Richard Talbot (archbishop of Dublin)
Encyclopedia
Richard Talbot younger brother of John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
, was Archbishop of Dublin
and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
. He was one of the leading political figures in Ireland for more than thirty years, although his career was marked by controversy and frequent quarrels with other statesmen.
and York Cathedral, and Dean of Chichester in 1415 .In 1416 he was elected Archbishop of Armagh
but failed to secure confirmation in time. The following year however he was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin.
. His rule however was marked by conflict with John Swayne who had become Archbishop of Armagh when Talbot failed.Talbot revived an old dispute about primacy, and refused to accept the right of Swayne to call himself Primate of Ireland
. Swayne was equally intransigent and in 1429 refused to attend a Parliament in Leinster if his primacy was not acknowledged there.
between 1414 and 1420 and again
in 1425 and 1446-7. Richard acted as his brother's deputy and also as Justiciar : in 1423 he was appointed Lord Chancellor and held office for much of the next twenty years.
The state of English rule in Ireland was described then as one of "imbecility, folly and corruption". Talbot was at least prepared to act firmly and in 1419 arrested Lord Gormanstown and other nobles on suspicion of treason.Inevitably he made enemies: in 1426 he was deprived of the Chancellorship but soon restored to office.A more serious crisis arose in 1429 when he was accused of fomenting rebellion, and summoned to London to account for his actions. Clearly the Privy Council was satisfied with his defence since he was not deprived of office.
.Shrewsbury had been charged with harsh treatment of Ormonde and his brother intensified the quarrel, so that Anglo-Irish politics became increasingly split between Talbot and Butler factions. The Talbot faction dominated in the 1430s, but in 1442 the appointment of Ormonde as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland caused the feud to break out with fresh bitterness. Talbot was sent to London to ask for an English Lieutenant to replace him, and produced an extraordinary document which he claimed was the Irish Parliament's petition against Ormonde. Talbot denounced Ormonde as old and feeble ( in fact he was fifty, some years younger than Talbot ), and unfit to keep order in Ireland. He was accused of having lost most of his property through his negligence; there were vague references to treason and crimes not fit for a bishop to speak of. The Council could not ignore the charges and Ormonde was summoned to London to account for his actions He defended himself with great vigour and kept his office.The Council did rebuke both sides in the dispute for weakening the Irish government by " creating divisions and rumours among the KIng's men ".
Relations between the Talbots and Butlers did improve: Ormonde's daughter Elizabeth married Shrewsbury's son and heir. Talbot was removed as Chancellor, though he acted as Justiciar and as Deputy during his brother's final term of office. He showed his old spirit by refusing a second chance to become Archbishop of Armagh when Swayne retired. He died in Dublin on 15 August 1449, aged about sixty and was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral.
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and 1st Earl of Waterford KG , known as "Old Talbot" was an important English military commander during the Hundred Years' War, as well as the only Lancastrian Constable of France.-Origins:He was descended from Richard Talbot, a tenant in 1086 of Walter Giffard...
, was Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin
The Archbishop of Dublin may refer to:* Archbishop of Dublin – an article which lists of pre- and post-Reformation archbishops.* Archbishop of Dublin – the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin....
and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
. He was one of the leading political figures in Ireland for more than thirty years, although his career was marked by controversy and frequent quarrels with other statesmen.
Early life
He was the third son of Richard Talbot, 4th Baron Talbot and Ankaret le Strange. He seems to have entered the Church while still in his early teens, became prebendary of Hereford CathedralHereford Cathedral
The current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
and York Cathedral, and Dean of Chichester in 1415 .In 1416 he was elected Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh
The Archbishop of Armagh is the title of the presiding ecclesiastical figure of each of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland in the region around Armagh in Northern Ireland...
but failed to secure confirmation in time. The following year however he was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin.
Archbishop of Dublin
He was an active and reforming Archbishop, establishing a new corporation in St. Patrick's Cathedral and founding chantries in St. Michael's Church and St. Audoen's ChurchSt. Audoen's Church
St. Audoen's Church is the church of the parish of St. Audoen in the Church of Ireland, located south of the River Liffey at Cornmarket in Dublin, Ireland. This was close to the centre of the medieval city. The parish is in the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. St. Audoen's is the oldest parish...
. His rule however was marked by conflict with John Swayne who had become Archbishop of Armagh when Talbot failed.Talbot revived an old dispute about primacy, and refused to accept the right of Swayne to call himself Primate of Ireland
Primate of Ireland
The Primacy of Ireland was historically disputed between the Archbishop of Armagh and the Archbishop of Dublin until finally settled by Pope Innocent VI. Primate is a title of honour denoting ceremonial precedence in the Church, and in the Middle Ages there was an intense rivalry between the two...
. Swayne was equally intransigent and in 1429 refused to attend a Parliament in Leinster if his primacy was not acknowledged there.
Political career
His brother the future Earl was Lord Lieutenant of IrelandLord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
between 1414 and 1420 and again
in 1425 and 1446-7. Richard acted as his brother's deputy and also as Justiciar : in 1423 he was appointed Lord Chancellor and held office for much of the next twenty years.
The state of English rule in Ireland was described then as one of "imbecility, folly and corruption". Talbot was at least prepared to act firmly and in 1419 arrested Lord Gormanstown and other nobles on suspicion of treason.Inevitably he made enemies: in 1426 he was deprived of the Chancellorship but soon restored to office.A more serious crisis arose in 1429 when he was accused of fomenting rebellion, and summoned to London to account for his actions. Clearly the Privy Council was satisfied with his defence since he was not deprived of office.
Butler-Talbot feud
The charges against Talbot may have been connected with the long- running feud between the Talbots and James Butler, 4th Earl of OrmondeJames Butler, 4th Earl of Ormonde
James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond was the son of James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond and Anne Welles. He was called The White Earl and esteemed for his learning. He was the patron of the Irish literary work, 'The Book of the White Earl'...
.Shrewsbury had been charged with harsh treatment of Ormonde and his brother intensified the quarrel, so that Anglo-Irish politics became increasingly split between Talbot and Butler factions. The Talbot faction dominated in the 1430s, but in 1442 the appointment of Ormonde as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland caused the feud to break out with fresh bitterness. Talbot was sent to London to ask for an English Lieutenant to replace him, and produced an extraordinary document which he claimed was the Irish Parliament's petition against Ormonde. Talbot denounced Ormonde as old and feeble ( in fact he was fifty, some years younger than Talbot ), and unfit to keep order in Ireland. He was accused of having lost most of his property through his negligence; there were vague references to treason and crimes not fit for a bishop to speak of. The Council could not ignore the charges and Ormonde was summoned to London to account for his actions He defended himself with great vigour and kept his office.The Council did rebuke both sides in the dispute for weakening the Irish government by " creating divisions and rumours among the KIng's men ".
Relations between the Talbots and Butlers did improve: Ormonde's daughter Elizabeth married Shrewsbury's son and heir. Talbot was removed as Chancellor, though he acted as Justiciar and as Deputy during his brother's final term of office. He showed his old spirit by refusing a second chance to become Archbishop of Armagh when Swayne retired. He died in Dublin on 15 August 1449, aged about sixty and was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral.