The Latin Church in the Crusader States

Reputation, Authority and Masculine Identities in the Political Culture of the First Crusaders: The Career of Arnulf of Chocques

“…Arnulf was chosen as patriarch by a council of ecclesiastics on 1 August 1099, but his suitability for the post, and by extension his masculine identity as a cleric, was called into question by some. 64 The Gesta Francorum, Peter Tudebode and Robert the Monk all accepted Arnulf's election to the position of patriarch without censure. 65 They emphasized the portentous date -the festival of St Peter in Chains -representing the liberation of Jerusalem and implicitly linking Arnulf to St Peter.…”

“…115 Arnulf was mentioned briefly as one of the prelates at the council, and this time Albert too referred to him as archdeacon, suggesting that the title may have come as a reward for supporting Evremar. 116 William of Tyre thought that Evremar was a simple man of honourable character, but in accepting the patriarchate he was careless and ignorant, a pawn in another of Arnulf's malignant schemes. 117 Baldwin I continued to support Evremar while his patriarchate was in dispute, but as soon as Daibert died, the king sent Arnulf to petition Pope Paschal II in Rome for Evremar's deposition on the grounds that he was 'almost useless' as a patriarch.…”