Alexander de Bicknor
Encyclopedia
Alexander de Bicknor was an official in the Plantagenet kingdom under Edward I of England
, Edward II of England
, and Edward III of England
. Best known to history as the Archbishop of Dublin
from 1317 until his death on July 14, 1349, his career involved extensive diplomatic missions for the King and the holding of numerous civil and ecclesiastical offices in Ireland
, including Lord Treasurer of Ireland (1307–1309) and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
.
records in the late 13th century and in the first decade of the 14th century. Both Gallagher and Phillips consider these to be the same man as the later archbishop, surmising a birthdate in the 1260s. The earliest mention appears to be as bailiff of Gloucester
in 1273, which puts this conclusion in some doubt, though there is a fairly continuous trail of records connecting this Alexander with the man who would become Archbishop of Dublin. Whether this is a case of unusual longevity for the period (he would have had to have been over 80 years old at his death) or two presumably related individuals of the same name is unclear, though there can be little doubt that de Bicknor was already a mature adult when elected archbishop in 1310. The career of this or these Alexander de Bicknors in Gloucestershire involved the wool trade at least one point as well as extensive activity in civil offices, including tax collection, service on commissions of oyer and terminer
, and service as one of the two bailiffs of Gloucester for eight different years. De Bicknor was also among nine men of Gloucester charged with evasion of taxes on the wine trade in 1287, which would suggest a breadth of commercial interests. Given their presence in Gloucester, the de Bicknor family may have derived their toponymic surname from English Bicknor
in Gloucestershire (the "English" qualifier did not generally appear until later). The Catholic Encyclopedia
however associates him with another town named Bicknor
in Kent
, but in one instance in 1297 he is explicitly called "Alexander de Bykenore of Gloucester." Confusing the issue, there were indeed contemporary persons surnamed de Bicknor who were clearly associated with Kent (such as the knight and chief falconer of Edward I, John de Bicknor), so the issue remains in some doubt. According to the Patent Rolls
, a license to crenellate a structure in Ruardean
, around four miles from English Bicknor, Glos., was granted to Alexander de Bicknor (almost certainly the archbishop in this case) by the King in 1311, which corroborates the identification with the de Bicknors of Gloucestershire and also indicates that he must have possessed a fairly substantial dwelling there. Fragments of this structure, now often referred to as "Ruardean Castle" can still be seen today.
, who thus served a brief but active term as archbishop of Dublin from 1311 to his death in 1313. After Leche's death, the succession was contended between de Bicknor and then-Lord Chancellor of Ireland Walter de Thornbury
, but after Thornbury died in a shipwreck en route to France, the choice fell clearly on de Bicknor. Sources differ on whether he was consecrated at Avignon or Rome, but after close to seven years, he was consecrated archbishop of Dublin.
in 1320, based on a charter obtained by his predecessor, Archbishop Leche
. While it had some limited early success, the institution did not survive into modern times, but scattered historical references show that it persisted in some form up until the time of the Reformation
.
and the English crown, which frequently spilled over into Ireland. De Bicknor was one of the archbishops who promulgated the excommunication of Bruce in 1318. Among the most notable domestic disturbances was the rebellion of Edward II's queen, Isabella of France
, against the King and his favorites, the Despensers in 1324. During the early 1320s, de Bicknor was actively engaged in diplomacy on several missions to France. During one of these, facing a French siege and general military and diplomatic debacle, he advised the Earl of Kent
to surrender the fortress of La Réole
to the French, in effect recognizing the defeat of the English attempting to defend the Duchy of Aquitaine. Shortly thereafter de Bicknor went over to side of the Queen, who had openly taken the powerful and ambitious English noble Roger Mortimer as a lover while in France. The archbishop at one point even declared that he would have challenged Hugh Despenser the Younger to a duel, if it had not been contrary to his ecclesiastic position. Edward responded with an extensive list of most likely legitimate accusations to the Pope
of various sorts of malfeasance in office, including his attacks on the Despensers. These opened the door to the discovery of extensive problems in de Bicknor's accounts, and in particular substantial arrears to the Church itself, non-payment of which in part led to de Bicknor's excommunication. But in the end, de Bicknor had chosen the winning side, and Edward was forced to abdicate in 1327 in favor of his son Edward III, at the time still controlled by Isabella and Mortimer. The former king is thought to have been executed under uncertain circumstances later in the same year.
