Hugh de Puiset
Encyclopedia
Hugh de Puiset was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Chief Justiciar
of England
under King Richard I
. He was the nephew of King Stephen of England
and Henry of Blois
, who both assisted Hugh's ecclesiastical career. He held the office of treasurer of York for a number of years, which led him into conflict with Henry Murdac
, Archbishop of York
. In 1153, Hugh was elected bishop of Durham despite the opposition of Murdac.
Hugh was not involved in the controversy between King Henry II
and Thomas Becket
, Archbishop of Canterbury
. The king did suspect Hugh of supporting Henry's heir, Henry the Young King
, when the prince rebelled and Hugh was also suspected of aiding the King of Scots, William I
during an invasion of Northern England in 1174. After the accession of Henry's second son Richard as king, Hugh bought the office of Sheriff of Northumbria, as well as the earldom of Northumbria
. He also acquired the office of Justiciar, which he was supposed to share with William de Mandeville
, but with Mandeville's death Hugh shared the office with William Longchamp
. Longchamp had managed to gather the office into his hands alone by the middle of 1190.
As a bishop, Hugh was noted as a builder, including a stone bridge in the city of Durham and the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral
. His administration of the episcopal lands included an inquest into the exact holdings of the bishopric. As a patron, Hugh sponsored the career of the medieval chronicler Roger of Hoveden
. Hugh had a long-term mistress, by whom he had at least two sons, and possibly two more.
and Adela
, a daughter of King William the Conqueror
. His paternal family held a lordship in Northern France. Hugh was born in approximately 1125, for in 1153 with his election as bishop he was still under the canonical age limit for bishops of 28. Henry acquired for Hugh the office of archdeacon
in the see of Winchester
, sometime before 1139.
Hugh afterwards became archdeacon of York and treasurer of York, sometime around 1143, probably through the patronage of William FitzHerbert while he was serving his first term as Archbishop of York. While treasurer, he was a member of the party at York that wanted to elect Hilary
as archbishop after William FitzHerbert's deposition in 1147. The successful candidate was Henry Murdac, the Abbot of Fountains, who was supported by the bishops of Durham and Carlisle, William of St. Barbara
and Æthelwold
respectively. Murdac excommunicated Hugh, who returned the gesture.
On 22 January 1153 Hugh was elected to the see of Durham by the cathedral chapter
, in spite of the opposition of Henry Murdac, who excommunicated the chapter in response. Because of Murdac's opposition and refusal to confirm the election, Hugh only obtained consecration by making a personal visit to Rome, where the pope was able to over-rule the Archbishop of York. He was consecrated on 20 December 1153, by Pope Anastasius II
. Hugh was enthroned, or ceremonially installed as bishop in his cathedral, at Durham
on 2 May 1154. King Stephen granted to Puiset as bishop of Durham, the mineral rights at Weardale, which included lead mines. Silver was also extracted from the lead ore mined there, and that silver probably helped the bishops form their own mint.
Hugh may not have attended the coronation of King Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor of Aquitaine
. Some sources place him at the coronation, others do not. He also did not attend the Council of Clarendon in 1164 that issued the Constitutions of Clarendon
, the was the cause of the quarrel between the king and Thomas Becket. In the ensuing dispute between the king and Becket, Hugh did not take sides. He was, however, present with Roger de Pont L'Evêque
the Archbishop of York at the coronation of the king's eldest son Henry the Young King in 1170, and consequently was suspended by Alexander III
. The coronation of the Young King eventually led to Becket's martyrdom in December 1170.
Hugh obtained an exemption allowing him to keep his castle at Northallerton when Henry was ordering the destruction of most of the illegal castles that had been built during King Stephen's reign. He also built a castle at Norham, designed to help defend the north of England against raids from Scotland.
