Sir Alexander Stewart

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 13602

Alexander — . Unknown [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 13595

Isabella — Domhnall II of Mar. Domhnall (son of Garnait of Mar and Christina Bruce) was born Abt 1302, Saline, Fife, Scotland; died 12 Aug 1332, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. [Group Sheet]

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• Reference Number: 13603

Notes:

Sir John Stewart, 1st Earl of Angus was the son of Sir Alexander Stewart. He was born before 1315. He married Margaret Abernethy, daughter of Sir Alexander Abernethy, on 24 October 1328, by Papal dispensation. He died on 9 December 1331.

He was created 1st Earl of Angus [Scotland] on 15 June 1329. He lived at Bonkyl, Berwickshire, Scotland. He was invested as a Knight on 24 November 1331.

John — Margaret Abernethy. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 269

Notes:

Thomas of Mar was a 14th century Mormaer (Earl) of Mar (c.1330-1377). He was a son of Domhnall II of Mar.

Thomas became Earl of Mar whilst still a child living in the Kingdom of England, and it took several years for Thomas to return to the Kingdom of Scotland and take charge of his inheritance. He had a fairly successful career in Scottish politics, becoming Great Chamberlain of Scotland, and several times acting as an ambassador to England.

He married twice, firstly Margaret Graham of Menteith, and secondly Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus. He was succeeded by his sister Margaret, who was married to William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. He died childless in 1377, bringing his line and the ancient Gaelic earldom of Mar through the male line to an end. The earldom passed into the Douglas family.

Thomas — Margaret Graham. [Group Sheet]

Thomas — Margaret Stewart. Margaret (daughter of Thomas Stewart and Margaret St. Clair) died 1417. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 188

Notes:

Margaret of Mar (died c. 1391) was Countess of Mar, an ancient Earldom in Scotland, in her own right.

She was a daughter of Domhnall II of Mar and after the death of her childless brother Thomas became Countess of Mar. She had married William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, who was succeeded by their son, James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Earl of Mar and Garioch in right of his mother, and when he fell, leading the Scots at the battle of Otterburn.

She was succeeded by her daughter, Isabel, who became Countess of Mar, possessed the Lordship of the Garioch, and also became the Countesss of the unentailed lands of the House of Douglas.

Margaret — William Douglas. William (son of Archibald of Douglas and Beatrice Lindsay) was born 1327, Scotland; died May 1384, Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland; was buried , Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 13606

Notes:

Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus was the son of Sir John Stewart, 1st Earl of Angus and Margaret Abernethy. He was born before 1331. He married Margaret St. Clair, daughter of Sir William St. Clair and Isabel (?), on 3 June 1353, by Papal dispensation. He died in 1361, from the plague while imprisoned for alleged complicity in the murder of King David II's mistress, Catherine Mortimer.

He succeeded to the title of 2nd Earl of Angus on 9 December 1331. He fought in the taking of Berwick in May 1355, where he commanded. He was one of the eight lords, of whom three were to place themselves in the hands of the English as security for the release of King David II. He held the office of Great Chamberlain [Scotland] from 1357 to 1358. On 18 August 1359 he had a safe conduct for four ships of Flanders, but he broke his engagement. In March 1359/60 he was charged to retrun to England to fulfill his obligations as hostage.

Thomas — Margaret St. Clair. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4266

Notes:

Isabel was the sister of the famous James 2nd Earl of Douglas and Earl of Mar, who died leading the Scots to victory at the Battle of Otterburn. He died without any legitimate children and his sister Isabel inherited most of his property, excluding only the Douglas lands which could only pass through the male line. After being confirmed as Countess she then became the most sought after bride in the realm and soon was married to Sir Malcolm Drummond, brother of Annabella, Queen of King Robert III. This marriage however failed to produce any children and the Countess soon became the focus of several plots to usurp her lands by scheming nobleman.

