- Walter Reynolds
Infobox Archbishop of Canterbury
Full name = Walter Reynolds
birth_name =
began=January 1314
term_end = 16 November 1327
predecessor =Thomas Cobham
successor =Simon Mepeham
birth_date =
death_date = 15 November 1327
tomb =Walter Reynolds (d. 1327) was
Bishop of Worcester and thenArchbishop of Canterbury (1313–1327) as well asLord High Treasurer andLord Chancellor .Life
Walter was the son of a baker from Windsor in
Berkshire ,Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 21] and became a clerk, or chaplain, in the service of Edward I.He held several livings and, owing perhaps to his acting skill, he became a prime
favourite with the prince of Wales, afterwards Edward II, whom he served as Keeper of the Wardrobe. Just after the prince became king, on 22 August 1307 Reynolds was appointed treasurer of England;Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 104] on 13 November 1307 he was elected bishop of Worcester and consecrated on 13 October 1308.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 279] He was also on 6 July 1310 named Keeper of the Great Seal, or chancellor.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 86] Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 52] Amongst his duties as Bishop of Worcester was to act as the parton and appoint the Headmaster of the school that later became theRoyal Grammar School Worcester .Walter Reynolds was one of the godfathers of the future Edward III when the prince was christened on 17 November 1312.Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 71]
When Robert Winchelsea, Archbishop of Canterbury, died in May of 1313 Edward II prevailed upon
Pope Clement V to appoint his favourite to the vacant archbishopric, and Walter was enthroned atCanterbury Cathedral in January of 1314 as the 51st Archbishop.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 233]Although the private life of the new archbishop appears to have been the reverse of exemplary he attempted to carry out some very necessary reforms in his new official capacity; he also continued the struggle for precedence, which had been carried on for many years between the archbishops of Canterbury and of York. In this connection in 1317 he laid
London under an interdict afterWilliam de Melton ,archbishop of York , had passed through its streets with his cross borne erect before him.Reynolds remained in general loyal to Edward II until 1324, when with all his suffragans he opposed the king in defence of the
bishop of Hereford ,Adam of Orlton .Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 158-159] He then fought with Edward II over liturgical issues, and sent sums of money to Queen Isabella in her rebellion against Edward II.Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 234] Having fled for safety intoKent he returned to London and declared for Edward III, whom he crowned on 1 February 1327.Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 261] He was appointed as a member of the Regency Council for Edward III that was formed in February of 1327.Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 264] He died atMortlake on 16 November 1327.Weir "Queen Isabella" p. 305-306]Notes
References
*
* Weir, Alison "Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery and Murder in Medieval England" New York: Ballantine 2005 ISBN 0-345-45319-0External links
* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/wreynolds.html Walter Reynolds at Berkshire History]
* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Walter_Reynolds Walter Reynolds at 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Online]
* [http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/reference.asp?index=265&imageUID=86703&main_query=&theme=&period=&county=KENT&district=&place_name= Walter Reynolds' Tomb]
* [http://www.dca.gov.uk/lcfr.htm List of Keepers from Office of Constitutional Affairs]Persondata
NAME= Reynolds, Walter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Lord High Treasurer; Lord Chancellor; Bishop of Worcester; Archbishop of Canterbury
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=16 November 1327
PLACE OF DEATH=
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