Jonathan of Dunblane
Encyclopedia
Jonathan was a was churchman and prelate active in late twelfth- and early thirteenth century Strathearn
, in the Kingdom of Scotland
. He was the Bishop of Dunblane
during the time of Gille Brigte of Strathearn
, and it was during Jonathan's episcopate that Gille Brigte founded an Augustinian priory
at Inchaffray.
found in three documents in the later 12th century, documents dating 1178 × 1197, 1191 × 1194 and 1195 × 1198 respectively; an Archdeacon Andrew is attested in the office in a charter of Cambuskenneth Abbey
datable to 1165 × 1171, while a successor (John) is attested holding the office of archdeacon 1195 × 1199.
It was almost certainly Archdeacon Jonathan who in became Bishop of Strathearn or Dunblane
sometime between 1195 and 1198. The date comes from the fact that he witnessed a charter also witnessed by Gilla Christ, the son of the Earl of Strathearn
who died in 1198. He witnessed another charter before 1199, one also witnessed by Matthew
(died 1199), Bishop of Aberdeen
.
His episcopate fell entirely in the reign of Gille Brigte
, the mormaer
("earl") or ruler of the province of Strathearn
; Jonathan was also the bishop whose episcopate saw the foundation of the Priory of Inchaffray, c. 1200, which took a large proportion of the diocese of Dunblane
's churches (and hence revenue) out of the bishopric's control.
In the 1440s, Walter Bower
wrote in his Scotichronicon
that Gille Brígte:
, who had given the house there its first endowment. Cynthia Neville thought that Jonathan may even have pushed for the foundation of an Augustinian house at this location, in an effort to reform the older Scottish church there.
with Roger de Beaumont
(died 1202), Bishop of St Andrews. In 1203, Jonathan acted as a papal judge-delegate
along with the Bishop of Dunkeld
, in order to resolve a dispute between the Abbot of Dunfermline
and the Abbot of Cambuskenneth
over the teinds of the church of Eccles (St Ninians, Stirling
); the matter was not resolved in Jonathan's consistorial court, and it was committed to five papal mandatories.
The Scotichronicon
of Walter Bower
claimed that he died in 1210. He was buried at Inchaffray Abbey.
Strathearn
Strathearn or Strath Earn is the strath of the River Earn, in Scotland. It extends from Loch Earn in Perth and Kinross to the River Tay....
, in the Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
. He was the Bishop of Dunblane
Bishop of Dunblane
The Bishop of Dunblane or Bishop of Strathearn was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunblane/Strathearn, one of medieval Scotland's thirteen bishoprics. It was based at Dunblane Cathedral, now a parish church of the Church of Scotland. The bishopric itself certainly derives from an older...
during the time of Gille Brigte of Strathearn
Gille Brigte, Earl of Strathearn
Gille Brigte of Strathearn is the third known Mormaer of Strathearn. He is one of the most famous of the Strathearn mormaers. He succeeded his father Ferchar in 1171. He is often known by the Francization of his name, Gilbert, or by various anglicizations, such as Gilbride, Gilbridge, etc...
, and it was during Jonathan's episcopate that Gille Brigte founded an Augustinian priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
at Inchaffray.
Archdeacon & bishop
There was a Jonathan as Archdeacon of DunblaneArchdeacon of Dunblane
The Archdeacon of Dunblane was the only archdeacon in the Diocese of Dunblane, acting as a deputy of the Bishop of Dunblane. The first archdeacon, Andrew , was called "Archdeacon of Modhel" ; archdeacons Jonathan, Gilbert and Luke were styled "Archdeacon of Dunblane", while John and Duncan were...
found in three documents in the later 12th century, documents dating 1178 × 1197, 1191 × 1194 and 1195 × 1198 respectively; an Archdeacon Andrew is attested in the office in a charter of Cambuskenneth Abbey
Cambuskenneth Abbey
Cambuskenneth Abbey is a ruined Augustinian monastery located on an area of land enclosed by a meander of the River Forth near Stirling in Scotland. The abbey is largely reduced to its foundations. The neighbouring modern village of Cambuskenneth is named after it.Cambuskenneth Abbey was founded...
datable to 1165 × 1171, while a successor (John) is attested holding the office of archdeacon 1195 × 1199.
It was almost certainly Archdeacon Jonathan who in became Bishop of Strathearn or Dunblane
Dunblane
Dunblane is a small cathedral city and former burgh north of Stirling in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The town is situated off the A9 road, on the way north to Perth. Its main landmark is Dunblane Cathedral and the Allan Water runs through the town centre, with the Cathedral and the High...
sometime between 1195 and 1198. The date comes from the fact that he witnessed a charter also witnessed by Gilla Christ, the son of the Earl of Strathearn
Earl of Strathearn
The Mormaer of Strathearn or Earl of Strathearn was a provincial ruler in medieval Scotland. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mormaer, Maol Íosa I is mentioned by Ailred of Rievaulx as leading native Scots in the...
who died in 1198. He witnessed another charter before 1199, one also witnessed by Matthew
Matthew the Scot
Matthew the Scot was a 13th century Scottish cleric. Matthew had been the Chancellor of Scotland in the late reign of king Alexander II of Scotland. He was appointed in 1227 after the death of Thomas, Archdeacon of Lothian...
(died 1199), Bishop of Aberdeen
Bishop of Aberdeen
The Bishop of Aberdeen was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Nechtan...
