church without a leader - Langton was absent from the kingdom from September 1215 to May 1218. This gave Bicchieri particular influence and left him practically in charge of the English church.

Since John had surrendered England to the pope in May 1213, the pope was John's suzerain. He supported John and - as the Pope's nuncio - played an important role in stabilizing the English church in the aftermath of this civil war as well as being instrumental