Editing Stigand (section)

===Appointment to Canterbury and issues with the papacy===
The Archbishopric of Canterbury became drawn into the conflict between Edward and Godwin.<ref name=Smith202>Smith "Archbishop Stigand" ''Anglo-Norman Studies 16'' pp. 201–203</ref> Pope [[Pope Leo IX|Leo IX]] was beginning a reform movement later known as the [[Gregorian Reform]]. Leo first focused on improving the clergy and prohibiting [[simony]]&nbsp;– the buying and selling of clerical and ecclesiastical offices. In 1049 Leo IX publicly pronounced that he would take more interest in English church matters and would investigate episcopal candidates more strictly before confirming them.<ref name=Stafford89/> When Archbishop [[Edsige]] of Canterbury died in 1051 the monks of the cathedral chapter elected Æthelric, a relative of Earl Godwin's, as archbishop.<ref name=Huscroft6>Huscroft ''Ruling England'' p. 6</ref> King Edward opposed the election and instead appointed [[Robert of Jumièges]], who was Norman and already [[Bishop of London]].  Besides furthering Edward's quarrel with Godwin, the appointment signalled that there were limits to Edward's willingness to compromise on ecclesiastical reform.<ref name=Stafford89/>

Although not known as a reformer before his appointment, Robert returned in 1051 from Rome, where he had gone to be confirmed by the papacy, and opposed the king's choice for Bishop of London on the grounds that the candidate was not suitable. Robert's attempts to recover church property that had been appropriated by Earl Godwin contributed to the quarrel between the earl and the king. When Godwin returned to England in 1052 Robert was outlawed and exiled,<ref name=Stafford89>Stafford ''Unification and Conquest'' pp. 89–92</ref> following which King Edward appointed Stigand to the archbishopric.<ref name=Handbook214>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 214</ref> The appointment was either a reward from Godwin for Stigand's support during the conflict with Edward or a reward from King Edward for successfully negotiating a peaceful conclusion to the crisis in 1052.<ref name=Walker49/> Stigand was the first non-monk to be appointed to either English archbishopric since before the days of [[Dunstan]] (archbishop from 959 to 988).<ref name=Handbook214/><ref name=Monastic66>Knowles ''Monastic Order'' p. 66</ref><ref name=Brooks306>Brooks ''Early History'' p. 306</ref>

The papacy refused to recognise Stigand's elevation, as Robert was still alive and had not been deprived of office by a pope.<ref name=Smith202/> Robert of Jumièges appealed to Leo IX, who summoned Stigand to Rome. When Stigand did not appear, he was excommunicated.<ref name=ASE465>Stenton ''Anglo-Saxon England'' pp. 465–466</ref> Historian [[Nicholas Brooks (historian)|Nicholas Brooks]] holds the view that Stigand was not excommunicated at this time, but rather was ordered to refrain from any archiepiscopal functions, such as the consecration of bishops. He argues that in 1062 papal legates sat in council with Stigand, something they would not have done had he been excommunicated.<ref name=Brooks307>Brooks ''Early History'' p. 307</ref> The legates did nothing to alter Stigand's position either,<ref name=Rex184>Rex ''Harold II'' p. 184</ref> although one of the legates later helped depose Stigand in 1070.<ref name=1000Church306>Barlow ''English Church 1000–1066'' p. 306</ref> However Pope Leo IX and his successors, [[Pope Victor II|Victor II]] and [[Pope Stephen IX|Stephen IX]], continued to regard Stigand as uncanonically elected.<ref name=ASE465/><ref name=Intro108>Blair ''Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England'' p. 108</ref>

