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Alexander Stewart (d. 1371)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Stewart was a 14th century Scottish
bishop
. Probably from Menteith
, he appears in the sources from the first half of 1340s, possessing a university degree and holding the position of Archdeacon of Ross
. He was active at the papal curia in the second half of the decade as a papal chaplain
and administrator, before being provided as Bishop of Ross
in 1350, a position he held until his death in 1371.
, a diocese which embraced the earldom of Strathearn and the earldom of Menteith; as the Stewart family were better established in Menteith
than Strathearn
, it is likely that Alexander came from Menteith. It is notable that Stewart's arms, as well as having the Stewart chequy, included the three lion rampant
s which denoted the earls of Ross, suggesting some connection between Alexander Stewart and the Ross family.
Before Stewart's career as a prelate, he spent many years at university. He held a Licentiate
in Decrees (i.e. Canon law
) by July 1343, and by March 1348 was being styled Magister ("Master"), indicating completion a Master's degree
, though the accuracy of this title is not certain because he is only styled "Master" on one occasion.
on 22 July 1343, a position he had probably held for many years previously; it is probable that he was helped into this position by the Bishop of Ross
, Roger
, also from the diocese of Dunblane.
On that date he was granted provision to a canonry in the diocese of Dunkeld
with expectation of a prebend; on 27 March 1348, he claimed to hold a Dunkeld prebend, as he did on 22 June 1350. He was surrogated by Donnchadh de Strathearn
, now Bishop of Dunkeld
, to the prebend of Cruden
in the diocese of Aberdeen
on that date (22 March 1348), though it is not clear that this was ever effective; he was ordered to resign this right when given provision to the prebend and canonry of Kinnoir in the diocese of Moray
on 2 June 1350.
Stewart probably spent the late 1340s at the papal court in Avignon
. He was appointed as a papal chaplain
on 6 August 1346. Stewart may have been in the service of Cardinal Guillaume de la Jugée, who is found aiding Stewart in 1348 and 1350. This influence probably explains his provision to the prebends mentioned above. On 18 May 1347 and 13 June 1350 he was named by three Scots as the mandatory for their papal graces.
After the resignation of Bishop Roger, on 3 November 1350, Alexander Stewart was provided to the now vacant diocese of Ross
; Bishop Roger, "for reasonable causes", had resigned the see at the papal curia through three proctor
s, and Stewart's presence at the papal court was fortuitous, as the pope had previous reserved the see for his own appointment. He promised his services on the same day as John de Rait
, newly Bishop of Aberdeen
, that is, on 26 January 1351. He was consecrated by 9 March, when he was granted permission to borrow money in order to pay for his expenses at Avignon.
He is found in Scotland for the first time when, on 6 March 1352, he witnessed a charter of King David II of Scotland
at Scone
. He nevertheless continued his involvement in papal service, being mentioned as a mandatory in ten papal graces between March 1351 and July 1353; on 9 July 1364, he was instructed by the papacy to investigate alleged overcharging on the pilgrimage boat from Queensferry on the river Forth
.
His seal
, along with that of other Scottish prelates, was appended to the obligation document drawn up for King David II's ransom at an assembly in Edinburgh on 26 September 1357. His seal was attached to an indenture at Auldearn
on 2 January 1365; and to a deed drawn up at Perth
on 16 October 1370.
He was at the Scone parliament of 18 November 1358, at the Scone parliament of 26 July 1366. He did not attend the Perth parliament of 27 September 1367, nor the Scone parliament of 6 March 1369. He attended the Council General at Perth on 13 January 1365.
He witnessed many charters in or around Ross
during his episcopate, but also various royal charters, including those issued at Scone on 18 November 1358. He witnessed a private deed by Andrew Leslie, another by Patrick Grant of Stratherrick, and two by Hugh de Ross, the brother of the earl of Ross
, at Cullisse near Nigg
.
He witnessed several charters of the earl himself, Uilleam III
, in the 1350s and 1360s, including ones at Delny
on 5 March 1356, on 17 June 1357, on 12 November 1358, and another on 5 April 1366; he witnessed other comital charters at Dingwall
, on 21 December 1366, on 9 August 1369, and on 4 February 1371.
The last appearance is the latest appearance he made in any documentation. He may have been dead by the Scone parliament of 27 March 1371, to which he failed to appear. He was definitely dead by 9 May, when his successor Alexander de Kylwos
received papal provision to the now vacant diocese.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. Probably from Menteith
Menteith
Menteith or Monteith , a district of south Perthshire, Scotland, roughly comprises the territory between the Teith and the Forth. The region is named for the river Teith, but the exact sense is unclear, early forms including Meneted, Maneteth and Meneteth.First recorded as the Mormaerdom of...
