An Attempt to Date
the Ordinaries of the Western Church
November, 2012
Apprentice Thomas
background
Master was pleased with “Dating the Episcopal Succession in the Roman Church” and suggested that since I touched upon the topic of “ordinaries” of the church, I should pursue that line of research. I either need to find an apprentice or start providing mediocre work.
The following are the ordinaries of select Roman Catholic dioceses. Fictional dates have been intentionally left from the analysis. An example of a fictional date is the city of Seville. Isadore of Seville was the ordinary from 600 to 636 and the next one listed is from 1370 to 1378 and from 1454 to the present. The implication is that this location was forgotten for hundreds of years or, more likely, it did not exist until a later time and was retroactively provided a founder.
The data is divided by current (2012) countries, by continuous occupancy and the date of the first occupancy. Continuous occupancy for Great Britain and Ireland are interrupted by the Reformation.
The following are the ordinaries of select Roman Catholic dioceses. Fictional dates have been intentionally left from the analysis. An example of a fictional date is the city of Seville. Isadore of Seville was the ordinary from 600 to 636 and the next one listed is from 1370 to 1378 and from 1454 to the present. The implication is that this location was forgotten for hundreds of years or, more likely, it did not exist until a later time and was retroactively provided a founder.
The data is divided by current (2012) countries, by continuous occupancy and the date of the first occupancy. Continuous occupancy for Great Britain and Ireland are interrupted by the Reformation.
Dates of the ESTABLISHMENT of ordinaries
Showing city and country (1), first occupancy with date ranges (2) and continual occupancy (3).
Notable gaps in occupancy are noted with an asterisk (*).
Notable gaps in occupancy are noted with an asterisk (*).
AlbaniaDagne Albania
Craina Albania Shkodre Albania Pult Albania Durres Albania |
First Occupancy1456
1476,1495-98 1518-22,*1622-1886 1529,*1665-1998 1692-1835 |
Continuous Since1456
1495 1622 1665 1692 |
AustriaSalzburg Austria
Vienna Austria |
First Occupancy1273-84
1471-79 |
Continuous Since1396
1561 |
BelgiumLiege Belgium
Mechelen-Brussel Belgium Namur Belgium Brugge Belgium Ypres Belgium Ghent Belgium Antwerp Belgium Tournai Belgium |
First Occupancy1561-1794 1562-1801 1570-76,1597-1601 1433-36,*1506-13,1583-86 |
Continuous Since1419
1561 1561 1561 1562 1568 1597 1670 |
Czech RepublicOlomooc Czech Republic
Prague Czech Republic |
First Occupancy1450-54
1561-81,1593-1606 |
Continuous Since1484
1623 |
CyprusFamagusta Cyprus
Nicosia Cyprus Paphos Cyprus |
First Occupancy1488-1552
1495,1524-1560 1557-1570 |
Continuous Since1488
1524 1557 |
FranceRennes France
Tours France Reimes France Rouen France Besancon France Paris France Toulouse France Lyon France Bordeaux France Clermont France Montpellier France Marseille France Poitiers France |
First Occupancy1282-97,*1357-63
1395-1414 1433 1330-38,*1409-22,1436-43,1453-83 1437-38 1349-50,1368-83,*1423-26,1439-1472 1409-10,1423-39,1452-74 1272-73,*1340-1342 1430-57,*1529-30 1340-42,1475-76,*1517-28 1353-54,*1418,1453-72,1498-99 1445-66,*1517-30,1550-56 1462-79,*1505-7,1532-51 |
Continuous Since1389
1441 1473 1494 1499 1503 1503 1504 1544 1568 1597 1644 1680 |
GermanyMunich Germany
Bamburg Germany Cologne Germany Paderborn Germany |
First Occupancy1040-47 1463-1532 |
Continuous Since1381
1399 1414 1547 |
HungaryBudapest Hungary
Eger Hungary Veszprem Hungary |
First Occupancy1439-40,1467-74 1503-11,1521-23 |
Continuous Since1423
1492 1628 |
IrelandKildare and Leighlin Ireland
