Alexander Bur (died 1397) was a 14th-century Scottish cleric. It is highly possible that Bur came from somewhere in or around

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...

, although that is not certain and is only based on the knowledge that Aberdeenshire is where other people bearing his surname come from in this period. He entered the service of King

David II of Scotland David II (5 March 1324 – 22 February 1371) was King of Scotland from 1329 until his death in 1371. Upon the death of his father, Robert the Bruce, David succeeded to the throne at the age of five and was crowned at Scone in November 1331, be ...

sometime after 1343, perhaps as a member of David's exiled court at

Château Gaillard Château Gaillard () is a medieval castle ruin overlooking the River Seine above the commune of Les Andelys, in the French department of Eure, in Normandy. It is located some north-west of Paris and from Rouen. Construction began in 1196 u ...

. Although Alexander by this point in time already held

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the choir ...

s in both the bishopric of Aberdeen and the bishopric of Dunkeld (where he also held a

canonry Canon () is a Christian title usually used to refer to a member of certain bodies in subject to an canon law, ecclesiastical rule. Originally, a canon was a cleric living with others in a clergy house or, later, in one of the houses within the p ...

), on that date King David petitioned

Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI (; 1291 – 6 December 1352), born Pierre Roger, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 May 1342 to his death, in December 1352. He was the fourth Avignon pope. Clement reigned during the first visitation of the Black Death (1 ...

for another canonry in the bishopric of Moray. Alexander had become a royal clerk and had obtained a Licentiate in

Canon Law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

by 1350. By the latter date, upon the death of Adam Penny (or Adam Parry), Archdeacon of Moray, Alexander himself became Archdeacon. In the autumn of this year King David II made an expedition into the north, apparently to escape the effects of the

Black Death The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...

. David was also re-establishing his authority in the area, which involved seizing the castle of Kildrummy from its owner,

Thomas, Earl of Mar Thomas, Earl of Mar, (c. 1330–1377) was a 14th-century Earl of Mar, an earldom located in the County of Aberdeen, Scotland. He is sometimes styled Mormaer of Mar since ''mormaer'' was the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the English word earl. ...

. Soon after David reached Kildrummy, John de Pilmuir, Bishop of Moray, died. This gave King David the opportunity to secure the election of his close follower, Alexander Bur, as the successor to Pilmuir. David was staying at the episcopal castle at Spynie, a possession of Bishop of St. Andrews, and his presence there undoubtedly ensured that the canons carried out the king's will. Alexander was at Avignon in late December 1362, where he is mentioned as "bishop-elect and confirmed" of Moray, but he was not consecrated by the Pope until sometime between early January and early February 1363. Alexander Bur was involved in a famous conflict with Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan and

Lord of Badenoch {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022 The Lord of Badenoch was a magnate who ruled the lordship of Badenoch in the 13th century and early 14th century. The lordship may have been created out of the territory of the Meic Uilleim, after William Comyn, ju ...

which famously led to the burning of

Elgin Cathedral Elgin Cathedral, a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, northeast Scotland, was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II of Scotland, Alexander II and stood outside the burgh of Elgin, close to ...

. He died at Spynie Palace on 15 May 1397.Watt, ''Fasti Ecclesiae'', p. 215.

Notes

References

* Dowden, John, ''The Bishops of Scotland'', ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912) *Grant, Alexander, "The Wolf of Badenoch", in W. D. H. Sellar (ed.), ''Moray: Province and People'', (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 143–161 * Keith, Robert, ''An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops: Down to the Year 1688'', (London, 1924) * Oram, Richard, "Alexander Bur, Bishop of Moray, 1362—1397", in Barbara Crawford (ed.), ''Church Chronicle and Learning in Medieval and Early Renaissance Scotland'', (Edinburgh, 1999), pp. 195–213 * Watt, D.E.R., ''Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638'', 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969) {{DEFAULTSORT:Bur, Alexander 14th-century births 1397 deaths Bishops of Moray Clergy from Aberdeenshire 14th-century Scottish Roman Catholic bishops