William Whittlesey
Archbishop of Canterbury from 1368 to 1374
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Whittlesey (or Whittlesea) (died 5 June 1374) was a bishop of Rochester, then bishop of Worcester, then finally archbishop of Canterbury. He also served as master of Peterhouse, Cambridge.
William Whittlesey | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Canterbury | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Appointed | 11 October 1368 |
| Installed | unknown |
| Term ended | 5 June 1374 |
| Predecessor | Simon Langham |
| Successor | Simon Sudbury |
| Other posts | Bishop of Rochester Bishop of Worcester |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 6 February 1362 |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 5 June 1374 |
Life
Whittlesey was probably born in the Cambridgeshire village of Whittlesey, England.
Whittlesey was educated at Oxford, and owing principally to the fact that he was a nephew of Simon Islip, archbishop of Canterbury, he received numerous ecclesiastical preferments; he held prebends at Lichfield, Chichester and Lincoln, and livings at Ivychurch, Croydon and Cliffe.[1]
Whittlesey was briefly appointed Master of Peterhouse on 10 September 1349 and resigned from that post in 1351.[2] Later he was appointed vicar-general, and then dean of the court of arches by Islip.[1] On 23 October 1360 he became Bishop of Rochester and was consecrated on 6 February 1362.[3] Two years after his consecration he was transferred to the bishopric of Worcester on 6 March 1364.[4] On 11 October 1368 Whittlesey was transferred to the archbishopric of Canterbury in succession to Simon Langham, but his term of office was very uneventful, a circumstance due partly, but not wholly, to his feeble health.[1] He died at Lambeth on the 5th or 6 June 1374.[5]
