Sewal de Bovil

Infobox Archbishop of York
name = Sewal de Bovil


birth_name = Sewal de Bovil
began=unknown
consecration = 23 July 1256
term_end = 10 May 1258
predecessor = Walter de Gray
successor = Godfrey Ludham
birth_date =
birthplace =
death_date = 10 May 1258
deathplace =
tomb = York Minster

Sewal de Bovil (???-1258) was a medieval Archbishop of York.

Life

Nothing is known of his origins or his parents, but he attended Oxford University at around the same time as Edmund of Abingdon, who became Sewal's good friend.Kingsford, "Bovill, Sewal de (d. 1257)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25133 Online Edition] accessed 12 November 2007] He first appears as a canon of York in 1236, and was holding the prebend of Fenton by October of 1240. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=9924 British History Online Prebendary of Fenton] accessed on 22 September 2007] He was Archdeacon of York by January of 1248, [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=6444 British History Online Archdeacons of York] accessed on 22 September 2007] but had been named Dean of York by 21 September 1249. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=10458 British History Online Deans of York] accessed on 22 September 2007] He earned a doctor of theology title by 1244.

He was archbishop for only two years between 1256 and his death in 1258. He was selected about 1 October 1255, and was consecrated on 23 July 1256,Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 282] at York by Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester. He received a papal dispensation to become archbishop because he was illegitimate on 11 March 1256. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8457 British History Online Archbishops of York] accessed on 22 September 2007] Pope Alexander IV then provided Jordan, an Italian, to the now vacant deanery, but Sewal objected and attempted to keep Jordan out. Alexander IV then excommunicated the archbishop in 1257. After a compromise was reached whereby Jordan received a pension, Sewal was absolved. Godfrey of Ludham was then promoted to the deanery. In July of 1257 he was appointed to a commission to mediate between King Alexander III of Scotland and the Scottish nobles.

He died on 10 May 1258 and was buried in York Minster. Matthew Paris wrote that he was "a humble and holy man well skilled in law and other sciences."quoted in Kingsford, "Bovill, Sewal de (d. 1257)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25133 Online Edition] accessed 12 November 2007]

Notes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8457 British History Online Archbishops of York] accessed on 22 September 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=6444 British History Online Archdeacons of York] accessed on 22 September 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=10458 British History Online Deans of York] accessed on 22 September 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=9924 British History Online Prebendary of Fenton] accessed on 22 September 2007
*
* Kingsford, C. L. "Bovill, Sewal de (d. 1257)" rev. Philippa Hoskin, "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25133 Online Edition] accessed 12 November 2007

Persondata
NAME= Bovil, Sewal de
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Archbishop of York
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=10 May 1258
PLACE OF DEATH=