Simon Montagu

Memorial stone for Simon Montagu in Ely Cathedral

Simon Montagu (also Montacute ) (* uncertain: 1304; † June 20, 1345 ) was an English clergyman. From 1333 he was Bishop of Worcester , from 1337 Bishop of Ely .

Origin and advancement as a clergyman

Simon Montagu was the second son of William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu († 1319) and his wife Elizabeth de Montfort († 1354). While his older brother William Montagu became his father's heir, Simon was slated for a spiritual career. He was studying at Oxford in November 1318 , and since he was less than 15 years old at the time, he had to apply for a papal dispensation . His father was a loyal supporter of King Edward II , and on October 15, 1317 Montagu received a benefice at York Minster thanks to the support of the king . Montagu graduated with a master's degree and entered the king's service as a civil servant before 1329. Although the attempt failed between 1329 and 1332 to get him the lucrative office of Archdeacon of Wells , but in 1330 he received additional benefices in Salisbury and Exeter , and before 1332 he was appointed papal chaplain . His older brother William was a close supporter of the young King Edward III. , and through the influence of the king, Montagu received another benefice at Lincoln Cathedral before March 1332 and the office of Archdeacon of Canterbury on July 15, 1332 . After Bishop John Stratford moved to Canterbury as Bishop of Winchester as Archbishop in November 1333, the King even tried to have Montagu elected bishop of the wealthy Diocese of Winchester . However, this failed due to the objection of Pope John XXII. who named Adam Orleton , the previous Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of Winchester. In the end, Montagu was appointed bishop of the now vacant diocese of Worcester on December 11, 1333 . On March 15, 1334, the temporals were assigned to him, and on May 8, Montagu was ordained bishop by Bishop Henry Burghersh of Lincoln at Thame Abbey .

Bishop of Worcester

Montagu did not take office as bishop of Worcester until September 25, 1334 , but rarely left his diocese after that. In May 1336 and March 1337 he took part in parliaments , but from 1335 to 1336 he made a thorough visitation of his diocese, during which he gave numerous sermons. He supported the rebuilding of Worcester Cathedral , and the cathedral priory he returned the estate of Crowle Syward in Worcestershire . Otherwise he seemed to have had a good relationship with the monks who appointed him their brother. His household included a number of able officials.

The Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, which was co-created during Simon Montagu's tenure

Bishop of Ely

On March 14, 1337 Montagu was appointed bishop of the wealthy diocese of Ely . On June 11th the temporalities were handed over to him, and a little later he took over his new office in Ely . As Bishop of Ely, he was often politically active. In 1339, 1340 and 1343 he took part in parliaments, and from 1340 to 1341 he supported Archbishop Stratford as the latter defended the rights of the Church against the king, although Montagu arguably not seriously in opposition to King Edward III. was standing. In Ely, too, Montagu took great care of the administration of his diocese. Several of his officials had followed him from Worcester to Ely and, as in Worcester, he was held in high regard by the monks of the cathedral chapter in Ely. Partly on the model of Merton College , Oxford, he issued for Peterhouse in Cambridge Rules, and for the construction of the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral he donated substantial sums. He was buried in front of the altar of the Lady Chapel.

literature

• Roy Martin Haines: Calendar of the register of Simon De Montacute Bishop of Worcester, 1334-1337. Worcestershire Historical Society, Worcester 1967
• Roy Martin Haines: The administration of the diocese of Worcester in the first half of the fourteenth century. Church Historical Society, London 1965

Web links

• Henry Summerson: Montagu, Simon (1304? –1345). In: Henry Colin Gray Matthew, Brian Harrison (Eds.): Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , from the earliest times to the year 2000 (ODNB). Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004, ISBN 0-19-861411-X , ( oxforddnb.com license required ), as of 2004

predecessor	Office	successor
Adam Orleton	Bishop of Worcester 1333-1337	Thomas Hemenhale
John Hotham	Bishop of Ely 1337-1345	Thomas Lisle