Robert of Courçon

Robert of Courçon (also written de Curson, or Curzon[1]) (c. 1160/1170 – 1219) was an English cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.[2]

His Eminence Robert of Courçon
Cardinal of S. Stefano al Monte Celio
Other posts	Canon of the cathedral chapter of Paris
Orders
Created cardinal	18 February 1212
Rank	Cardinal priest
Personal details
Born	circa 1160/1170 England
Died	6 February 1219 (aged c. 49–59) Damietta, Egypt
Buried	Damietta, Egypt
Nationality	English
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Canon of the cathedral chapter of Noyon

Life

He was born in England some time between 1160 and 1170, a member of an Anglo-Norman family originating from the village of Notre-Dame-de-Courson in Normandy.[3] After studying at Oxford, Paris, and Rome, he became the Chancellor of the University of Paris in 1211.[4] The following year, he was created Cardinal priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio.[2][4] In 1213, he was appointed legate a latere to preach the crusade, and in 1215 was placed at the head of a commission to inquire into the errors prevalent at the University of Paris. He participated in the papal conclave of 1216, which elected Pope Honorius III.[2][4]

He took an active part in the campaign against heresy in France, and accompanied the army of the Fifth Crusade into Egypt as legate of Pope Honorius III.[2][4]

He died during the Siege of Damietta in 1219, and was buried in Damietta.[1]

Works

He is the author of several works, including a Summa devoted to questions of canon law and ethics and dealing at length with the question of usury.

His interference in the affairs of the University of Paris, in the midst of the confusion arising from the introduction of the Arabian translations of Aristotle, resulted in the proscription (1215) of the metaphysical as well as the physical treatises of the Stagyrita, together with the summaries thereof (Summæ de eiusdem). At the same time, his rescript (Denifle, "Chartul. Univ. Paris", I, 78) renews the condemnation of the Pantheists David of Dinant and Amaury of Bene, but permits the use, as texts, of Aristotle's Ethics and the logical treatises. The rescript also contains several enactments relating to academic discipline.

References

1. Bellenger & Fletcher 2001, Princes of the Church, p. 173.
2. Miranda, Salvador. "Robert Curzon". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
3. Sayers, Jane E. (2004), ODNB, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6956
4. Schofield & Skinner 2007, The English Cardinals, p. 27.

Bibliography

• Bellenger, Dominic Aidan; Fletcher, Stella (2001). Princes of the Church: A History of the English Cardinals. Stroud, UK: Sutton. ISBN 0-7509-2630-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Denifle, Chartul. Univ. Paris, I (Paris, 1889), 72, 78
• De Wulf, Hist. of Medieval Phil., tr. Coffey (New York, 1909), 252.
• Schofield, Nicholas; Skinner, Gerard (2007). The English Cardinals. Oxford: Family Publications. ISBN 978-1-871217-65-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Robert of Courçon". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.