Hugh was suspected of involvement in the Young King's revolt in 1173. He does not seem to have taken an active part, but King Henry II suspected him of supporting the rebellion. When King William the Lion of Scotland invaded northern England in the spring of 1174, Hugh either connived at the invasion or helped the rebels and the Scottish king. Suspicion fell upon the bishop because he was cautious in defending against the Scottish raids. Hugh also concluded truces with the Scots that allowed them free passage through the ecclesiastical lands in return for no damage being done to those lands. Lastly, the bishop's nephew Hugh IV de Puiset
, who was Count of Bar
in France, brought an armed force to Hartlepool
, supposedly to help defend Hugh, but King Henry feared that this was an attempt to aid the rebellion of the Young King. After the revolt had been put down, King Henry II ordered Hugh's castle of Northallerton destroyed. Hugh also was required to surrender his other castles.
In ecclesiastical affairs, Hugh attended the 1163 Council of Tours
that was held by Pope Alexander III. In 1179 he attended the Lateran Council
at Rome. It was while he was there that he became involved in the conflict between the king of Scots and the chapter of St Andrews over the election of the bishop of St Andrews. The king wanted his chaplain, another Hugh, and the chapter wanted John the Scot. The pope ordered Puiset to compel the king to obey, but in 1183 the controversy was solved by a compromise.
was elected and Celestine consecrated Geoffrey and ordered Hugh to submit to Geoffrey.
Hugh shared the office of justiciar with William de Mandeville
, but Mandeville died soon after taking office. Richard then promoted William Longchamp to share the office with Hugh. The two men did not get along, and in March 1190 Richard split the authority, giving Hugh authority north of the Humber River
and giving authority over the rest of England to Longchamp. This arrangement was not permanent, and Longchamp outmanoeuvered Hugh to become sole justiciar by the middle of 1190. Longchamp arrested Hugh for overstepping his authority and made him surrender his castle, his earldom and hostages, although the real cause wasn't overstepping authority but Longchamp's animosity towards Hugh. William of Newburgh
, the medieval chronicler, felt that a bishop taking the office of Justiciar was wrong, and stated that God would not accept the loyalties of "a bishop who wishes to please both the heavenly and the earthly king."
When Prince John
, Richard's younger brother, rebelled during King Richard's captivity in 1193, Hugh opposed the rebellion. Hugh attacked some of John's northern holdings. In concert with Archbishop Geoffrey he laid siege to Tickhill Castle
.
Hugh ordered an inquest into the revenues and resources of his bishopric, along with the customs of the see. This took place in 1183, and when it was finished, the results were entered into a register that became known as the Boldon Book
. Hugh also fought a long-running disagreement with his own cathedral chapter over the right to oversee the monks, a conflict that lasted about 40 years. This led to the monks forging many documents purporting to show that earlier bishops had granted the monks rights and privileges exempting them from episcopal oversight. He also fought with Archbishop Roger of York over lands they both held in each others' see.
As a builder, Hugh built the New Bridge, now Elvet Bridge
, in Durham, the second stone bridge in the town. Hugh also oversaw work on Durham Cathedral, decorating the inside with marble, installing stained glass windows, putting in a shrine for the bones of Bede
, and building the Galilee Chapel on the west end of the cathedral. Originally, Puiset had planned to put in a Lady Chapel on the east side of the cathedral, but the ground was unsuitable, and instead work began on the Galilee Chapel on the west side of the cathedral. The Galilee Chapel is unusual in that it has five aisles, and quatrefoil
, or four lobed, piers. A model for the chapel may have been the work being done on York Minster
in rebuiliding the choir. The current Norman doorway and the gallery that is above the doorway in Durham Castle
were also the work of Hugh, which was part of a hall built in the bailey of the castle. Along with the king of Scots, he built the first bridge over the River Tweed
at Berwick
. He also rebuilt Norham Castle
, replacing the previous buildings built by Ranulf Flambard
, an earlier bishop, with a stone castle.
Hugh was known for his extravagant tastes and opulent lifestyle, as well as his possession of a large library. He had a son, Henry, who was one of the hostages demanded by Longchamp in 1190. Another son was Hugh, who became chancellor for King Philip II of France
. Both Henry and Hugh were the sons of the bishop's long term mistress, Alice de Percy. Alice may have been the mother of two more of the bishop's sons, William, archdeacon of Northumberland, and Burchard, archdeacon of Durham and treasurer of York. He had a number of other mistresses but Alice was the most public, so much so that it caused a scandal, and closely resembled a marriage.
