William de Blois (orWilliam of Blois;^[1] died 1206) was a medievalBishop of Lincoln. He first served in the household ofHugh du Puiset, theBishop of Durham, then later served the household ofHugh of Avalon, Bishop of Lincoln. After Hugh's death and a two-year vacancy in thesee, or bishopric, Blois was elected to succeed Hugh in 1203. Little is known about hisepiscopate, although 86 of his documents survive from that time period. He died in 1206 and was buried in his cathedral.

Possibly related to Hugh de Puiset the bishop of Durham, who he went on to serve later in life,^[2] Blois probably came fromBlois in France.^[2] His relationship with Puiset reinforces the likelihood of his origins being in Blois, as Puiset was a nephew of KingStephen of England and Stephen's brotherHenry of Blois, theBishop of Winchester, both of whom came from Blois.^[3] Nothing else is known of Blois' origins.^[3] He was titledmagister, implying that he attended a university and was well-educated.^[4] He taught at theschool of Paris for a while, where at one point a townswoman tried to seduce him, resulting in the medieval writerGerald of Wales later recounting the humorous story of how Blois resisted the lady's advances.^[3]

Blois was frequently a witness to Puiset's charters, and was named asrector of a parish church in the city ofDurham, appointed by Puiset.^[3] By the late 1180s, Blois had moved to the household of Hugh of Avalon, the Bishop of Lincoln. Blois was asubdean, an ecclesiastical official, of thediocese of Lincoln by 22 March 1194,^[5] probably from about 1189. He was a frequent witness to Hugh's charters in the late 1180s. Although he was now serving Hugh, Blois did not entirely quit the service of Puiset, and was present at Puiset's deathbed in 1195.^[3] He was namedprecentor of Lincoln in 1197, in succession to the medieval writerWalter Map.^[6] Besides Hugh and Puiset, he also served PopeInnocent III.^[7] He may be the Master William of Blois who is a witness to some Scottish charters.^[7]

Hugh of Avalon died on 16 November 1200, but no new bishop was elected for over two years. KingJohn first tried to impose his own appointee, but was unable to force his choice on thecathedral chapter, who were responsible for electing a new bishop. John then left the see vacant, and some contemporaries accused the king of doing so to secure the revenues of the see for himself because of theregalian right English kings had to receive all the income from a vacant bishopric. Eventually the cathedral chapter was allowed to perform an election,^[3] and Blois was elected about 6 July 1203 and consecrated on 24 August 1203^[8] atCanterbury.^[2] The consecration was performed byWilliam of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, theBishop of London, becauseHubert Walter, theArchbishop of Canterbury was ill and unable to perform the service which would normally have been his right.^[3]

Most of what is known about Blois' episcopate comes from hisacta, or records; 86 of them survive. There is an early 14th-century reference to Blois'matricula, which can mean register,^[3] list, or list of students,^[9] but given the distance in time from when it was recorded to Blois' episcopate, it is unclear what exactly was meant by this. Nor has any such document survived. Blois'acta show him to have been an active and diligent administrator, especially concerned with the establishment of vicarages and with parish care. He also spent time mediating disputes, including one in 1204 over a church at Eynesbury that was disputed betweenSaer de Quincy, thecanons ofNewnham Priory and monks ofSt Neot's Priory. Most of his clerks and household members appear to have been non-relatives, with only anotherWilliam de Blois, appointedArchdeacon of Buckingham by the bishop before becomingBishop of Worcester in 1218, being a relative.^[3]

Blois died on 10 May 1206,^[8] and was buried inLincoln Cathedral. In the early fourteenth century, he was still remembered well by the cathedral chapter and was described as learned and kindly by the 14th century writerJohn Schalby, who wrote a work on the lives of the bishops of Lincoln. Besides his kinsman William de Blois, another known relative was a nephew, William de Marum. Marum succeeded his uncle as rector in Durham.^[3] He was once identified with anotherWilliam of Blois, who was a poet and the brother ofPeter of Blois, but there is no evidence supports that identification.^[1]

• Bishops of Lincoln
• 1206 deaths
• 13th-century English Roman Catholic bishops
• Burials at Lincoln Cathedral

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