Antony Bek (bishop of Durham)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the bishop of Durham. For his kinsman and namesake, see Antony Bek (bishop of Norwich).

Antony Bek
Roman Catholic
Ordination history of
Antony Bek
History
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecrator
C.R.S.A.
14 September 1292
William Hotham, O.P.?? ???? 1297
Henry Newark15 June 1298

Antony Bek (also spelled Beck and Beke; c.1245 – 3 March 1311) was a

Patriarch of Jerusalem
.

Early life

Bek and his elder brother

Oxford University, where they studied from 1267 to 1270.[4]

Having entered the clergy, Bek received several benefices and soon attracted the attention of the Lord

Eleanor to the heir of Aragon, Alfonso.[13]

Bishop of Durham

Edward I secured Bek's election as bishop of Durham in 1283.[7] He was elected on 9 July 1283 and consecrated on 9 January 1284.[14] During his consecration, Bek had the remains of Saint William of York moved to a new shrine in York Minster.[4] Bek was enthroned at Durham Cathedral on 25 December 1285.[15] Bek was sent to Scotland after the death of King Alexander III of Scotland in 1286, to act on Edward's behalf for Alexander's heir Margaret of Norway, who was bethrothed to Edward's son Prince Edward.[16] However, Margaret died soon after this, and Edward was brought in to decide the succession of the Scottish throne.[17] Bek was employed by King Edward in the negotiations and also served as a spokesman.[4] In November 1292, Edward decided in favor of John Balliol, and Bek assisted in the enthronement of Balliol at Scone soon after.[17]

Service for Edward I

In 1293, Bek was excommunicated by the

Adolf of Nassau and the archbishop of Cologne.[7] The embassy was attempting to secure allies for Edward's war against King Philip IV of France.[19]

The second phase of the Battle of Falkirk

Taking part in Edward's campaigns in Scotland, the bishop received the surrender of King

Battle of Falkirk in 1298.[20][7] During the Falkirk campaign, but before the battle itself, a section of the army under Bek captured Dirleton Castle.[4]

In 1300, soon after his return to England, Bek became involved in a quarrel with

Patriarch of Jerusalem on 26 February 1306.[15] Further actions against the bishop were stopped by the death of the king in 1307.[21]

Service under Edward II

Bek conducted the funeral service for King Edward I on 27 October 1307 at

Edward II restored Bek's lands and rights. Bek's title of patriarch made him the senior ecclesiastic in England, and it was probably due to that status that he was named the main investigator of the Templars in 1308. In 1309, he finally managed to visit the priory at Durham, and the new prior announced that he and the chapter would not institute any more legal proceedings against the bishop stemming from the dispute.[4]

Death and legacy

The bishop died at Eltham Palace near London[4] on 3 March 1311.[14] He was buried on 3 May 1311 in Durham Cathedral.[4] Bek served as an important advisor to King Edward I throughout most of his term as bishop, only losing that status at the end of Edward's reign due to the dispute with the Durham prior.[23] His extravagance was legendary, and his retinue was large, and consisted of 140 knights.[24] Bek was a wealthy man, and his personal estate at his death was valued at 6000 marks.[4] He built at Auckland Castle,[25] Somerton Castle in Lincolnshire[26] and elsewhere. He also built Durham Castle's Great Hall.[27] Some efforts were made after the bishop's death to have him canonized, but nothing came of these efforts. Bek was known for his chastity and bravery also.[4]

Bek's elder brother, Thomas Bek was

Antony Bek, who was Bishop of Norwich.[28]

Notes

  1. ^ "Treasure Hunting TV: Episcopal Coins of Durham - Anthony Bek 1284-1311". Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  2. ^ Arms of his brother John Beke, 1st Baron Beke (d.1303/4), later adopted by his eventual heir Baron Willoughby of Eresby (Cokayne, The Complete Peerage, new edition, Vol. XII/2, p.658, note a, re Baron Willoughby
  3. ^ Prestwich Edward Ip. 138
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Fraser "Bek, Antony (I) (c.1245–1311)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  5. ^ Powell House of Lords p. 227 footnote 39
  6. ^ Cokayne, The Complete Peerage, new edition, Volume II p. 89
  7. ^ a b c d e f  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bek, Antony". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 660.
  8. ^ Greenway "Archdeacons of Durham diocese: Durham" Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300 pp. 37–39
  9. ^ Prestwich Edward I p. 69
  10. ^ a b Prestwich Edward I p. 92
  11. ^ Fryde Handbook of British Chronology p. 79
  12. ^ Prestwich Edward I p. 180
  13. ^ Prestwich Edward I p. 321
  14. ^ a b Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 242
  15. ^ a b Greenway "Durham: Bishops" Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae pp. 29–32
  16. ^ Prestwich Plantagenet England p. 231
  17. ^ a b Prestwich Edward I p. 369–370
  18. ^ Prestwich Edward I p. 352
  19. ^ Prestwich Edward I p. 386
  20. ^ Rose Kings in the North p. 154
  21. ^ a b Prestwich Edward I p. 541–545
  22. ^ Prestwich Edward I p. 558
  23. ^ Prestwich Edward I p. 437
  24. ^ Moorman Church Life p. 175 footnote1
  25. ^ Pettifer English Castles p. 25
  26. ^ Pettifer English Castles p. 144
  27. ^ Pettifer English Castles p. 29
  28. ^ Morgan "Bek family (per. c.1150–c.1350)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

References

Further reading

  • Creighton, Mandell (1885). "Bek, Antony I" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 134–136.
  • Hunter Blair, C.H., Medieval Seals of the Bishops of Durham, published in Archaeologia, or, Miscellaneous Tracts Relating to Antiquity, published by the Society of Antiquaries of London, Vol. 72, 1922, pp. 5–6, re: seal of Bishop Bek; physical seal held at National Archives, Kew, "Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham, counter seal", ref: SC 13/F36 [1]
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Landolf
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

1306–1311 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Durham
1284–1310 		Succeeded by
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