Robert Capellanus ("Robert the Chaplain"; died c. 1249), was a
chaplain
A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...
of King
William I of Scotland and afterwards,
Bishop of Ross (1214–1249).
On 25 February 1213, he witnessed a confirmation of the properties of
Arbroath Abbey as ''Roberto Capellano domini regis'', "Robert Chaplain of the lord king". King William had had another chaplain called Robert who became
Archdeacon of Glasgow
The Archdeacon of Glasgow was the head of the Archdeaconry of Glasgow, a sub-division of the Diocese of Glasgow. He was one of two archdeacons serving the Bishop of Glasgow, the other one being the Archdeacon of Teviotdale. This archdeacon (Glas ...
1195 × 1196, but although neither used surnames, it is certain that they were not the same men. It would probably be possible to know more about Robert if he had used a surname, but as it happens his details are lost in those large number of
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
and
Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to:
*Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066
*Anglo-Norman language
**Anglo-Norman literature
*Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1066 ...
incomers in William's reign using that name.
After reporting the death of the previous Bishop of Ross,
Reinald Macer
Reinald Macer lso called Reginald(died 1213) was a medieval Cistercian monk and bishop, active in the Kingdom of Scotland during the reign of William the Lion. Originally a monk of Melrose Abbey, he rose to become Bishop of Ross in 1195, and ...
, the ''
Chronicle of Melrose'' related that:
Andreas de Moravia's refusal to accept his own election had led thus to the elevation of the king's chaplain. This election occurred before the death of King William on 4 December 1214.
[Dowden, ''Bishops'', p. 211; Watt, ''Fasti Ecclesiae'', p. 266.] Robert's name occurred as "bishop-elect" on 17 February 1215, but he is a consecrated bishop by 7 July, meaning he had received consecration between these respective dates.
[Watt, ''Fasti Ecclesiae'', p. 266.]
Robert appeared on various documents during the reign of King
Alexander II of Scotland; he appeared on 30 March 1226, again on 1 February 1227, and on 30 June 1228.
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX ( la, Gregorius IX; born Ugolino di Conti; c. 1145 or before 1170 – 22 August 1241) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 March 1227 until his death in 1241. He is known for issuing the '' Decre ...
issued, on 29 May 1235, Robert the authority to increase the number of
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
prebend
A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...
s, augment existing prebends and expand his cathedral.
[Anderson, vol. ii, p. 394, n. 3; Watt, ''Fasti Ecclesiae'', p. 266.] This mandate was repeated, in an expanded form, in 1256, for his successor. According to Professor
Donald Watt, it may have been this bishop rather than
Robert II whom Bower remembered as the builder of Ross cathedral.
[ Robert Capellanus appears to have died in 1249.][
]
Notes
References
* Anderson, Alan Orr, ''Early Sources of Scottish History'', 2 vols, (Edinburgh, 1922)
* Barrow, G. W. S. (ed.), ''The Acts of William I'' (''Regesta Regum Scottorum'' vol. ii), (Edinburgh, 1971)
* Dowden, John, ''The Bishops of Scotland'', ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
* Stevenson, Joseph (ed.), ''Chronica de Mailros; E Codice Unico in Biblioteca Cottoniana Servato, Nunc Iterum in Lucem Edita. Notulis Indiceque Aucta.'', (Edinburgh, 1835)
* Watt, D. E. R., ''Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638'', 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robert 01
12th-century births
1249 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain
Bishops of Ross (Scotland)
Scoto-Normans
13th-century Scottish Roman Catholic bishops