#aelredofrievaulx

[intriguingpeoplebyangelafloyd]

AELRED OF RIEVAULX

AELRED OF RIEVAULX

1110-1167       

English monk

            Aelred of Rievaulx was the son of a priest, in 1095, the council forbade the ordination of the sons of priests, to stop offspring from getting priests finances after their death. Aelred spent his early years at the court of King David I of Scotland in Roxburgh; he lived at court to be a companion to the king’s son, Henry, and two of his stepsons.

            He left Scotland to live in a Yorkshire monastery and became an English Cistercian monk, abbot of Rievaulx from 1147-1167. He is best known for being a writer, spiritual as well as writing history and addressed his books to Henry II of England. As Abbott he had to travel for political reasons.

            At the end of his life he suffered from kidney stones and arthritis. It was said that he sat in a cold tank of water every day. One day one of the monks went berserk, called him ‘lazy’ and threw Aelred into a hearth fire. He was quickly rescued by other monks who were close by. Aelred stated that the monk was ‘ill’ and said, ‘I forgive that monk who threw me on the fire.’

            Suffering from illness and pain, he died from kidney disease at Rievaulx aged 57.

#aelredofrievaulx