Andrew Stewart (bishop of Caithness, died 1541) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andrew Stewart |
|
|---|---|
| Bishop of Caithness | |
 |
|
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Caithness |
| In Office | 1517–1541 |
| Predecessor | Andrew Stewart |
| Successor | Alexander Gordon |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 14 December 1517 (papal provision) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15th century Probably Atholl |
| Died | Dornoch, 1541 |
| Previous post | Bishop of Dunkeld (elect: 1515–1516) Rector of Blair |
Andrew Stewart (died 1541) was an important Scottish church leader in the 1500s. He was born into a powerful noble family, the Stewarts, who were related to the Scottish kings. His grandmother was Joan Beaufort, who used to be the queen of Scotland. Andrew chose to work for the church. He held a special position in Dunkeld Cathedral and was the leader of the church in Blair. This church was in the area controlled by his family.
Contents
Andrew Stewart's Early Life
Andrew Stewart was the son of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl. His mother was Eleanor Sinclair. Her father was William Sinclair, the Earl of Orkney. Andrew grew up in a family with strong connections to the Scottish royal family. His grandmother, Joan Beaufort, was the wife of King James I.
Andrew decided to dedicate his life to the church. He became a canon (a type of priest) at Dunkeld Cathedral. He also served as the rector (head priest) of the local church in Blair. This church was located in the diocese (church district) of Dunkeld. The Earls of Atholl, Andrew's family, had control over this church.
The Fight for Bishop of Dunkeld
In January 1515, the leader of the church in Dunkeld, Bishop George Brown, passed away. A new bishop (a high-ranking church leader) was needed for the area.
The Queen's Choice
Queen Margaret was the mother of the young king, James V. Her husband, King James IV, had recently died. Queen Margaret wanted a man named Gavin Douglas to become the new Bishop of Dunkeld. Gavin Douglas was a poet and a church leader in Edinburgh. He was also the uncle of the Queen's new husband. The Queen suggested him just a few days after Bishop Brown's death.
Gavin Douglas had recently missed out on becoming the Archbishop of St Andrews. So, this new position was meant to make up for that. He paid a large sum of money to the Pope in Rome. Pope Leo X then officially approved Gavin Douglas for the job in May 1515.
Andrew Stewart's Election
Meanwhile, Andrew Stewart's brother, John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl, wanted Andrew to be the new bishop. He put pressure on the church leaders in Dunkeld Cathedral. Many of these leaders were related to the Earl of Atholl. Others held land that was under the Earl's control.
Because of this pressure, Andrew Stewart was chosen by the local church leaders. A letter was sent to John Stewart, Duke of Albany. He was the Governor of Scotland and looked after the young King James V. The Duke of Albany was in France at the time. He said he would not decide on any bishop positions until he returned.
When the Duke of Albany came back to Scotland in May 1515, he supported Andrew Stewart. He made the church leaders in Dunkeld give Andrew control over the church's lands and money. In July, Queen Margaret also agreed to Andrew Stewart's appointment. The Duke of Albany even had Gavin Douglas held back. This was because Douglas had tried to buy the bishop position from Rome, which was against Scottish law.
Becoming Bishop of Caithness
However, Andrew Stewart could not get the Pope's official approval. The Duke of Albany then stopped supporting Andrew. He allowed Gavin Douglas to take the position of Bishop of Dunkeld. Douglas was officially made bishop in September 1516.
On July 24, 1517, the Duke of Albany wrote to the Pope. He asked that Andrew Stewart be given the church leadership position in Caithness. This position was now empty. The Pope agreed to this request.
On December 14, 1517, Andrew Stewart officially became the Bishop of Caithness. After this, there is not much information about Andrew Stewart's life. He led the church in Caithness for 24 years. We only know that he attended a meeting of the Scottish parliament in December 1540. He passed away sometime before August 9, 1541.
