Stigand

Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, enjoyed great favour with Edward the Confessor, who made him his chaplain, then (1044) Bishop of Elmham or of the East Angles. Eight years later the bishop mediated successfully in the interests of peace between the king and Earl Godwin, and was rewarded with the archbishopric of Canterbury, which had been abandoned by Archbishop Robert. But his appointment was generally looked upon as uncanonical, and was still so regarded even after Stigand received the pallium from Pope Benedict X., Benedict's own election being held to be illegal. On the death of Harold, Stigand gave his vote for Edgar Atheling to be king, and for this reason, and because he was a firm friend of the House of Godwin, William the Conqueror distrusted him, and induced the pope to send a commission of cardinals, who deprived him of his dignities and sentenced him to perpetual imprisonment. But Stigand died shortly afterwards at Winchester; it is said he was starved to death, though whether voluntarily or under compulsion is uncertain.