In the eleventh and the twelfth century England, as the secular clerics began to play the roles of curial advisors for the kings, they could raise their rank, and could challenge the previously leading positions played by the monks. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, there appeared several ecclesiastics who played remarkable . roles in their relationships with the kings. Presumably, there were two groups among them. One was represented by the monk bishops such as Lanfranc and St. Anselm: The other group of hishops, who were formerly secular clerics, included Ranulf Flambard, bishop of Durham, who as a royal chaplain served William II, and Roger, bishop of Salisbury, who as a chancellor worked for Henry I.
In this article, in order to clarify the contemporary historical situation in which the monks and the secular clergy were placed during the late eleventh and the early twelfth centuries; ,(1) Their competitive relationships for some bishoprics were proved, for example, by discussing the election of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1123. ,(2) The roles of the secular clerics who had been appointed bishops after their service as the royal attendants were examined.