# Walter de Coventre

By [Diana Zephaniah](https://paragraph.com/@03394) · 2022-07-03

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**Walter de Coventre** (died 1371 or 1372) was a 14th-century Scottish [ecclesiastic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesiology). There is no direct evidence of his birthdate, his family, or his family's origin, although he may have come from the region around [Abernethy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abernethy,_Perth_and_Kinross) (in modern-day [Perth and Kinross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perth_and_Kinross)), where a family with the name de Coventre is known to have lived. Walter appeared in the records for the first time in the 1330s, as a student at the [University of Paris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Paris). From there he went on to the [University of Orléans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Orl%C3%A9ans), initially as a student before becoming a lecturer there. He studied [the arts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_arts), [civil law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_law_\(common_law\)) and [canon law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_law), and was awarded many [university degrees](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_degree), including two [doctorates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctorate). His studies were paid for, at least partially, by his [benefices](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benefice) in Scotland. Despite holding perhaps more than five benefices at one stage, he did not return to Scotland until the late 1350s.

Following his return to Scotland, Walter soon became [Dean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_\(religion\)) of [Aberdeen Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Machar%27s_Cathedral). From there he became engaged in high-level ecclesiastical affairs with the Scottish church and political affairs with [the Earl of Mar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domhnall_II,_Earl_of_Mar). Sometime before June 1361, the [cathedral chapter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_chapter) of [Dunblane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunblane) elected him [Bishop of Dunblane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_of_Dunblane). He went to [France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France) to secure confirmation from the Pope at [Avignon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignon), who authorised his [consecration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consecration). Walter was bishop for 10 years after returning home to Scotland. Records of his episcopate are thin, but there are enough to allow a modest reconstruction of his activities: he presided over legal disputes, issued a dispensation for an important irregular marriage, attended parliaments, and acted as an envoy of the Scottish crown in England. He died in either 1371 or 1372.

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*Originally published on [Diana Zephaniah](https://paragraph.com/@03394/walter-de-coventre)*