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Rival bishops, rival cathedrals: the election of Cormac, archdeacon of Sodor, as bishop in 1331

Thomas, Sarah E.

Authors

Sarah E. Thomas



Abstract

On 6 July 1331, two procurators arrived in Bergen claiming that Cormac son of Cormac had been elected bishop of Sodor by the clergy of Skye and the canons of Snizort. Their arrival is recorded in a letter sent by Eiliv, archbishop of Nidaros, to two canons of the church of Bergen ordering that there be an examination of the election in the cathedral of Bergen on 12 July 1331. Cormac's election was contentious for three main reasons: firstly, there was already a new bishop of Sodor; secondly the right to elect a bishop of Sodor seems to have lain with the clergy of Man; and thirdly the king of Scots had the right to present the candidate to the archbishop of Nidaros. This paper examines the identities and careers of both Cormac and his successful rival, Thomas de Rossy, and the potential reasons for Cormac's claim and its ultimate failure. Therefore, this study reveals some of the underlying geopolitical realities of the diocese of Sodor in the mid-fourteenth century.

Citation

Thomas, S. E. (2009). Rival bishops, rival cathedrals: the election of Cormac, archdeacon of Sodor, as bishop in 1331. Innes Review, 60(2), 145-163. https://doi.org/10.3366/e0020157x0900050x

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 1, 2009
Publication Date 2009-11
Deposit Date Nov 13, 2014
Journal Innes Review
Print ISSN 0020-157X
Publisher Edinburgh University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 60
Issue 2
Pages 145-163
DOI https://doi.org/10.3366/e0020157x0900050x
Keywords Medieval; Scotland; Norway; Church; Papacy; Hebrides
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/471416
Publisher URL https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/E0020157X0900050X
Contract Date Nov 13, 2014