Thomas of Corbridge

Infobox Archbishop of York
name = Thomas of Corbridge


consecration = 28 February 1300
began = unknown
term_end = 22 September 1304
predecessor = Henry of Newark
successor = William Greenfield
birth_date =
birthplace =
death_date = 22 September 1304
deathplace = Laneham, Nottinghamshire
tomb = Southwell Minster

Thomas of Corbridge was Archbishop of York between 1299 and 1304.

Life

Some sources state that his grandfather was the master-carpenter in charge of building the transepts of York Minster,Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 158] others state that nothing is known of his ancestry. He probably came from Corbridge, Northumberland.Smith "Corbridge, Thomas of (d. 1304)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6303 Online Edition] accessed 12 November 2007] He was a canon of York before 11 September 1277 and held the prebend of Osbaldwick. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=617 British History Online Prebends of Stillington] accessed on 22 September 2007] He was a Doctor of Theology, probably from Oxford University. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8457 British History Online Archbishops of York] accessed on 22 September 2007] He was appointed Chancellor of York by 17 February 1280, but resigned the office on 16 June 1290 when he was appointed to the chapel of St Mary and Holy Angels, but was obstructed from that office. He then attempted to resume the office of chancellor, but the office had already been assigned to another priest and he was excommunicated by Archbishop John le Romeyn of York on 31 July 1290. Eventually he gained control of the chapel and the excommunication was lifted on 24 March 1291. [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8065 British History Online Chancellors of York] accessed on 22 September 2007]

He was elected archbishop of York on 12 November 1299.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 282] Traveling to Rome for confirmation and the pallium, his election was set aside by Pope Boniface VIII who promptly provided him to the see and consecrated Thomas himself on 28 February 1300. Thomas was given the temporalities of the see on 30 April 1300.

In July of 1301, Thomas sent notice from Bradford to the prioress of Kirklees Priory that he intended to visit the house the very next day. This is the only instance of the archbishop's intention to visit a house at short notice on this particular tour of office. It could suggest that Thomas felt the need to check on the state of Kirklees. It may have had something to do with the court case involving Alice le Mousters, the prioress at that time, Elizabeth de Hopton, a nun, and Robert Illewylly.

He died on 22 September 1304 at Laneham in Nottinghamshire. He died right after having been admonished and punished by King Edward I of England, because the archbishop had not put the king's nominee into a clerical post for which there was also a papal nominee. Walter of Gusiborough, the chronicler, felt that the king's treatment of the archbishop so scared the archbishop that Thomas fell sick and died as a result.Prestwich "Edward I" p. 547] During the four and a half years that Thomas was archbishop, he never left his diocese except for parliaments because he was so busy visiting his diocese.Moorman "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" p. 186] Thomas was buried in Southwell Minster.

Notes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8457 British History Online Archbishops of York] accessed on 22 September 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=8065 British History Online Chancellors of York] accessed on 22 September 2007
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=617 British History Online Prebends of Stillington] accessed on 22 September 2007
*
* Moorman, John R. H. "Church Life in England in the Thirteenth Century" Revised Edition Cambridge:Cambridge University Press 1955
* Prestwich, Michael "Edward I" New Haven:Yale University Press 1997 ISBN 0-300-07157-4
* Smith, David M. "Corbridge, Thomas of (d. 1304)" "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6303 Online Edition] accessed 12 November 2007

Persondata
NAME=Thomas of Corbridge
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Corbridge, Thomas
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Archbishop of York
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=22 September 1304
PLACE OF DEATH=