, he appears in the sources from the first half of 1340s, possessing a university degree and holding the position of Archdeacon of Ross
Archdeacon of Ross
The Archdeacon of Ross was the only archdeacon in the medieval Diocese of Ross, acting as a deputy of the Bishop of Ross. The following is a list of archdeacons:-List of archdeacons of Ross:* Robert, x 1223-1249 x 1250* Robert de Fyvie, x 1269-1275...
. He was active at the papal curia in the second half of the decade as a papal chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
and administrator, before being provided as Bishop of Ross
Bishop of Ross
The Bishop of Ross was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Ross, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first recorded bishop appears in the late 7th century as a witness to Adomnán of Iona's Cáin Adomnáin. The bishopric was based at the settlement of Rosemarkie until the mid-13th...
in 1350, a position he held until his death in 1371.
Early life
Alexander Stewart was from the diocese of DunblaneDiocese of Dunblane
The Diocese of Dunblane or Diocese of Strathearn was one of the thirteen historical dioceses of Scotland, before the abolition of episcopacy in the Scottish Church in 1689. Roughly, it embraced the territories covered by the old earldoms of Strathearn and Menteith. The diocese was founded by the...
, a diocese which embraced the earldom of Strathearn and the earldom of Menteith; as the Stewart family were better established in Menteith
Menteith
Menteith or Monteith , a district of south Perthshire, Scotland, roughly comprises the territory between the Teith and the Forth. The region is named for the river Teith, but the exact sense is unclear, early forms including Meneted, Maneteth and Meneteth.First recorded as the Mormaerdom of...
than Strathearn
Strathearn
Strathearn or Strath Earn is the strath of the River Earn, in Scotland. It extends from Loch Earn in Perth and Kinross to the River Tay....
, it is likely that Alexander came from Menteith. It is notable that Stewart's arms, as well as having the Stewart chequy, included the three lion rampant
Lion (heraldry)
The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises bravery, valour, strength, and royalty, since traditionally, it is regarded as the king of beasts.-Attitudes:...
s which denoted the earls of Ross, suggesting some connection between Alexander Stewart and the Ross family.
Before Stewart's career as a prelate, he spent many years at university. He held a Licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
in Decrees (i.e. Canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
) by July 1343, and by March 1348 was being styled Magister ("Master"), indicating completion a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, though the accuracy of this title is not certain because he is only styled "Master" on one occasion.
Early career
He is found as Archdeacon of RossArchdeacon of Ross
The Archdeacon of Ross was the only archdeacon in the medieval Diocese of Ross, acting as a deputy of the Bishop of Ross. The following is a list of archdeacons:-List of archdeacons of Ross:* Robert, x 1223-1249 x 1250* Robert de Fyvie, x 1269-1275...
on 22 July 1343, a position he had probably held for many years previously; it is probable that he was helped into this position by the Bishop of Ross
Bishop of Ross
The Bishop of Ross was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Ross, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first recorded bishop appears in the late 7th century as a witness to Adomnán of Iona's Cáin Adomnáin. The bishopric was based at the settlement of Rosemarkie until the mid-13th...
, Roger
Roger (Bishop of Ross)
Roger was a churchman based in the 14th century Kingdom of Scotland, and active as Bishop of Ross from 1325 until 1350. Before attaining this position, Roger was a canon of Abernethy; it is possible that Roger was an Augustinian, because it is often thought that Abernethy did not become a...
, also from the diocese of Dunblane.
On that date he was granted provision to a canonry in the diocese of Dunkeld
Diocese of Dunkeld
The Diocese of Dunkeld was one of the 13 historical dioceses of Scotland preceding the abolition of Episcopacy in 1689.-History:It is thought that the diocese was constituted as far back as the middle of the ninth century. The first occupant was styled Bishop of Fortriu, the name by which the...
with expectation of a prebend; on 27 March 1348, he claimed to hold a Dunkeld prebend, as he did on 22 June 1350. He was surrogated by Donnchadh de Strathearn
Donnchadh de Strathearn
Donnchadh de Strathearn was a 14th century bishop of Dunkeld. He was probably from the family of the Gaelic Earls of Strathearn, perhaps even the son of Maol Íosa IV, Earl of Strathearn. He was in the company of, as his brother Maol Íosa V was, Edward Balliol when the latter invaded Scotland and...
, now Bishop of Dunkeld
Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac...
, to the prebend of Cruden
Cruden
Cruden may refer to:People* Aaron Cruden , rugby player* Alexander Cruden , author* Damian Cruden, theatre director* Kwamé Cruden , footballerOther* Cruden Bay, village in Scotland...
in the diocese of Aberdeen
Diocese of Aberdeen
Diocese of Aberdeen was one of the 13 dioceses of the Scottish church, before the abolition of the episcopacy in 1689.-Early history:...
on that date (22 March 1348), though it is not clear that this was ever effective; he was ordered to resign this right when given provision to the prebend and canonry of Kinnoir in the diocese of Moray
Diocese of Moray
The Diocese of Moray was one of the most important of the medieval dioceses in Scotland. It was founded in the early years of the 12th century by David I of Scotland under its first bishop, Gregoir...
on 2 June 1350.
