Flambard
Ranulf Flambard (died 1128) was William Rufus' chief advisor and Chief Justiciar of England. Ranulf was so good at getting money through whatever means that he became a hate figure, especially within the church. Orderic Vitalis claims: increasing the burden of the new taxation he brutally oppressed the king's helpless and faithful subjects, impoverished them by confiscation's, and reduced them from comfortable prosperity to the verge of starvation. What a man he must have been to put England under such pressure! You do have to remember, however, that the information we have regarding him comes from churchmen, as we know, they were not good at being impartial!
Ranulf played a major part in keeping bishoprics empty; in other words, if a bishop died no one looked for a replacement. This was particularly useful for the crown because the money the church made during these vacancies went straight into the kings coffers. When William Rufus died Ranulf's luck ran out and Henry had him imprisoned in the Tower of London. Fortunately, he managed to escape and not only became the first prisoner of the tower but also the first person to escape.
On his return to England, once Henry had pardoned him, Ranulf retired to Durham Cathedral where he was the bishop and undertook a number of building projects within Durham.
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Article added: 2006-06-09 @ 6:21 am | Last Modified: 2006-11-27 @ 1:19 am
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