Aldred

Aldred, an English prelate of the 11th century, was abbot of Tavistock, and was promoted to the bishopric of Worcester in 1046. He was the first bishop of England that journeyed to Jerusalem, which lie did in 1050. Upon his return, he was sent by Edward the Confessor on an embassy to the emperor Henry II, and remained in Germany a year, learning certain points of ecclesiastical discipline, which he afterwards introduced into the Church in England. He was promoted in 1060 to the see of York, holding the see of Worcester in commendam. On this account the pope, when Aldred went to Rome on an embassy from then king, refused him the pall; but being robbed by highwaymen on their journey home, earl Tosti insisted on the pope's making good their loss. He thereupon presented the pall to Aldred, insisting, however, upon his resigning the see of Worcester. After the death of Edward the Confessor, Aldred supported the pretensions of Harold, and crowned his conqueror, William of Normandy, over whom he exerted a very powerful influence. Of the latter part of Aldred's life we know but little. He is said to have been so afflicted by an insurrection of part of the people of his diocese that he died, Sept. 11, 1069. See Biog. Univ. i, 472; Will. Malmsb. in Angl. Sacra, ii, 248.