Stewart probably spent the late 1340s at the papal court in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
. He was appointed as a papal chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
on 6 August 1346. Stewart may have been in the service of Cardinal Guillaume de la Jugée, who is found aiding Stewart in 1348 and 1350. This influence probably explains his provision to the prebends mentioned above. On 18 May 1347 and 13 June 1350 he was named by three Scots as the mandatory for their papal graces.
Bishop of Ross
Diocese of Ross
The Diocese of Ross was an ecclesiastical territory or diocese in Scotland in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period. The Diocese was led by the Bishop of Ross, and was based at Fortrose. The diocese had only one Archdeacon, the Archdeacon of Ross, first attested in 1223 with the appearance of...
; Bishop Roger, "for reasonable causes", had resigned the see at the papal curia through three proctor
Proctor
Proctor, a variant of the word procurator, is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The word proctor is frequently used to describe someone who oversees an exam or dormitory.The title is used in England in three principal senses:...
s, and Stewart's presence at the papal court was fortuitous, as the pope had previous reserved the see for his own appointment. He promised his services on the same day as John de Rait
John de Rait
John de Rait [Raith, Rathe, Rate, Rathet] was a 14th century Scottish cleric. The name "Rait" probably links him to the village of Rait in Gowrie, although the name "Rath" - Gaelic for a type of enclosed settlement - is common to many settlements in Scotland...
, newly Bishop of Aberdeen
Bishop of Aberdeen
The Bishop of Aberdeen was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Nechtan...
, that is, on 26 January 1351. He was consecrated by 9 March, when he was granted permission to borrow money in order to pay for his expenses at Avignon.
He is found in Scotland for the first time when, on 6 March 1352, he witnessed a charter of King David II of Scotland
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
at Scone
Scone, Scotland
Scone is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The medieval village of Scone, which grew up around the monastery and royal residence, was abandoned in the early 19th century when the residents were removed and a new palace was built on the site by the Earl of Mansfield...
. He nevertheless continued his involvement in papal service, being mentioned as a mandatory in ten papal graces between March 1351 and July 1353; on 9 July 1364, he was instructed by the papacy to investigate alleged overcharging on the pilgrimage boat from Queensferry on the river Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
.
His seal
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
, along with that of other Scottish prelates, was appended to the obligation document drawn up for King David II's ransom at an assembly in Edinburgh on 26 September 1357. His seal was attached to an indenture at Auldearn
Auldearn
Auldearn is a village situated east of the River Nairn, just outside Nairn in the Highland council area of Scotland. It takes its name from William the Lyon's castle of Eren , built there in the 12th century....
on 2 January 1365; and to a deed drawn up at Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
on 16 October 1370.
He was at the Scone parliament of 18 November 1358, at the Scone parliament of 26 July 1366. He did not attend the Perth parliament of 27 September 1367, nor the Scone parliament of 6 March 1369. He attended the Council General at Perth on 13 January 1365.
He witnessed many charters in or around Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
during his episcopate, but also various royal charters, including those issued at Scone on 18 November 1358. He witnessed a private deed by Andrew Leslie, another by Patrick Grant of Stratherrick, and two by Hugh de Ross, the brother of the earl of Ross
Earl of Ross
The Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
, at Cullisse near Nigg
Nigg, Highland
Nigg is a village and parish on the north east shore of Nigg Bay in north east Ross-shire and is in the Scottish council area of Highland...
.
He witnessed several charters of the earl himself, Uilleam III
Uilleam III, Earl of Ross
Uilleam III of Ross was the fourth successor of Ferchar mac in tSagairt, as Mormaer of Ross .Uilleam came into his inheritance at a torrid time, his father Aodh dying at the Battle of Halidon Hill. Uilleam temporarily lost many of his lands. However, he returned from Norway in 1336 and regained them...
, in the 1350s and 1360s, including ones at Delny
Delny
Delny is a small village sitting beside the north end of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, and is within the Scottish council area of Highland....
on 5 March 1356, on 17 June 1357, on 12 November 1358, and another on 5 April 1366; he witnessed other comital charters at Dingwall
Dingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
, on 21 December 1366, on 9 August 1369, and on 4 February 1371.
The last appearance is the latest appearance he made in any documentation. He may have been dead by the Scone parliament of 27 March 1371, to which he failed to appear. He was definitely dead by 9 May, when his successor Alexander de Kylwos
Alexander de Kylwos
Alexander de Kylwos - written alternatively as Frylquhous, Kylquos, and a variety of other forms - was a Scottish churchman and prelate active in the second half of the 14th century. He is known to have held senior positions in three bishoprics, and senior offices in two, before being elected and...
received papal provision to the now vacant diocese.