John de Leche

Who was John de Leche?

John de Leche 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.