While the couple resided at the chief seat to the Earldom of Mar, Kildrummy Castle, Sir Malcolm was frequently away on royal business being the Kings brother-in-law and also one of his close advisors. It was in the year 1402 that Isabel's life would take an unexpected and tragic turn from which she would never recover. While Sir Malcolm was away at one of his other castles, he was suddenly attacked by a large group of highlanders led by the infamous Alexander Stewart, illegitimate son of the Wolf of Badenoch. Alexander then proceeded to capture the castle and put Sir Malcolm into one of his dungeons where he soon died at the hands of his captor. Because the king was by this time sick and infirm and real power was in the hands of his younger brother the Duke of Albany, Isabel was now completely isolated and was now easy prey for her husband's murderer. In the summer of 1404, Alexander and his gang of highlanders descended on her castle of Kildrummy and captured it along with the Countess and was soon able to extort from her a signed document promising to marry Alexander and give over to him all of her lands, including the earldom of Mar and lordship of the Garioch. Under normal circumstances this incident possibly would not have been allowed to stand, but Isabel had the misfortune that these events took place during the regency of the Duke of Albany who was in fact the uncle of this Alexander Stewart. Because his relation to the Royal Family and friendhip with his uncle saved him from any actual punishment, Isabel was forced to marry the man who murdered her husband and live the last four years of her life as a captive. She died in the year 1408 without children and gained a measure of revenge over Alexander when his son and heir died without children in the lifetime of his father. The earldom of Mar then reverted to the crown and was later given to John Erskine, 1st Earl of Mar whose descendents hold it to this day.

From: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Douglas,_Countess_of_Mar)

Isabel — Malcolm Drummond. (son of John Drummond and Mary Montifex) [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4268

Notes:

Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar (c. 1358 - 14 August 1388) was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.

Early life:

He was son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret, Countess of Mar. By the time his father had made over lands in Liddesdale to him in 1380, he had been knighted, being known as Sir James Douglas of Liddesdale. Earlier his father had been in dispute with King Robert over the latter's succession to King David II, but returned to royal favour by concluding a marriage contract between his son and the Princess Isabel, thus binding the Douglases close to the throne.

Earl of Douglas and Mar:

In May 1384, the 1st Earl of Douglas died from a fever, and his son inherited. Around the same time a French embassy arrived in Scotland to negotiate a truce between Franco-Scots Allies and England. While deliberations were taking place in Edinburgh, a further party of French knights arrived at Montrose. These adventurers led by Geoffroi de Charny, sent word to the court at Edinburgh, from Perth where they had marched to, in which they offered their services against the English. The new Earl of Douglas, and Sir David Lindsay mustered their men joined forces with the French knights and led a raid into England where the ravaged lands belonging to the Percy Earl of Northumberland, and the Mowbray Earl of Nottingham. While this Chevauchée was happening, the Scots agreed to the tripartite truce on the 7th July which was to last until May the following year. De Charny and his knights returned to France but promised to Douglas that they would return as soon as possible.

In 1385 when the truce expired, Douglas made war on the English. The French were as good as their word and had previously arrived at Leith with a contingent of Chivalry, armour and monies. The French under Jean de Vienne, Admiral of France joined forces with the Scots. Finding that the army of Richard II of England was numerically superior to the Franco-Scots, Douglas allowed the English to advance to Edinburgh, wisely refusing battle, the English army destroyed the Abbies of Melrose, Newbattle and Dryburgh, as well as burning the burgh's of Haddington and the capital itself. Douglas contented himself with a destructive counter-raid on Carlisle and Durham, leading the French, and the men of Galloway, under his cousin Archibald the Grim. Disputes soon arose between the allies, and the French returned home at the end of the year.

1386 saw squabbling between the Earl of Northumberland, and John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby over the wardenship of the Eastern March. Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron de Clifford, the warden of the Western March, was engaged to keep the peace between the rivals. While Clifford was away from his duties in the west, Douglas accompanied by the Earl of Fife led a force deep into Cumberland, and raided and burnt the town of Cockermouth.

Otterburn and death:

Invasion of England:

In 1388 Richard II had domestic troubles with his recalcitrant barons and was occupied far to the south, and the time seemed right for invasion to avenge the destruction of 1385.

