Robert of Torigni

Robert of Torigni or Torigny (; – 1186), also known as Robert of the Mont (; ; also Robertus de Monte Sancti Michaelis, in reference to the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel ), was a Norman monk, prior, and abbot. He is most remembered for his chronicles detailing English history of his era.

Religious life Robert was born at Torigni-sur-Vire, Normandy c. 1110, most probably to an aristocratic family, but his family name was abandoned when he entered Bec Abbey in 1128. In 1149 Robert of Torigni became the prior of Bec replacing Roger de Bailleul who had by that time become abbot. In 1154 Robert became the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy. In November 1158 Robert hosted the kings Louis VII of France and Henry II of England at Mont Saint-Michel. Three years later Robert de Torigni, along with Achard of St. Victor, Bishop of Avranches, stood as sponsors (godfathers) to Eleanor, born to Henry II of England and Queen Eleanor at Domfront in 1161. In 1163 he was in Rome. He was also known to have visited England representing Mont Saint-Michel. In 1876 a lead disc was found in his coffin bearing his epitaph. The translation reads: "Here lies Robert Torigni, abbot of this place, who ruled the monastery 32 years, and lived 80 years".

Character Robert developed a reputation as being a pious monk, an accomplished diplomat, a skilled organiser and a great lover and collector of books. Under Robert de Torigni Mont Saint-Michel became a great centre of learning, with sixty monks producing copious manuscripts and a library collection so vast it was called the Cité des Livres ('City of Books'). Robert himself was called "The Great Librarian of the Mont". He made no attempts to interpret history but wrote plainly "without a trace of romance in his soul."

The 19th-century English archivist Joseph Stevenson said Torigni was not always correct in his chronology and made errors even in matters in Normandy of which he should have known better, yet he was always honest and truthful and his mistakes did not greatly affect the overall value of his chronicle. Modern writers too have pointed out errors in his work; and where he has given confusing or conflicting accounts. Léopold Delisle wrote that it was through Robert's affection for Henry II that he made almost no mention in his chronicle of the death of Thomas Becket or Henry II's involvement therein.

Works Robert is best known as the last of the three contributors to the Gesta Normannorum Ducum ('Deeds of the Norman Dukes'), a chronicle originally written by William of Jumièges, appended to by Orderic Vitalis and lastly Robert de Torigni, who brought the history up to the time of Henry I. Robert relied more on Orderic's work than that of William of Jumièges and added information regarding the reign of William the Conqueror, a history of Bec, and a volume on Henry I. Another source he used was Henry of Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum. Henry, the Archdeacon of Huntingdon, had visited Bec in 1139 and during his stay there provided Robert with much of the information regarding the reign of Henry I which Robert used in his own chronicles.

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