JOHN DE

See also:

• GRAY
• GRAY (or GREY), WALTER DE (d. 1255)
• GRAY, ASA (1810-1888)
• GRAY, DAVID (1838-1861)
• GRAY, ELISHA (1835-1901)
• GRAY, HENRY PETERS (1819-18/7)
• GRAY, HORACE (1828–1902)
• JOHN DE GRAY (d. 1214)
• GRAY, JOHN EDWARD (1800–1875)
• GRAY, PATRICK GRAY, 6TH BARON (d. 1612)
• GRAY, ROBERT (1809-1872)
• GRAY, SIR THOMAS (d. c. 1369)
• GRAY, THOMAS (1716-1771)

GRAY (d. 1214)  , bishop of Norwich, entered Prince John's service, and at his accession (1199) was rapidly promoted in the church till he became bishop of Norwich in September 1200 . King John's attempt to force him into the primacy in 1205 started the king's long and fatal quarrel with Pope Innocent III . De Gray was a hard-working royal official, in finance, in justice, in action, using his position to enrich himself and his family . In 1209 he went to Ireland to govern it as justiciar . He adopted a forward policy, attempting to extend the English frontier northward and westward, and fought a number of campaigns on the Shannon and in Fermanagh . But in 1212 he suffered a great defeat . He assimilated the coinage of Ireland to that of England, and tried to effect a similar reform in Irish law . De Gray was a good financier, and could always raise money: this probably explains the favour he enjoyed from King John . In 1213 he is found with 500 knights at the great muster at Barham Downs, when Philip Augustus was threatening to invade England . After John's reconciliation with Innocent he was one of those exempted from the general pardon, and was forced to go in person to Rome to obtain it . At Rome he so completely gained over Innocent that the pope sent him back with papal letters recommending his election to the bishopric of Durham (1213); but he died at St Jean d'Audely in Poitou on his homeward journey (October 1214) .