Lawrence, Archbishop of Esztergom

Lawrence
Archbishop of Esztergom
Lawrence (left) crowns Stephen II, as depicted in the Illuminated Chronicle
See	Esztergom
Appointed	1105 or 1106
Term ended	1116 or 1117
Predecessor	Seraphin
Successor	Marcellus
Personal details
Died	1116 or 1117
Nationality	Hungarian

Lawrence (Hungarian: Lőrinc; died in 1116 or 1117) was a Hungarian prelate at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, who served as Archbishop of Esztergom from around 1105 until his death. He was a faithful confidant of Coloman, King of Hungary and the initiator of large-scale church organizational and canon law reforms in the Kingdom of Hungary.

Lawrence was born into an unidentified illustrious noble family, who was a member of the royal chapel as one of the court clergymen during the reign of Ladislaus I of Hungary. Literary historian László Mezey argued Lawrence studied at Laon, France during his youth. A royal charter from 1111 refers to Lawrence's influence and widespread literacy, who "gladly dealt with sciences". During Coloman's rule (who was initially prepared for a church career), Lawrence served as royal chaplain. After the death of Seraphin in 1104, Lawrence became Archbishop of Esztergom. He first appeared in that capacity around 1105 or 1106. Under his tenure, he was a strong confidant of Coloman and advocated his foreign policy in the assistance of Pope Paschal II in the long struggle with the Holy Roman Emperors over investiture. Nevertheless, Coloman sought to keep the country's independence also against the Church, with which the archbishop agreed. As a result, Lawrence supported the military campaign against Dalmatia, which violated the Pope's interests. Provost Theobald represented Lawrence and his monarch in the Synod of Dalmatia in 1106. His name appeared in a royal document in May 1108, when Coloman confirmed the privileges of Trogir. Lawrence escorted Coloman along with six bishops and several secular barons to Dalmatia, when the king reaffirmed the privileges of Split, Trogir, and Zadar in 1111. A non-authentic royal charter from that year confirms the assumption that Archbishop Lawrence simultaneously functioned as royal chaplain and was responsible for issuing royal diplomas. He was mentioned as the first within Coloman's companion by the two establishing charters of the Zobor Abbey, issued in 1111 and 1113.