Pandulph

Pandulph (born, Rome [Italy]—died Sept. 16, 1226, Rome) was a papal legate to England and bishop of Norwich who was deeply involved in English secular politics.

Pandulph’s early life is unknown. In 1211 Pope Innocent III sent him to England in an effort to secure King John’s acceptance of Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury. When the negotiations failed, John was excommunicated, and England was placed under papal interdict. On May 15, 1213, however, Pandulph accepted John’s personal submission and surrender of the country as a fief of the pope, whose vassal the king became. John also permitted Langton to assume the see of Canterbury. Allying himself with John, Pandulph used ecclesiastical censures, including excommunication, to avert a threatened French invasion of England and suspended Archbishop Langton for refusing to excommunicate the barons and for extracting the Magna Carta (charter of liberties) from the king (June 19, 1215). For these services John rewarded Pandulph with the see of Norwich.

After John’s death (Oct. 18/19, 1216), Pandulph was prominent in the regency for the boy king Henry III until 1220 or 1221, when Langton induced Innocent’s successor, Pope Honorius III, to recall him.