England's first and only Pope and his life in Abbots Langley (original) (raw)
In the small Hertfordshire village of Abbots Langley stands St Lawrence Church. The small church is located just off the high street and surprisingly, has a not so well known historical story to tell.
Inside the church, a tablet on the south wall notes the Parish as the birthplace of England's first and only Pope, Nicholas Breakspear, who became Adrian IV.
A number of roads in the village, Pope’s Road, Breakspear Road, and Adrian Close – have been named after the religious figure, as has Breakspeare School, in Gallows Hill Lane.
Nicholas Breakspear is thought to have been born in Bedmond in Abbots Langley around the year 1100. It is said that he began his education at Abbey School in St Albans.
Breakspear's father was a monk at St Albans Abbey and although assuming that his son would follow in his footsteps, Nicholas was rejected by the Abbey due to his young age and lack of education.
Reverend Dr Anders Bergquist, who was interviewed by the BBC's The One Show in 2010, said: “Robert abandoned his son when he became a monk at St Albans.
“The young lad would beg and do odd jobs around the monastery. Robert found this so embarrassing that he got the Abbot of St Albans to do an exclusion order to keep Nicholas away from the monastery.”
Although he was refused entry to the monastery, Nicholas travelled to France to continue his education, supposedly studying law in Arles and joining the cloister of St Rufus monastery. Shortly after joining he was made a canon Provence.
Quickly climbing the ranks, Nicholas was then appointed as abbot. During his time as abbot, he caught the attention of Pope Eugene III. Nicholas was subsequently appointed Cardinal Bishop of Albano in 1149.
He was given a variety of jobs that the church deemed important such as converting areas of Norway and Denmark. It is said that he formed cathedral schools in Norway before travelling to Sweden where he was acclaimed by the local people, some even calling him a Saint.
Nicholas returned to Rome in 1154, following the death of Pope Anastasius IV where he was elected Pope on December 3, 1154, taking the name Adrian IV. He remains the only Englishman to ever become pope.
One of his most important achievements for Catholics as pope was establishing the principle that serfs (agricultural labourers) could freely and lawfully marry without the consent of their lords.
Additionally, another notable event during his tour was when he supposedly granted Henry II the papal bull Laudabiliter , which is thought to have authorised Henry II to invade Ireland. This did not happen for another 14 years and scholars are uncertain as to whether this is entirely true, but it is famously discussed none the less.
Nicholas died in Anagni, Italy in 1159. His cause of death is uncertain, some literature claiming that he died due to swallowing a fly, being poisoned or perhaps the most likely case, he died due to quinsy, a complication of tonsillitis.
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