John de Halton facts for kids

John de Halton (died 1324) was an important English priest who became the Bishop of Carlisle. He served in this role from 1292 until his death in 1324. He was also known as John de Halghton.

John de Halton: A Medieval Bishop

Early Life and Becoming Bishop

We don't know much about John de Halton's early life. However, we do know that he studied at Oxford University. Before becoming a bishop, he was a canon (a type of priest) and a cellarer at Carlisle Cathedral. A cellarer was in charge of the monastery's supplies and finances.

John de Halton was chosen to be the bishop on 23 April 1292. He was officially made a bishop (consecrated) on 14 September 1292. He couldn't take his place in the cathedral (be enthroned) until January 1293. This was because he was busy helping King Edward I of England in Scotland right after his consecration.

Serving the King and Country

John de Halton was present at Berwick when King Edward I decided that John Balliol should be the King of Scotland. From 1292 to 1295, Halton spent a lot of time in Scotland. Pope Nicholas IV had asked him to collect a special tax. This tax was meant to help pay for crusades, which were religious wars.

However, when England and Scotland started fighting in 1296, Bishop Halton went back to his own area (called a diocese). He stayed there to look after his people.

Challenges and Later Years

In January 1298, Bishop Halton attended an important meeting in York. At this meeting, he declared that anyone who opposed the Magna Carta was cut off from the Church. The Magna Carta was a very important document that limited the king's power.

During the time of King Edward II of England, Halton's diocese faced many problems. Scottish raiders often attacked the area. Bishop Halton spent much of his time trying to fix the damage caused by these raids.

In 1309, he took a strong action against Robert the Bruce. He declared that Robert the Bruce was cut off from the Church. This was because Robert the Bruce had murdered John III Comyn three years earlier.

Bishop Halton also served as a messenger to Scotland again in 1320. In June 1321, he attended a meeting led by Thomas, the Earl of Lancaster. This meeting was part of a rebellion by powerful nobles against King Edward II. They were unhappy with the king and his friends, the Despensers. However, Bishop Halton did not seem to play a big role in the rest of this conflict.

His Legacy

John de Halton passed away on 1 November 1324. He died at his manor (a large country house) in Rose. He was probably buried in his own cathedral in Carlisle. Sadly, his tomb (grave) does not exist anymore.

However, a very important record of his time as bishop still survives. This record, called his episcopal register, is the first one from Carlisle that we still have today. It tells us a lot about his work and the events of his time.