Ivo of Chartres
Encyclopedia
Saint
Ivo (Yves) of Chartres (c. 1040 – 23 December 1115) was the Bishop of Chartres from 1090 until his death and an important canon law
yer during the Investiture Crisis.
Ivo is claimed to have studied at the Abbey of Bec in Normandy under Lanfranc, where he would have met Anselm of Aosta
, the great Scholastic
. In 1069 or not much later, he became, at the desire of his bishop, prior of the canons of Saint-Quentin at Beauvais. As bishop of Chartres and a canonist he contended strongly against simony
and opposed King Philip I's
repudiation of his wife Bertha of Holland
in order to marry Bertrade of Anjou in 1092. Ivo was briefly imprisoned for his opposition.
Three extensive canonical works—Tripartita, Decretum, and Panormia—are attributed to Ivo. He was an extensive letter writer. His feast has been kept since 1570 on 20 May; it is not known when or whether he was ever officially canonized.
around the year 1040. He is claimed to have studied first in Paris
, then in Abbey of Bec in Normandy
where (according to some sources) he studied under Lanfranc
along with Anselm of Canterbury
.
We do not hear much of him until some time after he had joined the clergy, when around 1070 he was asked to become the prior of the canon at the Augustinian house of Saint Quentin at Beauvais by his bishop. From there he quickly established himself as being one of the best teachers in all of France during this time.
However, it was his knowledge in canon law
as both a lawyer and a clerical operate that most likely won him in 1090 the position as successor of the previous Bishop of Chartres
(who either had been removed from his position or had left it after a simony scandal). There are some discrepancies over who was Ivo's predecessor and successor; this is because different sources suggest that it was Geoffrey of Chartres for both positions, only that Urban II recommended Ivo in this position due to his knowledge of canon law. In light of the events that preceded his appointment to the office of bishop, his strong opposition to the practice of simony
may well have played a role in his ascension to the higher office.
This firm beliefs and piety lead to some troubles for him during his twenty-five year reign as bishop of Chartres. Around 1092, Philip I
was the current king of France and was married to Bertha of Holland
but wished to be essentially rid of her so that he may marry Bertrade of Anjou. Believing in the sanctity of marriage, Ivo of Chartres was vocally against this to such a degree that he became incarcerated for a short time.
It is also important to note that we do not really see much in the way of the Gregorian reforms in this area until Ivo of Chartres receives the office of bishop. He was an acquaintance of Count
ess Adele of Blois, who helped him reform the abbey of St.Jean-en-Vallée. In addition, on several occasions he stood by her decisions when the questions were put to him, most notably during the events concerning Rotrou III of Perche
when he refused to assert ecclesiastical sanctions against him.
It was also during his time in office that he wrote the bulk of his works, which he later became most noted for and as such, awarded him a place among the greatest thinkers of the medieval era
. And is recognized by Salutati as an eloquent writer despite his affirmation that there is (or was) a degradation of eloquence of writing outside of Italy
.
(seventeen books in length) and two collections attributed to him, the Tripartita (very substantial material, divided in three parts) and the Panormia (eight books in length). All three deal primarily with ecclesiastical canon law and the issue of Paul's version of caritas, or love within the Christian faith. His works are filled with the issues of charitable love and dispensation in a pastoral manner within the Holy See. He felt that that caritas was the answer to sin, not harsh punishment without any remorse. This theme is most evident in his prologue, which is most often compared to the teachings and writings of the church fathers than the scholars of his day. Paul in particular and his message of loving your fellow man as you would yourself is what are most prevalent in Ivo of Chartres' written words. This is best captured in the quote taken from Vaughan and Rubinstein's book, Teaching & Learning in Northern Europe 100-1200, "He was called to teach. His lesson was love. It was all that mattered." (pp. 147).
However, Ivo of Chartres was not just known for his two books but also his 288 letters of correspondence. These letters often dealt with issues of liturgy, canonical matters and dogmatic issues, and, much like his other works, dealt with caritas.
It has also been suggested that his ideas on doctrines influenced the final agreement in the Concordant of Worms (1122).
Several of his sermons (twenty-five in total) deal with much of the same things detailed in his canon law collections and his letters.
;both of whom often quoted or cited the Prologus of either his works. Many of those listed also continued his theme of caritas and his teachings of canon law.
Although it is not known when he was canonized, but the 30th of May is recognized by the Catholic Church as Saint Ivo of Chartres' feast day.
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Ivo (Yves) of Chartres (c. 1040 – 23 December 1115) was the Bishop of Chartres from 1090 until his death and an important canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
yer during the Investiture Crisis.
Ivo is claimed to have studied at the Abbey of Bec in Normandy under Lanfranc, where he would have met Anselm of Aosta
Anselm of Canterbury
Anselm of Canterbury , also called of Aosta for his birthplace, and of Bec for his home monastery, was a Benedictine monk, a philosopher, and a prelate of the church who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109...
