Roger of Argences or Roger d'Argences (died 1139), also known as Roger de Bayeux (Latin: Rogerius Baiocensis), was the fourth abbot of Fécamp Abbey, appointed in 1107.[2][3]

Seal of Bec Abbey:[1].

Biography

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Originally from Argences in the diocese of Bayeux, he had a nephew Roger, chaplain to the king.[4]

He was a monk at the royal abbey of Fécamp located near Rouen where he was a disciple of Abbot William of Rots. He was ordained a priest on Saint Thomas' Day 1107 at Rouen Cathedral by Guillaume Bonne-Âme, Archbishop of Rouen, with 120 others, including Orderic Vitalis. He was appointed abbot of Fécamp in the same year.[4]

In 1115 he was a witness to a diploma from Henry I in favour of Abingdon Abbey. He attended the councils of Rouen in 1118 and 1128 and the council of Reims in 1119.[4]

Pope Innocent II issued a papal bull on 17 June 1136, placing Fécamp Abbey under papal protection and confirming its possessions and privileges.[4]

In 1136, Roger gave 100 marcs of silver for Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, to spare Argences.[4]

He exchanged letters with Herbert de Losinga, former prior of Fécamp, who had become bishop of Norwich.[4]

Baudri of Bourgueil, who held him in great esteem, visited Fécamp many times and composed a poem about the abbey.[4]

Roger died on 22 March 1139 and was buried in Saint Martin's chapel of the abbey church.

References

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  1. ^ Germain Demay, Inventaire des sceaux de la Normandie, Impr. nationale, 1881. p. 294.
  2. ^ Maurice Yvart in Collectif (préf. André Dubuc), Les abbayes de Normandie: Actes du XIIIe siècle congrès des sociétés historiques et archéologiques de Normandie, Rouen, Imprimerie Lecerf, 1979, 354 p., "Les possessions de Fécamp en Angleterre", pp. 317–323
  3. ^ Valérie Chaix, Les églises romanes de Normandie: Formes et fonctions, Paris, A. et J. Picard, 2011, p. 360 (ISBN 9782708409132)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Véronique Gazeau (foreword by David Bates and Michel Parisse), Normannia monastica (Xe-XIIe siècle): II-Prosopographie des abbés bénédictins, Caen, Publications du CRAHM, 2007, p. 403