Robert de Fyvie
Encyclopedia
Robert de Fyvie [also de Fyvin] (d. 1292 × 1295) was a prelate
based in the Kingdom of Scotland
in the last quarter of the 13th century. Perhaps coming from Fyvie
in Formartine
, from a family of Teesdale
origin, Robert was Archdeacon of Ross
and a student at the University of Bologna
by 1269. In 1275, he was not only a graduate but the new Bishop of Ross
, a post he held until his death in the first half of the 1290s.
erroneously believed his forename was "Thomas", a mistake that was followed by the early modern ecclesiastical historian Robert Keith
. His name almost certainly indicates that he came from Fyvie
, a royal burgh
in the province of Formartine
, a royal demesne territory under heavy influence from the immigrant le Cheyne family as well as the Comyn-controlled earldom of Buchan.
He is found as a student at the University of Bologna
on 5 December 1269, when along with one Alan de Edinburgh he gave a receipt for 20 marks to some Florentine merchants; in this appearance he is recorded as Archdeacon of Ross
, a position which, under the Fortrose Cathedral
constitution
of 1256, meant he must have already been in deacon
's orders, as this constitution made that a prerequisite for holding the archdeaconry. He must have become Archdeacon of Ross sometime after the last known archdeacon, Robert
, had become consecrated as Bishop of Ross
, that is, after either 1249 or 1250, though there may have been one or several unrecorded archdeacons in an intervening period.
It is extremely probable that his accession to the archdeaconry owed something to Comyn influence, Fyvie being from Comyn's area of influence and Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan
, being sheriff
of Dingwall in the 1260s (1264–1266). It is likely that Robert was still in Bologna
in 1272; in that year, Robert was not one of the five compromissarii selected by the Ross cathedral chapter
who elected Matthew
as Bishop of Ross, but the chapter did appoint him to accompany Matthew to the papal court at Orvieto
, presumably because he was conveniently still in Italy. Robert had graduated with a Master's degree
by 1275.
granted Robert de Fyvie, now Bishop-elect of Ross, mandate for local confirmation and consecration; the election had occurred at some point after the death of Bishop Matthew at the Second Council of Lyons in the summer of 1274. The decree of election had been presented to the Pope by Donnchadh and Master William, canon
s of the diocese of Ross
; having been examined and approved by three cardinal
s, the mandate was sent to William Wishart
, Bishop of St Andrews, and Hugh de Benin
, Bishop of Aberdeen
, instructing them to examine his fitness for the bishopric and, if they approved, consecrate him with the assistance of a third bishop. The bishopric was still in crown hands in June, but it is probable that Robert was consecrated by 6 August, the date of the meeting of the Scottish prelates with the papal tax collector at Perth
.
Bishop Robert appeared next on 16 September 1278, at Eddyrdor (now Redcastle
), witnessing alongside three of his canons and Uilleam II, Earl of Ross
, a grant to Beauly Priory
. On 27 September 1279, at Kiltarlity
in Inverness-shire
, and on 26 March 1280, at Kinloss
in Moray
, Bishop Robert, along with his cathedral dean
and the Prior of Beauly
, acted as a papal judge-delegate
in a dispute between Archibald
, Bishop of Moray
, and the lord of Beaufort, a French
settlement in the Aird
that had the Scottish name Dùnaidh (Dounie). On 18 July 1285, Pope Honorius IV
issued Bishop Robert a letter protecting the bishop and his churches against alleged oppressions conducted by the officials of King Alexander III of Scotland
; it is possible that Bishop Robert had travelled to the papal curia at Tivoli
to obtain this protection.
However, five years later the bishop found himself in trouble with the papacy. On 28 November 1290, Pope Nicholas IV
commanded the Bishop of Aberdeen, Henry le Chen
, Thomas de Balmerino, Abbot of Scone
, and John de Haddington, Prior of St Andrews
, to ensure that certain complaints regarding Bishop Robert were redressed; Bishop Robert's dean and cathedral chapter were unhappy regarding his alleged abuse of property, particularly the granting of money and benefices to his kinsmen and friends at the expense of the clergy of the diocese. Men who benefited under Robert's episcopate included a large number of Englishmen from the area around the river Tees
, including Adam de Darlington
, Thomas de Jar and John de Hedlam, perhaps indicating that Robert's family may have taken its ultimate origin from that area of England
.
