'Alexander de Kininmund' (d.
1344) was a
14th century Scottish churchman. The first mention of Alexander occurs when, as a
canon of
Dunkeld he is part of an embassy sent by King
Robert I of Scotland to
Rome in
1320.
[Dowden, ''Bishops of Scotland'', p. 111.] He became
Archdeacon of Lothian in
1327,
[1] and by
1329 held a
prebend in the
diocese of Brechin; he is also a papal
chaplain and an
auditor of the papal palace at
Avignon.
[2]
In that year, after the death of
Henry le Chen,
Walter Herok was elected
Bishop of Aberdeen and travelled to Avignon to receive consecration from
Pope John XXII. However, Walter died there, apparently before receiving consecration and Alexander, a papal servant from Scotland, was provided to the now vacant see without any consultation of the chapter of Aberdeen.
[3]
Alexander was back in Scotland by
March 29,
1330, when he attended a parliament of King
David I of Scotland.
[Dowden, ''Bishops of Scotland'', p. 111; Innes, ''Registrum Episcopatus Aberdonensis'', p. xxxviii.] Four years later, on
February 12,
1334, he was present at the parliament of the usurper-king
Edward Balliol.
[ In 1335 he was one of the envoys sent to make peace with England.][ According to Hector Boece, Alexander was a distinguished scholar and began work on building four new episcopal residences, at Mortlach, Aberdeen, Fetternear and Rayne; Aberdeen and Fetterneir were said to have been completed.[4] He died sometime before September 13, 1344.[5] ]
Notes
1. Watt, ''Fasti Ecclesiae'', p. 310.
2. Dowden, ''Bishops of Scotland'', p. 110; Watt, ''Fasti Ecclesiae'', p. 2.
3. Dowden, ''Bishops of Scotland'', pp. 110-1.
4. Innes, ''Registrum Episcopatus Aberdonensis'', p. xxxviii.
5. Dowden, ''Bishops of Scotland'', p. 112; Watt, ''Fasti Ecclesiae'', p. 2.
References
★ Dowden, John, ''The Bishops of Scotland'', ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
★ Innes, Cosmo, ''Registrum Episcopatus Aberdonensis: Ecclesie Cathedralis Aberdonensis Regesta Que Extant in Unum Collecta'', Vol. 1, (Edinburgh, 1845)
★ Keith, Robert, ''An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops: Down to the Year 1688'', (London, 1924)
★ Watt, D.E.R., ''Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638'', 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)