Bishop Roger

Roger de Beaumont (died 1202) was Bishop of St Andrews (Cell Rígmonaid) (elected 1189; consecrated 1198).

He was the son of Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester. Roger's position as a younger son of the Earl of Leicester meant that Roger had to seek a fortune elsewhere, and did so within the church. Robert was a second cousin of William I of Scotland, being the great-grandson and grandson of Elizabeth of Vermandois respectively. At Williiam's court Beaumont managed to obtain favour, eventually reaching the position of Chancellor of the King, a post which usually functioned as a prelude to ascending a high-ranking bishopric.

So it was that, at Perth in April 1189, he was elected Bishop of St. Andrews. Roger, nevertheless, had to wait nine years for consecration, which was finally performed in 1198 at St. Andrews by the Bishop of Moray and the Bishop of Aberdeen.

During his time as Chancellor Beaumont had been party to the negotiations surrounding the nullification of the treaty of Falaise, and had lobbied the Pope to secure the independence of the Scottish church from the claims of both Nidaros and York to superiority. These demands of the pope were both met, with Clement III issuing a Bull in 1188 confirming that church in Scotland was answerable only to the Holy See. The following year, 8 months after Beaumont's election as Bishop, the English King Richard I nullified the Treaty of Falaise, and recognised the independence of the Church.

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