Excommunicated by several popes for his pluralism in holding the two sees, or bishoprics, of Winchester and Canterbury concurrently, he was finally deposed in 1070, and his estates and personal wealth were confiscated by William the Conqueror.

Despite growing pressure for his deposition, Stigand continued to attend the royal court and to consecrate bishops, until in 1070 he was deposed by papal legates and imprisoned at Winchester.

[9] Stigand was appointed to the see of Elmham shortly after Edward the Confessor's coronation on 3 April 1043,[15] probably on Emma's advice.

[17] The diocese of Elmham covered East Anglia in eastern England,[18] and was one of the poorer episcopal sees at that time.

[20] The reasons for the deposition are unknown, but it was probably connected to the simultaneous fall from power of the dowager queen, Emma.

[26] Some historians, such as Frank Barlow and Emma Mason, state that Stigand supported Earl Godwin in his quarrel with Edward the Confessor in 1051–1052;[31][32] others, including Ian Walker, hold that he was neutral.

In 1049 Leo IX publicly pronounced that he would take more interest in English church matters and would investigate episcopal candidates more strictly before confirming them.

[39] Although not known as a reformer before his appointment, Robert returned in 1051 from Rome, where he had gone to be confirmed by the papacy, and opposed the king's choice for Bishop of London on the grounds that the candidate was not suitable.

When Godwin returned to England in 1052 Robert was outlawed and exiled,[39] following which King Edward appointed Stigand to the archbishopric.

[44] Historian Nicholas Brooks holds the view that Stigand was not excommunicated at this time, but rather was ordered to refrain from any archiepiscopal functions, such as the consecration of bishops.

[44][48] Stigand did not travel to Rome to receive a pallium,[2] the band worn around the neck that is the symbol of an archbishop's authority,[49] from the pope.

[59] It has been suggested by the historian Emma Mason that Edward refused to remove Stigand because this would have undermined the royal prerogative to appoint bishops and archbishops without papal input.

[64] The diocese of York took advantage of Stigand's difficulties with the papacy and encroached on the suffragans, or bishops owing obedience to an archbishop, normally subject to Canterbury.

[71] Stigand was probably the most lavish clerical donor of his period when great men gave to churches on an unprecedented scale.

A 12th-century life of Saint Willibrord, written at the Abbey of Echternach in what is now Luxembourg, records that "to this place also came Stigand, the eminent archbishop of the English".

[77] During Edward's reign, Stigand was an influential advisor at court and used his position to increase his own wealth as well as that of his friends and family.

Contemporary valuations of the lands he controlled at the death of King Edward, as listed in Domesday Book, come to an annual income of about 2500 pounds.

[80][j] Although Ealdred, the Bishop of Worcester, went to the Continent in search of Edward the Exile, Ian Walker, the biographer of King Harold Godwinson, feels that Stigand was behind the effort.

[70] Current historical research has shown that the ceremony was performed by Ealdred, owing to the controversy about Stigand's position.

[91] Another historian, Frank Barlow, writing in 1979, felt that the fact that some of the English sources do not name who consecrated Harold "tip(s) the balance in favour of Stigand".

[93] Stigand's controversial position may have influenced Pope Alexander II's support of William the Conqueror's invasion of England.

[94][95] The reformers, led by Archdeacon Hildebrand, later Pope Gregory VII, opposed the older type of bishop, rich and installed by the lay powers.

He gave Stigand a place at court, as well as giving administrative positions to Ealdred of York and Æthelwig, Abbot of Evesham.

[109] On 11 April 1070 Stigand was deposed[41] by the papal legate, Ermenfrid, Bishop of Sion in the Alps,[52][110] and was imprisoned at Winchester.

Besides witnessing charters and consecrating Remigius, Stigand appears to have been a member of the royal council, and able to move freely about the country.

But after the arrival of the legates, William did nothing to protect Stigand from deposition, and the archbishop later accused the king of acting with bad faith.

[116] It was probably the death of Ealdred in 1069 that moved the pope to send the legates, as that left only one archbishop in England; and he was not considered legitimate and unable to consecrate bishops.

[2] Hugh the Chanter, a medieval chronicler, claimed that the confiscated wealth of Stigand helped keep King William on the throne.

[128] Concurring with this, the historian Nick Higham said that "Stigand was a seasoned politician whose career had been built on an accurate reading of the balance of power.

[130] However, the historian Frank Barlow felt that "he was a man of cultured tastes, a patron of the arts who was generous to the monasteries which he held".