Bishop of Caithness
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The Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first bishop was one Aindréas, a Gael who spent much if not indeed all of his career outside his see. He first appears in the sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. This does not mean he is the first bishop. It should be noted that we know nothing about almost everyone in Scotland before the reign of king David I of Scotland, so because no bishop of Caithness appears before 1146x1151, it does not follow that there was no bishopric. Nevertheless, King David is credited with founding many bishoprics, and it is quite possible, if not quite likely, that Caithness was one of them.
The earliest bishops resided at Halkirk, with a castle at Scrabster. Bishop Gilbert de Moravia moved the episcopal seat to Dornoch in what is now Sutherland (then regared as part of Caithness), and the bishopric remained at Dornoch Cathedral for the remainder of its existence. The Bishopric of Caithnes ceased to exist after the Scottish Reformation.
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| fl. x1146-1184 | Aindréas | First known bishop of Caithness; famously, Aindréas is named as a source by the writer of de Situ Albanie. |
| fl. 1187-1199 | John | |
| el. 1213; cons. 1214 | Adam | Formerly Abbot of Melrose; was burned to death in his kitchen by the husbandmen of Caithness. |
| el. 1223 (?) | Gilbert de Moravia | |
| bp. x1250 | William | |
| el. x1263; prov. 1263x | Walter de Baltrodi | |
| el. x1273 | Nicholas | Nicholas had been abbot of Scone. Pope Gregory X refused to confirm his election because of his "intolerable lack of learning". |
| el. 1273x1274; conf. 1274; cons. 1275 | Archibald Heroch | |
| el. 1278 | Richard | Richard had been Dean of Caithness. Richard was old and infirm by the time of his election; Pope Nicholas III persuaded Richard to resign his election rights. |
| el. 1279x | Hervey de Donodei | Hervey was elected to the see after the resignation of Bishop Richard. Hervey died on his way for confirmation at the Papal court. |
| prov./cons. 1282 | Alan de St. Edmund | |
| prov./cons. 1296 | Adam | |
| prov. 1296; cons. 1297x | Andrew | |
| el. 1304; conf./cons. 1306 | Fearchar | |
| prov. x1328 | David | |
| el. 1340 (?); conf./cons. 1341 | Alan | |
| el./prov. 1342; cons. 1343 | Thomas de Fingask | |
| el. x1368; prov. 1369 | Maol Chaluim | |
| el. x1381; prov./cons. 1381 | Alexander Man | |
| prov. 1414 | Alexander de Vaus | |
| prov. 1422 & 1424 | John de Cranach | |
| prov. 1427 | Robert Strathbrock | |
| prov. 1446; cons. 1447x | John Innes | |
| prov./cons. 1448 | William Mudy | |
| prov. 1478 | Prosper Cannilio de Jauna | |
| prov. 1484 | John Sinclair | |
| prov. 1501 | Andrew Stewart (I.) | |
| prov. 1517 | Andrew Stewart (II.) | |
| prov. 1542 | Robert Stewart | Second son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox, and brother of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox. He spent many years as "bishop postulate" in England. He became a reformer, although he retained the title of bishop until his death in 1586. |
[edit] References
- Broun, Dauvit, “The Seven Kingdoms in De Situ Albanie: A Record of Pictish political geography or imaginary Map of ancient Alba”, in E.J. Cowan & R. Andrew McDonald (eds.), Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era, (Edinburgh, 2000, rev. 2005).
- Crawford, Barbara, "The Earldom of Caithness and the Kingdom of Scotland, 1150-1266" in Keith Stringer (ed.), Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, (Edinburgh, 1985), pp. 25-43
- Dowden, John, The Bishops of Scotland, ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
- Jackson, Kenneth H. (ed), The Gaelic Notes in the Book of Deer, (Cambridge, 1972)
- Lawrie, Sir Archibald, Early Scottish Charters Prior to A.D. 1153, (Glasgow, 1905)
[edit] See also
| 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 |