The Scots, following an agreement made between the nobility at Aberdeen, mustered at Jedburgh in August, including the levies of the earls of Fife, March, Moray and those of Archibald the Grim. Upon finding from an English spy, that the English warden Percy was aware of the muster, and was planning a counter strike, the Scots command decided to split the army, with Fife leading the main body into Cumberland, while a smaller mounted force under Douglas was to go east and despoil Northumberland.

Douglas' force entered England through Redesdale and proceeded south to Brancepeth laying waste to the countryside. From there the turned east to encircle Newcastle.

Newcastle was held by Northumberland's sons, Sir Henry Percy, known as "Hotspur", and his brother Sir Ralph Percy. Northumberland himself remained at Alnwick Castle, hoping to outflank Douglas should he attempt to return to Scotland.

Thes Scots, without the siege equipment to invest the Castle, encamped around it. The week that followed saw constant skirmishes and challenges to single combat between the two sides, that culminated when Douglas challenged Hotspur to a duel. In the ensuing joust Douglas successfully felled Hotspur and was able to capture his pennon. According to Froissart, Douglas announced that he would "carry [the pennon] to Scotland and hoist it on my tower, where it may be seen from afar", to which Hotspur retorted "By God! You will never leave Northumberland alive with that."

Battle of Otterburn:

The following day the Scots struck camp and marched to Ponteland where they destroyed its castle, and then on to Otterburn just 30 miles from Newcastle, Douglas appeared to be tarrying to see whether Hotspur would react.

Douglas chose his encampment in a wood with an eye to protect his force from English archery. But on the evening of the 5th of August, the Percies surprised the Scots and a bloody moonlit battle ensued. Douglas was mortally wounded during the fight, but because of the confusion of fighting in darkness this fact was not transmitted to his men who carried on the battle. Froissart gives account in detail of the various individuals wounded, captured or killed, but what is known is that the Scots won the encounter taking Hotspur and many others prisoner. Douglas body was found on the field the following day. The Scots, albeit saddened by the loss of their leader, were heartened enough by the victory, to frighten off English reinforcements led by Walter Skirlaw, the Bishop of Durham the following day.

Douglas body was then removed back across the Border and he was interred at Melrose Abbey.

The battle, as narrated by Jean Froissart, forms the basis of the English and Scottish ballads The Ballad of Chevy Chase and The Battle of Otterburn.

Marriage and issue:

Douglas married the Princess Isabel, a daughter of King Robert II of Scotland. He left no legitimate male issue. His natural sons William and Archibald became the ancestors of the families of Douglas of Drumlanrig and Douglas of Cavers. His sister Isabel, inherited the lands and earldom of Mar, and the unentailed estates of Douglas. Isabel arranged for the Bonjedward estate to be passed to their half-sister, Margaret, who became 1st Laird of Bonjedward.

The earldom and entailed estates of Douglas reverted by the patent of 1358 to Archibald Douglas, called "The Grim", cousin of the 1st Earl and a natural son of The "Good" Sir James Douglas.

From: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Douglas,_2nd_Earl_of_Douglas)

Buried:
Melrose Abbey

Died:
Battle of Otterburn

James — Isabella Stewart. (daughter of Robert II of Scotland and Elizabeth Mure) [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 13601

Notes:

Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus was the daughter of Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus and Margaret St. Clair. She was born before 1360. She married Thomas, 9th Earl of Mar, son of Donald, 8th Earl of Mar and Isabella Stewart, between 1361 and 1374. She died before 23 March 1417/18.

She succeeded to the title of Countess of Angus in 1361, suo jure. Through her marriage, Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus gained the title of Countess of Mar. She resigned as Countess of Angus, in favour of the father of her children, George Douglas, reserving for herself the frank tenement thereof for life on 9 April 1389.

Margaret — William Douglas. William (son of Archibald of Douglas and Beatrice Lindsay) was born 1327, Scotland; died May 1384, Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland; was buried , Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland. [Group Sheet]

Margaret — Thomas of Mar. Thomas (son of Domhnall II of Mar and Isabella Stewart) was born Abt 1330, Scotland; died 1377, Scotland. [Group Sheet]