The Dominican friar Robert Kilwardby holds the distinction of being the first member of a mendicant order to ascend to the Archbishopric of Canterbury, a position he occupied from 1273 until 1278. Born in England around 1215, he played a prominent role in the intellectual life of the thirteenth century before his ultimate relocation to Italy.
Academic Formation and Dominican Life
Kilwardby received his education at the University of Paris, where he lectured on grammar and logic. Following his studies, he entered the Dominican Order and focused on theology. Before 1261, he served as a regent at Oxford University. By 1261, he assumed the role of provincial prior for the Dominican Order within England, establishing his standing within the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the kingdom.
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In October 1272, Pope Gregory X appointed Kilwardby as the Archbishop of Canterbury to resolve a dispute concerning the vacancy of the see. He received his temporalities in December 1272 and underwent consecration in February 1273. During his tenure, he officiated the coronation of Edward I and his consort, Eleanor, in August 1274. While he prioritized charity and donations to his order, his period at Canterbury concluded with the see facing significant financial debt.
Philosophical Contributions and Disputes
Kilwardby authored numerous texts on logic, grammar, and natural philosophy, including Notule libri Priorum and De ortu scientiarum. His philosophical outlook was characterized as conservative and eclectic, often contrasting with Aristotelian notions regarding the unity of form. In 1277, he prohibited the teaching of thirty theses at Oxford, an action that sparked ongoing scholarly debate regarding his potential opposition to the doctrines of Thomas Aquinas.
Final Years in Italy
In 1278, Pope Nicholas III appointed Kilwardby as the Cardinal Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina. This appointment necessitated his resignation from the Archbishopric of Canterbury and his departure from England. Upon leaving, he removed various registers and administrative documents associated with the see. He died in 1279 and was buried at the Dominican convent located in Viterbo, Italy.
Fast facts
- Born: 1215, England
- Died: 11 September 1279, Viterbo, Italy
- Archbishop of Canterbury: 1273–1278
- Educated at: University of Paris
- Notable work: De ortu scientiarum
- Order: Dominican
- Final position: Cardinal Bishop of Porto and Santa Rufina
Questions readers ask
Did Robert Kilwardby officially oppose the teachings of Thomas Aquinas?
Kilwardby prohibited thirty theses in 1277, some of which critics associate with Aquinas, though modern scholars such as Roland Hissette dispute this interpretation.
Why did Robert Kilwardby leave England for Italy?
He left England in 1278 after Pope Nicholas III appointed him as a cardinal, effectively requiring him to vacate the Archbishopric of Canterbury.
Achievements
- Notable work: De ortu scientiarum
- Notable work: Commentarium super Sententias
- Notable work: Letters
- Notable work: Notule libri Priorum
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