Peter des Roches

Peter des Roches (died 9 June 1238) was bishop of Winchester in the reigns of King John of England and his son Henry III. Roches was not an Englishman, but a Poitevin.

Life

Towards the end of Richard I's reign, Roches became Lord Chamberlain and an influential counsellor. He held the ecclesiastical offices of Archdeacon of Poitiers, treasurer of Poitiers, and was a precentor of the diocese of Lincoln in 1204.^[1]

In early 1205, through John's influence, he was elected to the see of Winchester.^[2] His election was disputed but, on appeal, confirmed on 25 September 1205 by Pope Innocent III^[3] who honored Roches by consecrating him in person on 24 March 1206.^[2] Nonetheless, the new bishop stood by John's side during the whole period of the papal interdict set upon him due to the death of his nephew Arthur I, Duke of Brittany.

In 1213 Roches was made Chief Justiciar in succession to Geoffrey Fitz Peter.^[4] This promotion was justified by the fidelity with which Roches supported the king through the First Barons' War. However, by 1215, Hubert de Burgh was Chief Justiciar.^[4]

At the battle of Lincoln in 1217 the bishop led a division of the royal army and earned some distinction by his valour; but he played a secondary part in the government so long as William Marshal held the regency. After Marshal's death in 1219 Roches led the baronial opposition to Hubert de Burgh, with varying success. At first the justiciar was successful.

The bishop was responsible for founding several monasteries in England and France,^[5] including Titchfield Abbey^[6] and Netley Abbey^[5], both in Hampshire, England, and La Clarté-Dieu^[5] in Poitou, France. He gave his protection to the first group of Dominican friars to come to England in 1221.^[7]

He died on 9 June 1238.^[2]

See also

• List of bishops of Winchester
• Netley Abbey
• Titchfield Abbey
• La Clarté-Dieu

Notes

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
• British History Online Bishops of Winchester accessed on 2 November 2007
• British History Online Precentors of Lincoln accessed on 2 November 2007
• Burton, Janet (1994). Monastic and Religious Orders in Britain: 1000-1300. Cambridge Medieval Textbooks. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-37797-8. 
• Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde Handbook of British Chronology 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961