.
Foundation of Inchaffray
Gille Brigte, Earl of Strathearn
Gille Brigte of Strathearn is the third known Mormaer of Strathearn. He is one of the most famous of the Strathearn mormaers. He succeeded his father Ferchar in 1171. He is often known by the Francization of his name, Gilbert, or by various anglicizations, such as Gilbride, Gilbridge, etc...
, the mormaer
Mormaer
The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a toisech.-Origin:...
("earl") or ruler of the province of Strathearn
Strathearn
Strathearn or Strath Earn is the strath of the River Earn, in Scotland. It extends from Loch Earn in Perth and Kinross to the River Tay....
; Jonathan was also the bishop whose episcopate saw the foundation of the Priory of Inchaffray, c. 1200, which took a large proportion of the diocese of Dunblane
Diocese of Dunblane
The Diocese of Dunblane or Diocese of Strathearn was one of the thirteen historical dioceses of Scotland, before the abolition of episcopacy in the Scottish Church in 1689. Roughly, it embraced the territories covered by the old earldoms of Strathearn and Menteith. The diocese was founded by the...
's churches (and hence revenue) out of the bishopric's control.
In the 1440s, Walter Bower
Walter Bower
Walter Bower , Scottish chronicler, was born about 1385 at Haddington, East Lothian.He was abbot of Inchcolm Abbey from 1418, was one of the commissioners for the collection of the ransom of James I, King of Scots, in 1423 and 1424, and in 1433 one of the embassy to Paris on the business of the...
wrote in his Scotichronicon
Scotichronicon
The Scotichronicon is a 15th-century chronicle or legendary account, by the Scottish historian Walter Bower. It is a continuation of historian-priest John of Fordun's earlier work Chronica Gentis Scotorum beginning with the founding of Scotland of mediaeval legend, by Scota with Goídel...
that Gille Brígte:
Divided his earldom into three equal portions. One he gave to the church and bishop of Dunblane, the second to St John the Evangelist and the canons of Inchaffray, the third he kept for himself and his own needs.Despite the loss as perceived generations later, Bishop Jonathan witnessed the foundation charter of the new monastic house. Moreover, Bishop Jonathan issued his own confirmation of the foundation, expressing his joy at the piety of the mormaer, and declared that
In encouraging the foundation of this monastic house, he was merely following the wishes of his secular patron as well as the actions of his predecessor Simon
locus quo uocator lingua scottica Inche affren ad exercitum sancti religionis in perpetuam deputetur que secundum sancti augustini regulam inuiolabiliter obseruetur. "the place called in the Gaelic language Inche Affren is assigned forever to the exercise of religion according to the rule of St Augustine".
Simon of Dunblane
Simon is the third known 12th century Bishop of Dunblane. Nothing is known of Simon's background; there are numerous Simons in Scotland in this period, both native and foreign...
, who had given the house there its first endowment. Cynthia Neville thought that Jonathan may even have pushed for the foundation of an Augustinian house at this location, in an effort to reform the older Scottish church there.
Remaining episcopate
Jonathan witnessed a charter of Lindores AbbeyLindores Abbey
Lindores Abbey was a Tironensian abbey on the outskirts of Newburgh in Fife, Scotland. Now a much reduced and overgrown ruin, it lies on the southern banks of the River Tay, about north of the village of Lindores....
with Roger de Beaumont
Roger de Beaumont (bishop)
Roger de Beaumont was Bishop of St Andrews .-Life:He was the son of Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester. Roger's position as a younger son of the Earl of Leicester meant that Roger had to seek a fortune elsewhere, and did so withiin the church...
(died 1202), Bishop of St Andrews. In 1203, Jonathan acted as a papal judge-delegate
Papal judge-delegate
A papal judge delegate was a type of judicial appointment created during the 12th century by the medieval papacy where the pope would designate a local judge, often an ecclesiastic, to decide a case that had been appealed to the papal court....
along with the Bishop of Dunkeld
Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac...
, in order to resolve a dispute between the Abbot of Dunfermline
Abbot of Dunfermline
The Prior, then Abbot and then Commendator of Dunfermline was the head of the Benedictine monastic community of Dunfermline Abbey, Fife, Scotland. The abbey itself was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland, but was of earlier origin. King Máel Coluim mac Donnchada had founded a church there...
and the Abbot of Cambuskenneth
Abbot of Cambuskenneth
The Abbot of Cambuskenneth or Abbot of Stirling was the head of the Arrouaisian monastic community of Cambuskenneth Abbey, near Stirling...
over the teinds of the church of Eccles (St Ninians, Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
); the matter was not resolved in Jonathan's consistorial court, and it was committed to five papal mandatories.
The Scotichronicon
Scotichronicon
The Scotichronicon is a 15th-century chronicle or legendary account, by the Scottish historian Walter Bower. It is a continuation of historian-priest John of Fordun's earlier work Chronica Gentis Scotorum beginning with the founding of Scotland of mediaeval legend, by Scota with Goídel...
of Walter Bower
Walter Bower
Walter Bower , Scottish chronicler, was born about 1385 at Haddington, East Lothian.He was abbot of Inchcolm Abbey from 1418, was one of the commissioners for the collection of the ransom of James I, King of Scots, in 1423 and 1424, and in 1433 one of the embassy to Paris on the business of the...
claimed that he died in 1210. He was buried at Inchaffray Abbey.