Richard le Grant | |
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Archbishop of Canterbury | |
Appointed | 19 January 1229 |
Term ended | 3 August 1231 |
Predecessor | Walter d'Eynsham |
Successor | Ralph Neville |
Orders | |
Consecration | 10 June 1229 |
Personal details | |
Died | 3 August 1231 |
Buried | San Gemini, Italy |
Richard le Grant[a] wasArchbishop of Canterbury from 1229 to 1231.
Grant was a native ofNazeing,Essex and had a brother and sister whom he provided for after he became archbishop.[1] He was chancellor of thesee of Lincoln whenHenry III nominated him to be Archbishop of Canterbury in opposition toWalter d'Eynsham in 1229.[2] He had been chancellor of Lincoln since at least 16 December 1220, when he first occurs in documents in that office.[3] He was also a distinguished writer.[4] and teacher.[1]
Grant was provided to thesee of Canterbury on 19 January 1229 by PopeGregory IX,[2] and received thetemporalities of the see probably on 24 March 1231. He was consecrated on 10 June 1229.[5] He was recommended for the see byAlexander de Stavenby, theBishop of Coventry, andHenry Sandford, theBishop of Rochester, who wrote to the pope on Richard's behalf.[1] On 26 January 1231, at a council atWestminster Grant, along with other bishops, objected to Henry III's earlier demand of a secondscutage payment.[2] Grant found himself in conflict withHubert de Burgh, theJusticiar, over the wardship of the de Clare estates at Towbridge, which conflict the archbishop lost after KingHenry III of England sided with his justiciar.[1]
Grant then attempted to implement reforms in the clergy over the issue ofpluralism and the employment of the clergy in the royal government. In pursuit of this aim, he journeyed to Rome to enlist the papacy's aid, but after a favourable reception at the Curia, he died on his return journey to England on 3 August 1231[1][5] in Italy.[6] He was buried inSan Gemini inUmbria.[1]
It has been speculated that he is the same asRichard of Wetheringsett, the earliest knownchancellor of theUniversity of Cambridge, who served some time between 1215 and 1232, and author of thesumma Qui bene presunt.[7]
Catholic Church titles | ||
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Preceded by | Archbishop of Canterbury 1229–1231 | Succeeded by |