Historically, Gervase has a bad reputation for mismanaging the abbey, although modern historians have re-evaluated his performance as abbot.
[2] Gervase was very young to be appointed abbot, but despite this probably attended the Second Lateran Council the following year.
[4] Pope Innocent II ordered Gervase to reform the estate management of the abbey; historians have disagreed over the years about whether the Pope was referring to long-standing issues of malpractice, or ones that had appeared during his term of office.
[6] In 1154, however, Stephen died, being replaced by his former rival, King Henry II, putting Gervase's position at risk.
[7] Gervase was accused by Henry of mishandling the abbey's estates and he was dismissed from post in 1157, albeit without trial, dying shortly afterwards.