Bishop Robert was one of the Scottish political figures present when the Treaty of Salisbury was confirmed as the Treaty of Birgham
on 17 March 1290; he subsequently became one of the Comyn-backed auditors appointed for the case of John de Balliol
at Norham
, in the Great Cause. Bishop Robert de Fyvie swore fealty to King Edward I of England
on 1 August 1291, along with the Earl of Ross and Henry le Chen. He can be found as an auditor at Berwick
during the proceedings, on 21 June, 6 November and 17 November 1292.
The bishop cannot be found in the records after 17 November, though no successor to the bishopric is known until 18 November 1295, making Bishop Robert's date and year of death something of a mystery.
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
based in the Kingdom of Scotland
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...
in the last quarter of the 13th century. Perhaps coming from Fyvie
Fyvie
Fyvie is a village in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Fyvie Castle:Fyvie Castle is reputed to have been built by King William the Lyon in the early thirteenth century...
in Formartine
Formartine
Formartine is a committee area in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This district has a long history and extends north from the River Don. It has a population of 36,478 ....
, from a family of Teesdale
Teesdale
Teesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. Large parts of Teesdale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The River Tees rises below Cross Fell, the highest hill in the Pennines, and its...
origin, Robert was 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...
and a student at the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
by 1269. In 1275, he was not only a graduate but the new 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...
, a post he held until his death in the first half of the 1290s.
Early life and career
There has been confusion over his name in some sources. Papal sources use S instead of F, Syvin instead of Fyvin, while Scottish sources use the F; Walter BowerWalter Bower
Walter Bower , Scottish chronicler, was born about 1385 at Haddington, East Lothian.He was abbot of Inchcolm Abbey from 1418, was one of the commissioners for the collection of the ransom of James I, King of Scots, in 1423 and 1424, and in 1433 one of the embassy to Paris on the business of the...
erroneously believed his forename was "Thomas", a mistake that was followed by the early modern ecclesiastical historian Robert Keith
Robert Keith (historian)
Robert Keith was a Scottish Episcopal bishop and historian.-Life:Born at Uras in Kincardineshire, Scotland, on 7 February 1681, he was the second son of Alexander Keith and Marjory Keith . He was educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen between 1695 and 1699; graduating with an A.M...
. His name almost certainly indicates that he came from Fyvie
Fyvie
Fyvie is a village in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Fyvie Castle:Fyvie Castle is reputed to have been built by King William the Lyon in the early thirteenth century...
, a royal burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
in the province of Formartine
Formartine
Formartine is a committee area in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This district has a long history and extends north from the River Don. It has a population of 36,478 ....
, a royal demesne territory under heavy influence from the immigrant le Cheyne family as well as the Comyn-controlled earldom of Buchan.
He is found as a student at the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
on 5 December 1269, when along with one Alan de Edinburgh he gave a receipt for 20 marks to some Florentine merchants; in this appearance he is recorded as 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...
, a position which, under the Fortrose Cathedral
Fortrose Cathedral
Fortrose Cathedral was the episcopal seat of the medieval Scottish diocese of Ross. It is probable that the original site of the diocese was at Rosemarkie, but by the 13th century the canons had relocated a short distance to the south-west to the site known as Fortrose or Chanonry...
constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
of 1256, meant he must have already been in deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
's orders, as this constitution made that a prerequisite for holding the archdeaconry. He must have become Archdeacon of Ross sometime after the last known archdeacon, Robert
Robert (d. 1271)
Robert was a 13th century prelate based in the Kingdom of Scotland. He was successively Archdeacon of Ross and Bishop of Ross; he is the second Robert to have held the bishopric of Ross....
, had become consecrated 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...
, that is, after either 1249 or 1250, though there may have been one or several unrecorded archdeacons in an intervening period.
It is extremely probable that his accession to the archdeaconry owed something to Comyn influence, Fyvie being from Comyn's area of influence and Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan
Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan
Alexander Comyn, 2nd Earl of Buchan was a Scoto-Norman magnate who was one of the most important figures in the 13th century Kingdom of Scotland. He was the son of William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, and Marjory, Countess of Buchan, the heiress of the last native Scottish Mormaer of Buchan,...