Meath Ireland Limerick Ireland Kerry Ireland Killala Ireland Clonfert Ireland Armagh Ireland Down and Conner Ireland Cashel Ireland Dublin Ireland Ardagh Ireland Elphin Ireland Anchonry Ireland Raphoe Ireland Killaloe Ireland Tuam Ireland Cloyne Ireland Kilmore Ireland Ferns Ireland Ossory Ireland |
First Occupancy1223,1279-99,*1352-65
1327-49,1353-67 1400-26 1331,*1495-1536 1505-1583 1266-95,*1508-1589 1513-94 1328-53,*1520-1612 1524-84 1449-71,*1529-34,1600-10 1418-23,*1541-87 1542-94 1266,*1348,*1424,1442-53,1562-1603 1562-89 1542-69,1571-1616 1580 1580 1580-1607 1347-48,*1582-87 1317-60,*1582-97 |
Continuous Since1352
1353 1400 1495 1505 1508 1513 1520 1524 1529 1541 1542 1562 1562 1571 1580 1580 1580 1582 1582 |
ItalyVenice Italy
Rome Italy Sienna Italy Reggio Calabria Italy Lecce Italy Bari-Bitonto Italy Benevento Italy Bologna Italy Vercelli Italy Catania Italy Genoa Italy Milan Italy Naples Italy Syracuse Italy Palermo Italy Pesaro Italy Messina Italy Ravenna Italy Penne and Poscara Italy Cagliari Italy Taranto Italy Cozenza and Bisignano Italy Peragia Italy Trent Italy Pisa Italy Salerno Italy Chieti Italy Potenza and Marsico Nuovo Italy L'aquila Italy Fermo Italy Ancona-Numana Italy Florence Italy Torres Italy Turin Italy Agrigento Italy Oristano Italy Boiano Campobasso Italy Catanzaro Italy Udine Italy |
First Occupancy1321-28 1377-78 1295-1301 1389-1406 1334-36,*1453-45 1387-92,*1426-46 1387-1410 1387-1410 1460-67 1472-77 1304-1307,*1466-1471 1363-78 1320-1330,*1449-1471 1336 1328-42 1485-94 1342-85,*1446-59,1474 1326-27,*1442-71,1479-1506 1492-1510 1519-23 1467-88,*1536 |
Continuous Since 966
1227 1385 1404 1409 1424 1429 1447 1449 1450 1453 1453 1458 1462 1467 1471 1474 1475 1475 1484 1485 1489 1492 1496 1499 1500 1501 1502 1504 1504 1505 1508 1509 1516 1537 1571 1572 1582 1751 |
MaltaMalta Malta
|
First Occupancy1479
|
Continuous Since1479
|
PortugualBraga Portugual
Libson Portugual |
First Occupancy1486-88
1348-56,1369-71,*1464-1500, 1523-1569 |
Continuous Since1505
1586 |
SpainValencia
Tarragora Toledo Seville Santiago de Compustela Badajoz Granada Burgus Oviedo Barcelona Pamplona Zaragoza Valladoled |
First Occupancy1353-62,1377-99 1371-78 1354-73,*1461-79 1444-57 1478-90 1317,*1491-92 1248-71,*1458,1478-1512 |
Continuous Since1240
1445 1446 1454 1460 1489 1493 1496 1498 1505 1507 1520 1596 |
SwitzerlandChur Switzerland
Lausanne Switzerland Sion Switzerland Basel Switzerland |
First Occupancy1433-73 1418-24,1458-79 |
Continuous Since1256
1491 1498 1527 |
Great BritainSalisbury Great Britain
Winchester Great Britain Chichester Great Britain Llandaff Great Britain Worchester Great Britain Durham Great Britain Bath Wells Great Britain Ely Great Britain Rochester Great Britain Dunkfeld Great Britain Conventry/Lichfield Hereford Great Britain London Great Britain Lincoln Great Britain York Great Britain Canterbury Great Britain Exeter Great Britain St Davids Great Britain Carlisle Great Britain St Asaph Great Britain Moray Great Britain Dunblane Great Britain Norwich Great Britain St Andrews Great Britain Westminster Great Britain Ross Great Britain |
First Occupancy1396-1558
1404-1551 1390-96,1418-1536 1423-1537 1426-1551 1438-1552 1407-24,1443-1523 1443-1559 1444-1553 1447-1552 1418-19,*1447-1559 1420-21, 1448-1557 1406-7,1432-36,1448-1549 1180-1200,*1419-31,1452-1521 1452-1559 598-604,*1093-1109,1162-1170,* 1454-1558 1419,1456-1551 1414-19,1433-46,1460-1522 1419-29,1462-1537 1433-50,1471-1585 1482-1527 1322-47,1487-1569 1499-1554 1513-1546 1540-1550 1545-1592 |
Continuous Since1396
1404 1418 1423 1426 1438 1443 1443 1444 1447 1447 1448 1448 1452 1452 1454 1456 1460 1462 1471 1482 1487 1499 1513 1540 1545 |
Continental Europe
While the above information is interesting, the following maps allow for a visual understanding of the progression of the establishment of bishops throughout Europe. Ireland is not included and Great Britain will be discussed below.
