Henry Wardlaw
Photo: Calgacus, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons7

Henry Wardlaw

Bishop of Saint Andrews from 1404 to 1440

Henry Wardlaw (died 6 April 1440) was a Scottish church leader, Bishop of St Andrews and founder of the University of St Andrews.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Henry Wardlaw (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Companies

Early life and education

Early life

He was educated at the universities of Oxford and of Paris. In the book of the procurators of the English nation in the latter university his name appears among the 'determinantes' of 1383. In a petition to the pope of 1388 he is described as 'a licentiate in arts who has studied civil law for two years at Orleans.' He afterwards studied the canon law, and took the degree of doctor. During the papal schism Scotland was on the side of the anti-popes, and, through the favour of Antipope Clement VII and Antipope Benedict XIII (Peter de Luna), Wardlaw held simultaneously canonries and prebends in Glasgow, Moray, and Aberdeen, the precentorships of Glasgow and Moray, and the church of Cavers.

University of St Andrews

Wardlaw's chief claim to fame is the fact that he was the founder of the University of St Andrews, the first university in Scotland. He issued the charter of foundation in February 1411, and the privileges of the new seat of learning were confirmed by a bull of the Avignon Pope Benedict XIII, dated 28 August 1413. The university was to be "an impregnable rampart of doctors and masters to resist heresy."

From Wikipedia’s article on Henry Wardlaw (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: Catholic priest, Catholic bishop.5