Robert Stewart (priest)

Robert Stewart was a Scottish Roman Catholic priest active in the 16th century. Details of his early life and career are scant, but he is primarily known for his role as Bishop of Caithness.

Stewart was appointed Bishop of Caithness in 1542. His tenure coincided with the intensifying Scottish Reformation, a period of significant religious and political upheaval. Scotland was gradually shifting away from Catholicism and towards Protestantism, a transition marked by considerable conflict and the dismantling of Catholic institutions.

Stewart's position in Caithness was particularly challenging. The region was relatively remote and independent, and the influence of the Scottish crown (and by extension, the Reformation) was less pronounced than in the Lowlands. Nevertheless, the pressures of the Reformation eventually affected even the northern Highlands.

Sources suggest that Stewart struggled to maintain his authority and preserve the Catholic faith in his diocese. He faced internal dissent from within the clergy and external pressure from Protestant reformers gaining influence in the region. Historical records indicate that he made attempts to negotiate with the reforming factions, but ultimately these proved unsuccessful in preventing the decline of Catholic influence in Caithness.

The exact date and circumstances of Robert Stewart's death are not definitively known. By the late 1550s and early 1560s, with the formal establishment of Protestantism as the state religion in Scotland, his position as Bishop of Caithness had become untenable.