Editing Edmund of Abingdon (section)

===Archbishop of Canterbury===
[[File:Saint John the Evangelist Church (Logan, Ohio) - high altar statue, St. Edmund of Abingdon.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of St. Edmund on the [[Altar in the Catholic Church|altar]] in [[Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church Complex|St. John the Evangelist Church]] ([[Logan, Ohio]])]]
[[File:Arms of Edmund of Abingdon.svg|thumb|199x199px|Coat of arms of Saint Edmund of Abingdon: ''Or, a [[cross patonce]] gules between four [[Cornish chough]]s [[Tincture (heraldry)|proper]]'' (now used by [[St Edmund Hall, Oxford]])]]
In 1233 came the news of Edmund's appointment, by [[Pope Gregory IX]], to the Archbishopric of Canterbury. The chapter had already made three selections which the pope had declined to confirm.  Edmund's name had been proposed as a compromise by Gregory, perhaps on account of his work for the crusade.  He was consecrated on 2 April 1234.<ref name=Handbook233>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 233</ref>

Before his consecration Edmund became known for supporting ecclesiastical independence from Rome, maintenance of the [[Magna Carta]] and the exclusion of foreigners from civil and ecclesiastical office. Reluctant to accept appointment as archbishop, Edmund was persuaded when it was pointed out that if he refused, the Pope might very well appoint a foreign ecclesiastic.<ref name=dover/> He chose as his chancellor [[Richard of Wich]], known to later ages as St Richard of Chichester.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Richard, St |volume= 23 | page = 293 |short=1}}</ref>
In the name of his fellow bishops Edmund admonished [[Henry III of England]] at [[Westminster]], on 2 February 1234, to heed the example of his father, [[John of England]]. A week after his consecration he again appeared before the king with the barons and bishops, this time threatening Henry with excommunication if he refused to dismiss his councillors, many of them foreign,{{sfn|Davis|1911}} and particularly [[Peter des Roches]], [[Bishop of Winchester]]. Henry yielded, and the favourites were dismissed, [[Hubert de Burgh]] (whom they had imprisoned) was released and reconciled to the king and soon the archbishop was sent to [[Wales]] to negotiate peace with [[Llywelyn the Great]]. Edmund's success, however, turned the king against him.<ref name=dover/>

Edmund was valued by the local people for his teaching, preaching, study, and his prayer; but his uncompromising stand in favour of good discipline in both civil and ecclesial government, of strict observance in monastic life, and of justice in high quarters brought him into conflict with Henry III, with several monasteries, and with the priests of Canterbury cathedral.<ref name=millwall>[http://www.st-edmund-millwall.org.uk/stedmund.html "St Edmund, Patron of our Parish", Roman Catholic Parish of St. Edmund of Abingdon, Millwall] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818020453/http://st-edmund-millwall.org.uk/stedmund.html |date=18 August 2013 }}</ref> He claimed and exercised metropolitan rights of visitation, this was often challenged and he had to resort to litigation to maintain his authority, not the least with his own monastic chapter at Canterbury.<ref name=hayward>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wilfrid.com/saints/edmund_abingdon.htm|title=Hayward, John. "St Edmund of Abingdon", Parish Church of St. Wilfrid, Bognor}}</ref>
[[File:St Edmund bronze.jpg|thumb|upright|Bronze statue of Edmund at [[St Edmund Hall, Oxford]]]]

In 1236, with the object of emancipating himself from Edmund's control, the king asked the pope to send him a [[papal legate|legate]]. On the arrival of [[Otto of Tonengo|Cardinal Odo]] in 1237 the archbishop found himself thwarted and insulted at every point. The politically significant marriage between [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]] and Henry's sister [[Eleanor of England, Countess of Leicester|Eleanor]], which Edmund had pronounced invalid, was ratified at Rome upon appeal. The king and legate upheld the monks of Canterbury in their opposition to Edmund's authority. Edmund protested to the king, and [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] in general terms all who had infringed the liberties of Canterbury. These measures had no impact, and the pope could not be moved to reverse the legate's decisions. Edmund complained that the discipline of the national church was ruined by this conflict of powers, and began to consider retirement.<ref name="EB1911"/>