Nicholas de Balmyle
| Nicholas de Balmyle | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Dunblane | |
The arms of the diocese of Dunblane (non-contemporary)
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Dunblane |
| In office | 1307–1319 × 1320 |
| Predecessor | Nicholas |
| Successor | Roger de Balnebrich |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 11 December 1307 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | unknown unknown |
| Died | 8 February 1319 × 30 January 1320 |
Nicholas de Balmyle (d. 1319 × 1320), also called Nicholas of St Andrews, was a Scottish administrator and prelate in the late 13th century and early 14th century. A graduate of an unknown university, he served his earliest years as a clergyman at St Andrews, moving on to hold churches in Lothian as well as deputising (as Official) to two archdeacons of Lothian.
In the late summer and in the autumn of 1296, between the death of Bishop William Fraser and the arrival of the new Bishop of St Andrews William de Lamberton, Nicholas was placed in charge of the diocese of St Andrews as Official. Nicholas thereafter can be found exercising a senior role in Scottish affairs, and by early 1301 he was Chancellor of Scotland. In his late 60s or (more probably) his 70s by this stage, Nicholas was an extremely old man, yet in 1307 he became Bishop of Dunblane. He held this position until his death in either 1319 or 1320.
It is highly unlikely that Nicholas was born later than the 1230s, as he was styled Magister by 1259, indicating that by that date he possessed a Master's degree. It was rare for someone under twenty years old or even older to have such a qualification in this period. The university or universities he attended are not known.
Until 1295, Nicholas was referred to as Nicholas of St Andrews (de Sancto Andrea), but in February of that year he began to be called de Balmyle, one source referring to him as de Balmyll dictus de Sancto Andrea (de Balmyle called de Sanctoandrea). It is probable that he adopted de Sancto Andrea when he finished training at St Andrews and went elsewhere, and that he dropped it in 1295 when he moved back.
Nicholas' apparent surname, de Balmyle, points to an association with Balmyle near Meigle, in the region where Gowrie and Angus border, though that is only one of two possible locations.
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