John de Leche
John de Leche (or John de Leck or John de Leek) (died 1313) was a canon of Dunkeld and prelate during the early 14th century. After the death of Matthew de Crambeth, Bishop of Dunkeld, in 1309, William Sinclair was elected by some of the chapter to the bishopric. John de Leche, however, was elected soon afterwards, and had the support of King Edward II of England. The diocese of Dunkeld lay vacant for three years, while the issue was contested at the Papal see. Pope Clement V appointed James, Cardinal Deacon of St George in Velabro, to judge the issue; but this was resolved when, on 22 May 1311, John de Leche was promoted to the Archbishopric of Dublin. He held the latter for two years. He obtained a charter for the earliest University in Dublin in 1311 but his death, which seems to have been sudden, in 1313 greatly hampered the establishment of the university, which never flourished.
References
- Dowden, John, The Bishops of Scotland, ed. J. Maitland Thomson, (Glasgow, 1912)
- Watt, D. E. R., Fasti Ecclesiae Scotinanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638, 2nd Draft, (St Andrews, 1969)
External links
| Religious titles | ||
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| Preceded by Matthew de Crambeth |
Bishop of Dunkeld Opposed by William Sinclair 1309–1311 |
Succeeded by William Sinclair |
| Preceded by Richard de Haverings |
Archbishop of Dublin 1311–1313 |
Succeeded by Alexander de Bicknor |
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