Guillaume De Passavant

Guillaume De Passavant a French prelate, was born in Saintonge, in the beginning of the 12th century. When Rainaud of Martigni, his cousin, was nominated archbishop of Rheims, Guillaume succeeded him in that church, and executed there the functions of an archdeacon until January, 1144. After that he was called to the episcopal see of Mans, where his name is found among the documents of the year 1145. He was proud and able to defend the privileges of the Church. Being asked by the monks of Marmoutiers to intervene in their- favor against Guy de Laval, who had taken possession of one of their priories, he immediately excommunicated that powerful leader. In 1151 a vassal church (of Brulan) had refused to give homage to its superior, the Church of La Cofuture, and Guillaume ordered the rebel church to be demolished, for which he was obliged to go to Rome in order to justify his conduct. St. Bernard wrote in his favor to Hugues, bishop of Ostia, and to pope Eugenius III. Guillaume died at Yvre, in the province of Maine, January 26, 1187. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.