Anthony Bek (c. 1245-1311) was a prominent English clergyman and statesman during the reign of King Edward I.
Anthony Bek was a trusted ally of Edward I and played a significant role in military and diplomatic matters.
As Bishop of Durham (appointed in 1283), he held both spiritual and secular power, effectively ruling the Palatine of Durham as a semi-independent lord. He participated in Edward I’s campaigns against the Scots, including battles during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
He was granted the title Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1306, but it was mostly symbolic as the Holy Land was under Muslim control by this time.
According to the historian G.M. Cowling, it was said that, in 1283, Anthony Bek met Merlin while hunting in the forest.