Editing John de Gray (section)

==Archbishop-elect==

John's attempt to impose de Gray's election as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1205 was the [[Canterbury election of 1205|beginning of the king's long quarrel]] with [[Pope Innocent&nbsp;III]]. After Hubert Walter's death in July 1205, the selection of a successor was hindered by doubts about what the proper procedure should be, something that commonly happened with elections to Canterbury. John postponed a decision while delegations from the bishops of England and the monks of the [[cathedral chapter]] went to Rome to seek guidance from the pope.<ref name=Jones35/> The bishops of the province of Canterbury claimed the right to a say in who was elected, as whoever was chosen would be their superior,<ref name=Harding266>Harding ''England in the Thirteenth Century'' p. 266</ref> but according to [[canon law]] the monks of the cathedral chapter had the right to elect the new archbishop. The king also had a say in the election,<ref name=Lyon306>Lyon ''Constitutional and Legal History'' pp. 306–307</ref> as the archbishop was a major [[tenant-in-chief]] and was traditionally one of the principal royal advisers.<ref name=Huscroft195>Huscroft ''Ruling England'' pp. 195–196</ref>

While the delegations from the various parties were in Rome, the monks of Canterbury secretly elected one of their own, [[Reginald (sub-prior)|Reginald]], as archbishop, and subsequently sent him to Rome to join the delegation. When John discovered that Reginald had been elected without any royal input he forced the monks to elect de Gray as archbishop.<ref name=Warren160/> Some stories have Reginald's election taking place before the despatch of the first delegation to the [[Roman Curia|papal curia]]. Another source, [[Gervase of Canterbury]], has the king telling the chapter they could choose their own nominee after six months, while the king secretly sent envoys to Rome to secure de Gray's election.<ref name=Jones35>Jones ''King John and Magna Carta'' pp. 35–37</ref> A further story, from [[Roger of Wendover]], states that the monks elected Reginald before Walter was even buried and that only a few members of the cathedral chapter&nbsp;– the younger ones&nbsp;– participated in the election. Wendover wrote in the 1230s and was not a monk of Canterbury, therefore it is unlikely he has recorded a true account.<ref name=Election212>Knowles "Canterbury Election" ''English Historical Review'' pp. 212–215</ref>

De Gray was postulated or nominated, to Canterbury on 11 December 1205,<ref name=Warren160/> which presented Innocent with two candidates for the office. In an effort to reach a compromise,<ref name=Lyon240>Lyon ''Constitutional and Legal History'' p. 240</ref> the pope quashed both nominations on about 30 March 1206;<ref name=Warren160/><ref name=Handbook232>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 232</ref> Innocent's reason for invalidating de Gray's candidacy was that any election was invalid if an earlier one was still under appeal to the papacy.<ref name=Evil116>Turner ''King John'' p. 116</ref> The monks then elected [[Stephen Langton]], with Innocent's approval.<ref name=Warren160/> John did not accept Langton's candidacy, however, and Innocent's consecration of Langton in 1207 led to an eight-year struggle between John and the pope over the rights of the king to secure the election of his choice as archbishop.<ref name=Lyon240/> John refused to allow Langton to enter England and exiled the Canterbury monks.<ref name=Huscroft195/> Innocent placed [[Papal Interdict of 1208|an interdict]] on England in 1208, which John countered by confiscating the income and estates of any clergy who enforced it. Innocent went on to [[excommunicate]] John in 1209, in a dispute that led to the exile of many of the English clergy and John's imposition of heavy financial demands on the church in England;<ref name=Lyon240/> by 1209 de Gray and [[Peter des Roches]], the [[Bishop of Winchester]], were the only living English bishops not in exile.<ref name=Lyon306/> But it was not until 1213,<ref name=Lyon240/> when Innocent began to support John's deposition, that the king became concerned and reached a settlement with the papacy.<ref name=Ruling196>Huscroft ''Ruling England'' pp. 196–197</ref>