Hugh was not well known as a scholar. He did, however, serve as a patron to Roger of Hoveden, the medieval chronicler who started writing about 1169. He also commissioned two large Bibles, one of which still remains at Durham and is considered a masterpiece of book creation. This is Durham Cathedral Library Manuscript A. II. 1.
Hugh died on 3 March 1195, having ruled his diocese for an exceptionally long time, forty-two years.
Justiciar
In medieval England and Ireland the Chief Justiciar was roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister as the monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent, particularly in Norman Italy. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius In...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
under King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
. He was the nephew of King Stephen of England
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
and Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois , often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death.-Early life and education:...
, who both assisted Hugh's ecclesiastical career. He held the office of treasurer of York for a number of years, which led him into conflict with Henry Murdac
Henry Murdac
Henry Murdac was abbot of Fountains Abbey and Archbishop of York in medieval England,-Early life:Murdac was a native of Yorkshire. He was friendly with Archbishop Thurstan of York, who secured his promotion in the cathedral chapter of York Minster, however Murdac resigned soon afterwards when...
, Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
. In 1153, Hugh was elected bishop of Durham despite the opposition of Murdac.
Hugh was not involved in the controversy between King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
and Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
. The king did suspect Hugh of supporting Henry's heir, Henry the Young King
Henry the Young King
Henry, known as the Young King was the second of five sons of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine but the first to survive infancy. He was officially King of England; Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Maine.-Early life:Little is known of the young prince Henry before the events...
, when the prince rebelled and Hugh was also suspected of aiding the King of Scots, William I
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
during an invasion of Northern England in 1174. After the accession of Henry's second son Richard as king, Hugh bought the office of Sheriff of Northumbria, as well as the earldom of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Anglo-Danish, late Anglo-Saxon, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The earldom of Northumbria was the successor of the ealdormanry of Bamburgh, itself the successor of an independent Bernicia. Under the Norse kingdom of York, there were earls of...
. He also acquired the office of Justiciar, which he was supposed to share with William de Mandeville
William de Mandeville
William de Mandeville inherited the estates of his father Geoffrey around 1100. He was constable of the Tower of London at that time, and thus keeper of the first person known to be imprisoned there for political reasons, Ranulf Flambard...
, but with Mandeville's death Hugh shared the office with William Longchamp
William Longchamp
William Longchamp , sometimes known as William de Longchamp or William de Longchamps, was a medieval Lord Chancellor, Chief Justiciar, and Bishop of Ely in England. Born to a humble family in Normandy, he owed his advancement to royal favour. Although contemporary writers accused Longchamp's father...
. Longchamp had managed to gather the office into his hands alone by the middle of 1190.
As a bishop, Hugh was noted as a builder, including a stone bridge in the city of Durham and the Galilee Chapel in Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
. His administration of the episcopal lands included an inquest into the exact holdings of the bishopric. As a patron, Hugh sponsored the career of the medieval chronicler Roger of Hoveden
Roger of Hoveden
Roger of Hoveden, or Howden , was a 12th-century English chronicler.From Hoveden's name and the internal evidence of his work, he is believed to have been a native of Howden in East Yorkshire. Nothing is known of him before the year 1174. He was then in attendance upon Henry II, by whom he was sent...
. Hugh had a long-term mistress, by whom he had at least two sons, and possibly two more.
Early life
Hugh was the nephew of brothers King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois, born as the younger son of Hugh, lord of Puiset and Agnes, sister of Stephen and Henry. Agnes' parents were Stephen, Count of BloisStephen II, Count of Blois
Stephen II Henry , Count of Blois and Count of Chartres, was the son of Theobald III, count of Blois, and Garsinde du Maine. He married Adela of Normandy, a daughter of William the Conqueror around 1080 in Chartres...
and Adela
Adela of Normandy
Adela of Normandy also known as Adela of Blois and Adela of England was, by marriage, Countess of Blois, Chartres, and Meaux. She was a daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders...
