Thomas Spens

Thomas Spens
Bishop of Aberdeen
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Diocese of Aberdeen
In office	1457–1480
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 (1450–1458) 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

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Political offices
Preceded by William Turnbull Bishop of Glasgow	Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1458–1459	Succeeded by John Arouse
Preceded by James Lindsay Provost of Lincluden	Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1467–1470	Succeeded by William Tulloch Bishop of Orkney
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Robert de Tulloch	Archdeacon of Moray 1444–1447 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 1450–1458	Succeeded by Thomas Vaus
Preceded by Ingram Lindsay	Bishop of Aberdeen 1457–1480	Succeeded by William Forbes