Walter de Gray

Walter de Gray
Archbishop of York
Tomb of Gray in York Minster
Province	York
Diocese	Diocese of York
See	Archbishop of York
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	Eaton, Norwich, Norfolk
Died	1 May 1255 Fulham
Buried	York Minster
Nationality	English
Parents	John de Gray

Walter de Gray (died 1 May 1255) was an English prelate and statesman who rose to be Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor.

Life

Gray was the son of John de Gray the Elder of Eaton in Norfolk and nephew of John de Gray (the Younger), Bishop of Norwich.^[1] His sister, Hawise, married the Justiciar of England, Philip Basset. He studied at the University of Oxford, attending lectures by Edmund of Abingdon.^[2]

Gray was a favorite of King John of England, who named him Lord Chancellor in 1205,^[3] having paid John 5000 marks for the office.^[2] He was named Bishop of Lichfield in 1210,^[4] but was not consecrated as bishop there. Gray was then elected Bishop of Worcester on 20 January 1214,^[5] and resigned as chancellor in October 1214.^[3] His consecration as Bishop of Worcester took place on 5 October 1214.^[5] Gray was present at the signing of Magna Carta in June 1215. While he was away from England on an errand for the king, he was appointed Archbishop of York, being elected on 10 November 1215^[6] through the influence of John and Pope Innocent III. John had wanted Walter, but, the canons of York felt that Walter was uneducated, and selected Simon Langton, brother of Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury instead. John objected, and wrote to Innocent III complaining of the election of the brother of one of his staunchest enemies, and Innocent agreed.^[7] However, Walter in the end paid more than ₤10,000 to the pope in various fees to get his election confirmed.^[8] Walter attended the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.^[9]

Gray was an important royal official during the minority of Henry III, who often sent him on diplomatic missions. Henry also named Gray as guardian of England when the king went to France in 1242.^[2] In 1252, Walter hosted King Henry and King Alexander III of Scotland for the Christmas feasts at York, which event cost the archbishop ₤2500.^[10] Gray attempted to assert his archiepiscopal authority over Scotland, which not only resisted by the Scots but by the Archbishops of Canterbury. Gray had little success in defending his rights to Scotland against either adversary. Gray built the south transept of York Minster purchased the village of Bishopthorpe, which became the residence of the archbishop of York.^[2] He also donated to the church at Ripon.^[11]

Gray held a series of councils in his diocese from 1241 to 1255 which endeavored to enforce clerical celibacy, keep benefices from being inherited, and improve the education and morals of the clergy. He gave generously to his cathedral and other churches, as well as working to endown vicarages. He visited many of the monasteries of his diocese and helped those that were in financial difficulties. He also oversaw the translation of Wilfrid's remains to a new shrine at Ripon.^[2]

In 1255, Gray visited London to attend a meeting of parliament, and died at Fulham on the 1 May 1255.^[1]^[5] He was buried on 15 May 1255 at York Minster.^[2]

Gray's three nephews were William Langton (or Rotherfield) who was Dean of York and was elected archbishop of York but never consecrated, and Walter le Breton and Walter de Grey, who were canons of York.^[1]

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c British History Online Archbishops of York accessed on 15 September 2007
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Haines "Gray, Walter de (d. 1255)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
^ ^a ^b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 84
^ British History Online Bishops of Worcester accessed on 15 September 2007
^ ^a ^b ^c Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 279
^ Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 282
^ Bartlett England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings pp. 406-407
^ Moorman Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century p. 174
^ Moorman Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century p. 237
^ Moorman Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century p. 175
^ Moorman Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century p. 204

References

Bartlett, Robert C. (2000). England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings: 1075–1225. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-822741-8.
British History Online Archbishops of York accessed on 15 September 2007
British History Online Bishops of Worcester accessed on 15 September 2007
Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third revised ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
Haines, Roy Martin (2004). "Gray, Walter de (d. 1255)" (Subscription or UK public library membership required). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/11566. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11566.
Moorman, John R. H. (1955). Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century (Revised ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. OCLC 213820968.

Political offices
Preceded by Hubert Walter	Lord Chancellor 1205–1214	Succeeded by Richard Marsh
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Mauger of Worcester	Bishop of Worcester 1214–1216	Succeeded by Sylvester of Worcester
Preceded by Simon Langton	Archbishop of York 1216–1255	Succeeded by Sewal de Bovil

Bishops and Archbishops of York

Pre-Reformation Bishops	Paulinus · Chad · Wilfrid · Bosa · John of Beverley · Wilfrid II

Pre-Reformation Archbishops	Egbert · Æthelbert · Eanbald I · Eanbald II · Wulfsige · Wigmund · Wulfhere · Æthelbald · Hrotheweard · Wulfstan I · Oscytel · Edwald · Oswald · Ealdwulf · Wulfstan II · Ælfric Puttoc · Æthelric · Cynesige · Ealdred · Thomas of Bayeux · Gerard · Thomas II · Thurstan · William FitzHerbert · Henry Murdac · William FitzHerbert · Roger de Pont L'Évêque · Geoffrey Plantagenet · Simon Langton · Walter de Gray · Sewal de Bovil · Godfrey Ludham · William Langton · Bonaventure · Walter Giffard · William de Wickwane · John le Romeyn · Henry of Newark · Thomas of Corbridge · William Greenfield · William Melton · William Zouche · John of Thoresby · Alexander Neville · Thomas Arundel · Robert Waldby · Richard le Scrope · Thomas Langley · Robert Hallam · Henry Bowet · Philip Morgan · Richard Fleming · John Kemp · William Booth · George Neville · Lawrence Booth · Thomas Rotherham · Thomas Savage · Christopher Bainbridge · Thomas Wolsey

Post-Reformation Archbishops	Edward Lee · Robert Holgate · Nicholas Heath · Thomas Young · Edmund Grindal · Edwin Sandys · John Piers · Matthew Hutton · Tobias Matthew · George Montaigne · Samuel Harsnett · Richard Neile · John Williams · Accepted Frewen · Richard Sterne · John Dolben · Thomas Lamplugh · John Sharp · Sir William Dawes Bt · Lancelot Blackburne · Thomas Herring · Matthew Hutton · John Gilbert · Robert Hay Drummond · William Markham · Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt · Thomas Musgrave · Charles Longley · William Thomson · William Magee · William Maclagan · Cosmo Lang · William Temple · Cyril Garbett · Michael Ramsey · Donald Coggan · Stuart Blanch · John Habgood · David Hope · John Sentamu

Persondata
Name	Gray, Walter de
Alternative names
Short description	Lord Chancellor; Bishop of Worcester; Archbishop of York
Date of birth
Place of birth	Eaton, Norwich, Norfolk
Date of death	1 May 1255
Place of death	Fulham