- Andrew Stewart (d. 1501)
infobox bishopbiog
name = Andrew Stewart
religion=Roman Catholic Church
See =Diocese of Moray
Title =Bishop of Moray
Period = 1482–1501
consecration = 1485 x 1487
Predecessor =William Tulloch
Successor =Andrew Forman
post =Dean of Moray | ordination =
bishops =
date of birth = 1442 x 1445
place of birth =Scotland
date of death =September 29 ,1501
place of death =Moray Andrew Stewart (died 1501) was a 15th century Scottish
prelate and administrator. Born between 1442 and 1444, [His older brotherJames Stewart, Earl of Buchan , was born in 1441 x 1442, and Joan died in 1445; Boardman, "Stewart, James, earl of Buchan (1441/2?–1499/1500)"; Brown, "Joan [Joan Beaufort] (died 1445)".] he was the son of Joan Beaufort (d. 1445), widow of KingJames I of Scotland and formerQueen-consort , and her second husband, James Stewart, the so-called "Black Knight of Lorne". [Boardman, "Stewart, James, earl of Buchan (1441/2?–1499/1500)"; Brown, "Joan [Joan Beaufort] (d. 1445)"; Dowden, "Bishops", p. 163; Keith, "Historical Catalogue", p. 245.] Being a third son, an ecclesiastical career was a natural course, and as early as 1455 Andrew held the positions ofSub-Dean of thediocese of Glasgow and, briefly, Dean of thediocese of Aberdeen . [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", pp. 8, 168.] This was because onMay 7 ,1455 ,Pope Calixtus III conferred the deanery of Aberdeen, the Glasgowprebendary of Kirkandris and well ascanonry ofLincluden and thevicarage ofKilpatrick , both also in thediocese ofGlasgow , after the promotion ofAndrew de Durisdeer asBishop of Glasgow .Dowden, "Bishops", p. 163, n. 1.] He was unable to retain the Aberdeen deanery, assumed by Richard Forbes in the following year. [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 8.]These positions were ideal for funding a university education. Andrew was incorporated at the
University of Glasgow in 1456, and he is found as a determinant, i.e. having completed hisBachelor's Degree , at theUniversity of St Andrews in 1462 x 1463. He appears to have entered theUniversity of Paris "ad eundem" in 1465. By 1460, he had becomeDean of Moray , while retaining the Glasgow sub-deanery. [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 220.] In 1470, he may have been given the position of Provost of theCollegiate church of Lincluden, a position he certainly did hold in 1477. [Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 364.]Andrew's career reached its height when, after the death of Bishop
William Tulloch in 1482, he was elected to become the newBishop of Moray .Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 216.] He received papal provision onAugust 12 ,1482 , but was not consecrated until sometime betweenDecember 22 ,1485 , andOctober 24 ,1487 . [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 164, n. 2; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 216.] Andrew obtained a papal bull incorporating the provostry of Lincluden into the Moravian episcopal "mensa" for his lifetime, although this was cancelled in 1488. [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 163; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 364.] He was theKeeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland , a position he resigned in early 1483. [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 164; Keith, "Historical Catalogue", p. 146.]For a period he had hopes of becoming
Archbishop of St Andrews in the place ofWilliam Scheves , but this never transpired. In 1482 he and his two brothers promised 6000ducat s ofgold to the city ofEdinburgh , "in or the cais of prmocion of the saif reverend fadir [Andrew] to the Archbishoprik of Sanctandrois or quhatsomeuer vther benefice, dignitie, or privilegis". [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 163.] Probably in pursuit of his ambition for St Andrews, he became the most prominent supporter ofAlexander Stewart, Duke of Albany , who was attempting to seize the throne of Scotland in this period; this alliance had ended by 1485, when Albany had been defeated, and then killed in a joust inFrance . [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 164; Tanner, "Stewart, Alexander, duke of Albany (1454?–1485)".]Despite incurring the enmity of King
James III of Scotland and the censure ofPope Sixtus IV , Bishop Andrew survived, and was probably reconciled by 1487 when he received consecration. His episcopate is not particularly well documented, but he presided over a general convocation of the canons of Moray late in the year 1487. Andrew is known to have issued a number of episcopal statutes. Among other activities, he was in receipt of asafe-conduct from the English government in May, 1497, and was at the Edinburgh parliament ofJune 23 ,1496 . KingHenry VII of England requested,July 5 ,1497 , that Bishop Andrew be sent as anemissary to England concerningPerkin Warbeck . [Dowden, "Bishops", pp. 164-5.]On
August 13 ,1501 ,Pope Alexander VI , at the instance of KingLouis XII of France , made a reservation of the bishopric of Moray, showing that the Pope believed the see would soon become vacant, and perhaps indicating that Bishop Andrew had contracted some kind of mortal illness. [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 164.] Bishop Andrew did die, onSeptember 29 ,1501 . He was buried inElgin Cathedral . [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 165.]Notes
References
* Boardman, S. I., "Stewart, James, earl of Buchan (1441/2?–1499/1500)", "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/54326, accessed 5 May 2007]
* Brown, M. H., "Joan [Joan Beaufort] (d. 1445)", "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/14646, accessed 5 May 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)
* Tanner, Roland J., "Stewart, Alexander, duke of Albany (1454?–1485)", "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/26453, accessed 5 May 2007]
* Watt, D.E.R., "Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638", 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)
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