Faritius

Faritius (died 1117) was an Italian Benedictine monk and physician who became Abbot of Abingdon. Born in Arezzo, Italy, he arrived in England around 1098. He was a skilled physician, renowned for his medical expertise. Faritius served as physician to King William Rufus, and later to Henry I.

Around 1100, he was appointed Abbot of Abingdon Abbey, a position he held until his death in 1117. During his abbacy, Faritius was involved in a long-running dispute with the neighboring Eynsham Abbey over land ownership and rights. This conflict is well-documented in the Historia Ecclesie Abbendonensis, a chronicle of Abingdon Abbey, which provides a significant amount of information about his life and activities. Faritius is remembered for his administrative skills, his patronage of learning within the abbey, and his role in the legal battles surrounding the abbey's properties.