, being sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Dingwall in the 1260s (1264–1266). It is likely that Robert was still in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
in 1272; in that year, Robert was not one of the five compromissarii selected by the Ross cathedral chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
who elected Matthew
Matthew (d. 1274)
Matthew was a 13th century cleric based in the Kingdom of Scotland. Walter Bower called him Macchabeus, a Latinization of the Gaelic name Mac Bethad or Mac Beathadh, previously held by a 12th century bishop...
as Bishop of Ross, but the chapter did appoint him to accompany Matthew to the papal court at Orvieto
Orvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
, presumably because he was conveniently still in Italy. Robert had graduated with 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...
by 1275.
Bishop of Ross
Robert de Fyvie was back in Scotland when, on 8 April 1275, Pope Gregory XPope Gregory X
Pope Blessed Gregory X , born Tebaldo Visconti, was Pope from 1271 to 1276. He was elected by the papal election, 1268–1271, the longest papal election in the history of the Roman Catholic Church....
granted Robert de Fyvie, now Bishop-elect of Ross, mandate for local confirmation and consecration; the election had occurred at some point after the death of Bishop Matthew at the Second Council of Lyons in the summer of 1274. The decree of election had been presented to the Pope by Donnchadh and Master William, canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
s of the diocese 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...
; having been examined and approved by three cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s, the mandate was sent to William Wishart
William Wishart
William Wishart was a 13th century Bishop of St. Andrews. He was postulated to the see of St. Andrews while holding the position as Bishop-elect of Glasgow, which he resigned when, on 2 June 1271, he was elected to that vacant see. He was succeeded at Glasgow by his cousin , Robert Wishart...
, Bishop of St Andrews, and Hugh de Benin
Hugh de Benin
Hugh de Benin [Benham] was a 13th century bishop. If his name represents Benholm, then he may have come from an English or Anglo-Norman family recently settled in the Mearns Hugh de Benin [Benham] (died 1282) was a 13th century bishop. If his name represents Benholm, then he may have come from an...
, 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...
, instructing them to examine his fitness for the bishopric and, if they approved, consecrate him with the assistance of a third bishop. The bishopric was still in crown hands in June, but it is probable that Robert was consecrated by 6 August, the date of the meeting of the Scottish prelates with the papal tax collector 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...
.
Bishop Robert appeared next on 16 September 1278, at Eddyrdor (now Redcastle
Redcastle
Redcastle , historically known as Edirdovar and Ederdour, is a mediaeval castle in Killearnan on the Black Isle, northern Scotland. It is so named from the colour of the stone of which it is built...
), witnessing alongside three of his canons and Uilleam II, Earl of Ross
Uilleam II, Earl of Ross
Uilleam II of Ross was the second successor of Ferchar mac in tSagairt, as Mormaer of Ross .In 1284 he joined with other Scottish noblemen who acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the heir of Alexander....
, a grant to Beauly Priory
Beauly Priory
Beauly Priory was a Valliscaulian monastic community located at "Insula de Achenbady", now Beauly, Inverness-shire. It was probably founded in 1230. It is not known for certain who the founder was, different sources giving Alexander II of Scotland, John Byset, and both...
. On 27 September 1279, at Kiltarlity
Kiltarlity
Kiltarlity is a small village in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is west of Inverness, and south of Beauly, on the Bruiach Burn. It has a population of under 1000 people, and a primary school, Tomnacross Primary...
in Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
, and on 26 March 1280, at Kinloss
Kinloss
Kinloss is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is located near the shore of Findhorn Bay, around 3 miles from Findhorn and 2.5 miles from Forres. RAF Kinloss is located northeast of the village, and is transitioning to an Army barracks.The Cistercian Kinloss Abbey was created in 1150 by King David...
in Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
, Bishop Robert, along with his cathedral dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
and the Prior of Beauly
Prior of Beauly
The Prior of Beauly was the head of the Valliscaulian monastic community and lands of Beauly Priory, Beauly, Inverness-shire. It was probably founded in 1230. It became Cistercian on April 16, 1510...
, acted as a papal judge-delegate
Papal judge-delegate
A papal judge delegate was a type of judicial appointment created during the 12th century by the medieval papacy where the pope would designate a local judge, often an ecclesiastic, to decide a case that had been appealed to the papal court....
in a dispute between Archibald
Archibald (d. 1298)
Archibald was a 13th century Scottish prelate best known for involvement in a dispute with the Pope.His Flemish name could indicate a connection with the de Douglas or de Moravia families either by kinship or geography, but there is no other direct evidence of this...
