William of Kilkenny

Infobox bishopbiog
name = William of Kilkenny


religion =Catholic
See =Diocese of Ely
Title = Bishop of Ely
Period = 1254–1256
Predecessor = Hugh of Northwold
Successor =Hugh of Balsham
ordination =
bishops =
post =Archdeacon of Coventry
date of birth =
place of birth =
date of death = September 21 1256
place of death =

William of Kilkenny (died September 21 1256) was a Lord Chancellor of England and Bishop of Ely.

Life

He may be the same William of Kilkenny who was elected Bishop of Ossory in 1231, but resigned the office in 1232 before being consecrated. Whether that William is the same William that later became Bishop of Ely, the man who later became bishop was a king's clerk by 1234. He was sent to Rome on royal business twice, once in 1234–1235 and again in 1237. In 1238 he left royal service, and was employed by two successive bishops of Durham, Nicholas of Farnham and Richard Poore. By May 1247 he was back in royal service, for in that month King Henry III of England sent him overseas.Stacey "Kilkenny, William of (d. 1256)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"]

He was Archdeacon of Coventry, [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33863 British History Online Bishops of Ely] accessed on October 25, 2007] from November 1247, as well as controller of the wardrobe from 1249 to 1252, and chancellor from 1250 to 1255.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 85]

He was elected to the see of Ely about September 29 1254 and consecrated on August 15 1255 at Bellay in Savoy by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Boniface of Savoy.

He died on September 21 1256,Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 244] in Spain where he had gone on a diplomatic mission for the king. His heart was sent to Ely for burial in Ely Cathedral. His only known relative was a nephew who held land in Waterford and was knighted in 1254.

Notes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=33863 British History Online Bishops of Ely] accessed on October 25, 2007
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Persondata
NAME=William of Kilkenny
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Lord Chancellor of England, Bishop of Ely
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=September 21, 1256
PLACE OF DEATH=