Editing Thurstan (section)

==Legacy==

Thurstan gave land to many of the churches of his [[diocese]] and founded several religious houses. He founded the first [[Abbey|nunnery]] in [[Yorkshire]] when he founded [[St Clements Convent|St Clement's]] between 1125 and 1133.<ref name=Bartlett438>Bartlett ''England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings'' p. 438</ref> He obtained for [[Whitby Abbey]] a papal privilege of protection as well as giving his privilege to the abbey.<ref name=Dawtry91>Dawtry "Benedictine Revival" ''Studies in Church History 18'' p. 91</ref> He also helped found the [[Cistercians|Cistercian]] [[Fountains Abbey|Abbey of Fountains]],<ref name=BHOYork/> by giving the site to monks who had been expelled from the [[St Mary's Abbey, York|Abbey of St. Mary's, York]].<ref name=Burton70>Burton ''Monastic and Religious Orders'' p. 70</ref> Thurstan helped the hermitess [[Christina of Markyate]] at several points in her career, and tried to persuade her to become the first prioress of his foundation of St. Clement's.<ref name=Church203>Barlow ''English Church'' p. 203</ref> He was a patron to the Augustinian [[Hexham Abbey|Hexham Priory]], founded by his predecessor at York, as well as helping the foundation of [[Bridlington Priory]], another Augustinian house.<ref name=Burton48>Burton ''Monastic and Religious Orders'' p. 48</ref> He was a sincere reformer and opposed to the election of unfit men to the episcopacy. When [[Pope Innocent II]] asked Thurstan's opinion on the elevation of [[Anselm of St Saba]], who was [[Abbot of Bury St. Edmunds]], to become Bishop of London, Thurstan replied, "If we consider his life and reputation, it would be much more fitting to remove him from his abbacy than to promote him to be bishop of London."<ref name=Appleby106>Appleby ''Troubled Reign'' pp. 106–107</ref> Anselm was not confirmed as bishop.<ref name=Appleby106/>

Thurstan is described by the historian Edmund King as "a bishop like no other. Thurstan and the baronage of Yorkshire had been partners in a common enterprise, their security in this world and their salvation in the next, and to all aspects of his role he had shown a complete commitment." His death occurred during [[The Anarchy]] of the civil war between Stephen and [[Empress Matilda|Matilda]] and led to a breakdown in order.<ref>King, ''King Stephen'', p. 126</ref>

Thurstan's nephew was [[Osbert de Bayeux]], who became an archdeacon at York, and in 1154 was accused of the murder of [[William of York]], one of Thurstan's successors at York.<ref name=BHOArchYork>Greenway "Archdeacons: Richmond" ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300'': Volume 6: York</ref>