| Type: | Bishop |
| Simon | |
| Bishop of Dunblane | |
| Church: | Roman Catholic Church |
| See: | Diocese of Dunblane |
| Term: | 1168 × 1178 - 1195 × 1198 |
| Successor: | Jonathan |
| Consecration: | unknown |
| Birth Date: | unknown |
| Birth Place: | unknown |
| Death Date: | 1194 × 1198 |
Simon (d. 1194 × 1198) is the third known 12th century Bishop of Dunblane. Nothing is known of Simon's background as there are numerous Simons in Scotland in this period, both native and foreign. There is a Symon de Liberatione who witnessed a charter of King William the Lion and whom Watt and Murray suggested may have been the later Bishop of Dunblane,[1] while there was in the same decade a local landholder and ecclesiastical patron in the diocese of Dunblane called Simón son of Mac Bethad.[2]
Simon's name occurs as Bishop of Dunblane alongside Simon de Tosny, Bishop of Moray, and Hugh, Bishop of St Andrews, in a charter dated to 1178, though Watt and Murray believed at this stage he was only bishop-elect.[3] This is because two unnamed Scottish bishops were consecrated at the Third Lateran Council in March 1179, and candidates for these bishops are otherwise short in supply.[4]
He witnessed a charter of King William to Arbroath Abbey datable between 1178 and September 1184.[5] He witnessed a charter of Melrose Abbey datable to between 1180 and 1198.[6] He issued his own charter to Arbroath Abbey between 1189 and 1196, in which he gave certain rights pertaining to the church of Abernethy to the abbey.[7] His issued a charter around 1190 granting the church of Inchaffray to "Isaac and his successors", Isaac being one of the pre-Augustinian monks.[8]
His last appearance is as a witness to a charter of Gille Brigte, Mormaer of Strathearn, to what became Inchaffray Abbey, dated to either 1194 or 1195.[9] His successor Jonathan appears as bishop in an Arbroath document which must have been issued between 1194 and March 1198.[10]