Robert Blackadder facts for kids

Robert Blackadder was an important Scottish church leader, diplomat, and politician during the Middle Ages. He held several key positions, including being the abbot of Melrose Abbey, the bishop of Aberdeen, and later the bishop of Glasgow. In 1492, the Glasgow bishopric became an archbishopric, making him the very first archbishop of Glasgow. Archbishop Robert Blackadder passed away on July 28, 1508, while traveling to Jerusalem on a special religious journey called a pilgrimage.

Early Life and Education

Robert Blackadder was the younger brother of Patrick Blackadder, who was a landowner in Fife. Robert went to the University of St Andrews in Scotland around 1461 or 1462. He then continued his studies at the University of Paris in France. In 1464, he earned his bachelor's degree, and the next year, 1465, he received his licentiate degree.

Becoming an Abbot

In 1471, King James III of Scotland sent Robert as a messenger to Pope Paul II in Rome. While in Rome, Robert was given the important role of abbot of Melrose Abbey. This was a big deal because he was the first person who wasn't a Cistercian monk to become abbot there. The Pope even allowed him to take the job without becoming a monk himself.

However, the monks at Melrose Abbey were not happy about this. One monk, named Richard Lamb, challenged the decision in the Pope's court. He had the support of the bishop of Glasgow, John Laing, and the other monks. After several years of legal arguments, Robert Blackadder decided to step down as abbot in 1476. He was offered a good amount of money to do so.

Building a Hospital

In 1477, Robert Blackadder was the rector, or head priest, of the church of Lasswade in the diocese of St Andrews. He asked Pope Sixtus IV for permission to build a hospital near the church. The Pope agreed and provided money for it, leading to the creation of the Hospital of St Mary of Consolation. A year later, the Pope allowed Blackadder to change the Lasswade church into a "prebend" of the church of St Salvador in St Andrews. This meant it would provide income for a church official who had a licentiate or doctorate degree.

From Bishop of Aberdeen to Glasgow

Robert Blackadder was chosen to be the bishop of Aberdeen around 1480. The exact date is not clear, but by June of that year, he was already called "Robert, bishop of Aberdeen." He officially became bishop of Aberdeen by March 19, 1483. Soon after, he was moved to the vacant bishopric of Glasgow.

Blackadder traveled to Rome to be officially consecrated by Pope Sixtus IV. This happened in May or June of 1483. By November 20, he was back in Scotland, signing a royal document in Edinburgh. His trip to Italy was very expensive, and he ended up in a lot of debt. To help him pay it back, Pope Innocent VIII issued a special order in 1487. It allowed Blackadder to receive half of the diocese's income and asked his church officials to pay a special tax to help clear his debt.

Becoming Archbishop of Glasgow

During Robert Blackadder's time as bishop of Glasgow, the church in Glasgow became even more important. In 1492, it was raised to the status of an archbishopric.

Twenty years earlier, in 1472, the bishop of St Andrews had been made an archbishop. This was the first time a Scottish bishopric had received such a high status from the Pope. However, not everyone in the Scottish church was happy about this. Other bishops, especially those from wealthy areas like Glasgow, Dunkeld, and Aberdeen, did not like having to report to the archbishop of St Andrews.

Blackadder's predecessor in Aberdeen, Thomas Spens, was one of the first to object in 1374. He managed to get a special permission that meant he and his diocese would not be under the control of St Andrews during his lifetime. Still, in 1487, Pope Innocent VIII declared the archbishop of St Andrews the "Primate of All Scotland." This meant he was the most important church leader in the country.

This was especially difficult for the bishops of Glasgow, who would now be subject to inspections and rules from St Andrews. However, in 1488, Blackadder received a special permission from the Pope. This permission meant that Glasgow would be free from this kind of interference from St Andrews during Blackadder's own lifetime.

But this was still not enough. Blackadder also had the support of King James IV of Scotland, who was concerned about too much power being held by one bishop. The King and the Scottish parliament sent letters to the Pope. They asked for Glasgow to be given the same high status as the Archbishop of York in England.

Finally, on January 9, 1492, Pope Innocent VIII issued an official order. It raised Glasgow to an archbishopric. This meant that the bishops of Dunkeld, Dunblane, Argyll, and Galloway would now report to the archbishop of Glasgow. Later, in 1500, Dunblane was reassigned to St Andrews. It seems Dunkeld might have also returned to St Andrews' control by 1515.

Important Diplomatic Missions

Archbishop Robert Blackadder was a very important figure in the government of King James IV. He was involved in many diplomatic missions, traveling to different countries on behalf of the King. These trips included visits to England, France, Italy, and Spain.

In September 1491, he went to France with Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell and the Dean of Glasgow. Their goal was to renew the Auld Alliance, a long-standing agreement between Scotland and France.

He then traveled to Milan, Italy, to the court of the Sforza family. There, Bona of Savoy showed him around the city. On August 24, 1495, he arrived at the court of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. These rulers wrote a letter to the Pope on September 12, asking for Archbishop Robert to be made a Cardinal, which is a very high rank in the church. However, this never happened.

Blackadder returned to Scotland by Christmas but went back to Spain the following spring. His main task was to find a bride for King James IV. He also traveled to France for the same reason. In the end, a bride was found in England: Margaret Tudor, the daughter of King Henry VII of England.