Lewis de Beaumont

Lewis de Beaumont ( ; died 1333) was Bishop of Durham during the last half of the First War of Scottish Independence. Ancestry Lewis was born before 1270, son of Louis de Brienne and Agnès de Beaumont-au-Maine and grandson of John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem by his third wife, Berengaria of Leon, making him a second cousin of Edward II. His brother Henry de Beaumont was a central figure in the Scottish Wars who claimed the title of Earl of Buchan through his marriage to John Comyn's niece Alice and his sister was Isabella de Beaumont, wife of John de Vesci. Career and Life In 1316 Lewis was certified as one of the Lords of the Nottinghamshire towns of North Leverton, Habilsthorp and Cotes. Lewis was serving as Treasurer of Salisbury when he was nominated to be Bishop of Durham on 9 February 1317, thanks to the efforts of his countrywoman, Queen Isabella. He was confirmed at Westminster on 11 September 1317 and was consecrated in Durham on 26 March 1318. Despite being accused of being illiterate, Lewis was appointed in the hope of providing strong military leadership in his diocese which sat on the dangerous Scottish border, much in the same way as his brother, Henry, had done for the past twenty years. It was a questionable choice on the part of King Edward as Lewis was reported to be lame in both feet and his lack of mobility would seriously limit his ability to lead armed forces against the guerrilla tactics of Robert the Bruce.