Bishop Gilbert of Hamar: A Norwich Cleric, Envoy and Administrator in Thirteenth-Century Norway

Gilbertus Hamarensis (died 1287 and also known as Gilbertus Norvicensis ), a largely overlooked medieval ecclesiastic, is shown to have had a remarkable career: archdeacon of Shetland; chaplain to Håkon IV of Norway; envoy of the Norwegian king to Alexander III of Scotland; bishop of the Norwegian diocese of Hamar; suffragan bishop in Norfolk; probable author of theological works; possible patron of scholars; and benefactor to Carmelite friaries. His trans-North Sea career is an example of the role that senior ecclesiastics in the 13th-century could play in international diplomacy, while contributions from archaeological, architectural and art-historical sources complement and contextualise the thin documentary record. An explanation is offered for the eclipse of his undoubted contemporary fame in Norwich.