, a daughter of King William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
. His paternal family held a lordship in Northern France. Hugh was born in approximately 1125, for in 1153 with his election as bishop he was still under the canonical age limit for bishops of 28. Henry acquired for Hugh the office of archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
in the see of Winchester
Diocese of Winchester
The Diocese of Winchester forms part of the Province of Canterbury of the Church of England.Founded in 676, it is one of the oldest and largest of the dioceses in England.The area of the diocese incorporates:...
, sometime before 1139.
Hugh afterwards became archdeacon of York and treasurer of York, sometime around 1143, probably through the patronage of William FitzHerbert while he was serving his first term as Archbishop of York. While treasurer, he was a member of the party at York that wanted to elect Hilary
Hilary of Chichester
Hilary was a medieval Bishop of Chichester in England. English by birth, he studied canon law and worked in Rome as a papal clerk. During his time there, he became acquainted with a number of ecclesiastics, including the future Pope Adrian IV, and the medieval writer John of Salisbury...
as archbishop after William FitzHerbert's deposition in 1147. The successful candidate was Henry Murdac, the Abbot of Fountains, who was supported by the bishops of Durham and Carlisle, William of St. Barbara
William of St. Barbara
William of St. Barbara or William of Ste Barbe was a medieval Bishop of Durham.-Life:From William's name, it is presumed that he was a native of Sainte-Barbe-en-Auge in Calvados in Normandy. He was a canon of York Minster in 1128. He was Dean of York by December of 1138.William was elected to the...
and Æthelwold
Æthelwold of Carlisle
Æthelwold was the first Bishop of Carlisle in medieval England.-Life:...
respectively. Murdac excommunicated Hugh, who returned the gesture.
Bishop of Durham under Henry II
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
, in spite of the opposition of Henry Murdac, who excommunicated the chapter in response. Because of Murdac's opposition and refusal to confirm the election, Hugh only obtained consecration by making a personal visit to Rome, where the pope was able to over-rule the Archbishop of York. He was consecrated on 20 December 1153, by Pope Anastasius II
Pope Anastasius II
Pope Anastasius II was pope from November 24, 496 to November 16, 498.Anastasius II was Pontiff in the time of the schism of Acacius. He showed some tendency towards conciliation, and thus brought upon himself the lively reproaches of the author of the Liber Pontificalis. On the strength of this...
. Hugh was enthroned, or ceremonially installed as bishop in his cathedral, at Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
on 2 May 1154. King Stephen granted to Puiset as bishop of Durham, the mineral rights at Weardale, which included lead mines. Silver was also extracted from the lead ore mined there, and that silver probably helped the bishops form their own mint.
Hugh may not have attended the coronation of King Henry II of England and his queen Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
. Some sources place him at the coronation, others do not. He also did not attend the Council of Clarendon in 1164 that issued the Constitutions of Clarendon
Constitutions of Clarendon
The Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. The Constitutions were composed of 16 articles and represent an attempt to restrict ecclesiastical privileges and curb the power of the Church courts and the extent of Papal authority in England...
, the was the cause of the quarrel between the king and Thomas Becket. In the ensuing dispute between the king and Becket, Hugh did not take sides. He was, however, present with Roger de Pont L'Evêque
Roger de Pont L'Evêque
Roger de Pont L'Évêque was a contemporary of Thomas Becket and later Archbishop of York. Born in Normandy, he preceded Becket as Archdeacon of Canterbury, and together with Becket served Theobald of Bec while Theobald was Archbishop of Canterbury...
the Archbishop of York at the coronation of the king's eldest son Henry the Young King in 1170, and consequently was suspended by Alexander III
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
. The coronation of the Young King eventually led to Becket's martyrdom in December 1170.
Hugh obtained an exemption allowing him to keep his castle at Northallerton when Henry was ordering the destruction of most of the illegal castles that had been built during King Stephen's reign. He also built a castle at Norham, designed to help defend the north of England against raids from Scotland.
