Thomas Stewart (abt. 1360 - bef. 1430)

Born about 1360 in Scotland

Ancestors

Died before 23 Sep 1430 before about age 70 in Scotland

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Thomas Stewart was descended from a signer of the Declaration of Arbroath. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

Thomas Stewart is a member of Clan Stewart.

Thomas Stewart is a member of the House of Stewart.

This profile is part of the Stewart Name Study.

Thomas Stewart was a natural son of Robert II and an unknown mistress.^[1] He was born about 1360 (he was an adult in 1380 when he succeeded his brother James as Canon of Glasgow).^[2] In 1375, while a student in the diocese of Glasgow, he received a papal dispensation (necessary because of his illegitimacy) to receive the tonsure, be promoted to holy orders, and receive ecclesiastical benefices.^[3] In 1380 he was appointed both Canon of Glasgow and Archdeacon of St Andrews.^[2][4] Three years later he also became Canon of Dunkeld.^[2] In 1389 he was appointed Dean of Dunkeld.^[1][2]

The following year he received a papal dispensation allowing him to administer his archdeaconry 'in absentia' for a period of five years, and still continue receiving procurations from it, so that he could pursue studies at a university.^[2] He exchanged the deanship of Dunkeld for the archdeaconship of Brechin and went to Paris to study, sharing a house there with several other Scots.^[2]In 1393 he resigned the archdeaconship of Brechin.^[2] In 1395 he was awarded the title Bachelor of Decreets in Paris.^[2] His dispensation to be absent from his archdeaconry was renewed for another five years, and he also received permission to study and teach civil law in Paris during that time.^[2]

In 1401, with the support of his brother Robert III, he was elected bishop of St Andrews. However, Pope Benedict XIII was not immediately available to confirm his election, and Thomas resigned his right to the position in favor of Walter Danielston.^[2][5][6] In the years following, Thomas Stewart held the following positions:

• 1402 Canon and Prebendary of Dunblane;^[2]
• 1403 Canon and Prebendary of Deer, Aberdeen;^[2]
• 1411/12 Conservator of privilege for (what later became) St Andrews University;^[2]

On 20 July 1430 he bought property in St Andrews, athough he was not to have much time there.^[2] Thomas Stewart, archdeacon of St Andrews, died shortly before 23 September 1430.^[2] At the time of his death he was serving as a papal chaplain.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 1, p. 17.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15} Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed, Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author 2013), vol. 1, p. 644 BRUS 10.iv. (Master) Thomas Stewart.
3. ↑ Bliss, W.H. (ed). Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers Relating to Great Britain and Ireland: Papal Letters. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode for H.M. Stationery Off. (1893), vol. 4, p. 215.
4. ↑ Burns, Charles. Calendar of Papal Letters to Scotland of Clement VII of Avignon 1378-1394. Scottish Historical Society 4th ser, vol. 12, p. 41.
5. ↑ Burnett, George. Rotuli Scaccarii Regum Scotorum (The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland). Edinburgh: H.M. General Register House (1880), vol. 4, appendix to preface, pp. clxvi-clxvii.
6. ↑ Reeves, W., Goodall, W., & Gordon, J.F.S. (eds). The Scotichronicon. United Kingdom: Tweed (1867), vol. 1, pp. 205-206.

See Also:

• Birch, W. de G. Catalogue of Seals in the....British Museum. London: the Trustees (1895), vol. 4, p. 64. (seal of Thomas Stewart, son of Robert II)

• Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 169.