In the late 1320s, the darkest period of de Bicknor's career began to unfold, when further accounting fraud during his administration was uncovered, or at least ceased to be tolerated. If de Bicknor had expected his support for the new regime to excuse him, he was disappointed, as his assets and holdings were seized by the crown. After this point, de Bicknor's role in national politics diminished substantially. His difficulties became only deeper when he apparently attempted to falsify a royal pardon (ironically, for the crime of fraud). It should be noted though, that when Edward III came of age in 1330, he had Mortimer brutally executed and Isabella was forced to live out the rest of her life under what was, in essence, house arrest, so de Bicknor's fate was relatively mild compared to that of his erstwhile patrons and allies. More remarkably, he eventually obtained an authentic pardon from Edward III.
, Richard Ledrede. The long-standing dispute over the Primacy of All Ireland between Dublin and the Archbishop of Armagh also flared up periodically, and in 1349 Archbishop Fitz Ralph of Armagh entered Dublin to assert his primacy, causing a considerable stir.http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/chancellors/Chancellors2.htm
claimed, based on uncertain sources, that the de Bicknor surname eventually evolved into the modern English surname Buckner, but this claim is doubtful and Anjou's reputation for flattering patrons with dubious claims of distinguished medieval ancestry casts further doubt upon it. There is also a reference to a niece of Alexander de Bicknor named Margery on whom he settled the manor of Ruardean
in 1311 at her marriage to Geoffrey of Langley.
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, Edward II of England
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, and Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. Best known to history as the Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
from 1317 until his death on July 14, 1349, his career involved extensive diplomatic missions for the King and the holding of numerous civil and ecclesiastical offices in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, including Lord Treasurer of Ireland (1307–1309) and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
.
Early life and career
De Bicknor's date of birth is unclear. Numerous mentions of an Alexander de Bicknor can be found in GloucestershireGloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
records in the late 13th century and in the first decade of the 14th century. Both Gallagher and Phillips consider these to be the same man as the later archbishop, surmising a birthdate in the 1260s. The earliest mention appears to be as bailiff of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in 1273, which puts this conclusion in some doubt, though there is a fairly continuous trail of records connecting this Alexander with the man who would become Archbishop of Dublin. Whether this is a case of unusual longevity for the period (he would have had to have been over 80 years old at his death) or two presumably related individuals of the same name is unclear, though there can be little doubt that de Bicknor was already a mature adult when elected archbishop in 1310. The career of this or these Alexander de Bicknors in Gloucestershire involved the wool trade at least one point as well as extensive activity in civil offices, including tax collection, service on commissions of oyer and terminer
Oyer and terminer
In English law, Oyer and terminer was the Law French name, meaning "to hear and determine", for one of the commissions by which a judge of assize sat...
, and service as one of the two bailiffs of Gloucester for eight different years. De Bicknor was also among nine men of Gloucester charged with evasion of taxes on the wine trade in 1287, which would suggest a breadth of commercial interests. Given their presence in Gloucester, the de Bicknor family may have derived their toponymic surname from English Bicknor
English Bicknor
English Bicknor is a village and civil parish in the Forest of Dean district of west Gloucestershire, England. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 the population is 406. The village is close to the county border with Herefordshire, opposite which is the village of Welsh Bicknor...
in Gloucestershire (the "English" qualifier did not generally appear until later). The Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
however associates him with another town named Bicknor
Bicknor
Bicknor is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone district of Kent, England, north-east of Maidstone and south-west of Sittingbourne. It had a population of 68 according to the 2001 census....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, but in one instance in 1297 he is explicitly called "Alexander de Bykenore of Gloucester." Confusing the issue, there were indeed contemporary persons surnamed de Bicknor who were clearly associated with Kent (such as the knight and chief falconer of Edward I, John de Bicknor), so the issue remains in some doubt. According to the Patent Rolls
Patent Rolls
The Patent Rolls are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England's correspondence, starting in 1202....
