Langton, Stephen, c.1155–1228, English prelate, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was educated at Paris. Innocent III named him cardinal in 1206, and he became archbishop of Canterbury the following year. The opposition of King John John, 1167–1216, king of England (1199–1216), son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine .

Early Life

The king's youngest son, John was left out of Henry's original division of territory among his sons and was nicknamed John Lackland.
..... Click the link for more information. prevented his occupation of the see until 1213. He acted with the barons in securing the Magna Carta and opposed the papal legate, Pandulf Pandulf (păn`dŭlf '), Ital. Pandolfo, d. 1226, Italian churchman.
..... Click the link for more information. . Because of his continued opposition to John after the reconciliation of pope and king, he was suspended as archbishop in 1215 but was restored after the accession of Henry III and continued his efforts to reform church and state. He was a learned and prolific writer, and the present chapter division of the Scriptures is derived from Langton. He probably composed the hymn Veni, sancte spiritus.

Bibliography

See F. M. Powicke, Stephen Langton (1928, repr. 1965); study by P. B. Roberts (1968).

Langton, Stephen

(died July 9, 1228, Slindon, Sussex, Eng.) English cardinal and archbishop of Canterbury (1207–28). Langton was living in Rome when Innocent III nominated him as archbishop of Canterbury to settle a disputed election. When King John refused to allow him into England, the pope excommunicated John (1209). John finally submitted and received Langton in 1213. The new archbishop encouraged baronial opposition to the king but opposed violence. He was present at the signing of the Magna Carta (1215) and influenced its provisions on ecclesiastical liberties.