 55) exiled.

On 12th December 1212 Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 60) died at Normandy [Map]. He was buried at Notre Dame du Parc, Rouen.

Chronicle of Roger de Hoveden. [25th March 1994] On the same day, Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury, arrived there and had his cross carried before him. However, Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, did not have his cross carried before him. Instead, he complained to the king about the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had ordered his cross to be carried within the diocese of York. When the Archbishop of Canterbury heard this and saw that the Archbishop of York had not carried his own cross, he said: "I carry my cross throughout all of England, and I have the right to carry it, as I am the Primate of all England. But you do not carry your cross, and perhaps you do not even have the right to carry it. Therefore, in this matter, I appeal to the Lord Pope."

Eodem die venit illuc Hubertus Cantuariensis archiepiscopus, et crucem suam ante se portari fecit. Gaufridus vero Eboracensis archiepiscopus crucem suam non portavit; sed conquestus est regi de archiepiscopo, qui crucem suam portare fecit in Eboracensi diocesi. Quod cum Cantuariensis archiepiscopus audisset, et vidisset quod Eboracensis archiepiscopus crucem suam non portasset, dixit, "Ego crucem meam per totam Angliam porto, et portare debeo, sicut totius Angliæ primas; tu autem crucem tuam non portas, et forsitan portare non debes: et ideo rebus sic existentibus appello ad dominum papam."