Walter de Baltrodin

infobox bishopbiog
name = Walter de Baltrodin


religion=Roman Catholic Church
See = Diocese of Caithness
Title = Bishop of Caithness
Period = 1263–1270
consecration = 1263
Predecessor =William
Successor =Nicholas
post = | ordination =
bishops = None
date of birth = early or mid 1200s
place of birth = Pitroddie, Gowrie, Scotland
date of death =
place of death = Dornoch (probably), 1270

Walter de Baltrodin [Baltroddi; Baltroddie] (d. 1270) was a 13th century Scottish bishop; if his name can be taken as a guide, he came from "Baltrodin" - Baltroddie (Pitroddie) - in Gowrie.Crawford, "Baltroddi, Walter of (d. 1270)".] Although it is not known which university or universities he attended, he had achieved a Master's Degree by 1259 and was later a Doctor of Canon Law. [Crawford, "Baltroddi, Walter of (d. 1270)"; Keith, "Historical Catalogue", p. 210.]

He held canonries in the dioceses of Aberdeen and Caithness when, in 1263, he was elected Bishop of Caithness. The decree of election was presented to Pope Urban IV by Roger de Castello, a canon of Aberdeen. The election was declared contrary to canon law, but the Pope took into account the poverty of the diocese of Caithness with the costs of the journey to Rome from such a distant diocese, and delegated the authority to judge the fitness of Walter to the Bishops of Dunkeld, Brechin and Ross.Dowden, "Bishops of Scotland", p. 226.]

As is usual with bishops of Caithness, very little is known about Walter's episcopate. It is known he received a subsidy from the king taken from the profits of justice in the province. According to Clan MacKay tradition, Aodh Mór MacAoidh (or Iye Mackay), married a daughter of Bishop Walter, acquiring 12 davochs of land at Durness.

Bishop Walter died sometime in the year 1170. [Crawford, "Baltroddi, Walter of (d. 1270)"; Dowden, "Bishops of Scotland", p. 226; Keith, "Historical Catalogue", p. 210; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 58.] His death was followed, after some delay, by the election of Nicholas, Abbot of Scone. [Dowden, "Bishops of Scotland", p. 226; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 58.]

Notes

References

* Crawford, Barbara E., "Baltroddi, Walter of (d. 1270)", in the "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/1252 , accessed 20 Feb 2007]
* Dowden, John, "The Bishops of Scotland", ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
* Keith, Robert, "An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops: Down to the Year 1688", (London, 1924)
* Watt, D.E.R., "Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638", 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)