Henry le Chen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henry le Chen
Bishop of Aberdeen
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Diocese of Aberdeen
In Office	1282–1328
Predecessor	Hugh de Benin
Successor	Walter Herok
Orders
Consecration	1282
Personal details
Born	Mid 13th century North-east Scotland.
Died	Probably Aberdeen 1328 x 1329
Previous post	Precentor of Aberdeen Cathedral

Henry le Chen was an important bishop in Scotland during the late 1200s and early 1300s. He was also known by other names like le Cheyn or Cheyne. Henry came from a powerful family with Norman roots. This family owned a lot of land in the northeast of Scotland.

Becoming Bishop of Aberdeen

Henry le Chen first appears in historical records in 1277. At that time, he was a leader in the Aberdeen Cathedral. He held the role of Precentor, which meant he was in charge of the choir and church services.

When the previous bishop, Hugh de Benin, passed away, the church leaders in Aberdeen chose Henry to be the new Bishop of Aberdeen. This was a big deal because Henry was only a deacon at the time. A deacon is a church official who helps the priest. He had not yet become a priest.

Because of this, Pope Martin IV at first said the election was not valid. But he soon changed his mind. The Pope then asked three other bishops to make Henry a priest and then consecrate him as bishop. This meant Henry officially became the Bishop of Aberdeen in 1282.

Henry's Role in Scottish Politics

Henry le Chen lived during a very difficult time in Scottish history. This period is known as the Wars of Scottish Independence. After King Alexander III of Scotland died, there was a big argument over who should be the next king. This event was called the Great Cause.

Henry supported John Balliol's claim to the throne. He even helped King John by being one of the people who checked the claims of those who wanted to be king.

When King Edward I of England invaded Scotland and removed King John from power, Henry quickly promised loyalty to Edward. King Edward trusted Henry a lot. He even put Henry in charge of the area around Aberdeen, known as the sheriffdom.

Challenges with Robert the Bruce

Later, Robert the Bruce became King of Scotland. At first, Henry le Chen was not very supportive of the new king. For a while, he even lost control of his church's lands and income. This was called being "deprived of the temporalities" of his see (his bishop's area).

However, Henry did attend Robert the Bruce's first parliament in 1309. A parliament is a meeting of important people to make laws. In 1312, he also helped renew the Treaty of Perth. This was an agreement between Scotland and Norway.

Even though he had some early disagreements, Henry became a loyal supporter of King Robert. In 1320, he was called to the Pope's court, known as the papal curia. He had to explain King Robert's actions to the Pope.

In 1321, Pope John XXII took a serious step and excommunicated Bishop Henry. This meant Henry was temporarily cut off from the Catholic Church. The Pope then told other bishops to announce this decision. However, Henry was later forgiven by the Church before he died.

Later Life and Legacy

Henry le Chen passed away around 1328, or certainly before June 11, 1329. This was the same year that King Robert the Bruce also died. The Pope later spoke of Henry as "of good memory," which means Henry had been forgiven for his excommunication before his death.

Henry le Chen is remembered for building a bridge over the River Don in Aberdeen. This was an important project that helped people travel and trade.