Lanfranc

Lanfranc, the first archbishop of Canterbury after the Norman Conquest, was born at Pavia about 1005, and educated at Pavia for the law. About 1039, however, he left Italy, and founded a school of law at Avranches, which soon became one of the most popular in France. Three years later he took the monastic vows at the Benedictine monastery of Bec, and in 1046 was chosen its prior. He figured prominently in the Berengarian controversy as to the real presence, ranging himself against Berengarius. About 1053 he came into close contact with William of Normandy. Although he at first condemned this prince's marriage with his cousin, he afterwards (1059) went personally to Rome to procure the papal dispensation for it. As a reward for this service William made him prior of his new foundation, the abbey of St Stephen at Caen (1062), and in 1070 promoted him to the primacy of England by making him Archbishop of Canterbury in place of the deposed Stigand. Lanfranc still continued to be William's trusty adviser, helping him both to fill the English sees with Normans and to make the royal power supreme above that of the church. He died in May 1089, leaving commentaries, sermons, letters, and a work against Berengar (ed. 1648 and 1844). See Hook's Lives of the Archbishops.