Henry of Holyrood

Who was Henry of Holyrood?

Henry was a 13th-century Augustinian abbot and bishop, most notable for holding the positions of Abbot of Holyrood and Bishop of Galloway.

It is not known when Henry became an Augustinian nor when he became Abbot of Holyrood Abbey. His latest known predecessor, Elias son of Nicholas, occurs as abbot on 29 May 1236, and no abbot of Holyrood is known from then until 1253 when the Chronicle of Melrose informs us that "Sir Gilbert, the bishop of Whithorn, died; and after him, sir Henry, the abbot of Holyrood, was elected".

This date is not however certain, as Henry's name occurs merely as Abbot, not even "bishop-elect", in a Dunfermline Abbey document dated to October 1254. He was elected with the support of the Comyn faction who at that time dominated the minority of the young King Alexander III of Scotland, an election that John I de Balliol initially opposed, with Balliol citing the "ancient liberty of his subjects", i.e. the rights of the Lord of Galloway and the Galwegians. This objection is at first sight confusing, since John de Balliol himself was a Comyn ally and part of the Comyn regime.