robert died medieval son knight teacher canon type monk elected prior middle named bishop king henry england bishop appointed judge known care took diocese henry death supported king stephen seized throne henry forces captured stephen switched sides support secure throne switched supporting stephen construction cathedral completed consecrated stephen appointed english bishops king allowed attend died april surviving evidence cathedral chapter attempts promote saint early life youngest son knight educated eldest brother named medieval chronicler describes flemish medieval biographer says grew neighbouring villages likely born near family descended flemish settlers england teaching elementary subjects went study theology william canon elected prior house middle prior entrusted establishing cell established shortly death vacant king henry england took advice local nominated bishop prior urban refused permission elevation archbishop canterbury william advised matter referred pope ordered allowed accept consecrated june rochester king said felt needed bishop henry bishops given sees rewards royal service particularly noted known strict canon priest living monastic life monk appointed judge delegate try cases disputes referred england historian said man wide outlook great desire reform praised contemporaries care selected men serve clergy diocese held diocese including year stephen reign accession supported stephen court stephen seized throne king henry death henry surviving legitimate daughter throne usually known empress marriage german emperor died accompanied secured truce stephen king scots david shortly landed england september pursuit throne local miles gloucester supported continued support stephen miles hostility drove diocese miles control leaving perform episcopal duties time assisted new archbishop_of_canterbury earlier persuaded bishop elect swear king stephen originally refused standing bishop known independence king helped persuade homage canonical stephen captured empress forces switched sides winchester march claimed throne england present council proclaimed lady english shortly diocese center lands controlled bishops court crowned driven london planned coronation place chief supporters captured late secure release released stephen captivity conflict england state civil war parts country supporting parts supporting stephen welsh raids beginning stephen reign driven bishop gave refuge establishing new site near gloucester land settled belonged diocese led conflict cathedral chapter led dean forced travel secure order declaring chapter obey bishop involved conflict miles gloucester earl led bishop miles inhabitants city doors church blocked crosses taken placed ground dispute arose attempt miles tax churches regarded unlawful miles died ended dispute taxes death free leave empress faction returned supporting stephen begun finally ready work finally completed consecrated year year saw departure england support previous years stephen able secure control england able completely remove supporters king stephen gave permission england bishops including attend stephen expelled papal representatives arrived england summon bishops appointed bishops representatives allowed attend council forbidden attend managed evade watching arrived clerk death legacy died april close corpse returned alleged taken place route buried episcopal decisions documents relating episcopal career published english episcopal series volume relating diocese medieval catalogue works recorded owned collection letters survived life giving life written contains details life instead attempt secure life describes took place tomb evidence survives formal cult developed historian called model bishop time care diocese abilities
Robert de Bethune