william york william york late 11th century june known william english priest william unusual distinction having archbishop york twice rival relative king helped secure election york number candidates failed secure papal confirmation william faced opposition election pope managed archbishop deposed favour william worked secure restoration york finally achieved deaths retain long died shortly returning york allegedly having poisoned william death reported tomb year onwards year declared saint early life born york william son winchester chancellor treasurer king sources mother emma half sister bishop winchester illegitimate daughter count stephen father new research suggests emma daughter hunger held lands survey william born exact date birth unknown william held diocese yorkshire june february appointed treasurer york appointed yorkshire unknown date influence rich powerful father yorkshire benefit gaining offices relatively early age william apparently held offices election archbishop serving archbishop york william involved dispute king henry henry demanded accept william accompanied exile europe papal court reconciliation henry allowed return york papal ruling favour independence finally delivered election problems january william elected originally cathedral chapter york elected election set aside supporters gift secure election henry tried secure nephew stephen henry election opposed pope refused confirm archbishop retained post abbot election held january william selected candidate previous elections unknown election opposed monasteries yorkshire york opposed grounds given religious houses diocese right participate election bishop archbishop canterbury refused recognise william election allegations acquisition church positions interference king stephen pope ruled confirmed office swore oath allegations false swore oath papal found william innocent consecrated archbishop september deposition archbishop william undertook number ecclesiastical reforms popular people york needed sign archbishop authority pope received opposed archbishop determined prevent receiving william travelled rome attempt obtain election pope setback cause famous abbot religious leader exerted influence ensure william suspension sending series complaints new pope william secular powers monasteries irregularly appointed william winter eugene examined case declared william consecrated suspended office william required obtain person old charges william awaiting final decision case william took residence friends king sicily hearing suspension william supporters york launched damaging attack destroyed buildings william formally deposed archbishop eugene early deposition confirmed march election york held candidates included king candidate abbot supporters included clergy diocese including william ally william sides appealed pope pope confirmed successful candidate returned winchester city left years earlier begin career york second king stephen refused accept william deposition appointment prevented taking residence york stephen probably wished trade recognition support son stephen trying secure coronation successor lifetime defeat rival claims throne henry years pope died william travelled rome new pope restoration office pope concurred william confirmed december return york crossing bridge york procession bridge collapsed killed death month york william died june allegedly poison administered mass accused york murder summoned king tried royal court trial place stephen died trial took place william buried months death attributed intervention sweet smell came tomb damaged fire body decayed burnt fire pope iii ordered investigation rome william feast day celebrated june day death largely york traditional windows depict william crossing shows crossing boat william coat arms traditionally depicts seven college named established permission king edward home priests cathedral remains rediscovered 1960s york
William of York