, the great Scholastic
Scholasticism
Scholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100–1500, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending orthodoxy in an increasingly pluralistic context...
. In 1069 or not much later, he became, at the desire of his bishop, prior of the canons of Saint-Quentin at Beauvais. As bishop of Chartres and a canonist he contended strongly against simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
and opposed King Philip I's
Philip I of France
Philip I , called the Amorous, was King of France from 1060 to his death. His reign, like that of most of the early Direct Capetians, was extraordinarily long for the time...
repudiation of his wife Bertha of Holland
Bertha of Holland
Bertha of Holland was the first wife of Philip I of France, the King of France.-Biography:She was the daughter of Floris I, Count of Holland, by his wife Gertrude of Saxony. After her father died in 1061, her mother remarried to Robert I, Count of Flanders. In 1072 her stepfather concluded a...
in order to marry Bertrade of Anjou in 1092. Ivo was briefly imprisoned for his opposition.
Three extensive canonical works—Tripartita, Decretum, and Panormia—are attributed to Ivo. He was an extensive letter writer. His feast has been kept since 1570 on 20 May; it is not known when or whether he was ever officially canonized.
Biography
Ivo of Chartres was born to a non-noble family based in or nearby ChartresChartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
around the year 1040. He is claimed to have studied first in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, then in Abbey of Bec in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
where (according to some sources) he studied under Lanfranc
Lanfranc
Lanfranc was Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Lombard by birth.-Early life:Lanfranc was born in the early years of the 11th century at Pavia, where later tradition held that his father, Hanbald, held a rank broadly equivalent to magistrate...
along with Anselm of Canterbury
Anselm of Canterbury
Anselm of Canterbury , also called of Aosta for his birthplace, and of Bec for his home monastery, was a Benedictine monk, a philosopher, and a prelate of the church who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109...
.
We do not hear much of him until some time after he had joined the clergy, when around 1070 he was asked to become the prior of the canon at the Augustinian house of Saint Quentin at Beauvais by his bishop. From there he quickly established himself as being one of the best teachers in all of France during this time.
However, it was his knowledge in canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
as both a lawyer and a clerical operate that most likely won him in 1090 the position as successor of the previous Bishop of Chartres
Roman Catholic Diocese of Chartres
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chartres is a Roman Catholic Latin Rite diocese in France.The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Tours.-Pilgrimages:...
(who either had been removed from his position or had left it after a simony scandal). There are some discrepancies over who was Ivo's predecessor and successor; this is because different sources suggest that it was Geoffrey of Chartres for both positions, only that Urban II recommended Ivo in this position due to his knowledge of canon law. In light of the events that preceded his appointment to the office of bishop, his strong opposition to the practice of simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
may well have played a role in his ascension to the higher office.
This firm beliefs and piety lead to some troubles for him during his twenty-five year reign as bishop of Chartres. Around 1092, Philip I
Philip I of France
Philip I , called the Amorous, was King of France from 1060 to his death. His reign, like that of most of the early Direct Capetians, was extraordinarily long for the time...
was the current king of France and was married to Bertha of Holland
Bertha of Holland
Bertha of Holland was the first wife of Philip I of France, the King of France.-Biography:She was the daughter of Floris I, Count of Holland, by his wife Gertrude of Saxony. After her father died in 1061, her mother remarried to Robert I, Count of Flanders. In 1072 her stepfather concluded a...
but wished to be essentially rid of her so that he may marry Bertrade of Anjou. Believing in the sanctity of marriage, Ivo of Chartres was vocally against this to such a degree that he became incarcerated for a short time.
It is also important to note that we do not really see much in the way of the Gregorian reforms in this area until Ivo of Chartres receives the office of bishop. He was an acquaintance of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
ess Adele of Blois, who helped him reform the abbey of St.Jean-en-Vallée. In addition, on several occasions he stood by her decisions when the questions were put to him, most notably during the events concerning Rotrou III of Perche
Rotrou III of Perche
Rotrou III , called the Great , was the Count of Perche and Mortagne from 1099. He was a notable Crusader and a participant in the Reconquista in eastern Spain, even ruling the city of Tudela in Navarre from 1123 to 1131. He is commonly credited with introducing Arabian horses to the Perche, giving...
when he refused to assert ecclesiastical sanctions against him.
It was also during his time in office that he wrote the bulk of his works, which he later became most noted for and as such, awarded him a place among the greatest thinkers of the medieval era
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. And is recognized by Salutati as an eloquent writer despite his affirmation that there is (or was) a degradation of eloquence of writing outside of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Writings
Ivo of Chartres was a prolific writer but is most recognized for his canonical works titled, DecretumDecretum
Decretum may refer to:*The Decretum Gratiani is a collection of Canon law compiled in the twelfth century by a jurist named Gratian.*Decretum Gelasianum, traditionally attributed to Pope Gelasius I, contains a list of works adjudged apocryphal....
