Editing Robert Burnell (section)

==Early life==
By 1198 Burnell's family had bestowed its name on [[Acton Burnell]] in Shropshire,<ref name=DNB>Harding "Burnell, Robert" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''</ref> where Burnell was born<ref name=BHOPrebenHolme>Greenway "Prebends: Holme" ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300'': Volume 6: York</ref> probably in about 1239, as he was close in age to King Edward. His father was probably Roger Burnell, who died in about 1259. He had three brothers, two of whom died fighting the [[Welsh people|Welsh]] at the [[Battle of Moel-y-don]] in 1282; the third, Hugh, died in 1286. Hugh's son Philip was Robert's eventual heir. Burnell worked as a clerk in the royal chancery,<ref name=Chrimes134/>{{efn|During this period, a clerk meant a man who was a member of the secular clergy.<ref name=Dict75>Coredon ''Dictionary'' pp. 75–76</ref>}} the office responsible for the writing of documents,<ref name=Dict66>Coredon ''Dictionary'' p. 66</ref> before moving to the household of Prince Edward, later King Edward I of England.<ref name=Chrimes134>Chrimes ''Introduction'' p. 134</ref> By 1257 Burnell was spending most of his time with the prince and the prince's household.<ref name=Edward23>Prestwich ''Edward I'' p. 23</ref> After [[Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Montfort]]'s victory at the [[Battle of Lewes]] in 1264, Burnell continued to serve Edward, and was named the prince's clerk in December 1264.<ref name=Studd183>Studd "Chancellors of the Lord Edward" ''Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research'' p. 183</ref> As a reward for his service, Burnell was given the [[Prebendary|prebend]] of Holme in the [[diocese of York]] some time before 1267, and was named [[Archdeacon of York]] in December 1270.<ref name=ArchDYork>Greenway "Archdeacons: York" ''Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066–1300'': Volume 6: York</ref> He also held the office of chancellor to Edward from the time of the [[Battle of Evesham]] in 1265 until 1270, when Edward left on [[Eighth Crusade|crusade]].<ref name=Studd183/>

Prince Edward tried to have Burnell elected to the [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Archbishopric of Canterbury]] in 1270, but was frustrated by the Canterbury [[cathedral chapter]]'s members, who instead elected their [[Prior (ecclesiastical)|prior]], [[William Chillenden]]. Eventually Pope [[Pope Gregory X|Gregory X]] set Chillenden aside and installed his own choice in the see, [[Robert Kilwardby]].<ref name=Edward73>Prestwich ''Edward I'' p. 73</ref> Burnell did not accompany the prince on crusade in late 1270, although he had originally planned to do so. Instead, he was appointed one of the four lieutenants who looked after Edward's interests while the prince was away.<ref name=DNB/>{{efn|Exactly what happened and when in August 1270 is confused, and as this is the time when Burnell was put forward for Canterbury as well as when he planned to accompany Edward on crusade, the exact reasons why this change happened thus remain a matter of guesswork. The historian Richard Huscroft explored the issues in an article in 2001.<ref name=Stay>Huscroft "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" ''Nottingham Medieval Studies'' pp. 97–109</ref>}} Thus he was still in England when Henry III died in November 1272. Burnell acted as one of the regents of the kingdom until August 1274, when the prince, now king, returned from [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]. During the regency Burnell supervised a parliament, dealt with raids on the [[Welsh Marches]] and resolved a trade conflict with Flanders.<ref name=Planta123>Prestwich ''Plantagenet England'' p. 123</ref> After the king's return to England Burnell was made chancellor.<ref name=Handbook85>Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 85</ref> The historian [[Richard Huscroft]] considers that Burnell gained valuable experience governing England during Edward's absence, ensuring Burnell's dominance in the English government after Edward's return.<ref name=Govern59>Huscroft "Robert Burnell and the Government of England" ''Thirteenth Century England VIII'' p. 59</ref>