Political map 1300.
Ordinaries founded up to 1300.
Venice Italy 966
Bamburg Germany 1040
Rome Italy 1227
Valencia Spain 1240
Zaragoza Spain 1248
Chur Switzerland 1256
Lyon France 1272
Rennes France 1282
Benevento Italy 1295
The ordinaries are scattered and it is difficult to determine if a pattern exists.
Ordinaries founded up to 1300.
Venice Italy 966
Bamburg Germany 1040
Rome Italy 1227
Valencia Spain 1240
Zaragoza Spain 1248
Chur Switzerland 1256
Lyon France 1272
Rennes France 1282
Benevento Italy 1295
The ordinaries are scattered and it is difficult to determine if a pattern exists.
Political map 1400.
Ordinaries founded 1301-1350.
Trent Italy 1304
Pamplona Spain 1317
Salerno Italy 1320
Reggio Calabria Italy 1321
Agrigento Italy 1326
L'aquila Italy 1328
Rouen France 1330
Palermo Italy 1334
Chieti Italy 1336
Clermont France 1340
Florence Italy 1342
Lisbon Portugal 1348
Paris France 1349
The ancient and politically influential city of Paris receives a bishop in 1349. Ordinaries are being established in southern Italian port cities and in Lisbon, Portugual.
Ordinaries founded 1301-1350.
Trent Italy 1304
Pamplona Spain 1317
Salerno Italy 1320
Reggio Calabria Italy 1321
Agrigento Italy 1326
L'aquila Italy 1328
Rouen France 1330
Palermo Italy 1334
Chieti Italy 1336
Clermont France 1340
Florence Italy 1342
Lisbon Portugal 1348
Paris France 1349
The ancient and politically influential city of Paris receives a bishop in 1349. Ordinaries are being established in southern Italian port cities and in Lisbon, Portugual.
Political map 1400.
Ordinaries founded 1351-1400 in red.
Montpellier France 1353
Toledo Spain 1353
Badajoz Spain 1354
Pisa Italy 1363
Seville Spain 1371
Bari-Bitonto Italy 1377
Munich Germany 1381
Sienna Italy 1385
Ravenna Italy 1387
Penne and Pescara Italy 1387
Messina Italy 1387
Bologna Italy 1389
Tours France 1395
Tiranae Albania 1395
Salzburg Austria 1396
The establishment of ordinaries continues in southern Italian port cites and into Sicilian port cities. In Castile, the ordinaries are moving inland by following rivers not ancient Roman roads that connect long established cities.
Ordinaries founded 1351-1400 in red.
Montpellier France 1353
Toledo Spain 1353
Badajoz Spain 1354
Pisa Italy 1363
Seville Spain 1371
Bari-Bitonto Italy 1377
Munich Germany 1381
Sienna Italy 1385
Ravenna Italy 1387
Penne and Pescara Italy 1387
Messina Italy 1387
Bologna Italy 1389
Tours France 1395
Tiranae Albania 1395
Salzburg Austria 1396
The establishment of ordinaries continues in southern Italian port cites and into Sicilian port cities. In Castile, the ordinaries are moving inland by following rivers not ancient Roman roads that connect long established cities.
Political map 1400.
Ordinaries founded 1401-1450.
