Tedald was archbishop of Milan (died in Milan on 25 May 1085) from 1075 to 1085.
Tedald was born into a noble family in Milan.[1][2] He entered into the service of King Henry IV of Germany who employed him in the royal chapel.[3][2]
Henry IV made Tedald archbishop of Milan in 1075.[4] When appointing Tedald to the archbishopric, Henry ignored his former decision about the appointment of another cleric, Godfrey, to the same see.[3] The King also disregarded the claim of Pope Gregory VII's candidate, Atto, to the archbishopric.[1] The suffragan bishops consecrated Tedald archbishop.[2]
Tedald approached Pope Gregory, seeking the Pope's "friendship" in a letter, but the Pope was unwilling to acknowledge the royal investiture.[1][5] On 8 December, Gregory forbade the Archbishop's suffragan bishops to consecrate Tedald and summoned Tedald to Rome to give an account of his appointment.[1][6] The Pope regarded Tedald as a rebel and a renegade and accused him of claiming the see of the lawful archbishop, Atto.[7]
The Pope excommunicated Tedald at an unknown date.[8]
Henry IV made his three-year-old son, Conrad, his lieutenant in Italy before returning to Germany early in 1077.[9] On the same occasion, the King appointed Tedald and Denis, Bishop of Piacenza, as his son's guardians.[9] Tedald's excommunication was renewed at the Lenten synods of Rome in 1078, 1079 and 1080.[10]
Tedald was one of the nineteen Italian prelates to attend the synod that Henry IV held at Brixen on 25 June 1080.[11] The assembled prelates declared that Pope Gregory VII's election had been invalid.[11] Historian David J Hay has suggested Tedald was the leader of the coalition of Lombard bishops that defeated Matilda of Tuscany at the battle of Volta Mantovana in October 1080.[12]
Tedald and his suffragans appointed one thousand knights to accompany King Henry to Rome in 1082.[13]
Tedald died in Milan on 25 May 1085 (on the same day as Pope Gregory VII).[14]