, a license to crenellate a structure in Ruardean
Ruardean
Ruardean is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, to the west of Cinderford. It is situated on a hillside with views west towards the mountains of South Wales. Little now remains of the village's industrial history, but once it was a centre for iron ore smelting furnaces,...
, around four miles from English Bicknor, Glos., was granted to Alexander de Bicknor (almost certainly the archbishop in this case) by the King in 1311, which corroborates the identification with the de Bicknors of Gloucestershire and also indicates that he must have possessed a fairly substantial dwelling there. Fragments of this structure, now often referred to as "Ruardean Castle" can still be seen today.
Election to the Archbishopric
De Bicknor was originally elected to the archbishopric in 1310 by the unanimous chapters of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church, at which time he was Treasurer of Ireland and Prebendary of Maynooth, one of several prebendaries he held during his life. For reasons which are unclear, this election was set aside (secondary sources differ as to whether this was on the Pope's or the King's initiative) in favor of the chapter of Dunkeld's election of John de LecheJohn de Leche
John de Leche was a canon of Dunkeld and prelate during the early 14th century. After the death of Matthew de Crambeth, Bishop of Dunkeld, in 1309, William Sinclair was elected by some of the chapter to the bishopric. John de Leche, however, was elected soon afterwards, and had the support of King...
, who thus served a brief but active term as archbishop of Dublin from 1311 to his death in 1313. After Leche's death, the succession was contended between de Bicknor and then-Lord Chancellor of Ireland Walter de Thornbury
Walter de Thornbury
Walter de Thornbury was an English-born statesman and cleric in 14th century Ireland who held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland; his efforts to secure confirmation of his election as Archbishop of Dublin were cut short by his death in a shipwreck.He was probably born in Herefordshire where...
, but after Thornbury died in a shipwreck en route to France, the choice fell clearly on de Bicknor. Sources differ on whether he was consecrated at Avignon or Rome, but after close to seven years, he was consecrated archbishop of Dublin.
St. Patrick's University project
One of the more positive achievements of de Bicknor's tenure was the founding the first new colonial (there were many others in Ireland earlier) university in Ireland at St. Patrick's CathedralSt. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
Saint Patrick's Cathedral , or more formally, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Patrick is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland which was founded in 1191. The Church has designated it as The National Cathedral of Ireland...
in 1320, based on a charter obtained by his predecessor, Archbishop Leche
John de Leche
John de Leche was a canon of Dunkeld and prelate during the early 14th century. After the death of Matthew de Crambeth, Bishop of Dunkeld, in 1309, William Sinclair was elected by some of the chapter to the bishopric. John de Leche, however, was elected soon afterwards, and had the support of King...
. While it had some limited early success, the institution did not survive into modern times, but scattered historical references show that it persisted in some form up until the time of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
.
Early tenure: the rebellion of Isabella and Mortimer and the accounting scandal
De Bicknor came to the Dublin see during a time of considerable domestic and foreign troubles, including the continuous chafing of the Gaelic Irish against English rule (of which Bicknor was a chief representative) and the struggles between the Scots under Robert BruceRobert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
and the English crown, which frequently spilled over into Ireland. De Bicknor was one of the archbishops who promulgated the excommunication of Bruce in 1318. Among the most notable domestic disturbances was the rebellion of Edward II's queen, Isabella of France
Isabella of France
Isabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
, against the King and his favorites, the Despensers in 1324. During the early 1320s, de Bicknor was actively engaged in diplomacy on several missions to France. During one of these, facing a French siege and general military and diplomatic debacle, he advised the Earl of Kent
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent was a member of the English Royal Family.-Early life:He was born at Woodstock in Oxfordshire, the son of Edward I Longshanks, King of England and his second wife, Margaret of France. He was 62 years younger than his father, who died when Edmund of Woodstock...
