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{{Short description|Head of the Scottish diocese, c. 1035–1688}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
[[File:St Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall interior.jpg|200px|thumb|The [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] interior of [[St Magnus Cathedral]], the seat of the bishops of Orkney]]
The '''Bishop of Orkney''' was the ecclesiastical head of the '''Diocese of Orkney''', one of thirteen medieval bishoprics of Scotland. It included both [[Orkney]] and [[Shetland]]. It was based for almost all of its history at [[St Magnus Cathedral]], [[Kirkwall]].

The bishopric appears to have been suffragan of the [[Archbishop of York]] (with intermittent control exercised by the [[Archbishopric of Bremen|Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen]]) until the creation of the [[Archbishop of Trondheim|Archbishopric of Trondheim]] (''[[Trondheim|Niðaros]]'') in 1152. Although Orkney itself did not unite with mainland Scotland until 1468, the [[Scottish kings]] and political community had been pushing for control of the islands for centuries. The see, however, remained under the nominal control of Trondheim until the creation of the [[Archbishop of St Andrews|Archbishopric of St Andrews]] in 1472, when it became for the first time an officially Scottish bishopric.

The Bishopric's links with Rome ceased to exist after the [[Scottish Reformation]]. The bishopric continued, saving temporary abolition between 1638 and 1661, under the episcopal [[Church of Scotland]] until the [[Glorious Revolution]] of 1688. Episcopacy in the established church in Scotland was permanently abolished in 1689, but a [[Scottish Episcopal Church]] bishopric encompassing Orkney was created in 1865, as the [[Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney|Bishopric of Aberdeen and Orkney]]. In 1878, the [[Catholic Church in Scotland]] re-established the bishopric system, and Orkney came under the resurrected and reformatted [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen|Diocese of Aberdeen]].

== Parishes in the medieval period ==
Source:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Parish List – Scottish Place-Name Society|url=https://spns.org.uk/resources/parish-list|access-date=2021-02-01|language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Orkney ===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
# [[Birsay]] (Mainland)
# Burness (Sanday)
# [[Burray]]
# Cross (Sanday)
# [[Deerness]] (Mainland)
# [[Eday]]
# [[Egilsay]]
# [[Evie, Orkney|Evie]] (Mainland)
# [[Firth, Orkney|Firth]] (Mainland)
# [[Flotta]]
# [[Graemsay]]
# [[Harray]] (Mainland)
# [[Holm, Orkney|Holm]] (& Pablay) (Mainland)
# [[Hoy, Orkney|Hoy]]
# Lady (Sanday)
# Lady (Stronsay)
# [[North Ronaldsay]]
# [[Orphir]] (Mainland)
# [[Papa Westray]]
# [[Rendall]] (Mainland)
# [[Rousay]]
# [[Sandwick, Orkney|Sandwick]] (Mainland)
# [[Shapinsay]]
# [[St Andrews, Orkney|St Andrews]] (Mainland)
# St Mary's (South Ronaldsay)
# St Nicholas (Stronsay)
# St Peter's (South Ronaldsay)
# St Peter's (Stronsay)
# [[Stenness]] (Mainland)
# [[Stromness]] ([[Westray to Papa Westray flight|Mainland]])
# Walls
# [[Westray]]
{{div col end}}
=== Shetland ===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
# Aithsting (Mainland)
# Baliasta (Unst)
# [[Bressay]]
# [[Burra, Shetland|Burra]]
# [[Cunningsburgh]] (Mainland)
# [[Delting]] (Mainland)
# [[Dunrossness]] (Mainland)
# [[Fair Isle]]
# [[Fetlar]]
# [[Foula]]
# [[Hillswick]] (Mainland)
# Laxavoe (Mainland)
# [[Lerwick]] (Mainland)
# Lund (Unst)
# [[Lunnasting]] (Mainland)
# [[Nesting, Shetland|Nesting]] (Mainland)
# [[Northmavine]] (Mainland)
# Northrew (Mainland)
# [[Norwick]] (Unst)
# [[Ollaberry]] (Mainland)
# [[Olnafirth]] (Mainland)
# [[Papa Stour]]
# [[Quarff]] (Mainland)
# [[Sandness]] (Mainland)
# [[Sandwick, Dunrossness|Sandwick]] (Mainland)
# [[Tingwall, Shetland|Tingwall]] (Mainland)
# [[Walls, Shetland|Walls]] (Mainland)
# [[Weisdale]] (Mainland)
# [[Whalsay]]
# [[Whiteness, Shetland|Whiteness]] (Mainland)
# [[Yell, Shetland|Yell]]
{{div col end}}

