Misplaced Pages

The Abbot of Iona was the head of Iona Abbey during the Middle Ages and the leader of the monastic community of Iona, as well as the overlord of scores of monasteries in both Scotland and Ireland, including Durrow, Kells and, until the Synod of Whitby, Lindisfarne. It was one of the most prestigious clerical positions in Dark Age Europe, and was visited by kings and bishops of the Picts, Franks and English. The Ionan abbots also had the status of Comarba of Colum Cille, i.e. the successors of that Saint, Columba.

Iona's position as head of the Columban network (familia) of churches declined over time, with abbots based at Derry, Raphoe, Kells and Dunkeld. In Scotland, the abbots of Dunkeld ruled much of central Scotland in the 11th century, and functioned as some of the most important politicians of northern Britain. One of the abbots, Crínán, married Bethóc ingen Maíl Coluim, the daughter of King Máel Coluim II, and became the progenitor of the so-called House of Dunkeld, which ruled Scotland until the later thirteenth century. Dunkeld became a bishopric, and the monks based at Inchcolm Abbey became Augustinians.

At the beginning of the thirteenth century, the monks of Iona adopted the Benedictine rule. Iona was re-endowed in 1203 by Raghnall mac Somhairle, son of Somerled, king of Argyll and the Isles.

List of abbots of Iona to 891

List of comarbai Coluim Cille and abbots of Iona, 891–1099

During the abbacies of Diarmait and Indrechtach, almost certainly because of Viking attacks, the relics of Columba were moved to other monastic houses in the Columban familia, such as Kells, Raphoe and Dunkeld. The position of abbot on Iona ceases to have the same significance within the Columban monastic familia, and many comarbai are not based on the island.

List of comarbai Coluim Cille at Kells and Derry

None of the following comarbai Coluim Cille are based at Iona, but rather Kells and Derry.

List of Benedictine abbots of Iona

List of abbot-commendators

Notes

1. Some sources refer to earlier abbots as Abbot of Hy. "Hy" being an early name for Iona (see Iona: Etymology and "He considered him as contemporary with Mugron, abbot of Hy (d. 980)..." (Olden, Thomas (1888). "Dubhdalethe" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 16. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 83–84. ))
2. ^ Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 257
3. ^ Charles-Edwards, "Iona, abbots of"
4. ^ Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 258
5. Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 6
6. Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 7
7. Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 8
8. Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259, n. 9
9. Flanagan, Irish Royal Charters, p. 15
10. ^ Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 111
11. Moody, Martin and Byrne, Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 259
12. ^ Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 112
13. ^ Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 113
14. Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, pp. 61, 113
15. ^ Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 114
16. ^ Watt and Shead, Heads of Religious Houses, p. 115

References

• McAlary, P. (2022). "Early Mechanisms of Abbatial Succession: The Case of Iona (563-704)". Early Medieval Europe. 30 (1): 73–100. doi:10.1111/emed.12517. S2CID 246230427.
• Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2004), "Iona, abbots of (act. 563–927)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, retrieved 10 October 2010
• Flanagan, Marie Therese (2005), Irish Royal Charters: Texts and Contexts, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-926707-3
• Moody, T. W.; Martin, F. X.; Byrne, F. J., eds. (1984), Maps, Genealogies, Lists: A Companion to Irish History, Part II, New History of Ireland: Volume XI, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-821745-5
• Watt, D. E. R.; Shead, N. F., eds. (2001), The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from Twelfth to Sixteenth Centuries, The Scottish Record Society, New Series, Volume 24 (Revised ed.), Edinburgh: The Scottish Record Society, ISBN 0-902054-18-X, ISSN 0143-9448

External links

• http://foundationsirishculture.ie/record/?id=52

v t e Senior churchmen of Medieval Scotland (post-1100)
Archbishops	Glasgow (1492) St Andrews (1472)
Bishops	Aberdeen Argyll Brechin Caithness Dunblane Dunkeld Galloway Glasgow Isles (Sodor) Moray Orkney Ross St Andrews
Archdeacons	Aberdeen Argyll Brechin Caithness Dunblane Dunkeld Galloway Glasgow Isles (Sodor) Lothian Moray Orkney Ross St Andrews Shetland Teviotdale
Abbots	Arbroath Balmerino Cambuskenneth Coupar Angus Crossraguel Culross Deer Dercongal (Holywood) Dryburgh Dundrennan Dunfermline Fearn Glenluce Holyrood Inchaffray Inchcolm Iona Jedburgh Kelso (Selkirk) Kilwinning Kinloss Lindores Melrose Newbattle Paisley Saddell Scone Soulseat Sweetheart Tongland
Priors	Ardchattan Beauly Blantyre Canonbie Coldingham Fogo Fyvie Inchmahome Lesmahagow May (Pittenweem) Monymusk Oronsay Perth Pluscarden Restenneth St Andrews St Mary's Isle St Serf's Inch, Loch Leven Strathfillan Urquhart Whithorn

• Iona
• Benedictine abbots by monastery
• Scottish abbots
• Irish abbots