Hugh was suspected of involvement in the Young King's revolt in 1173. He does not seem to have taken an active part, but King Henry II suspected him of supporting the rebellion. When King William the Lion of Scotland invaded northern England in the spring of 1174, Hugh either connived at the invasion or helped the rebels and the Scottish king. Suspicion fell upon the bishop because he was cautious in defending against the Scottish raids. Hugh also concluded truces with the Scots that allowed them free passage through the ecclesiastical lands in return for no damage being done to those lands. Lastly, the bishop's nephew Hugh IV de Puiset
Le Puiset
Le Puiset is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-Population:-Medieval lordship:In the Middle Ages it was the site of a lordship within the County of Blois and Chartres. The lords descended from the counts of Breteuil, and often also held the position of viscount of Chartres...
, who was Count of Bar
Counts and dukes of Bar
Bar was a historic duchy of both the Holy Roman Empire and the crown of France, though later totally incorporated with Lorraine into France in 1766. The duchy of Bar includes the "pays" of Barrois.- History :...
in France, brought an armed force to Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, supposedly to help defend Hugh, but King Henry feared that this was an attempt to aid the rebellion of the Young King. After the revolt had been put down, King Henry II ordered Hugh's castle of Northallerton destroyed. Hugh also was required to surrender his other castles.
In ecclesiastical affairs, Hugh attended the 1163 Council of Tours
Council of Tours
In the medieval Roman Catholic church there were several Councils of Tours, that city being an old seat of Christianity, and considered fairly centrally located in France. Athenius, Bishop of Rennes, took part in the First Council of Tours in AD 461...
that was held by Pope Alexander III. In 1179 he attended the Lateran Council
Third Council of the Lateran
The Third Council of the Lateran met in March 1179 as the eleventh ecumenical council. Pope Alexander III presided and 302 bishops attended.By agreement reached at the Peace of Venice in 1177 the bitter conflict between Alexander III and Emperor Frederick I was brought to an end...
at Rome. It was while he was there that he became involved in the conflict between the king of Scots and the chapter of St Andrews over the election of the bishop of St Andrews. The king wanted his chaplain, another Hugh, and the chapter wanted John the Scot. The pope ordered Puiset to compel the king to obey, but in 1183 the controversy was solved by a compromise.
Under Richard
When King Richard I began his reign in 1189, Hugh bought the offices of Earl of Northumbria and Sheriff of Northumberland. Hugh paid 2000 pounds for the office, and paid a further 1000 pounds for the office of Justiciar and a release from his crusading vow. The charter granting Hugh the earldom mentioned that Richard had invested the bishop with the earldom "by the sword and ring" which is the earliest mention in a charter of that method of investing an honor. Richard also filled the office of Archbishop of York, which had been vacant since 1181, with Richard's illegitimate half-brother Geoffrey. The continued vacancy at York had increased Hugh's power, as he had no superior as long as there was no archbishop. For two years, Geoffrey was unable to secure consecration, but in 1191, a new pope, Celestine IIIPope Celestine III
Pope Celestine III , born Giacinto Bobone, was elected Pope on March 21, 1191, and reigned until his death. He was born into the noble Orsini family in Rome, though he was only a cardinal deacon before becoming Pope...
was elected and Celestine consecrated Geoffrey and ordered Hugh to submit to Geoffrey.
Hugh shared the office of justiciar with William de Mandeville
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex was a loyal councilor of Henry II and Richard I of England.He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex. After his father's death while in rebellion , William grew up at the court of the Count of...
, but Mandeville died soon after taking office. Richard then promoted William Longchamp to share the office with Hugh. The two men did not get along, and in March 1190 Richard split the authority, giving Hugh authority north of the Humber River
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
and giving authority over the rest of England to Longchamp. This arrangement was not permanent, and Longchamp outmanoeuvered Hugh to become sole justiciar by the middle of 1190. Longchamp arrested Hugh for overstepping his authority and made him surrender his castle, his earldom and hostages, although the real cause wasn't overstepping authority but Longchamp's animosity towards Hugh. William of Newburgh
William of Newburgh
William of Newburgh or Newbury , also known as William Parvus, was a 12th-century English historian and Augustinian canon from Bridlington, Yorkshire.-Biography:...
