Two Abbots in Politics: Wala of Corbie and Bernard of Clairvaux
Henry Mayr‐Harting
ABBOTS in politics were surely a medieval commonplace, one might be tempted to say: what have these two egregious examples, Wala of Corbie (826–34, ob. 836) and Bernard Clairvaux (1115–53), say us which countless others could not also say? If my unique, however, they comparative rarities, that became involved (if is the right word), because their feudal obligations, nor sought propagate monastic reform on basis observance own monastery, again associated glory house with particular cause or royal line, but avowedly for sake moral principle, incurring enmities process, and, cloistered monks as were, acting some extent against interests wishes flocks. The monk-bishop was common enough figure, greatest men this type, pre-eminently Augustine Hippo Pope Gregory Great, given profound thoughts about how contemplation should kept alive amidst cares active pastoral life. But neither bishop, paradoxically latter's widespread non-institutionalised influence been diminished had he done so. As Bernard's biographers felicitously ingenuously put it recounting saint actually refused many bishoprics, ‘from under bushel his humility gave greater light church than raised chandeliers’.
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society