Lecce Italy 1409
Toulouse France 1409
Cologne Germany 1414
Basel Switzerland 1418
Budapest Hungary 1423
Bordeaux France 1430
Corfu Greece 1430
Reims France 1433
Tournai Belgium 1433
Lausanne Switzerland 1437
Besancon France 1437
Eger Hungary 1439
Oviedo Spain 1444
Tarragona Spain 1445
Marseille France 1445
Vercelli Italy 1449
Ordinaries continue to be founded in port cities. In central and northern Europe, expansion occurs by following rivers.
Ordinaries founded 1401-1450.
Lecce Italy 1409
Toulouse France 1409
Cologne Germany 1414
Basel Switzerland 1418
Budapest Hungary 1423
Bordeaux France 1430
Corfu Greece 1430
Reims France 1433
Tournai Belgium 1433
Lausanne Switzerland 1437
Besancon France 1437
Eger Hungary 1439
Oviedo Spain 1444
Tarragona Spain 1445
Marseille France 1445
Vercelli Italy 1449
Ordinaries continue to be founded in port cities. In central and northern Europe, expansion occurs by following rivers.
Political map 1400.
Ordinaries from 1451-1500 in red.
Catania Italy 1450
Olomooc Czech Republic 1450
Split Croatia 1452
Genoa Italy 1453
Milan Italy 1453
Liege Belgium 1455
Naples Italy 1458
Santiago de Compustela Spain 1460
Cagliari Italy 1460
Bar Antivari Montenegro 1461
Syracuse Italy 1462
Poitiers France 1462
Paderborn Germany 1463
Catanzaro Italy 1467
Lesh Allessio Albania 1467
Tanger Morocco 1468
Pesaro Italy 1471
Taranto Italy 1472
Barcelona Spain 1478
Malta Malta 1479
Fermo Italy 1485
Braga Portugual 1486
Cozenza and Bisignano Italy 1489
Peragia Italy 1492
Oristano Italy 1492
Granada Spain 1493
Burgus Spain 1496
Sion Switzerland 1498
Ordinaries continue to be founded in Italian port cities, the western Adriatic coast, in Iberia and even north Africa.
Ordinaries from 1451-1500 in red.
Catania Italy 1450
Olomooc Czech Republic 1450
Split Croatia 1452
Genoa Italy 1453
Milan Italy 1453
Liege Belgium 1455
Naples Italy 1458
Santiago de Compustela Spain 1460
Cagliari Italy 1460
Bar Antivari Montenegro 1461
Syracuse Italy 1462
Poitiers France 1462
Paderborn Germany 1463
Catanzaro Italy 1467
Lesh Allessio Albania 1467
Tanger Morocco 1468
Pesaro Italy 1471
Taranto Italy 1472
Barcelona Spain 1478
Malta Malta 1479
Fermo Italy 1485
Braga Portugual 1486
Cozenza and Bisignano Italy 1489
Peragia Italy 1492
Oristano Italy 1492
Granada Spain 1493
Burgus Spain 1496
Sion Switzerland 1498
Ordinaries continue to be founded in Italian port cities, the western Adriatic coast, in Iberia and even north Africa.
England
The following maps are the current dioceses of the Church of England. It was thoughtful of the Church of England to keep the same dioceses as used by the Roman Church.
England up to 1300
Canterbury 598-604,1093-1109,1162-1170,1454-1558
Lincoln 1180-1200,1419-31,1452-1521
Canterbury and Lincoln have been included for completeness. There is no reason to suppose a bishop was present at Canterbury before 1454 and at Lincoln before 1452.
We are inclined to believe that Canterbury was the first diocese as the diocese is only 20 miles from continental Europe.
Up to the year 1300, two dioceses were established.
Canterbury 598-604,1093-1109,1162-1170,1454-1558
Lincoln 1180-1200,1419-31,1452-1521
Canterbury and Lincoln have been included for completeness. There is no reason to suppose a bishop was present at Canterbury before 1454 and at Lincoln before 1452.
We are inclined to believe that Canterbury was the first diocese as the diocese is only 20 miles from continental Europe.
Up to the year 1300, two dioceses were established.
England 1301-1350.
Dunblane (Scotland) 1322-47,1487-1569
The absences of a bishop for over 100 years can be explained by the fact there was no bishop until 1487.
From 1301-1350, one diocese was established.
Dunblane (Scotland) 1322-47,1487-1569
The absences of a bishop for over 100 years can be explained by the fact there was no bishop until 1487.
