Editing Theobald of Bec (section)

===Disputes with Stephen===

Theobald was back in Paris in May 1147 to meet with the new pope, Eugene III; among the issues probably discussed was Theobald's dispute with [[Bernard (Bishop of St Davids)|Bernard of St Davids]]. Relations at this time between Theobald and Stephen seem to have been good,<ref name=Salt24>Saltman ''Theobald'' p. 24</ref> but when Eugene summoned the English bishops to the [[Council of Reims (1148)|Council of Rheims]] in April 1148 the king forbade all of them from attending except for three he nominated: [[Hilary of Chichester|Chichester]], [[Robert de Bethune|Hereford]] and [[William de Turbeville|Norwich]]. Despite having been specifically refused permission Theobald sneaked away in a fishing boat,<ref name=Stephen101/> presumably accompanied by [[Gilbert Foliot]], who attended the council with him.<ref name=Barlow99>Barlow ''English Church'' p. 99</ref> Theobald had a number of reasons for defying the king: chiefly his obedience to the pope's order commanding his attendance, but also to keep the papacy from favouring the newly elected Archbishop of York, Henry Murdac, in the disputes between York and Canterbury. Murdac was known to be close to his fellow Cistercian Eugene.<ref name=Matthew197>Matthew ''King Stephen'' pp. 197–201</ref>

Bethune, the Bishop of Hereford, died during the council, and Eugene nominated Foliot as his successor at Theobald's urging.<ref name=Crouch305>Crouch ''Reign of King Stephen'' p. 305</ref> One of the council's last acts was to suspend the non-attending bishops from their offices. The only English bishop specifically named was Henry of Blois, but the others who did not attend were presumably also suspended although not named. Henry of Blois was singled out for special handling, as the papacy ordered that he could not be reinstated by Theobald; Eugene reserved to himself the power to restore Henry.  Theobald appears to have reinstated most of the bishops quickly, as Foliot wrote later in 1148 that only the bishops of Winchester, Durham, Worcester, Bath and Exeter were still suspended. Theobald forgave the bishops of Exeter, Worcester and Bath on 11&nbsp;November 1148, according to the later chronicler [[Gervase of Canterbury]]. Gervase also lists Hilary of Chichester as one of those forgiven by Theobald on that date, but as Hilary attended the council it is likely that this is an error. Durham may have been omitted because he was a suffragan bishop of the Archbishop of York, and his reinstatement was in his archbishop's hands.<ref name=Salt26>Saltman ''Theobald'' pp. 26–27</ref>

The king was angry with Theobald for attending the council, even though the archbishop intervened with Eugene, who was displeased with the king for forbidding the bishops' attendance. Theobald persuaded Eugene against excommunicating Stephen, asking the pope to allow the king to make amends for his behaviour. But Stephen was unimpressed with Theobald's intercession; he confiscated Theobald's property and banished the archbishop. In September 1148, the pope put England under [[Interdict (Catholic canon law)|interdict]], which was ignored except in Canterbury.<ref name=Stephen101/> At first Theobald was in exile at [[Saint-Omer|St Omer]], where he consecrated Gilbert Foliot as [[Bishop of Hereford]].<ref name=Salt28>Saltman ''Theobald'' p. 28</ref> He then returned to England and set himself up in [[Framlingham]], which was held by [[Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk|Hugh Bigod]], an adherent of the Empress. From there he conducted the ecclesiastical business of England, but Theobald's presence in the country posed a threat to Stephen's authority, and Stephen quickly settled the differences between the two.<ref name=Stephen101/>

Henry of Blois had lost his legateship before Celestine became pope, but it was not until about 1150 that Theobald was appointed legate by Eugene III, perhaps owing to the exhortations of [[Bernard of Clairvaux]].<ref name=Barlow110/> Theobald held the legatine powers in England until his death in 1161.<ref name=Bartlett411/> In 1151 Theobald held a [[Synod|legatine council]] in London.<ref name=Barlow131>Barlow ''English Church'' p. 131</ref> The council was attended by the king and [[Eustace IV of Boulogne|Eustace]], the king's eldest son, as well as other members of the nobility. The council decreed eight canons, or ecclesiastical statutes, including ones condemning the pillaging of church properties and the imposition of financial levies on the clergy.<ref name=DNB/> Another canon of the council stated that bishops should no longer pursue violators of church property in the royal courts, but should use ecclesiastical courts instead. The other canons dealt with procedural matters arising from excommunications for abusing church property.<ref name=Barlow131/>

The next year, the archbishop refused to crown Eustace and was again exiled by Stephen,<ref name=Norman273>Crouch ''Normans'' p. 273</ref> who was attempting to secure the succession for his son by imitating the [[Capetian dynasty]] of France, which usually saw the king's heir crowned during his father's lifetime.<ref name=DNB/> Although Theobald claimed papal authority for refusal, based on the prohibition by Celestine, it was more probable that he and the bishops had no desire to prolong the civil war.<ref name=Huscroft135>Huscroft ''Ruling England'' p. 135</ref> Stephen demanded in April 1152 that Theobald crown Eustace, but the archbishop once again refused, and went into exile in Flanders.<ref name=DNB/> Theobald claimed that Stephen had gained the throne through perjury, implying that if the archbishop crowned Eustace, Theobald would be perpetuating this crime.<ref name=Leedom354>Leedom "English Settlement" ''History'' p. 354</ref> The king and the archbishop reached a truce in August.<ref name=DNB/>

In January 1153 [[Henry II of England|Henry of Anjou]], Matilda's son, invaded England in pursuit of his claim to the throne, and with the death of Eustace in August 1153, Stephen gave up.<ref name=Huscroft74/> Theobald was instrumental in the negotiations between Henry and Stephen that resulted in the [[Treaty of Wallingford]], securing Henry's succession to the throne.<ref name=Barlow100/> Theobald was also present when Henry of Anjou met with Stephen's second son [[William I, Count of Boulogne|William]], probably after Eustace's death, to settle William's lands and status after Henry succeeded Stephen.<ref name=Amt16>Amt ''Accession of Henry II'' p. 16</ref> Pope Eugene III forced Stephen to reverse the sentence of banishment, and Theobald returned to his see.<ref name=Barlow100>Barlow ''English Church'' pp. 100–102</ref> Later it was mainly Theobald and Henry of Blois who negotiated the treaty ending the civil war, as neither Stephen nor Henry of Anjou was interested in a compromise.<ref name=Stephen118>Davis ''King Stephen'' p. 118</ref> Henry of Blois and Theobald, who had previously found working together difficult, managed to secure an end to the disorders in England.<ref name=Amt13>Amt ''Accession of Henry II'' p. 13</ref>