Walter de Gray

Walter de Gray
Archbishop of York
Tomb of Archbishop de Gray in York Minster
Elected	10 November 1215
Term 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
Parents	John de Gray


Lord Chancellor
In office 1205–1214
Monarch	John of England
Preceded by	Hubert Walter
Succeeded by	Richard Marsh

Walter de Gray or Walter de Grey^[1] (died 1 May 1255) was an English prelate and statesman who was Archbishop of York from 1215 to 1255. He was Lord Chancellor under King John.

Life

Gray was the son of John de Gray, of Eaton in Norfolk and nephew of John de Gray, Bishop of Norwich.^[2] His birth year is not recorded, nor is his age when he died, but according to the historian Lee Wyatt, Gray was likely born around 1180. This assumes that in 1214 he was at least 30, the earliest legal age for consecration as a bishop, which would mean he was not born after 1184. Likewise, it is unlikely he was much older than 80 when he died, which gives an earliest possible birth year of 1175.^[3] His sister, Hawise, married the Justiciar of England, Sir Philip Basset. He studied at Oxford University where he was tutored by Edmund of Abingdon.^[4]

Gray was a favourite of King John of England, who appointed him Lord Chancellor in 1205,^[5] having paid John 5000 marks for the office.^[4] He was named Bishop of Lichfield in 1210,^[6] but was never consecrated as bishop there. Gray was then elected Bishop of Worcester on 20 January 1214,^[7] after resigning as Chancellor in October 1214.^[5] His consecration as Bishop of Worcester took place on 5 October 1214.^[7] Gray was present at the signing of Magna Carta in June 1215. While he was away from England on a royal mission, he was appointed Archbishop of York, being elected on 10 November 1215^[8] through the influence of John and Innocent III. John had wanted Walter, but the canons of York felt that Walter was ill-educated, and elected Simon Langton, brother of Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury. John objected, and wrote to Innocent III complaining of the election of the brother of one of his staunchest enemies, with which Innocent agreed.^[9] However, Gray eventually paid more than £10,000 to the Pope in various fees to get his election confirmed.^[10] Walter attended the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.^[11]

Gray was an important royal official during the minority of Henry III, who often posted him as a diplomatic envoy. Henry also named Gray as guardian of England when the King went to France in 1242.^[4] In 1252, Walter hosted King Henry and King Alexander III of Scotland for the Christmas feasts at York, which event cost the archbishop ₤2500.^[12] 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 and purchased the village of Bishopthorpe, which became the residence of the Archbishop of York.^[4] He also endowed the church at Ripon.^[13]

Gray held a series of councils in his diocese from 1241 to 1255 which endeavoured 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 endow 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.^[4]

In 1255, Gray visited London to attend a meeting of parliament, and died at Fulham on 1 May 1255.^[2]^[7] He was buried on 15 May 1255 at York Minster.^[4]

Gray's three nephews were William Langton (or Rotherfield) who was Dean of York who was elected Archbishop of York but never consecrated, and Walter le Breton and Walter de Gray, who were canons of York.^[2]

Citations

↑ "And the Word was made Flesh and lived among us". York Minster. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
1 2 3 Greenway Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 6: York: Archbishops
↑ Wyatt "Making of an Archbishop" Seven Studies p. 65
1 2 3 4 5 6 Haines "Gray, Walter de" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
1 2 Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 84
↑ Greenway Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 2: Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces): Worcester: Bishops
1 2 3 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 p. 174
↑ Moorman Church Life p. 237
↑ Moorman Church Life p. 175
↑ Moorman Church Life 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.
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.
Greenway, Diana E. (1971). Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 2: Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces): Worcester: Bishops. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 15 September 2007.
Greenway, Diana E. (1999). Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300: Volume 6: York: Archbishops. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 15 September 2007.
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.
Moorman, John R. H. (1955). Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century (Revised ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. OCLC 213820968.
Wyatt, Lee (1983). "The Making of an Archbishop: The Early Career of Walter de Gray 1205-1215". In Bowers, Richard H. Seven Studies in Medieval English History and Other Historical Essays Presented to Harold S. Snellgrove. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi. pp. 65–74. ISBN 0-87805-183-X.

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 of Worcester
Early Medieval	Bosel Oftfor Egwin of Evesham Wilfrith (I) Milred Waermund Tilhere Heathured Denebeorht Heahbeorht Ealhhun Werferth Æthelhun Wilfrith (II) Koenwald St Dunstan St Oswald Ealdwulf
High Medieval	Wulfstan (I) Leofsige Beorhtheah Lyfing Ælfric Puttoc Lyfing Ealdred St Wulfstan (II) Samson Theulf Simon John de Pageham Alured Roger Baldwin of Forde William of Northall Robert FitzRalph Henry de Sully John of Coutances Mauger Randulf of Evesham Walter de Gray Sylvester William de Blois Walter de Cantilupe Nicholas of Ely Godfrey Giffard
Late Medieval	John St German William Gainsborough Walter Reynolds Walter Maidstone Thomas Cobham Wulstan Bransford Adam Orleton Simon Montacute Thomas Hemenhale Wulstan Bransford John of Thoresby Reginald Brian John Barnet William Whittlesey William Lenn Walter Lyghe Henry Wakefield Robert Tideman of Winchcombe Richard Clifford Thomas Peverel Philip Morgan Thomas Polton Thomas Brunce Thomas Bourchier John Carpenter ("Bishop of Worcester and Westbury") John Alcock Robert Morton Giovanni de' Gigli
Early modern	Silvestro de' Gigli Girolamo Ghinucci Hugh Latimer John Bell Nicholas Heath John Hooper Nicholas Heath Richard Pate Edwin Sandys Nicholas Bullingham John Whitgift Edmund Freke Richard Fletcher Thomas Bilson Gervase Babington Henry Parry John Thornborough John Prideaux George Morley John Gauden John Earle Robert Skinner Walter Blandford James Fleetwood William Thomas Edward Stillingfleet William Lloyd John Hough Isaac Maddox James Johnson Brownlow North Richard Hurd
Late modern	Folliott Cornewall Robert Carr Henry Pepys Henry Philpott John Perowne Charles Gore Huyshe Yeatman-Biggs Ernest Pearce Arthur Perowne William Wilson Cash Mervyn Charles-Edwards Robin Woods Philip Goodrich Peter Selby John Inge

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 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 Connor Magee William Maclagan Cosmo Lang William Temple Cyril Garbett Michael Ramsey Donald Coggan Stuart Blanch John Habgood David Hope John Sentamu

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