Walter de Gray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walter de Gray
Archbishop of York
Tomb of Archbishop de Gray in York Minster
Elected	10 November 1215
Reign ended	1 May 1255
Predecessor	Geoffrey Plantagenet
Successor	Sewal de Bovil
Other posts	Bishop of Lichfield Bishop of Worcester
Orders
Consecration	5 October 1214
Personal details
Birth name	Walter de Gray
Born	c. 1180 Eaton, Norwich, Norfolk
Died	1 May 1255 Fulham
Buried	York Minster
Parents	John de Gray

Walter de Gray (died 1 May 1255) was an important English church leader and government official. He served as the Archbishop of York from 1215 to 1255. Before that, he was the Lord Chancellor of England from 1205 to 1214. The Lord Chancellor was a very powerful position, like a chief minister to the king.

Walter de Gray was a nephew of John de Gray, who was also a bishop and worked for King John of England. Walter de Gray was a strong supporter of King John. He was even there when the famous Magna Carta was signed in 1215. Later, he continued to serve King Henry III, John's son. Walter de Gray was also very active in his church duties. He passed away in 1255 and was buried in York Minster, where his tomb can still be seen today.

Who Was Walter de Gray?

Walter de Gray was born around 1180 in Eaton, a village near Norwich in Norfolk. His father was also named John de Gray. We don't know his exact birth year. However, he had to be at least 30 years old to become a bishop. This means he was likely born no later than 1184. He also probably wasn't much older than 80 when he died.

Walter de Gray studied at the University of Oxford. He listened to lectures by a famous teacher named Edmund of Abingdon. It's not clear if he earned a degree there.

Working for King John

Walter de Gray was a favorite of King John. The king appointed him as his Lord Chancellor in 1205. This was a very important job, overseeing many government tasks. To get this position, Walter de Gray paid King John a large sum of money.

King John had many disagreements with the Pope. In 1209, the Pope excommunicated King John. This meant the Pope officially kicked him out of the church. Walter de Gray was one of the king's supporters who tried to delay this announcement in England.

In 1213, King John made a deal with the Pope. He agreed to become a vassal of the Pope. This meant he would rule England as a loyal servant to the Pope. Walter de Gray went with the king to Dover for this event.

Becoming a Bishop

Walter de Gray was chosen to be the Bishop of Lichfield in 1210. King John really wanted him in this role. One story says that the king's knights locked the church leaders in a room. They supposedly told them they wouldn't be let out until they chose Gray. However, the Pope's representative, Pandulf Verraccio, canceled this election. A second attempt to make him bishop there in 1213 also failed.

Finally, Walter de Gray was chosen as the Bishop of Worcester on 20 January 1214. He had already stepped down as Lord Chancellor in October 1214. He officially became a bishop on 5 October 1214.

In June 1215, Walter de Gray was present when the Magna Carta was issued. This was a very important document that limited the king's power. After this, he traveled outside England. He helped King John find soldiers for his army.

Archbishop of York Election

Walter de Gray was elected Archbishop of York on 10 November 1215. This happened because King John and Pope Innocent III wanted him to have the job. The church leaders in York, called canons, didn't think Walter was well-educated enough. They chose Simon Langton instead. Simon was the brother of Stephen Langton, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury and an enemy of King John.

King John complained to Pope Innocent III about this. The Pope agreed with John. It was said that the Pope finally chose Walter de Gray because he was a virgin. However, Walter de Gray also paid the Pope a lot of money, over 10,000 pounds, to confirm his election. He was at a big church meeting called the Fourth Lateran Council. There, he got the Pope's approval to move to York. He also received his pallium, a special scarf that symbolizes an archbishop's authority.

Serving King Henry III

Walter de Gray was present when King John died. He supported the Pope's representative, Guala Bicchieri. This representative officially removed from the church anyone who opposed the new king, Henry III. Henry was still a child at the time.

King John had been fighting an invasion from Prince Louis of France. Louis had been invited by English nobles who were rebelling against John. Louis continued to try to take the throne even after John died.

Walter de Gray was an important official during Henry III's childhood. He often served as a diplomat, representing the king in other countries. In 1221, he performed the wedding ceremony for Henry's sister, Joan. She married King Alexander II of Scotland.

In 1238, Walter de Gray helped settle a disagreement between the Pope's representative and the University of Oxford. He managed to get a pardon for the university. King Henry also made Gray the guardian of England when the king went to France in 1242. In 1252, Walter de Gray hosted King Henry and King Alexander III of Scotland for Christmas at York. This big event cost the archbishop 2,500 pounds.

As Archbishop of York

Walter de Gray tried to show his authority over Scotland as Archbishop of York. However, the Scots resisted this. The Archbishops of Canterbury also fought against him on this issue. He didn't have much success in gaining control over Scotland.

He also argued with the Archbishops of Canterbury. This was about whether the Archbishops of York could display their special symbols of authority when visiting Canterbury. This disagreement even stopped Walter de Gray from attending King Henry's second coronation in 1220.

Improving the Diocese

Walter de Gray's official records as archbishop are the first to survive at York. He created vicarages in his archdiocese, which are church districts with a priest. He also checked on the monasteries under his control. He worked to improve the money situation of his cathedral's leaders. He gave special clothes and altar equipment to his cathedral.

Walter de Gray bought the village of Bishopthorpe. This place became the home for future Archbishops of York. In 1244, he bought a house in Westminster, London. This house became known as York Place. He also gave money to the church at Ripon. He moved the holy items of Saint Wilfrid to a new shrine there. Besides Ripon, he also helped build churches at Beverley and Southwell.

Building York Minster

During his time as archbishop, the north and south transepts of York Minster were built. A transept is the part of a cross-shaped church that crosses the main body. Work on the south transept started by 1225. Work on the north transept began by 1234. The construction might have finished by 1251.

People traditionally believe that Walter de Gray paid for the south transept. His tomb is located there. The north transept was paid for by John le Romeyn. He was a church official and a close friend of Gray's. The exact reason for building these new transepts is not fully known. However, some believe it was to create a grand place for the shrine of a local saint, William of York. It was also a way for Romeyn and Gray to show their wealth and power.

Church Councils

Walter de Gray held several church meetings in his diocese from 1241 to 1255. These meetings aimed to make sure priests remained unmarried. They also tried to stop church jobs from being passed down in families. He also worked to improve the education and behavior of the clergy (church officials). In 1221, Pope Honorius III wrote to Gray. The Pope ordered him to stop priests from marrying and to make sure they remained unmarried in his archdiocese.

His Final Years and Legacy

In 1255, Walter de Gray went to London for a meeting of parliament. He died in Fulham on 1 May 1255. He was buried on 15 May 1255 at York Minster. His tomb is still there in the south transept. It is made of a type of stone called purbeck marble. It is thought to be the first tomb in England with a canopy over it.

His tomb was repaired in 1967–1968. When his coffin was opened, a painted image was found on the lid. Inside, with his skeleton, were a chalice (a special cup), a paten (a small plate used as a lid for the chalice), a ring, and his crozier (a bishop's staff). Most of his special clothes had decayed. However, a cushion from under his head and two other pieces of cloth were still there. These items were removed before the coffin was sealed again.

Walter de Gray had four nephews who were also church officials. Many other relatives continued to hold important church jobs for many years after him.