Alien priory
Encyclopedia
Alien priories were religious establishments in England
, such as a monastery or convent, which were under the control of another religious house outside of England. Usually the mother-house was located in France.
They were established in England under the first kings of the Norman dynasty
, but they soon became settlements of foreign monks, whose sympathies naturally centred in their homes across the seas, and whose main duties were the collecting and guarding of English rents and tithe
s that were sent year by year out of the kingdom to the parent house.
King John was the first to seize the alien priories, compelling them to pay into the royal treasury the sums or tribute — usually termed apport — which they had been forwarding to the continent. In 1294, when King Edward I of England
was at war with France, many of the alien priories were seized, numbering about a hundred, and used their revenues to pay for the war. In order to prevent the foreign monks in southern coastal areas giving possible help to invaders, he deported many of them to other religious houses that were twenty or more miles from the coast.
King Edward II of England
subsequently followed this example, taking the alien priories into his own hands, but he not infrequently appointed their priors custodians for a consideration, obliging them to pay to the Crown the apport due to their superiors.
When Edward III
came to the throne he restored many of the alien priories to their original owners and waived the arrears of payments due to the Crown. But ten years later, when war broke out again with France, he reverted to the policy of his predecessors, and again seized the property of these French aliens. For twenty-three years these foreign houses remained in his hands; but with the peace of 1361 most of them were restored, only to be again sequestrated eight years later when the war was renewed. In the time of Richard II
the alien priories continued mostly in the hands of the Crown.
In 1378, all the monks in alien priories were expelled.
They finally came to an end under Henry V
in 1414. Those that had not been already assigned with the Pope's assent to other religious purposes, were finally suppressed by the Parliament of Leicester, and their revenues taken into the king's hands. The Crown however in most cases transferred the property to other monasteries.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, such as a monastery or convent, which were under the control of another religious house outside of England. Usually the mother-house was located in France.
They were established in England under the first kings of the Norman dynasty
Norman dynasty
Norman dynasty is the usual designation for the family that were the Dukes of Normandy and the English monarchs which immediately followed the Norman conquest and lasted until the Plantagenet dynasty came to power in 1154. It included Rollo and his descendants, and from William the Conqueror and...
, but they soon became settlements of foreign monks, whose sympathies naturally centred in their homes across the seas, and whose main duties were the collecting and guarding of English rents and tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s that were sent year by year out of the kingdom to the parent house.
King John was the first to seize the alien priories, compelling them to pay into the royal treasury the sums or tribute — usually termed apport — which they had been forwarding to the continent. In 1294, when King Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
was at war with France, many of the alien priories were seized, numbering about a hundred, and used their revenues to pay for the war. In order to prevent the foreign monks in southern coastal areas giving possible help to invaders, he deported many of them to other religious houses that were twenty or more miles from the coast.
King Edward II of England
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
subsequently followed this example, taking the alien priories into his own hands, but he not infrequently appointed their priors custodians for a consideration, obliging them to pay to the Crown the apport due to their superiors.
When Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
came to the throne he restored many of the alien priories to their original owners and waived the arrears of payments due to the Crown. But ten years later, when war broke out again with France, he reverted to the policy of his predecessors, and again seized the property of these French aliens. For twenty-three years these foreign houses remained in his hands; but with the peace of 1361 most of them were restored, only to be again sequestrated eight years later when the war was renewed. In the time of Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
the alien priories continued mostly in the hands of the Crown.
In 1378, all the monks in alien priories were expelled.
They finally came to an end under Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
in 1414. Those that had not been already assigned with the Pope's assent to other religious purposes, were finally suppressed by the Parliament of Leicester, and their revenues taken into the king's hands. The Crown however in most cases transferred the property to other monasteries.