to surrender the fortress of La Réole
La Réole
La Réole is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Geography:La Réole is located on the right bank of the Garonne, southeast of Bordeaux by rail.-History:...
to the French, in effect recognizing the defeat of the English attempting to defend the Duchy of Aquitaine. Shortly thereafter de Bicknor went over to side of the Queen, who had openly taken the powerful and ambitious English noble Roger Mortimer as a lover while in France. The archbishop at one point even declared that he would have challenged Hugh Despenser the Younger to a duel, if it had not been contrary to his ecclesiastic position. Edward responded with an extensive list of most likely legitimate accusations to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
of various sorts of malfeasance in office, including his attacks on the Despensers. These opened the door to the discovery of extensive problems in de Bicknor's accounts, and in particular substantial arrears to the Church itself, non-payment of which in part led to de Bicknor's excommunication. But in the end, de Bicknor had chosen the winning side, and Edward was forced to abdicate in 1327 in favor of his son Edward III, at the time still controlled by Isabella and Mortimer. The former king is thought to have been executed under uncertain circumstances later in the same year.
In the late 1320s, the darkest period of de Bicknor's career began to unfold, when further accounting fraud during his administration was uncovered, or at least ceased to be tolerated. If de Bicknor had expected his support for the new regime to excuse him, he was disappointed, as his assets and holdings were seized by the crown. After this point, de Bicknor's role in national politics diminished substantially. His difficulties became only deeper when he apparently attempted to falsify a royal pardon (ironically, for the crime of fraud). It should be noted though, that when Edward III came of age in 1330, he had Mortimer brutally executed and Isabella was forced to live out the rest of her life under what was, in essence, house arrest, so de Bicknor's fate was relatively mild compared to that of his erstwhile patrons and allies. More remarkably, he eventually obtained an authentic pardon from Edward III.
Later ecclesiastical disputes
De Bicknor's later tenure as Archbishop after the accession of Edward III was also plagued by disputes, though of a less mortal nature. In particular de Bicknor conducted a protracted feud with the Bishop of OssoryRoman Catholic Diocese of Ossory
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory is a Roman Catholic diocese in eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin...
, Richard Ledrede. The long-standing dispute over the Primacy of All Ireland between Dublin and the Archbishop of Armagh also flared up periodically, and in 1349 Archbishop Fitz Ralph of Armagh entered Dublin to assert his primacy, causing a considerable stir.http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/chancellors/Chancellors2.htm
De Bicknor genealogy
The genealogist Gustav AnjouGustav Anjou
Gustave Anjou was a self-professed genealogist who has been accused of fakery.Born in Katarina Parish in Stockholm, Sweden, Anjou was the illegitimate son of Carl Gustaf Jungberg and his housekeeper Maria Lovisa Hagberg...
claimed, based on uncertain sources, that the de Bicknor surname eventually evolved into the modern English surname Buckner, but this claim is doubtful and Anjou's reputation for flattering patrons with dubious claims of distinguished medieval ancestry casts further doubt upon it. There is also a reference to a niece of Alexander de Bicknor named Margery on whom he settled the manor of Ruardean
Ruardean
Ruardean is a village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, to the west of Cinderford. It is situated on a hillside with views west towards the mountains of South Wales. Little now remains of the village's industrial history, but once it was a centre for iron ore smelting furnaces,...
in 1311 at her marriage to Geoffrey of Langley.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia Article
- Article on the Occasional University at Dublin Founded by de Bicknor
- Life Of Lord Chancellor De Bicknor from J.R. O'Flanagan's 1870 Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of Ireland - from the earliest times to the reign of Queen Victoria