Walter de Gray

Infobox Archbishop of York
name = Walter de Gray


birth_name = Walter de Gray
consecration =elected 10 November 1215
began = known
term_end = 1 May 1255
predecessor = Geoffrey Plantagenet
successor = Sewal de Bovil
birth_date =
birthplace =
death_date =1 May 1255
deathplace = Fulham
tomb = York Minster

Walter de Gray (died 1 May 1255) was an English prelate and statesman who rose to be Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor.

Life

He was the son of John de Gray the Elder of Eaton in Norfolk and nephew of John de Gray (the Younger), Bishop of Norwich. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8457 British History Online Archbishops of York] accessed on 15 September 2007] His sister, Hawise, married the Justiciar of England, Philip Basset.Fact|date=July 2008 He was educated at the University of Oxford, where he heard the lectures of Edmund of Abingdon.Haines "Gray, Walter de (d. 1255)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11566 Online Edition] accessed 12 November 2007]

Walter owed his early and rapid preferment in church and state to the favor of King John, becoming the king's chancellor in 1205,Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 84] having paid John 5000 marks for the office. He was chosen bishop of Lichfield in 1210. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=33881 British History Online Bishops of Worcester] accessed on 15 September 2007] He was, however, not allowed to keep this bishopric, but he became bishop of Worcester on 20 January 1214,Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 279] resigning his office as chancellor in October of 1214. His consecration as bishop of Worcester took place on 5 October 1214. Gray was with John when the king signed the Magna Carta in June of 1215; soon after this event he left England on the king's business, and it was during his absence that he was forced into the archbishopric of York, owing his election on 10 November 1215Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 282] to the good offices of John and of Pope Innocent III. John had wanted Walter, but, the canons of York felt that Walter was uneducated, and selected Simon Langton, brother of Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury instead. John objected, and wrote to Pope Innocent III complaining of the election of the brother of one of his staunchest enemies, and Innocent agreed.Bartlett "England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings" p. 406-407] However, Walter in the end paid more than ₤10,000 to the pope in various fees to get his election confirmed.Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 174] Walter attended the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 237]

He took a leading part in public affairs during the minority of Henry III, and was regarded with much favour by this king, who employed him on important errands to foreign potentates, and left him as guardian of England when he went to France in 1242. In 1252, Walter hosted King Henry and King Alexander III of Scotland for the Christmas feasts at York, which event cost the archbishop ₤2500.Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 175] Afterwards the archbishop seems to have been less favorably disposed towards Henry, and for a time he absented himself from public business. Gray was always anxious to assert his archiepiscopal authority over Scotland, and to maintain it against the archbishop of Canterbury, but in neither case was he very successful. He built the south transept of York Minster and bought for his see the village, afterwards called Bishopthorpe, which is still the residence of the archbishop of York. He was also generous to the church at Ripon.Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 204]

He held a series of councils in his diocese from 1241 to 1255 which endeavored to enforce clerical celibacy, keep benefices from being inherited, and improve the education and morals of the clergy. He gave generously to his cathedral and other churches, as well as working to endown vicarages. He visited many of the monasteries of his diocese and helped those that were in financial difficulties. He also oversaw the translation of Saint Wilfrid's remains to a new shrine at Ripon.

in 1255, he visited London to attend a meeting of parliament, and died at Fulham on the 1 May 1255. He was buried on 15 May 1255 at York Minster.

His three nephews were William Langton (or Rotherfield) who was Dean of York and was elected archbishop of York but never consecrated, and Walter le Breton and Walter de Grey, who were canons of York.

Notes

References

* Bartlett, Robert "England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings: 1075-1225" Oxford:Clarendon Press 2000 ISBN 0-19-822741-8
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8457 British History Online Archbishops of York] accessed on 15 September 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=33881 British History Online Bishops of Worcester] accessed on 15 September 2007
*
* Haines, Roy Martin "Gray, Walter de (d. 1255)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11566 Online Edition] accessed 12 November 2007
* Moorman, John R. H. "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" Revised Edition Cambridge:Cambridge University Press 1955

External links

* [http://www.britannia.com/bios/abofy/wgrey.html Walter de Gray at Britannia Biographies]
* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Walter_De_Gray Walter de Gray at 1911 Britannica Encyclopedia Online]

Persondata
NAME= Gray, Walter de
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Lord Chancellor; Bishop of Worcester; Archbishop of York
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=1 May 1255
PLACE OF DEATH=Fulham