, the medieval chronicler, felt that a bishop taking the office of Justiciar was wrong, and stated that God would not accept the loyalties of "a bishop who wishes to please both the heavenly and the earthly king."
When Prince John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, Richard's younger brother, rebelled during King Richard's captivity in 1193, Hugh opposed the rebellion. Hugh attacked some of John's northern holdings. In concert with Archbishop Geoffrey he laid siege to Tickhill Castle
Tickhill Castle
Tickhill Castle was a castle in Tickhill, on the Nottingham/Yorkshire West Riding border, England and a prominent stronghold during the reign of King John I of England.-Early history:...
.
Death and legacy
Boldon Book
The Boldon Book contains the results of a survey of the bishopric of Durham that was completed on the orders of Hugh du Puiset, Bishop of Durham, in 1183, designed to assist the administration of the vast diocesan estates...
. Hugh also fought a long-running disagreement with his own cathedral chapter over the right to oversee the monks, a conflict that lasted about 40 years. This led to the monks forging many documents purporting to show that earlier bishops had granted the monks rights and privileges exempting them from episcopal oversight. He also fought with Archbishop Roger of York over lands they both held in each others' see.
As a builder, Hugh built the New Bridge, now Elvet Bridge
Elvet Bridge
Elvet Bridge is a mediaeval masonry arch bridge across the River Wear, in the city of Durham, in County Durham, in England. It links the peninsula in central Durham to the Elvet area of the city, and is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
, in Durham, the second stone bridge in the town. Hugh also oversaw work on Durham Cathedral, decorating the inside with marble, installing stained glass windows, putting in a shrine for the bones of Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
, and building the Galilee Chapel on the west end of the cathedral. Originally, Puiset had planned to put in a Lady Chapel on the east side of the cathedral, but the ground was unsuitable, and instead work began on the Galilee Chapel on the west side of the cathedral. The Galilee Chapel is unusual in that it has five aisles, and quatrefoil
Quatrefoil
The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an...
, or four lobed, piers. A model for the chapel may have been the work being done on York Minster
York Minster
York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
in rebuiliding the choir. The current Norman doorway and the gallery that is above the doorway in Durham Castle
Durham Castle
Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been wholly occupied since 1840 by University College, Durham. It is open to the general public to visit, but only through guided tours, since it is in use as a working building and is home to over 100 students...
were also the work of Hugh, which was part of a hall built in the bailey of the castle. Along with the king of Scots, he built the first bridge over the River Tweed
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying...
at Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
. He also rebuilt Norham Castle
Norham Castle
Norham Castle is a partly ruined castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument...
, replacing the previous buildings built by Ranulf Flambard
Ranulf Flambard
Ranulf Flambard was a medieval Norman Bishop of Durham and an influential government minister of King William Rufus of England...
, an earlier bishop, with a stone castle.
Hugh was known for his extravagant tastes and opulent lifestyle, as well as his possession of a large library. He had a son, Henry, who was one of the hostages demanded by Longchamp in 1190. Another son was Hugh, who became chancellor for King Philip II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
. Both Henry and Hugh were the sons of the bishop's long term mistress, Alice de Percy. Alice may have been the mother of two more of the bishop's sons, William, archdeacon of Northumberland, and Burchard, archdeacon of Durham and treasurer of York. He had a number of other mistresses but Alice was the most public, so much so that it caused a scandal, and closely resembled a marriage.
Hugh was not well known as a scholar. He did, however, serve as a patron to Roger of Hoveden, the medieval chronicler who started writing about 1169. He also commissioned two large Bibles, one of which still remains at Durham and is considered a masterpiece of book creation. This is Durham Cathedral Library Manuscript A. II. 1.
Hugh died on 3 March 1195, having ruled his diocese for an exceptionally long time, forty-two years.