Robert de Fyvie facts for kids

Robert de Fyvie (died between 1292 and 1295) was an important church leader in Scotland during the late 1200s. He might have come from a place called Fyvie in Formartine. Robert was a student at the University of Bologna in Italy by 1269. He also held the church position of Archdeacon of Ross. In 1275, he became the new Bishop of Ross. He served in this role until his death in the early 1290s.

Robert's Early Life and Career

There has been some confusion about Robert's name in old records. Some church documents used "Syvin" instead of "Fyvin." However, Scottish records always used "Fyvie." An old historian named Walter Bower even thought his first name was Thomas by mistake!

His name, Fyvie, most likely means he came from the town of Fyvie. This town was a royal burgh, which means it was a special town with rights given by the king. It was also an area where the powerful Comyn family had a lot of influence.

Studying in Italy

Robert was a student at the famous University of Bologna in Italy by December 1269. At this time, he was already the Archdeacon of Ross. An archdeacon is a senior church official, usually just below a bishop. To hold this job, he had to be a deacon, which is a step in becoming a priest. He likely became Archdeacon of Ross sometime after 1249 or 1250.

It's very likely that the powerful Comyn family helped him get the job of archdeacon. This is because Fyvie was in an area where the Comyns had a lot of power.

Robert was probably still in Bologna in 1272. Even though he wasn't chosen by the church leaders in Ross to elect a new bishop, they did ask him to go with the newly elected Bishop Matthew to the Pope's court in Italy. This was probably because he was already conveniently in Italy. By 1275, Robert had earned a Master's degree from the university.

Becoming Bishop of Ross

Robert de Fyvie was back in Scotland by April 1275. On April 8, Pope Gregory X approved Robert's election as the new Bishop of Ross. The election happened after the previous bishop, Matthew, died in 1274.

Two church leaders from Ross, Donnchadh and Master William, presented the election results to the Pope. After three cardinals (high-ranking church officials) checked and approved it, the Pope sent instructions to two Scottish bishops. They were told to check if Robert was suitable to be a bishop. If he was, they were to make him a bishop with the help of a third bishop.

The bishop's position was still controlled by the king in June 1275. But Robert was probably made a bishop by August 6. This was when Scottish church leaders met with a papal tax collector in Perth.

Bishop Robert's Activities

Bishop Robert appeared in records again on September 16, 1278. He was at a place called Eddyrdor (now Redcastle). There, he witnessed an important document along with some of his church leaders and Uilleam II, Earl of Ross. This document was a gift to Beauly Priory, a religious house.

In 1279 and 1280, Bishop Robert acted as a papal judge-delegate. This means he was a judge appointed by the Pope. He helped settle a disagreement between the Bishop of Moray and a local lord.

On July 18, 1285, Pope Honorius IV sent Bishop Robert a letter. This letter protected the bishop and his churches from problems caused by King Alexander III of Scotland's officials. It's possible that Bishop Robert traveled to the Pope's court in Italy to get this protection.

Trouble with the Pope

However, five years later, Bishop Robert faced some trouble with the Pope. On November 28, 1290, Pope Nicholas IV ordered other church leaders to look into complaints about Bishop Robert. The church leaders in his own diocese were unhappy. They said he was misusing church property. They claimed he was giving money and church jobs to his relatives and friends. This was supposedly happening at the expense of other clergy (church officials) in the diocese.

Many of the people who benefited from Robert's actions were from the area around the River Tees in England. This might mean that Robert's family originally came from that part of England.

Political Involvement

Bishop Robert was also involved in important political events in Scotland. He was present when the Treaty of Salisbury was confirmed as the Treaty of Birgham on March 17, 1290. This treaty was about the future of the Scottish throne.

Later, he became one of the "auditors" chosen by the Comyn family to decide who should be the next king of Scotland. This was part of a big event called the Great Cause. He swore loyalty to King Edward I of England on August 1, 1291. He was also present as an auditor at meetings in Berwick in 1292.

Bishop Robert is not found in records after November 17, 1292. However, we don't know who became bishop after him until November 18, 1295. This makes the exact date of his death a bit of a mystery.