Alexander Stewart

Alexander Stewart (died 1371) was a 14th-century Scottish bishop. Probably from Menteith, he appears in the sources from the first half of the 1340s, possessing a university degree and holding the position of Archdeacon of Ross. He was active at the papal curia in the second half of the decade as a papal chaplain and administrator, before being provided as Bishop of Ross in 1350, a position he held until his death in 1371.

Early life Alexander Stewart was from the diocese of Dunblane, a diocese which embraced the earldom of Strathearn and the earldom of Menteith; as the Stewart family were better established in Menteith than Strathearn, it is likely that Alexander came from Menteith. It is notable that Stewart's arms, as well as having the Stewart chequy, included the three lion rampants which denoted the earls of Ross, suggesting some connection between Alexander Stewart and the Ross family.

On that date he was granted provision to a canonry in the diocese of Dunkeld with expectation of a prebend; on 27 March 1348, he claimed to hold a Dunkeld prebend, as he did on 22 June 1350.

Stewart probably spent the late 1340s at the papal court in Avignon. He promised his services on the same day as John de Rait, newly Bishop of Aberdeen, that is, on 26 January 1351.

He is found in Scotland for the first time when, on 6 March 1352, he witnessed a charter of King David II of Scotland at Scone.

His seal, along with that of other Scottish prelates, was appended to the obligation document drawn up for King David II's ransom at an assembly in Edinburgh on 26 September 1357. His seal was attached to an indenture at Auldearn on 2 January 1365; and to a deed drawn up at Perth on 16 October 1370. He did not attend the Perth parliament of 27 September 1367, nor the Scone parliament of 6 March 1369. He was definitely dead by 9 May, when his successor Alexander de Kylwos received papal provision to the now vacant diocese.