Reginald Fitz Jocelin

Reginald was the son of Josceline de Bohon, the Bishop of Salisbury, although he was possibly born before his father became a priest. Reginald was a great-great-grandson of Humphrey de Bohun, one of the companions of William the Conqueror. Some sources say that he was born while his father was studying law in Italy. His uncle Richard de Bohon was Bishop of Coutances from 1151 to 1180. He was also related to Robert, Earl of Gloucester. Savaric FitzGeldewin, Reginald's successor at Bath, was Reginald's father's second cousin. He served in Thomas Becket's household after Becket became archbishop, and by June 1164 was serving Becket's interests in France at both the court of the French King Louis VII and the papal Curia. It was probably in November 1164 that Louis named Reginald abbot of the Abbey of Corbeil. Reginald probably studied at Paris sometime during 1163 or 1164, as he had a letter of introduction from Pope Alexander III to Hugues de Champfleury, Bishop of Soissons, the chancellor of Louis VII. Reginald did not complete his studies for the title of master, however, as he was in service with the King of England by 1167. While serving Henry, Reginald incurred Becket's displeasure enough that Becket called Reginald "that offspring of fornication, that enemy to the peace of the Church, that traitor." Reginald was one of the main clerics working for King Henry during the dispute with Becket, along with John of Oxford, Richard of Ilchester, and Geoffrey Ridel. Henry's plans to reward the four with bishoprics in late 1170 probably precipitated the final crisis that led to Becket's murder. ==Bishop of Bath==

Reginald was elected Bishop of Bath in late April 1173 and was consecrated 23 June 1174. However, Henry the Young King challenged the election, on the grounds of illegitimacy and an uncanonical election. Reginald went to Rome in the company of Richard of Dover, who had just been elected Archbishop of Canterbury and was facing a challenge from the Young King to his election. with Walter Map alleging bribery as the only reason the election was confirmed. Ralph de Diceto, however, states that Reginald swore an oath that he was uninvolved in the death of Becket and that his birth took place before his father became a priest. As a bishop, Reginald was kept busy attending the king's councils and the royal court, but also took part in the 1178 mission to Toulouse, led by Cardinal Pierre of San Crisogono, which attempted to deal with the Cathar heretics there. He attended the Third Lateran Council in 1179. During the 1180s, he was more active in the affairs of his diocese, and appears less often in the secular affairs of the kingdom, but in 1189 he took part in the coronation of King Richard I of England. He also attended the trial of William Longchamp on 5 October 1191 at Loddon Bridge between Reading and Windsor that dismissed Longchamp from his offices. He may have been an unsuccessful candidate for the chancellorship of England. He was active as a bishop: some 122 acta from his time as bishop survive. He built the hospital of St. John in Bath, as well as building extensively at Wells Cathedral and starting the construction of the Bishop's Palace. He also issued a confirmation of the status of the town of Wells. ==Archbishop of Canterbury==

Baldwin of Forde, the archbishop of Canterbury, died in 1190, while on Crusade in Palestine. Early in 1191, King Richard wrote to the cathedral chapter of Canterbury, which was composed of monks, not regular clergy, to recommend the election of William, who was Archbishop of Monreale, but this idea was not acted upon by the monks. In the autumn, William Longchamp, the chancellor, was driven from the kingdom by Walter de Coutances, who had been sent by the king to deal with the issue of Longchamp's misgovernment, and Prince John. Walter then turned to the issue of the vacant see of Canterbury, and ordered an election to take place on 2 December, and several bishops as well as Prince John and Walter arrived early at Canterbury. But Reginald was elected to the Archbishopric of Canterbury on 27 November 1191, stopped the controversy and appeals. According to a monk of Eynsham Abbey, after Reginald's death "he performed miraculous cures for certain weak and sick people." The same source claimed Reginald wore a hair shirt under his episcopal vestments. ==Notes==