William de Lamberton
William Lamberton was a Scottish Bishop during the Scottish Wars of Independence.
He was appointed Bishop of St. Andrews in 1298 by the Pope, at the behest of William Wallace, in succession to William Fraser. St. Andrews was then the wealthiest and most powerful See in Scotland. He was consecrated in Rome on 1st June 1298, before joining other Scots on a diplomatic mission to France.
It was here he took a young James Douglas as a squire. They returned to Britain together, where Lamberton took Douglas to court to petition unsuccessfully for the return of his estates. James Douglas later became one of the closest friends of Robert the Bruce.
After William Wallace resigned as Guardian of Scotland, William Lamberton was appointed along with Robert the Bruce and John Comyn. His role was to act as a third, neutral party between the two enemies. However, Bruce resigned in 1300, to be replaced by Sir Ingram de Umfraville. All three were replaced in 1301 by John de Soules.
He was active in the Wars of Independence from the beginning, supporting and financing William Wallace. After William Wallace was hung, drawn and quartered, William Lamberton crowned Robert the Bruce for the first time as King of Scotland (He was crowned again a few days later by Isobel MacDuff). Lamberton did this despite the fact that Bruce had been excommunicated by the Pope for murdering John Comyn in a church.
He was then captured and tried at Newcastle. On 11th - 12th August 1308, he swore fealty to Edward II of England, swearing to persue the King's enemies, pay a ransom of £6000 in installments and remain within the boundaries of the See of Durham. However, by 16th March 1309 he was attending King Robert I at parliment in Scotland.
After the Battle of Bannockburn, King Edward II tried unsuccessfully to get the Pope to depose Lamberton as Bishop of St. Andrews.
William Lamberton rebuilt St. Andrew's Cathedral in St. Andrews, which was dedicated at a ceremony remembered as a national thanksgiving for Scottish independence. King Robert I, seven bishops, fifteen abbots, and nearly all the nobility of the realm were present. He also rebuilt the castle of St Andrew's, and the fortified manor houses at Inchmurdo, Monimail, Dairsie, Torry, Muckhart, Kettins, Monymusk, Lasswade, and Stow.
He died on May 20th 1328 A.D. and was buried on the north side of the high alter of his cathedral on 7th June 1328.