Robert the Lotharingian[a] (died 26 June 1095) was a priest who became Bishop of Hereford following the Norman Conquest of England. His writings serve as one of the best sources for information on the process of compiling the Domesday Book, and he may have introduced the abacus to England.
Robert was a native of Lorraine[1] and probably a canon of St. Lambert's Cathedral, Liège before coming to England,[2] and may have been educated at the cathedral school there also.[3] The school at Liege specialized in mathematics, which later became a specialty of Robert's. His name is often given as Robert de Losinga, but the earliest evidence gives it as Robert the Lotharingian. His birthdate is unknown, but it was probably before 1049.[4]
Robert may have arrived in England by the 1050s,[3] or perhaps after the Norman Conquest. Arguments have been presented on both sides.[4] King William the Conqueror's appointment of Robert was somewhat unusual, not just because he was not a Norman, but because he was not a religious scholar, but was an astronomer and mathematician.[1][5] Robert was ordained as a priest by Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester sometime before 29 December 1079.[2] Robert was consecrated as the Bishop of Hereford by Lanfranc on 29 December 1079[2][6] at Canterbury.[4]
Robert the Lotharingian[a] (died 26 June 1095) was a priest who became Bishop of Hereford following the Norman Conquest of England. His writings serve as one of the best sources for information on the process of compiling the Domesday Book, and he may have introduced the abacus to England.
Robert was a native of Lorraine[1] and probably a canon of St. Lambert's Cathedral, Liège before coming to England,[2] and may have been educated at the cathedral school there also.[3] The school at Liege specialized in mathematics, which later became a specialty of Robert's. His name is often given as Robert de Losinga, but the earliest evidence gives it as Robert the Lotharingian. His birthdate is unknown, but it was probably before 1049.[4]
Robert may have arrived in England by the 1050s,[3] or perhaps after the Norman Conquest. Arguments have been presented on both sides.[4] King William the Conqueror's appointment of Robert was somewhat unusual, not just because he was not a Norman, but because he was not a religious scholar, but was an astronomer and mathematician.[1][5] Robert was ordained as a priest by Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester sometime before 29 December 1079.[2] Robert was consecrated as the Bishop of Hereford by Lanfranc on 29 December 1079[2][6] at Canterbury.[4]
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