From 1301-1350, one diocese was established.
England 1351-1400
Chichester 1390-96,1418-1536
Salisbury 1396-1558
After the plague of 1350, two dioceses are established before 1400.
Chichester and Salisbury are southern coastal dioceses.
Chichester 1390-96,1418-1536
Salisbury 1396-1558
After the plague of 1350, two dioceses are established before 1400.
Chichester and Salisbury are southern coastal dioceses.
England 1401-1450
Winchester 1404-1551
London 1406-7,1432-36,1448-1549
Bath Wells 1407-24,1443-1523
St Davids 1414-19,1433-46,1460-1522
Conventry/Lichfield 1418-19,1447-1559
Carlisle 1419-29,1462-1537
Exeter 1419,1456-1551
Hereford 1420-21, 1448-1557
Llandaff 1423-1537
Worchester 1426-1551
St Asaph 1433-50,1471-1585
Durham 1438-1552
Ely 1443-1559
Rochester 1444-1553
Dunkfeld 1447-1552
Ancient London has a bishop installed in 1406.
From 1401-1450, 15 bishops are installed in new dioceses. This number represents half the total that were created in Europe during this time frame.
Winchester 1404-1551
London 1406-7,1432-36,1448-1549
Bath Wells 1407-24,1443-1523
St Davids 1414-19,1433-46,1460-1522
Conventry/Lichfield 1418-19,1447-1559
Carlisle 1419-29,1462-1537
Exeter 1419,1456-1551
Hereford 1420-21, 1448-1557
Llandaff 1423-1537
Worchester 1426-1551
St Asaph 1433-50,1471-1585
Durham 1438-1552
Ely 1443-1559
Rochester 1444-1553
Dunkfeld 1447-1552
Ancient London has a bishop installed in 1406.
From 1401-1450, 15 bishops are installed in new dioceses. This number represents half the total that were created in Europe during this time frame.
England 1451-1500
York 1452-1559
Moray 1482-1527
Norwich 1499-1554
Three dioceses are being established in England as late as 1451 through 1500.
The Tudor Dynasty was found in 1485 by Henry VII (died, 1509). Henry VIII reined from 1509-47 and the break with the Roman Church occurred in 1533.
York 1452-1559
Moray 1482-1527
Norwich 1499-1554
Three dioceses are being established in England as late as 1451 through 1500.
The Tudor Dynasty was found in 1485 by Henry VII (died, 1509). Henry VIII reined from 1509-47 and the break with the Roman Church occurred in 1533.
With the explosion of dioceses being created between 1401 and 1450, it seems as though England was "off the beaten path" or England was recently discovered. How isolated were the English islands in the 16th century? The following table lists the city, the current country and the date of the first ordinary. England and Ireland are in blue, continental Europe is in black and non European ordinaries are in red.
Veszprem
Naxos Ancona-Numana Killala Torres Santo Domingo San Juan Panama Armagh St Andrews Turin Santiago Boiano Campobasso Cashel Westminster Killaloe Elphin Ross Macau Vienna Mechelen-Brussel Namur Prague Raphoe Ghent Tuam Cloyne Kilmore Valladoled |
Hungary
Greece Italy Ireland Italy Domincan Republic Porto Rico Panama Ireland Great Britain Italy Cuba Italy Ireland Great Britain Ireland Ireland Great Britain China Austria Belgium Belgium Czech Republic Ireland Belgium Ireland Ireland Ireland Spain |
1503
1504 1505 1505 1509 1511 1511 1513 1513 1513 1516 1517 1519 1524 1540 1542 1542 1545 1556 1561 1561 1561 1561 1562 1568 1580 1580 1580 1596 |
Between 1505 and 1556, the Dominican Republic, Porto Rico, Panama, Cuba and China had their first ordinaries and in Ireland and England new ordinaries were being created. Vienna has a bishop installed in 1561. It seems as thought England, Ireland, the New World and China in the 16th century are far removed from Rome's "beaten path".