==List of known bishops of Orkney==
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;" border="1" cellpadding="2"
|- align=center
! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;" | Bishops of Orkney
|- align=center
! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="22%" colspan=2 |Tenure
! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="30%" rowspan=2 |Incumbent
! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="43%" rowspan=2 |Notes
|- align=center
! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="11%"|From
! style="background-color:#D4B1BB" width="11%"|Until
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1035 (?)
| style="text-align: center;" | ?
| '''[[Henry of Lund]]'''
| Keeper of the treasury of King [[Cnut]]; probably the latter's appointee. Name unusual for an Englishman; may have been a German or a Frenchman.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | fl. 1043–1072
| '''[[Thorulf of Orkney]]'''
| Sent as bishop by Archbishop [[Adalbert of Hamburg]]. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | fl. 1043–1072
| '''[[John I (bishop of Orkney)|John]]''' ''(I)''
| Appointee of the [[Archbishop of Bremen]]. Perhaps the same as [[Johannes Scotus, Bishop of Mecklenburg|Johannes Scotus]], bishop of Glasgow.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | fl. 1043–1072
| '''[[Adalbert (bishop of Orkney)|Adalbert]]'''
| Sent as bishop to Iceland, Greenland and Orkney, by Adalbert, Archbishop of Hamburg. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | fl. 1073
| '''Radulf'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | fl. 1100–1108
| '''Roger'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1109
| style="text-align: center;" | 1114–1147
| '''[[Radulf Novell]]'''
| He was consecrated by [[Thomas II of York|Thomas]], [[Archbishop of York]]. There is no evidence that Radulf ever took possession of his see, nor that he ever visited Orkney. Subordinate of the [[Archbishop of York]]. Served as the vicar of the [[Bishop of Durham]].
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | {{circa|lk=no|1112–1168}}
| '''[[William the Old]]''' ''(I)''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1168
| style="text-align: center;" | 1188
| '''William''' ''(II)''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1188
| style="text-align: center;" | 1194–1223
| '''[[Bjarni Kolbeinsson]] Skald'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1223
| style="text-align: center;" | 1224–1246
| '''Jofreyrr'''
| ''Jofreyrr'' is Godfrey. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1247
| style="text-align: center;" | 1269
| '''Henry/Hervi'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1270
| style="text-align: center;" | 1284
| '''Peter'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1286
| style="text-align: center;" | 1309
| '''Dolgfinnr'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1309
| style="text-align: center;" | 1339–1340
| '''William''' ''(III)''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | bef. 1369
| style="text-align: center;" | 1382–1383
| '''William''' ''(IV)''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1384
| style="text-align: center;" | 1394
| '''John''' ''(II)''
| The Roman bishop. He was elected by the cathedral chapter. His election was declared null and void by [[Pope Urban VI]], but the latter provided him to the see in 1384. [[Pope Boniface IX]] translated him to the Bishopric of [[Garðar, Greenland]].
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1383
| style="text-align: center;" | 1391
| '''[[Robert Sinclair (bishop)|Robert Sinclair]]'''
| The Avignon bishop, in contrast to John, the candidate of the Roman Pope. The doubling of bishops was a product of the [[Western Schism]]. His election drew hesitancy from the Avignon Pope [[Avignon Pope Clement VII|Clement VII]], but had been confirmed by 27 January 1384. He was translated to the [[Bishop of Dunkeld|Bishopric of Dunkeld]] sometime before March 1391. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | 1394
| '''Henry''' ''(II or III)''
| Second Roman bishop. Previously Bishop of [[Greenland]], he exchanged bishoprics with Bishop John.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1396
| style="text-align: center;" | 1397–1418
| '''John Pak'''
| The third Roman bishop of the Western Schism. He had been a monk of [[St John's Abbey, Colchester|Colchester]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=39827 |title=Houses of Benedictine monks: Abbey of Colchester &#124; British History Online |website=British-history.ac.uk |access-date=2017-02-27}}</ref> He appears as "Johannes Anglus, bishop of Orkney" in the [[Treaty of Kalmar|Union Treaty of Kalmar]]. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1398
