Séon Carsuel facts for kids

Séon Carsuel, also known as John Carswell, was an important Scottish leader in the 1500s. He was a church official, a scholar, and a key figure in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland.

Born around 1522, he studied hard and later worked for a powerful Protestant leader, the Earl of Argyll. He even taught the Earl's son! Thanks to this support, he became the Bishop of the Isles in 1565. Carsuel was incredibly tall, standing over 7 feet (about 2.1 meters) tall! He made history in 1567 when his book, Foirm na n-Urrnuidheadh, became the very first book ever printed in any Gaelic language.

Who Was Séon Carsuel?

His Early Life and Education

Séon Carsuel was likely born around 1522 in Kilmartin, a place in Argyll, Scotland. His family probably came from Wigtownshire, another part of Scotland. Both of these areas spoke Gaelic during his time.

He might have had some traditional Gaelic schooling first. Then, in 1540, he went to the University of St Andrews. He earned his Master of Arts degree there in 1544 or 1545.

Working for the Earl of Argyll

After university, Carsuel became a strong supporter of Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll, also known as Gilleasbaig Ruadh Caimbeul. This Earl was a Protestant, meaning he followed a different branch of Christianity from the main Catholic Church at the time.

Carsuel became the Earl's chaplain, a kind of personal priest. He also became the Treasurer of St Moluag's Cathedral, Lismore by 1551. In 1553, he became the parson (a church leader) of the parish church in Kilmartin.

The Earl of Argyll trusted Carsuel a lot. He even put his eldest son, also named Gilleasbaig, under Carsuel's teaching. This shows how much the Earl valued Carsuel's knowledge and beliefs.

Carsuel and Castles

In 1559, after the fourth Earl of Argyll passed away, his son, the fifth Earl, continued to support Carsuel. The Earl gave Carsuel control of two important castles: Carnasserie Castle in 1559 and Craignish Castle in 1560.

Carsuel did a lot of work on Carnasserie Castle. He made it much bigger, using skilled builders who had also worked on Stirling Castle. This shows he was involved in more than just church matters.

Becoming a Protestant Leader

Bishop of the Isles

After the Scottish Reformation in 1560, Scotland officially became a Protestant country. Carsuel was appointed as a Protestant Superintendent for Argyll and the Isles in 1561. This meant he was a leader overseeing the church in those areas.

In 1565, Mary, Queen of Scots, officially gave Carsuel the income from the bishopric of the Isles and the Iona Abbey. This made him the official Bishop of the Isles.

The First Gaelic Printed Book

One of Séon Carsuel's most important achievements was publishing his book, Foirm na n-Urrnuidheadh, which means "The form of the prayers." This book was based on a Protestant prayer book called the Book of Common Order.

It was printed in Edinburgh on April 24, 1567. This was a huge moment because it was the very first book ever printed in any Gaelic language, whether Scottish Gaelic or Irish Gaelic!

Carsuel wrote the book in a traditional, formal style of Gaelic. This helped spread the ideas of Protestantism from the English-speaking parts of Scotland to the Gaelic-speaking areas. He even included a poem he wrote in the book.

Carsuel believed that earlier Gaelic writings focused too much on old stories and myths. He wanted his book to bring new, important religious ideas to Gaelic speakers.

His Final Years

Séon Carsuel was married twice. With his first wife, he had at least one son named Gilleasbaig. With his second wife, Mairead Chaimbeul (Margaret Campbell), he likely had a daughter named Christiana.

He became very ill in late 1570. Séon Carsuel passed away sometime between June and September of 1572. He was buried in a stone coffin at Ardchattan Priory. People remembered his funeral because a big storm happened at the same time.

Years later, in the late 1800s, his skeleton was found. It measured seven feet long, confirming that Carsuel was an exceptionally tall man for any time period.

Images for kids

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  The approach to Carnasserie Castle from the south-east, a castle Carsuel is credited with rebuilding