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William Freney , Dominican friar and archbishop of Edessa

Active: 1263–1286   

William was an Englishman who was sent to the East and consecrated by the Latin patriarch of Antioch to the archbishopric of Edessa (Rages or Rohes, present-day Urfa), which was duly subject to Rome.

William participated in various embassies and returned to Britain on several occasions and was seemingly buried in the Dominican friary at Rhuddlan. His tomb is now preserved in St Mary's Parish Church, Rhuddlan, and is thought to have been brought here from the friary at the time of the Suppression. The tomb bears the effigy of a bishop with mitre and crozier and is inscribed in Norman French: 'Pray for the soul of Friar William Freney, archbishop of Rages'. From this we can infer that William retained his mendicant connections.

Sites associated with this person

Rhuddlan Friary, Denbighshire (buried)

Bibliographical sources

Printed sources

Gumbley, W., 'William Fresney OP, archbishop of Rages (Edessa) 1263-1290', Flintshire Historical Publications 5 (1915), pp. 36-41

Web links (open in new window)

Jackson, Peter, ODNB online - Freney, William (View website) (Subscription reqd.)