William Sinclair (bishop) facts for kids
William Sinclair (who died in 1337) was an important church leader in the 1300s. He became a bishop of Dunkeld, which is a high-ranking position in the church. William was part of a well-known family. His parents were Amicia de Roskelyn and Sir William Sinclair, who was the Baron of Roslin. He also had a brother, Sir Henry Sinclair.
Becoming a Bishop
After Bishop Matthew de Crambeth passed away in 1309, William Sinclair was chosen to take his place. This was a big deal! The very next year, on February 24, 1310, William was one of twelve Scottish bishops who promised to be loyal to King Robert the Bruce. This promise of loyalty is called "fealty."
A Challenge to His Role
However, King Edward II of England had a different person in mind for the bishop role: John de Leck. So, William had to travel to the Holy See (which is the Pope's main office in Rome) to argue for his position. John de Leck also went there to challenge William's election. Because of this argument, the diocese of Dunkeld (the area a bishop oversees) was left without a bishop for three years.
Pope Clement V asked Cardinal James to help decide who should be bishop. But the problem mostly solved itself! On May 22, 1311, John de Leck was given a new, important job as the Archbishopric of Dublin. When John de Leck officially started his new role on July 20, he dropped his claim to be Bishop of Dunkeld.
William's Consecration
With John de Leck out of the way, the Pope officially said that William's election was proper and fair. The Pope then sent William to Cardinal Berengar Fredol to be officially made a bishop. This special ceremony is called "consecration."
William's Political Life
On February 3, 1313, King Edward II of England gave William a "safe-conduct" pass. This meant William could travel through England safely on his way back to Scotland. However, King Edward wanted William to help him with political matters in return.
William often witnessed King Robert the Bruce's official documents, called "charters." This showed he was close to the King. But William also attended the coronation of Edward Balliol on September 24, 1332. A coronation is a ceremony where someone is crowned king. William also went to Edward Balliol's parliaments, which were meetings where important decisions were made.
William Sinclair passed away on June 27, 1337. He was buried in the choir (the part of the church where the singers sit) of Dunkeld Cathedral.
