Thomas de Buittle facts for kids

Thomas de Buittle (died around 1420–1422) was an important Scottish church leader and scholar. He lived in the late 1300s and early 1400s. Thomas was also a clerk (a kind of secretary) and worked for the Pope.

He likely came from a place called Buittle in Galloway, Scotland. Thomas studied church law at universities in England and France. Later, he worked for Avignon Pope Benedict XIII. He held several important church jobs, including being the Archdeacon of Galloway. He was also the first known head, or provost, of the special church in Maybole. The biggest part of his career was when he became the Bishop of Galloway. He was a bishop from 1415 until he passed away.

Learning and Early Life

Thomas's name suggests he came from Buittle in Kirkcudbrightshire, a part of Galloway. This area was controlled by the Douglas family.

In 1388, people said he had studied church law at the University of Oxford for five years. This seems true because he got permission to travel and study at Oxford in 1380.

By 1390, he earned a Bachelor's degree in church law from the University of Avignon in France. He continued his studies there, getting a doctorate in church law sometime between 1401 and 1410. Thomas also helped with the founding of the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 1412. He was even named in the special permissions given to the new university by Avignon Pope Benedict XIII in 1413.

Leading the Maybole Church

The ruins of the old church in Maybole (2005). It was dedicated to St Mary.

In 1388, a letter from Avignon Pope Clement VII mentioned that Thomas was the "provost" of the church of St Mary in Maybole. A provost is like the head priest or leader of a church.

The special church in Maybole was started around 1382. It was founded by John Kennedy, Lord of Dunure. This church had a provost, two chaplains (other priests), and a clerk. Thomas de Buittle was the vicar (another type of priest) there. It's possible he was the most senior priest when it became a special church. Thomas is the first provost we know of for Maybole.

He also held another church job in Lochrutton in 1388. He was expected to leave that job after getting the Maybole position. Thomas stayed as provost of Maybole until at least 1401. He might have kept the job until he became the Bishop of Galloway in 1415.

Becoming Archdeacon of Galloway

Pope Benedict XIII, who Thomas worked for and was supported by.

In 1391, the Pope appointed Thomas to be the Archdeacon of Galloway. An archdeacon is a senior church official who helps the bishop manage the diocese.

At first, another person, Patrick Smerles, was in that job "unlawfully." Thomas had to go through a legal process to take the position. He was allowed to keep his jobs at Maybole and Lochrutton at the same time. By 1394, Thomas was firmly in charge as Archdeacon. During his time as Archdeacon, the church of Penninghame became a part of his office, which meant he received income from it.

Working for the Pope

Thomas spent much of the early 1400s outside Scotland. He worked for the Pope in Avignon, France. These jobs helped him earn money.

In 1398, he traded his job at Maybole for the church of Kirkcolm. However, a group called Sweetheart Abbey briefly took this church from him. Thomas got it back with the Pope's help in 1410. He also tried to get other church jobs, like the one in Dundonald and Abernyte, but these didn't work out.

He did successfully get jobs at the church of Kinkell and a special position in Elgin Cathedral. When he visited Scotland in 1412, he was called an "auditor of the sacred apostolic palace." This was a very high-ranking job working directly for the Pope. He returned to the Pope's court in Spain and handled many important tasks for the Pope and for people in Scotland.

Becoming Bishop of Galloway

As a reward for his loyal service, Thomas was made the Bishop of Galloway. This happened on June 14, 1415. At this time, only Scotland, Sicily, Aragon, and Castile recognized this Pope.

The local church leaders had chosen someone else, Gilbert Cavan, to be bishop. Gilbert was a clerk for the powerful Earl of Douglas. But Pope Benedict chose Thomas instead. This decision probably went against the wishes of the Douglas family.

Thomas then gave up his Archdeacon job in Galloway, and Gilbert Cavan took his place. Gilbert also received some of Thomas's previous church holdings as a form of payment. Some people thought Thomas stopped supporting Pope Benedict in 1415, but this was based on a misunderstanding.

It's not clear if Thomas became bishop easily, especially with possible opposition from the Douglas family. In September 1415, a special order was sent to protect Thomas and future bishops. This order was about their ownership of certain lands in the Galloway area. After this, there were no more reports of problems.

Thomas was later seen in Perth in 1416. He was helping Bishop Henry de Wardlaw of St Andrews with a request from the Council of Constance. This showed that loyalty to the Avignon Pope was weakening in Scotland.

Bishop Thomas seemed to be getting sick by 1420. He couldn't attend a church meeting in Perth that year, but he sent someone to represent him. He passed away sometime between July 1420 and December 1422. Alexander Vaus became the new Bishop of Galloway after him. Historians believe Thomas likely died in 1422.