, Bishop of Moray
Bishop of Moray
The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics...
, and the lord of Beaufort, a French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
settlement in the Aird
Aird, Inverness
The Aird is an area of the County of Inverness, to the west of the City of Inverness. It is situated to the south of the River Beauly and the Beauly Firth, and to the north of Glenurquhart and the northern end of Loch Ness....
that had the Scottish name Dùnaidh (Dounie). On 18 July 1285, Pope Honorius IV
Pope Honorius IV
Pope Honorius IV , born Giacomo Savelli, was Pope for two years from 1285 to 1287. During his unremarkable pontificate he largely continued to pursue the pro-French policy of his predecessor, Pope Martin IV...
issued Bishop Robert a letter protecting the bishop and his churches against alleged oppressions conducted by the officials of King Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
; it is possible that Bishop Robert had travelled to the papal curia at Tivoli
Tivoli, Italy
Tivoli , the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italian town in Lazio, about 30 km east-north-east of Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river where it issues from the Sabine hills...
to obtain this protection.
However, five years later the bishop found himself in trouble with the papacy. On 28 November 1290, Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
commanded the Bishop of Aberdeen, Henry le Chen
Henry le Chen
Henry le Chen [le Cheyn, le Chein, Cheyne, de Chene] was a late 13th-century and early 14th-century Scoto-Norman bishop. Hector Boece claims that he was the nephew of John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, but no contemporary evidence supports this...
, Thomas de Balmerino, Abbot of Scone
Abbot of Scone
The Abbot of Scone, before 1163 x 4, Prior of Scone, and then by the beginning of the 16th century, the Commendator of Scone, was the head of the community of Augustinian canons of Scone Abbey and their lands. The priory was established by King Alaxandair mac Maíl Choluim sometime between 1114 and...
, and John de Haddington, Prior of St Andrews
Prior of St Andrews
The Prior of St Andrews was the head of the property and community of Augustinian canons of St Andrews Cathedral Priory, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was established by King David I in 1140 with canons from Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire...
, to ensure that certain complaints regarding Bishop Robert were redressed; Bishop Robert's dean and cathedral chapter were unhappy regarding his alleged abuse of property, particularly the granting of money and benefices to his kinsmen and friends at the expense of the clergy of the diocese. Men who benefited under Robert's episcopate included a large number of Englishmen from the area around the river Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
, including Adam de Darlington
Adam de Darlington
Adam de Darlington [Derlingtun] was a 13th century English churchman based in the Kingdom of Scotland. Adam's name occurred for the first time in a Moray document datable between 1255 and 1271, where he was named as the Precentor of Fortrose Cathedral...
, Thomas de Jar and John de Hedlam, perhaps indicating that Robert's family may have taken its ultimate origin from that area of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Bishop Robert was one of the Scottish political figures present when the Treaty of Salisbury was confirmed as the Treaty of Birgham
Treaty of Birgham
The Treaty of Birgham, also referred to as the Treaty of Salisbury, comprised two treaties intended to secure the independence of Scotland after Alexander III died without issue in 1286....
on 17 March 1290; he subsequently became one of the Comyn-backed auditors appointed for the case of John de Balliol
John of Scotland
John Balliol , known to the Scots as Toom Tabard , was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296.-Early life:Little of John's early life is known. He was born between 1248 and 1250 at an unknown location, possibilities include Galloway, Picardy and Barnard Castle, County Durham...
at Norham
Norham
Norham is a village in Northumberland, England, just south of the River Tweed and the border with Scotland.It is the site of the 12th century Norham Castle, and was for many years the centre for the Norhamshire exclave of County Durham...
, in the Great Cause. Bishop Robert de Fyvie swore fealty to King Edward I of England
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...
on 1 August 1291, along with the Earl of Ross and Henry le Chen. He can be found as an auditor at Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
during the proceedings, on 21 June, 6 November and 17 November 1292.
The bishop cannot be found in the records after 17 November, though no successor to the bishopric is known until 18 November 1295, making Bishop Robert's date and year of death something of a mystery.