| style="text-align: center;" | 1407–1414
| '''[[Alexander Vaus]]'''
| Second Avignon bishop. Provided by [[Avignon Pope Benedict XIII|Pope Benedict XIII]], but was not consecrated within the canonical time. He was translated to the [[Bishop of Caithness|Bishopric of Caithness]] in 1414. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1415
| style="text-align: center;" | 1419
| '''[[William Stephani]]'''
| Third Avignon bishop, provided by Pope Benedict XIII. He was translated to the [[Bishop of Dunblane|Bishopric of Dunblane]] in 1419.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1418
| style="text-align: center;" | 1461
| '''[[Thomas Tulloch (bishop of Orkney)|Thomas Tulloch]]'''
| Fourth Roman bishop. He was accepted by both sides after the recognition of the "Roman" Popes by the Scottish king. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1461
| style="text-align: center;" | 1477
| '''[[William Tulloch]]'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1477
| style="text-align: center;" | 1503–1506
| '''Andrew Pictoris'''
| It is not known what Andrew's surname was. Scottish historians have assumed, wrongly, that he was a Scot called Painter. Andrew was German, and his illegitimate son was called Henry Phankouth.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1503–1506
| style="text-align: center;" | 1524–1525
| '''Edward Stewart'''
| Coadjutor since 1498–1500.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1523
| style="text-align: center;" | 1525–1526
| '''John Benston'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1526
| style="text-align: center;" | 1540–1541
| '''Robert Maxwell'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1541
| style="text-align: center;" | 1558
| '''[[Robert Reid (bishop)|Robert Reid]]'''
| O. Cist. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1559
| style="text-align: center;" | 1593
| '''[[Adam Bothwell]]'''
| He became a [[Protestant]], and in 1568 exchanged the temporalities of the see (which went to [[Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney]]) for [[Holyrood Abbey]]. He died in 1593, still styling himself "Bischop of Orkney, Commendatair of Halyrudhous". He was an uncle of the mathematician [[John Napier]]. 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1605
| style="text-align: center;" | 1615
| '''[[James Law]]'''
| Became [[Archbishop of Glasgow]].
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1615
| style="text-align: center;" | 1638
| '''[[George Graham (bishop)|George Graham]]'''
| Translated from [[Bishop of Dunblane|Bishopric of Dunblane]].
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1638
| style="text-align: center;" | 1638
| [[Robert Baron (theologian)|Robert Baron]]
| Unable to take up his position
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1638
| style="text-align: center;" | 1662
| colspan="2" | ''Between 1638 and [[Restoration (Scotland)|the Restoration]], Episcopacy in Scotland was temporarily abolished.''
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1662
| style="text-align: center;" | 1663
| '''[[Thomas Sydserf]]'''
| Translated from [[Bishop of Galloway|Bishopric of Galloway]].
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1664
| style="text-align: center;" | 1676
| '''[[Andrew Honeyman]]'''<ref>{{CCEd |type=bishop |id=1333 |name=Honeyman, Andrew |title=Bishop of Orkney |accessed=2 February 2014 }}</ref> or '''Honyman'''
| 
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1677
| style="text-align: center;" | 1688
| '''[[Murdoch MacKenzie]]'''
| Translated from the [[Bishop of Moray|Bishopric of Moray]].
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1688
| style="text-align: center;" | 1688
| '''[[Andrew Bruce (bishop)|Andrew Bruce]]'''
| Episcopacy abolished in Scotland. Bruce died in 1700.
|}

==References==
* Dowden, John, ''The Bishops of Scotland'', ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
* [[Robert Keith (historian)|Keith, Robert]], ''An Historical Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops: Down to the Year 1688'', (third expanded edition: Edinburgh, 1824; reprinted Piscataway, NJ, 2010)
* [[D. E. R. Watt|Watt, D. E. R.]], ''Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638'', 2nd draft, (St Andrews, 1969)
{{reflist}}

{{Scottish Church}}
{{Catholic Church in Scotland}}

[[Category:Bishops of Orkney| ]]  
[[Category:Pre-Reformation dioceses in Nordic Europe|Orkney]]  
[[Category:Kirkwall]]
[[Category:1035 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:1688 disestablishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in Scotland]]

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