Stephen of Tournai

(Stephanus Tornacensis)

Biography

 

• Born 1135 in Orleans.
• Studied Theology in Paris under Rufinus.
• Studied Canon Law in Bologna parallel with "Cardinal Gratian” and Civil Law under Bulgarus.
• 1165: Canon at the Canon Monastery Holy Cross in Orleans.
• 1177: Abbot of Sainte-Geneviève, established studies for clerics of the order.
• 1190: Sent by William of Rheims as Legate to Rome.
• 1192: Bishop of Tournai.
• Death: 09. 12.1203

Activities as Canonist

• 1179: active role at the III. Lateran Council
• Defence against the Albigensians
• Correspondence with Albericus (Ep. XXV.)
• Wrote a Summa on the Dectretum, handed down to us in manuscripts, with Paucapalea and Rolandus as examples

Editions and Sources

• DESILVE, Jules (ed.): Lettres d’Étienne de Tournai, Valenciennes/Paris 1893.
• SCHULTE, Johanne Friedrich von (ed.): Die summa des Stephanus Tornacensis über das Decretum Gratiani, Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien, Roth, Gießen 1891.
• See further: List of edited texts in: SCHÖNBERGER, Rolf et.al. (ed.): Repertorium edierter Texte des Mittelalters aus dem Bereich der Philosophie und angrenzender Gebiete, Akademie Verlag, Berlin 2011, pp.3624-3625.

 

Introductory Secondary Literature

• Detailed entry in: Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Medieval and Early Modern Jurists.
• KALB, Herbert: Studien zur Summa Stephans von Tournai: ein Beitrag zur kanonistischen Wissenschaftsgeschichte des späten 12. Jahrhunderts, Universitätsverlag Wagner, Innsbruck 1983.
• SCHULTE, Johann Friedrich: Die Geschichte der Quellen und Literatur des canonischen Rechts. Von Gratian bis auf die Gegenwart, Vol.1, Ferdinand Enke, Stuttgart 1875, pp.133-136.
• WARICHEZ, Josef: Étienne de Tournai e son temps: 1128-1203, Casterman, Paris 1937.