Rahere(pronounced[ɹaˈhɪə(ɹ)]), orRaherorRaherius,was a 12th-century Anglo-Norman priest and latercanon regular.He was afavouriteofKing Henry Iand is most famous for having foundedSt Bartholomew's Prioryand theHospital of St Bartholomewin 1123.
Many of the details of Rahere's life have become confused, having been variously described as acleric,acourtier,aminstreland ajester,but undoubtedly Rahere existed and did many of the things in the legends about him. He may at different times in his life have been all of these.
Rahere is listed as acanonofSt Paul's Cathedralin adocumentof 1115. On a pilgrimage toRome,he fell ill and had a reputed vision ofSt Bartholomew,who directed him to establish a religioushospital.[1]Upon his return toEngland,he followed this calling and founded a community ofCanons RegularatSmithfieldin London, being installed as itsprior,a position he held until his death. An ornate tomb in his memory can be found inside thePriory Church of St Bartholomew the Great.
He is the subject ofRudyard Kipling's poem "Rahere", collected inDebits and Credits,as well as being a major figure in Kipling's story "The Tree of Justice", featuring inRewards and Fairies.He is also a significant character inRosemary Sutcliff's historical novel for children,The Witch's Brat(1970). It seems likely that Sutcliff was first introduced to Rahere by reading Kipling'sRewards and Fairiesas a child and later chose him as a character for one of her own books: Kipling's works are a significant and openly acknowledged inspiration for Sutcliff.
Alan Gordonacknowledges Rahere in the Historical Notes toThirteenth Night,the first book in his “Fools Guild” series of historical novels. (Not to be confused with the modernFool's Guild.)
References
edit- ^Watson, Sethina (2006)."The Origins of the English Hospital".Transactions of the Royal Historical Society.16.Cambridge University: 75–94.doi:10.1017/S0080440106000466.S2CID143513725.Retrieved13 April2018.
Further reading
edit- Etherton, Judith (2004)."Rahere [Rayer] (d. 1143x5)".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23012.(subscription orUK public library membershiprequired)
External links
edit
- Rahere's grant
- Photograph of Rahere's tomb in the church of St Bartholomew-the-Great
- Notes on the poem "Rahere"
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