Stigand did not travel to Rome to receive a [[pallium]],<ref name=DNB/> the band worn around the neck that is the symbol of an archbishop's authority,<ref name=Coredon>Coredon ''Dictionary'' p. 209</ref> from the pope. Travelling to Rome for the pallium had become a custom, practised by a number of his predecessors.<ref name=Brooks291>Brooks ''Early History'' pp. 291, 299, 304</ref> Instead, some medieval chroniclers state that he used Robert of Jumièges' pallium.<ref name=DNB/> It is not known if Stigand even petitioned the papacy for a pallium soon after his appointment.<ref name=Reform420>Darlington "Ecclesiastical Reform" ''English Historical Review'' p. 420</ref> Owing to the reform movement, Stigand probably knew the request would be unsuccessful.<ref name=Smith202/> In 1058 Antipope [[Antipope Benedict X|Benedict X]], who opposed much of the reform movement, gave Stigand a pallium.<ref name=Brooks306/><ref name=BHOArchCant>Greenway ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 2: Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces): Canterbury: Archbishops''</ref> However, Benedict was deposed the following year;<ref name=Brooks306/><ref name=Huscroft62/> the reforming party declared Benedict an [[antipope]], and nullified all his acts,<ref name=Brooks306/> including Stigand's pallium grant.<ref name=Huscroft48>Huscroft ''Ruling England'' p. 48</ref> The exact circumstances that led to Benedict granting a pallium are unknown, whether it was at Stigand's request or was given without prompting.<ref name=Reform420/>

After his translation to Canterbury, Stigand released Elmham to his brother Æthelmær but retained the bishopric of Winchester.<ref name=Handbook223/> Canterbury and Winchester were the two richest sees in England,<ref name=Higham137>Higham ''Death of Anglo-Saxon England'' p. 137</ref><ref name=1000Church79>Barlow ''English Church 1000–1066'' p. 79</ref> and while precedent allowed the holding of a rich see along with a poor one, there was no precedent for holding two rich sees concurrently.<ref name=Brooks305>Brooks ''Early History'' p. 205</ref> He may have retained Winchester out of avarice, or his hold on Canterbury may not have been secure.<ref name=Stafford94>Stafford ''Unification and Conquest'' p. 94</ref> Besides these, he held the [[Gloucester Cathedral|abbey of Gloucester]] and the [[Ely Cathedral|abbey of Ely]] and perhaps other abbeys also.<ref name=Knowles72>Knowles ''Monastic Order'' p. 72</ref> Whatever his reasons, the retention of Winchester made Stigand a pluralist: the holder of more than one [[benefice]] at the same time.<ref name=Stafford94/> This was a practice that was targeted for elimination by the growing reform movement in the church.<ref name=Huscroft62/> Five successive popes (Leo IX, Victor II, Stephen IX, Nicholas II, and Alexander II)<ref name=BHOArchCant/> excommunicated Stigand for holding both Winchester and Canterbury at the same time.<ref name=Knowles72/> It has been suggested by the historian Emma Mason that Edward refused to remove Stigand because this would have undermined the royal prerogative to appoint bishops and archbishops without papal input.<ref name=Mason78/> Further hurting Stigand's position, Pope Nicholas II in 1061 declared pluralism to be uncanonical unless approved by the pope.<ref name=Huscroft62>Huscroft ''Ruling England'' p. 62</ref>

Stigand was later accused of simony by monastic chroniclers, but all such accusations date to after 1066, and are thus suspect owing to the post-Conquest desire to vilify the English Church as corrupt and backward.<ref name=Huscroft46>Huscroft ''Ruling England'' pp. 46–47</ref> The medieval chronicler [[William of Poitiers]] also claimed that in 1052 Stigand agreed that William of Normandy, the future William the Conqueror, should succeed King Edward. This claim was used as propaganda after the Conquest, but according to the historian [[David Bates (historian)|David Bates]], among others, it is unlikely to be true.<ref name=BatesWC77>Bates ''William the Conqueror'' pp. 77–78</ref><ref name=Rex141>Rex ''Harold II'' p. 141</ref> The position of Stigand as head of the church in England was used to good effect by the Normans in their propaganda before, during and after the Conquest.<ref name=Douglas170>Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' p. 170</ref>