Cynesige | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of York | |
 Interior ofPeterborough Cathedral. Cynesige was buried here when it was an abbey. | |
| Appointed | 1051 |
| Term ended | 22 December 1060 |
| Predecessor | Ælfric Puttoc |
| Successor | Ealdred |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 1051 |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 22 December 1060 |
| Buried | Peterborough Cathedral |
Cynesige[a] (died 22 December 1060) was a medieval EnglishArchbishop of York between 1051 and 1060. Prior to his appointment to York, he was a royal clerk and perhaps a monk at Peterborough.[2] As archbishop, he built and adorned his cathedral as well as other churches, and was active inconsecrating bishops. After his death in 1060, the bequests he had made to a monastery were confiscated by the queen.
Cynesige perhaps came fromRutland, as he owned the manor ofTinwell there later in life.[1] TheLiber Eliensis claimed that he had been born byCaesarian section, but this is most likely a later accretion to his life story, added after his death because of efforts to have him declared a saint. The belief was that for an infant to survive a caesarian section was a miracle, and thus a fitting beginning for a future saint.[3]
Cynesige had been a royal clerk prior to his appointment to York in 1051,[4][5] although the monks ofPeterborough Abbey maintained that he had been a monk in their house.[1] It is possible he was both a monk and a royal clerk.[3] He delayed his visit to Rome to receive hispallium until 1055, when he was given it by PopeVictor II.[6][b] During his time as archbishop he was claimed to have consecrated bothJohn andMagsuen asBishops of Glasgow, although the two bishops probably never lived in their diocese.[1] John may have ended up as theBishop of Mecklenburg in Germany.[8] Cynesige dedicated the church of theAbbey of Waltham Holy Cross in the presence of KingEdward the Confessor around 3 May 1060.[9][10] This was at the invitation of EarlHarold Godwinson of Wessex.[11] The chronicle of Waltham Abbey states that Cynesige did the consecration because the archbishopric of Canterbury was vacant.[12] However, there was an occupant of Canterbury,Stigand, but his election to Canterbury was not considered canonical by the papacy,[13] and Harold may have excluded him because of concerns about Stigand's canonical status.[12]
Cynesige expanded and embellishedYork Minster and other churches in his archdiocese,[14] and built the tower atBeverley,[15] as well as giving books and other items to the church there.[16] He consecratedHerewald asBishop of Llandaff at a council held at London in 1056,[1] although this information is only attested in theBook of Llandaff, a sometimes unreliable source.[17] In 1059 he, along with EarlTostig andÆthelwineBishop of Durham, escorted KingMalcolm III of Scotland to King Edward's court atGloucester when Malcolm came south, probably to thank Edward for his help in restoring Malcolm to the Scottish throne, and perhaps to acknowledge the English king as Malcolm's lord.[18][19]
Cynesige died on 22 December 1060[5] and was buried at Peterborough, in what is nowPeterborough Cathedral.[20] After his death, he was honoured as a saint by the monks at Peterborough,[21] although the cult does not seem to have spread far. His bones, along with those of his predecessorÆlfric Puttoc, were found in 1643.[1] His reputation for sanctity and poverty was based on his actions, as he often traveled on foot, and spent much time preaching and giving alms.[16] TheNorthumbrian Priests' Law which is usually attributed toWulfstan II, Archbishop of York, might have been authored instead by Cynesige, or possibly Cynesige's predecessor Ælfric Puttoc.[22] He gave gifts to Peterborough in his will, but the gifts were taken by QueenEdith instead.[16]
| Christian titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Archbishop of York 1051–1060 | Succeeded by |