Editing Holyrood Abbey (section)

==List of abbots==
(derived from Grant's "Old and New Edinburgh")
*Alwyn (d. 1155) author of "Book of Homilies and Epistles"
*Osbert (d. 1150)
*William I, built a wall around the abbey
*Robert, who helped to found the new burgh of [[Canongate]]
*John, who campaigned to move the monastery from [[Edinburgh Castle]] to the Abbey
*William II (1206)
*Walter (d. 1217), Prior of [[Inchcolm Abbey]] abbot from 1209
*William III
*William IV, son of Owen, resigned 1227 to become a hermit on [[Inchkeith]] but returned later as a monk
*Elias I, son of Nicholas, drained the marsh behind the abbey
*[[Henry of Holyrood]], left in 1253 to become [[Bishop of Galloway]]
*Radulph
*Adam (or Alexander) a "traitor" who paid homage to Edward I of England
*Elias II, involved in the Templar Trials of 1309, present in 1322 at the attack of the English army under Edward II
*[[Simon de Wedale|Symon of Wedale]], present at the vigil of St Barnabas in 1326
*John II, appears in charters of 1338
*Bartholomew, abbot in 1342
*Thomas, abbot at the ransom of [[King David II]] in 1346 and oversaw his funeral in 1371
*John III, abbot in 1372, cared for [[John of Gaunt]] at the abbey
*David, abbot from 1384 in the reign of [[Robert II of Scotland|Robert II]]. During his tenure the abbey was burnt by the army of [[Richard II]]
*John of [[Leith]], abbot in 1386, granted the lands of [[Canonmills]] to Edinburgh in 1423
*Patrick, abbot in 1435, crowned [[James II of Scotland]] on 23 March 1437 and on 3 July 1449 crowned [[Mary of Gueldres]] as Queen Consort, and wed her to James II
*James, abbot in 1450
*Archibald Crawford (d. 1483), son of Sir William Crawford of Haining, who was a commissioner at the truce with the English organised at Coventry in 1450 and abbot of Holyrood in 1457. In 1469 he married [[James III of Scotland]] to Margaret of Norway. In 1480 he was [[Lord High Treasurer of Scotland]]. He added the buttresses to the abbey and the ornate doorway to the north aisle.
*Robert Bellenden, abbot in 1486. In 1493 he organised the building of a chapel to St Ninian (later known as North Leith Parish Church) and adjacent toll bridge (known as Bellenden's Bridge). In 1507 he bestowed the title of Defender of the Faith on King [[James IV of Scotland]]
*[[George Crichton (bishop)|George Crichton]], abbot in 1515, also served as [[Lord Privy Seal]] from 1519. Became [[Bishop of Dunkeld]] in 1528. Originator of the [[Dunkeld Lectern]].
*William Douglas of [[Coldingham]] (d. 1528)
*[[Robert Cairncross]] of [[Corstorphine]] (d. 1545), High Treasurer of Scotland in 1529 and 1537. Left in 1538 when appointed [[Bishop of Ross (Scotland)|Bishop of Ross]]
*[[Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney|Robert Stewart]] of [[Strathdon]], illegitimate son of [[James V]] by [[Eupheme Elphinstone]]. In 1559 he joined the Reformation party and relinquished his position as Abbot. He married in 1561 and [[Mary Queen of Scots]] (his half-sister) granted him a wedding present of lands in Orkney and Shetland. He was created an earl in 1581.
*[[Adam Bothwell]] (d. 1593), acquired the abbacy in 1559. Buried in the abbey.
*[[John Bothwell, Lord Holyroodhouse|John Bothwell]], eldest son of the above, acquired the abbacy in 1581. Was [[Lord of Session]] in 1593.