Alexander II by Richard Oram

Author:Richard Oram [Oram, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781907909054
Publisher: Birlinn Limited

SEVEN

The Church, the King and the King’s Faith

In the preceding chapters, religious matters have been woven through the largely political narrative but have still remained mostly background or incidental detail in the main flow of events. In this chapter, religion in general moves to the forefront, permitting a series of major trends in ecclesiastical matters that affected Alexander and his realm directly to be considered in detail. First, it will examine the high political dealings with the papacy which so influenced the early years of Alexander’s reign, and in particular the role of the papal legates in England in the conduct of the war of 1215–17 and the treaty negotiations which followed. The next theme to be explored is Alexander’s influence in the appointment of bishops in the Scottish Church, and especially his uses of the episcopate as agents to extend his political influence into territories where direct royal influence was limited. Alongside this aspect, the discussion will consider the manner in which nomination to bishoprics was also used as a reward for senior royal clerks, balanced with examination of Alexander’s role in the appointment and support of reforming clerics in dioceses where ecclesiastical structures or the quality of spiritual life were underdeveloped. Finally, the discussion will move to Alexander’s personal faith and religious behaviour, exploring what can be reconstructed of his religious patronage and assessing what that can tell us about the beliefs which drove him and the underlying matters of conscience which coloured his pious acts.

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