(seventeen books in length) and two collections attributed to him, the Tripartita (very substantial material, divided in three parts) and the Panormia (eight books in length). All three deal primarily with ecclesiastical canon law and the issue of Paul's version of caritas, or love within the Christian faith. His works are filled with the issues of charitable love and dispensation in a pastoral manner within the Holy See. He felt that that caritas was the answer to sin, not harsh punishment without any remorse. This theme is most evident in his prologue, which is most often compared to the teachings and writings of the church fathers than the scholars of his day. Paul in particular and his message of loving your fellow man as you would yourself is what are most prevalent in Ivo of Chartres' written words. This is best captured in the quote taken from Vaughan and Rubinstein's book, Teaching & Learning in Northern Europe 100-1200, "He was called to teach. His lesson was love. It was all that mattered." (pp. 147).
However, Ivo of Chartres was not just known for his two books but also his 288 letters of correspondence. These letters often dealt with issues of liturgy, canonical matters and dogmatic issues, and, much like his other works, dealt with caritas.
It has also been suggested that his ideas on doctrines influenced the final agreement in the Concordant of Worms (1122).
Several of his sermons (twenty-five in total) deal with much of the same things detailed in his canon law collections and his letters.
Later influence
Ivo of Chartres influence spans far and wide in the realm of the religious scholars following him. Most notably amongst them would be Hugh of St. Victor, Landolfo Colonna, and Alger of LiègeAlger of Liège
Alger of Liège , known also as Alger of Cluny and Algerus Magister, was a learned clergyman from Liège who lived in the first half of the 12th century....
;both of whom often quoted or cited the Prologus of either his works. Many of those listed also continued his theme of caritas and his teachings of canon law.
Although it is not known when he was canonized, but the 30th of May is recognized by the Catholic Church as Saint Ivo of Chartres' feast day.
Sources
- Barker, Lynn K. "MS Bodl. Canon. Pat. Lat. 131 and a Lost Lactantius of John of Salisbury: Evidence in Search of a French Critic of Thomas Becket." Albion: A Quarterly Journal Concerned with British Studies, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Spring, 1990), pp. 26
- Brasington, Bruce C. "Lessons of Love: Bishop Ivo of Chartres as Teacher". In Teaching and Learning in Northern Europe, 1000–1200, edited by Sally N. Vaughn and Jay Rubenstein. (Belgium: Brepolis Publishers n.v., 2006.) pp. 129–147.
- Donovan, Richard B. "Salutati's Opinion of Non-Italian Latin Writers of the Middle Ages." Studies in the Renaissance, Vol. 14 (1967), pp. 191–192.
- Izbicki, Thomas M. "Review of Prefaces to Canon Law Books in Latin Christianity: Selected Translations, 500-1247. by Robert Somerville ; Bruce Brasington." The Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Spring, 1999), pp. 314.
- Little, Lester K. "Pride Goes before Avarice: Social Change and the Vices in Latin Christendom." The American Historical Review, Vol. 76, No. 1 (Feb., 1971), pp. 46–47.
- Livingstone, Amy. "Kith and Kin: Kinship and Family Structure of the Nobility of Eleventh- and Twelfth Century Blois-Chartres." French Historical Studies, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Summer, 1997), pp. 435, 452.
- LoPrete, Kimberly A. "The Anglo-Norman Card of Adela of Blois" Albion: A Quarterly Journal Concerned with British Studies, Vol. 22, No. 4 (Winter, 1990), pp. 582, 585, 586.
- MacDonald Walker, Barbara. "King Henry I's "Old Men"" The Journal of British Studies, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Nov., 1968), pp. 15.
- Rolker, Christof. "The earliest work of Ivo of Chartres: The case of Ivo's Eucharist florilegium and the canon law collections attributed to him." Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung für Rechtsgeschichte, kanonistische Abteilung 124 (2007), pp. 109–127.
- Rolker, Christof. Canon law and the letters of Ivo of Chartres (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought, Fourth Series 76), Cambridge 2010.
- Sprandel, Rolf. Ivo von Chartres und seine Stellung in der Kirchengeshicte (Pariser historische Studien 1), Paris 1962.
- Wormald, Patrick. The Making of the English Law: King Alfred to the Twelfth Century. [city unknown]: Blackwell Publishing, 1999. pp. 471.
External links
- Ivo of Chartres collection
- Article from the Catholic Encyclopedia
- Women's Biography: Adela, countess of Blois, Chartres, and Meaux. Contains several of his letters to Adela of NormandyAdela of NormandyAdela 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...
.