There is no indication of an ancient presence of the Roman Church in Scandinavia:
Vicariate Apostolic of Sweden 1783
Mission "Sui Iuris" of Norway (Oslo) 1868
Prefecture Apostolic of Denmark 1868
There is no indication of an ancient presence of the Roman Church in Scandinavia:
Vicariate Apostolic of Sweden 1783
Mission "Sui Iuris" of Norway (Oslo) 1868
Prefecture Apostolic of Denmark 1868
While we do not believe that Venice (966), Bamburg (1040) and Rome (1227) are supported by anything but tradition, we have included them for completeness. It is interesteting that Venice, in the accepted list of ordinaries, is three centuries older than Rome. Venice was a provence of the Byzantine Empire and in the eighth century elected a leader who was confirmed by Constantinople. The following maps show the extent of the Venetian Empire
Click images for a larger representation.
Click images for a larger representation.
The historically challenged reader might understand the maps as an expansion of Constantinople's influence through Greece and north through the Adriatic Sea to Venice and not, as history tells us, from Venice through the Adriatic Sea to the Bosporus Strait. I have included both maps to show the islands, ports and trading routes. Combining these two maps with the previous maps, one may get a sense of the exploration of western Europe from the 12th through the 16th century.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Of the handful of ancient (pre 1300) ordinaries, only two of those cities are considered major cities today, Rome and Venice. While there is no doubt that Bamburg, Valencia, Zaragoza, Chur, Lyon, and Benevento were important centers in the 14th century, they have been overtaken by other cities.
The historical record of the expansion of the Roman Catholic Church into western Europe does not transpire as might be expected. One would expect the first bishop to be installed in a large city and future bishops to be installed in progressively smaller cities. There are two patterns that explain the vast majority of the establishments of ordinaries in western Europe. Primarily, ordinaries are founded at the mouths of rivers and future ordinaries are founded further inland. Secondarily, if the initial ordinary is not found in a port city, but further inland, future ordinaries will be found up the river, to the source, and down the river, to the ocean.
A similar pattern of establishing settlements is found in the exploration of the New World. New Orleans is a port city (dioceses erected, 1793) and further inland, up the Mississippi River is Memphis (1808) and still further inland, on the Wabash River, is the city of Vincennes (1834). As there were no roads connecting far flung settlements, nothing is remarkable about the exploration of North America.
Because we know that western Europe had been settled for centuries, and in some instances, millenia, before the introduction of Roman Bishops, this Apprentice is unable to explain or offer any reasons as to why the more dangerous and more expensive type of transportation, ocean travel, was chosen over a safer alternative, taking a road either on foot or on horseback.
If we base one conclusion on the implied progression of humanity from Constantinople, to Venice, to the western shores of the Mediterranean Sea , to northern Europe and, finally, to North America, it would seem that civilization and Christianity are more recent than what historians relate in their books.
Of the handful of ancient (pre 1300) ordinaries, only two of those cities are considered major cities today, Rome and Venice. While there is no doubt that Bamburg, Valencia, Zaragoza, Chur, Lyon, and Benevento were important centers in the 14th century, they have been overtaken by other cities.
The historical record of the expansion of the Roman Catholic Church into western Europe does not transpire as might be expected. One would expect the first bishop to be installed in a large city and future bishops to be installed in progressively smaller cities. There are two patterns that explain the vast majority of the establishments of ordinaries in western Europe. Primarily, ordinaries are founded at the mouths of rivers and future ordinaries are founded further inland. Secondarily, if the initial ordinary is not found in a port city, but further inland, future ordinaries will be found up the river, to the source, and down the river, to the ocean.
A similar pattern of establishing settlements is found in the exploration of the New World. New Orleans is a port city (dioceses erected, 1793) and further inland, up the Mississippi River is Memphis (1808) and still further inland, on the Wabash River, is the city of Vincennes (1834). As there were no roads connecting far flung settlements, nothing is remarkable about the exploration of North America.
Because we know that western Europe had been settled for centuries, and in some instances, millenia, before the introduction of Roman Bishops, this Apprentice is unable to explain or offer any reasons as to why the more dangerous and more expensive type of transportation, ocean travel, was chosen over a safer alternative, taking a road either on foot or on horseback.
If we base one conclusion on the implied progression of humanity from Constantinople, to Venice, to the western shores of the Mediterranean Sea , to northern Europe and, finally, to North America, it would seem that civilization and Christianity are more recent than what historians relate in their books.