Alexander Stewart (d. 1371)

infobox bishopbiog
name = Alexander Stewart


religion=Roman Catholic Church
See = Diocese of Ross
Title = Bishop of Ross
Period = 1350–1371
consecration = November 3, 1350 × March 9, 1351
Predecessor = Roger
Successor = Alexander de Kylwos
post = Archdeacon of Ross (× 1343–1350) | ordination =
bishops =
date of birth = unknown
place of birth = unknown
date of death = February 4, 1371 – May 9, 1371
place of death =

Alexander Stewart (died 1371) was a 14th century Scottish bishop. Probably from Menteith, he appears in the sources from the first half of 1340s, possessing a university degree and holding the position of Archdeacon of Ross. He was active at the papal curia in the second half of the decade as a papal chaplain and administrator, before being provided as Bishop of Ross in 1350, a position he held until his death in 1371.

Biography

Early life

Alexander Stewart was from the diocese of Dunblane, a diocese which embraced the earldom of Strathearn and the earldom of Menteith; as the Stewart family were better established in Menteith than Strathearn, it is likely that Alexander came from Menteith.Watt, "Dictionary", p. 509.] It is notable that Stewart's arms, as well as having the Stewart chequy, included the three lion rampants which denoted the earls of Ross, suggesting some connection between Alexander Stewart and the Ross family.

Before Stewart's career as a prelate, he spent many years at university. He held a Licentiate in Decrees (i.e. Canon law) by July 1343, and by March 1348 was being styled "Magister" ("Master"), indicating completion a Master's degree, though the accuracy of this title is not certain because he is only styled "Master" on one occasion.

Early career

He is found as Archdeacon of Ross on July 22, 1343, a position he had probably held for many years previously; it is probable that he was helped into this position by the Bishop of Ross, Roger, also from the diocese of Dunblane. [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 215; Watt, "Dictionary", p. 509; Watt, Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 285.]

On that date he was granted provision to a canonry in the diocese of Dunkeld with expectation of a prebend; on March 27, 1348, he claimed to hold a Dunkeld prebend, as he did on June 22, 1350. He was surrogated by Donnchadh de Strathearn, now Bishop of Dunkeld, to the prebend of Cruden in the diocese of Aberdeen on that date (March 22, 1348), though it is not clear that this was ever effective; he was ordered to resign this right when given provision to the prebend and canonry of Kinnoir in the diocese of Moray on June 2, 1350. [Watt, "Dictionary", pp. 509, 523.]

Stewart probably spent the late 1340s at the papal court in Avignon. He was appointed as a papal chaplain on August 6, 1346. Stewart may have been in the service of Cardinal Guillaume de la Jugée, who is found aiding Stewart in 1348 and 1350. This influence probably explains his provision to the prebends mentioned above. On May 18, 1347, and June 13, 1350, he was named by three Scots as the mandatory for their papal graces.

Bishop of Ross

After the resignation of Bishop Roger, on November 3, 1350, Alexander Stewart was provided to the now vacant diocese of Ross; Bishop Roger, "for reasonable causes", had resigned the see at the papal curia through three proctors, and Stewart's presence at the papal court was fortuitous, as the pope had previous reserved the see for his own appointment. [Dowden, "Bishops;;, p. 215; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 267.] He promised his services on the same day as John de Rait, newly Bishop of Aberdeen, that is, on January 26, 1351. He was consecrated by March 9, when he was granted permission to borrow money in order to pay for his expenses at Avignon. [Watt, "Dictionary", p. 509; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 267.]

He is found in Scotland for the first time when, on March 6, 1352, he witnessed a charter of King David II of Scotland at Scone. He nevertheless continued his involvement in papal service, being mentioned as a mandatory in ten papal graces between March 1351 and July 1353; on July 9, 1364, he was instructed by the papacy to investigate alleged overcharging on the pilgrimage boat from Queensferry on the river Forth. [Watt, "Dictionary", pp. 509-10.]

His seal, along with that of other Scottish prelates, was appended to the obligation document drawn up for King David II's ransom at an assembly in Edinburgh on September 26, 1357. [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 215; Watt, "Dictionary", p. 510.] His seal was attached to an indenture at Auldearn on January 2, 1365; and to a deed drawn up at Perth on October 16, 1370.

He was at the Scone parliament of November 18, 1358, at the Scone parliament of July 26, 1366.Watt, "Dictionary", p. 510.] He did not attend the Perth parliament of September 27, 1367, nor the Scone parliament of March 6, 1369. He attended the Council General at Perth on January 13, 1365.

He witnessed many charters in or around Ross during his episcopate, but also various royal charters, including those issued at Scone on November 18, 1358. He witnessed a private deed by Andrew Leslie, another by Patrick Grant of Stratherrick, and two by Hugh de Ross, the brother of the earl of Ross, at Cullisse near Nigg.

He witnessed several charters of the earl himself, Uilleam III, in the 1350s and 1360s, including ones at Delny on March 5, 1356, on June 17, 1357, on November 12, 1358, and another on April 5, 1366; he witnessed other comital charters at Dingwall, on December 21, 1366, on August 9, 1369, and on February 4, 1371.

The last appearance is the latest appearance he made in any documentation. He may have been dead by the Scone parliament of March 27, 1371, to which he failed to appear. [Dowden, "Bishops", p. 215; Watt, "Dictionary", p. 510; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", p. 267.] He was definitely dead by May 9, when his successor Alexander de Kylwos received papal provision to the now vacant diocese. [Watt, "Dictionary", pp. 315, 510; Watt, "Fasti Ecclesiae", pp. 267-8.]

Notes

References

* Dowden, John, "The Bishops of Scotland", ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
* Watt, D. E. R., "A Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Graduates to A. D. 1410", (Oxford, 1977)
* Watt, D. E. R., "Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638", 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)