Roger Meuland de Longespée, Bishop of Coventry & Litchfield

Roger de Meyland (or Roger de Longespée, Roger de Meuland, Roger Longespee or Roger de Molend; died 1295) was a medieval Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, England.

Roger was a cousin of King Henry III of England, although the exact relationship is unclear.[1] Roger was born circa 1215, and may have been a son of William de Longespee, uncle of Henry III. Little is known of his early career, and he first appears in 1257 as a canon of Lichfield and a papal chaplain.[2] He was elected in January 1257, and consecrated on 10 March 1258.[3] His election was probably due to the influence of Richard of Cornwall, King Henry's brother, whom Roger later accompanied to Germany, where Richard had been elected king.[2]

Roger died on 16 December 1295.[3]

Citations

1. Moorman Church Life in England p. 159
2. Carpenter "Meuland, Roger de" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
3. Fryde, et al. Handbook of British Chronology p. 253

The lack of documentation suggests that he was a natural son by an unidentified partner.