Ada, Countess of Atholl (c. 1221–25 December 1266), was the daughter and heir of
Forbhlaith, Countess of Atholl
Forbhlaith (written also as ''Forflissa'', ''Ferelith'', ''Fernelith'' or ''Forueleth'') was the latter of two heiresses of Atholl, the other being her sister Isabella. She married David de Hastings, a French knight who already possessed minor ...
and her husband,
David de Hastings
David de Hastings (or David Hastings) (c. 1190 – 1247 or 1269), jure uxoris Earl of Atholl, was a Norman knight who possessed minor lands in Angus.
He was son of John de Hastings (''c''. 1160 – '' fl.'' 25 July 1210) of Dun, Angus, Sco ...
. Ada's mother, Forbhlaith, was herself heir of the
highland
Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
mormaerdom
In early medieval Scotland, a mormaer was the Gaelic name for a regional or provincial ruler, theoretically second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a ''Toísech'' (chieftain). Mormaers were equivalent to English earls or Continental c ...
of
Atholl
Atholl or Athole ( gd, Athall; Old Gaelic ''Athfhotla'') is a large historical division in the Scottish Highlands, bordering (in anti-clockwise order, from Northeast) Marr, Badenoch, Lochaber, Breadalbane, Strathearn, Perth, and Gowrie. H ...
, Scotland. Ada was Countess of Atholl
suo jure
''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
, she held the title in her own right, and not through her husband. She inherited the title from her mother, who was also suo jure Countess of Atholl. Upon her death the title went to her son,
David of Strathbogie. David was the first of the Earls of Atholl to be named Strathbogie. David's father John was able to use the title of Earl but held it only by right of his wife, Ada, he was
jure uxoris Earl of Atholl, as Ada's father had been.
Ada's husband, John de
Strathbogie, was the son of David of Strathbogie and grandson of
Duncan II
Donnchad mac Máel Coluim ( Modern Gaelic: ''Donnchadh mac Mhaoil Chaluim'';''Donnchad mac Maíl Coluim'' is the Mediaeval Gaelic form. anglicised as Duncan II; c. 1060 – 12 November 1094) was king of Scots. He was son of Malcolm III (Máel Col ...
,
Earl of Fife
The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife was the ruler of the province of Fife in medieval Scotland, which encompassed the modern counties of Fife and Kinross. Due to their royal ancestry, the earls of Fife were the highest ranking nobles in the re ...
. Together they were the progenitors of the Strathbogie dynasty of
Atholl Earls, beginning with their son
David of Strathbogie, 8th Earl of Atholl.
[Burke's Peerage]
She died some time before 25 December 1266.
See also
*
Scotland in the High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages of Scotland encompass Scotland in the era between the death of Domnall II in 900 AD and the death of King Alexander III in 1286, which was an indirect cause of the Wars of Scottish Independence.
At the close of the ninth ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Atholl, Ada, Countess of
1264 deaths
Hereditary women peers
Medieval Gaels from Scotland
People from Perth and Kinross
Scoto-Normans
Year of birth unknown
Year of birth uncertain
Mormaers of Atholl
13th-century Scottish women
13th-century mormaers