Ralph Flambard

Timeline

1. c. 1060–1096Normandy · NormandyFlambard came from Normandy and later crossed to England, rising at the court of William II through his skill in arithmetic and administration, serving successively as royal chaplain and exchequer officer, and gradually becoming the king's most trusted financial adviser and policy executor.
2. 1099–1111Durham · DurhamHe became Bishop of Durham in 1099 while continuing to manage finances for William II and Henry I. He oversaw the collection of the Danegeld to ransom the threat of invasion and planned fundraising for military operations in Normandy; in Durham he promoted castle construction and church expansion, turning the bishopric into a major northern ecclesiastical and administrative center.
3. 1100–1101Tower of London · LondonAfter Henry I acceded, Flambard fell from favor for representing the interests of the previous reign and was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1100. In 1101 he escaped by disguising himself in a wine barrel and fled into exile in Normandy, becoming a landmark event of the political turmoil in the early years of Henry's reign.
4. 1101–1128Durham · DurhamAfter several years of exile he was pardoned by Henry I, returned to England, and was restored to his bishopric. In his later years he continued to manage the affairs and building works of the Durham diocese, consolidating his unique position in the English church. He died at Durham on 5 September 1128.