Sigeric the Serious
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Sigeric (950? – October 28, 994) was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 990–994. He was preceded as Archbishop of Canterbury by Æthelgar (988–989) and succeeded by Ælfric (995–1005).
It is unclear whether the epithet "The Serious" originated from his learning, or if it was derived from transliteration of his name into Latin as Serio.
Biography
Sigeric was educated at Glastonbury, where he took holy orders. He was elected Abbot of St Augustine's in 980, and consecrated by Archbishop Dunstan to the See of Ramsbury and Sonning. He was transferred to Canterbury in 990.Sigeric made the pilgrimage to Rome following the Via Francigena to receive his pallium circa 990, and contemporary records of this journey still exist. (D. Birch 2000)
It was Sigeric who advised King Æthelred to pay a tribute to the invading Danish king Sweyne Forkbeard in 991. Æthelred presented Sweyne with 10,000 pounds of silver, in response to which Sweyne temporarily ceased his destructive advance into England, though he later returned for further tributes. Sweyne's ever-increasing demands in the following years resulted in a debilitating tax (known as the Danegeld), payable by the inhabitants of Æthelred's territories.
While an abbott, Ælfric dedicated a book of translated homilies to Sigeric.
On his death, Sigeric deeded a valuable collection of books to his church at Sonning.
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