Abbot of Dunfermline
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Image:Dunfermline Abbey - Project Gutenberg eText 17976.jpg
The Prior, then Abbot and then Commendator of Dunfermline was the head of the Benedictine monastic community of Dunfermline Abbey, Fife, Scotland. The abbey itself was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland, but was of earlier origin. King Máel Coluim mac Donnchada ("Malcolm III") had founded a church there with the help of Benedictines from Canterbury. Monks had been sent there in the reign of Étgar mac Maíl Choluim (Edgar, 1097-1107) and Anselm had sent a letter requesting that Étgair's brother and successor King Alaxandair mac Maíl Coluim (Alexander I, 1107–1124) protect these monks. By 1120, when Alaxandair sent a delegation to Canterbury to secure Eadmer for the bishopric of St Andrews, there is a Prior of the Dunfermline monks by the name of Peter leading the delegation. Control of the abbey was secularized in the 16th century and after the accession of James Stewart in 1500, the abbey was held by commendators. In the second half of the 16th century, the abbey's lands were being carved up into lordships and it was finally annexed to the crown in July, 1593.
Contents |
[edit] List of Priors
- Peter, 1120
[edit] List of Abbots
- Geoffrey I, 1128-1154
- Geoffrey II, 1154-1178
- Archibald, 1178-1198
- Robert de Berwick, 1198-1202
- Patrick, 1202-1217x1223
- William I, 1223
- William II, 1223 x 1226-1238
- Geoffrey III, 1238-1240
- Robert de Keldeleth, 1240-1252<ref>Resigned to become a Cistercian, and moved to Newbattle Abbey; later became Abbot of Melrose (1269-73).</ref>
- John, 1252-1256
- Matthew, 1256
- Simon, 1267-1275
- Radulf de Greenlaw, 1275-1296
- Hugh, 1304x1306-1313
- Robert de Crail, 1314-1328
- Alexander Ber, c. 1328-9-1350 x 1351
- John Black, 1351
- John de Stramiglot, 1351-1383x1388
- William de Angus, 1383
- John de Torry, 1388-1409
- William de St Andrews (Anderston),<ref>Had previously been Prior of Urquhart.</ref> 1413-1426
- Robert de Scotland, 1418-1419
- William Brown, 1427
- Andrew de Kirkcaldy, 1427-1444
- Richard de Bothwell,<ref>Had been Abbot of Paisley (1444-1445).</ref> 1444-1468
- Alexander Thomson, c. 1470
- Henry Crichton,<ref>Had been Abbot of Paisley (1459-1471).</ref> 1471-1482
- Adam Cant, 1483-1490
- George Crichton, 1490-1500<ref>After the death of Adam Cant, many figures emerged as potential abbots. It took Crichton until 1496 to get recognition from the pope for his office.</ref>
- Opposed by Raphael Riario, 1491-1492
- Opposed by Robert Swinton, 1492
- Opposed by Thomas Cranston,<ref>Was Abbot of Jedburgh 1484-1501</ref> 1492
- Opposed by Andrew Pictoris,<ref>Bishop of Orkney.</ref> 1492
[edit] List of Commendators
- James Stewart,<ref>Son of King James III of Scotland.</ref> 1500-1504
- Gilbert Strachan, 1504
- James Beaton, 1504-1509<ref>Became Bishop of Galloway-elect in March 1508, but retained the abbacy until fully provided as Archbishop of Glasgow in January 1509.</ref>
- Alexander Stewart,<ref>Became Commendator while Archbishop of St Andrews (1504-1513).</ref> 1509-1513
- James Hepburn, 1513-1516<ref>Resigned when provided as Bishop of Moray in 1516.</ref>
- Peter de Accoltis, 1514
- Andrew Forman, 1514-1521<ref>Held the post concurrently with the archbishopric of St Andrews (i.e. 1514–1521).</ref>
- James Beaton (again), 1522-1539<ref>Retook abbacy after being provided from the archbishopric of Glasgow to St Andrews as the successor of Andrew Forman.</ref>
- George Drury, 1526-1572
- Robert Pitcairn, 1553/72-1584
- Henry Pitcairn, 1582/4-1593
- Patrick, Master of Gray, 1585-1587
- George, Earl of Huntly , 1587
[edit] Notes
<references/>
[edit] Bibliography
- Cowan, Ian B. & Easson, David E., Medieval Religious Houses: Scotland With an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man, Second Edition, (London, 1976), pp. 58-59
- Watt, D.E.R. & Shead, N.F. (eds.), The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from the 12th to the 16th Centuries (The Scottish Records Society, New Series, Volume 24), (Edinburgh, 2001), p. 67-73
| Prelates of Medieval Scotland (post-1100) | |
|---|---|
| Archbishops | Glasgow (1492) | St Andrews (1472) |
| Bishops | Aberdeen | Argyll | Brechin | Caithness | Dunblane | Dunkeld | Galloway | Glasgow | Isles (Sodor) | Moray | Orkney | Ross | St Andrews |
| Abbots | Arbroath | Balmerino | Cambuskenneth | Coupar Angus | Crossraguel | Culross | Deer | Dercongal (Holywood) | Dryburgh | Dundrennan | Dunfermline | Fearn | Glenluce | Holyrood | Inchaffray | Inchcolm | Iona | Jedburgh | Kelso (Selkirk) | Kilwinning | Kinloss | Lindores | Melrose | Newbattle | Paisley | Saddell | Scone | Soulseat | Sweatheart | Tongland |
| Priors | Ardchattan | Beauly | Blantyre | Canonbie | Coldingham | Fogo | Fyvie | Inchmahome | Lesmahagow | May (Pittenweem) | Monymusk | Oronsay | Pluscarden | Restenneth | St Andrews | Strathfillan | St Mary's Isle | St Serf's Inch, Loch Leven | Urquhart | Whithorn |
