ROBERT BURNELL

'Robert Burnell' (died October 25, 1292) was an English bishop who served as Lord Chancellor of England in the years 1274-1292.

Contents

Life

Notes

References

See also

External links

Life

He was born at Acton Burnell in Shropshire, and probably began his public life as a clerk in the royal chancery. He was soon in the service of Edward, the eldest son of King Henry III, and was constantly in attendance on the prince, whose complete confidence he appears to have enjoyed. Having received some ecclesiastical preferments, he acted as one of the regents of the kingdom from the death of Henry III in November 1272 until August 1274, when the new king, Edward I, returned from Palestine and made him his chancellor.
On January 23, 1275 Burnell was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells, and he received the temporalities of the see on March 19 and was consecrated on April 7, 1275.Powicke ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 205 While bishop he built the hall and chapel at the Bishop's Palace. Three years later Edward repeated the attempt which he had made in 1270 to secure the archbishopric of Canterbury for his favourite. The bishop's second failure to obtain this dignity was probably due to the unacceptability of his lifestyle, which also partly accounts for the hostility between himself and his victorious rival, Archbishop John Peckham. Robert was elected to the archbishopric in June or July of 1278, but the election was quashed by the pope in January of 1279.Powicke ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 211 In early 1280 he was nominated to become Bishop of Winchester but the election was quashed on June 28, 1280.Powicke ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 258
As the chief adviser of Edward I during the earlier part of his reign, and as a trained and able lawyer, the bishop took a prominent part in the legislative acts of the "English Justinian," whose activity, in this direction coincides with Burnell's tenure of the office of chancellor, from September 21 1274 until the bishop's death.Powicke ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 83 The bishop also influenced the king's policy with regard to France, Scotland and Wales; was frequently employed on business of the highest moment; and was the royal mouthpiece on several important occasions. In Autumn of 1283 a council resembling a parliament met at Acton Burnell castle, his home.Powell ''The House of Lords in the Middle Ages'' p. 208 Burnell was responsible for the settlement of the court of chancery in London. In spite of his numerous engagements, Burnell found time to aggrandize his bishopric, to provide liberally for his nephews and other kinsmen, and to pursue his cherished but futile aim of founding a great family. He amassed great wealth; and on his death he left numerous estates in Shropshire, Worcestershire, Somerset, Kent, Surrey and elsewhere.
Although Burnell died in Berwick on October 25, 1292, his body rests in the nave of his cathedral in Wells.

Notes

References

★ Powell, J. Enoch and Keith Wallis ''The House of Lords in the Middle Ages: A History of the English House of Lords to 1540'' London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1968

★ Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde ''Handbook of British Chronology'' 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961

See also

★ List of Archbishops of Canterbury

★ List of Bishops of Bath and Wells and precursor offices

★ List of bishops of Winchester

★ List of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers

External links

★ at 1911 Britannica Online

★ Robert Burnell (died 1292) at Britannia Biographies

★ The Chapel of Bishops Palace

★ Secret Shropshire
----