Thomas Spens

Thomas Spens
Bishop of Aberdeen
Church Roman Catholic Church
See Diocese of Aberdeen
In office 14571480
Predecessor Ingram Lindsay
Successor William Forbes
Orders
Consecration November 1399
Personal details
Born 1415
Glen Douglas
Died 15 April 1480(1480-04-15)
Edinburgh
Previous post Bishop of Galloway
(14501458)
Archdeacon of Moray
Archdeacon of Galloway

Thomas Spens [de Spens] (c. 1415 14 April 1480), Scottish statesman and prelate, received his education at Edinburgh, was the second son of John de Spens, custodian of Prince James of Scotland, and of Lady Isabel Wemyss.

Biography

By his exceptional abilities, he attracted the notice of the advisers of the Scottish king, James II, who sent him on errands to England and to France, where he negotiated several treaties. About 1450 he became bishop of Galloway; soon afterwards he was made Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, and in 1459 he was chosen bishop of Aberdeen.

Much of his time, however, was passed in journeys to France and to England, and in 1464 he and Alexander Stewart, duke of Albany, a son of James II, were captured at sea by some English sailors. Edward IV, to whom the bishop had previously revealed an assassination plot, set him at liberty, and he was perhaps partly responsible for the treaty of peace made about this time between the English king and James III.

He also helped to bring about the meeting between Edward IV and Louis XI of France at Picquigny, and another treaty of peace between England and Scotland in 1474. Spens was a frequent attender at the Scottish parliaments, and contributed very generously to the decoration of his cathedral at Aberdeen. He died in Edinburgh on the 14th of April 1480.

References

Political offices
Preceded by
William Turnbull
Bishop of Glasgow
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
14581459
Succeeded by
John Arouse
Preceded by
James Lindsay
Provost of Lincluden
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
14671470
Succeeded by
William Tulloch
Bishop of Orkney
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Robert de Tulloch
Archdeacon of Moray
14441447 x 1448
Succeeded by
Patrick Fraser
Preceded by
Not known
Last known archdeacon:
John Benyng
Archdeacon of Galloway
x 1450
Succeeded by
Not known
Next known archdeacon:
John Otterburn
Preceded by
Alexander Vaus
Bishop of Galloway
14501458
Succeeded by
Thomas Vaus
Preceded by
Ingram Lindsay
Bishop of Aberdeen
14571480
Succeeded by
William Forbes
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