Geoffrey (c. 1152 – 1212) was an illegitimate son of King Henry II of England who became Bishop of Lincoln and Archbishop of York. Geoffrey held some minor clerical offices before becoming bishop in 1173, and was ordained a priest in 1189. In 1173–74 he led a campaign in northern England to help put down a rebellion by his legitimate half-brothers, capturing William the Lion, the King of the Scots. After Pope Lucius III ordered him to resign Lincoln or be consecrated, Geoffrey resigned and became Chancellor. After succeeding to the throne, Richard I of England, his half-brother, nominated him Archbishop of York, probably to eliminate a potential rival. He was consecrated in France in 1191, and was briefly imprisoned in Dover Castle on his return during a dispute with William Longchamp, Richard's regent in England. Geoffrey spent much of his time as archbishop in various disputes with Richard and John, Richard's successor and another half-brother. Geoffrey also quarrelled with his suffragan bishops, his cathedral chapter, and other clergy in his diocese. In 1207, he was forced into exile in France by John, and died there five years later. (Full article...)
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