Alexander de Kininmund (died 1380)

Alexander de Kininmund
Bishop of Aberdeen
Church Roman Catholic Church
See Diocese of Aberdeen
In Office 1355–1380
Predecessor John de Rate
Successor Adam de Tyninghame
Orders
Consecration 1356
Personal details
Born Early-Mid 1300s
Scotland.
Died 1380
Scone
Previous post Archdeacon of Aberdeen

Alexander de Kininmund was a 14th century Scottish cleric. Although it is not known which one, it is known that in his youth he went to university and achieved a Licentiate in the Arts.[1]

Contents

Career

He was made Dean of Brechin Cathedral in 1350,[2] leaving this post in 1352 to become Archdeacon of Aberdeen.[3] It was the later position that enabled him, after the death of Bishop John de Rate in either late 1354 or early 1355, to be elected as the new Bishop of Aberdeen.[4]

Upon receiving the request for confirmation by the new bishop and the chapter of Aberdeen, the Pope declared that he had previously reserved the see for his own choice and declared the election void. The Pope nevertheless supported the decision of the chapter and appointed Alexander as bishop on 4 December 1355.[4] He was consecrated before 12 July 1356;[2] according to Hector Boece, this took place at Perth in the presence of the king.[5] Boece also wrote that King David II of Scotland had written to the chapter of Aberdeen requesting that they elect a French follower of his by the name of Nicholas, but that the chapter refused to accommodate this suggestion.[5]

Pawn

Alexander was one of the proctors appointed for the ransom of King David in 1357, after the latter had been taken as a hostage by the English crown at the Battle of Neville's Cross eleven years earlier.[5] In 1362, King David granted the bishopric some land in the County of Banff to augment the income of a canon who in return would say mass for the souls of King David and his ancestors.[5] Bishop Alexander died on 29 July 1380, and was buried before the altar of Aberdeen Cathedral.[1] According to Hector Boece, he was at Scone when he died.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Dowden, Bishops of Scotland, p. 116.
  2. ^ a b Watt, Fasti Ecclesiae, p. 43.
  3. ^ Watt, Fasti Ecclesiae, p. 18.
  4. ^ a b Dowden, Bishops of Scotland, p. 115; Watt, Fasti Ecclesiae, p. 43.
  5. ^ a b c d Dowden, Bishops of Scotland, p. 115

References

Religious titles
Preceded by
John de Rait		 Archdeacon of Aberdeen
x 1352–1355		 Succeeded by
John Barbour
Preceded by
John de Rait		 Bishop of Aberdeen
1355–1380		 Succeeded by
Adam de Tyninghame
Bishops of Mortlach
Pre-Reformation
Church of Scotland