13 Facts About Henry Murdac

Henry Murdac was abbot of Fountains Abbey and Archbishop of York in medieval England.

Henry Murdac was friendly with Archbishop Thurstan of York, who secured his promotion in the cathedral chapter of York Minster; however, Murdac resigned soon afterwards when Bernard of Clairvaux invited him to become a Cistercian monk at Clairvaux Abbey.

Henry Murdac was a friend and companion there of the future Pope Eugene III.

Henry Murdac was later appointed the first abbot of Vauclair Abbey in the diocese of Laon and in 1144 returned to Yorkshire to assume the abbacy at Fountains.

Henry Murdac was at the forefront of opposition to the appointment of William FitzHerbert to the see of York, by King Stephen of England.

Henry Murdac was the first Cistercian bishop in England, as well as being the first bishop or archbishop elected since the Norman Conquest without the approval of the king.

In retaliation, Henry Murdac excommunicated Hugh de Puiset, Treasurer of York, and his other enemies and laid the city under interdict.

Henry Murdac probably took the step of aligning himself with the Scots because of Henry Murdac's desire to establish York's independence from the primacy of the see of Canterbury.

Henry Murdac hoped that David would be able to install Henry Murdac in York, where the archbishop had been refused entry.

Henry Murdac continued to lack support in the city of York itself, and continued to reside at Ripon.

Henry Murdac excommunicated the prior and Archdeacon of Durham, who came to York to implore mercy and absolution.

Henry Murdac spent five of his six years as Archbishop at Ripon.

Henry Murdac's nephew Hugh Murdac was a canon at York Minster and was elected as Archdeacon of Cleveland in 1201 but not confirmed in that office.