Anabella Drummond (c. 1350–1401) was the
Queen of Scotland
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwi ...
by marriage to King
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III (c. 13374 April 1406), born John Stewart, was King of Scots from 1390 to his death in 1406. He was also High Steward of Scotland from 1371 to 1390 and held the titles of Earl of Atholl (1367–1390) and Earl of Carrick (1368– ...
.
Life
Early life
She was the daughter of Sir John Drummond, of
Stobhall
Stobhall (or Stobhall Castle) is a country house and estate in Perthshire in Scotland, from Perth. The 17th-century dower house and several other buildings are Category A-listed with Historic Environment Scotland.
The lands at Stobhall have b ...
, near
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, 11th
Thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven talukas ...
of
Lennox and Chief of
Clan Drummond
Clan Drummond is a Highland Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). pp. 120 - 121. ...
, and Mary Montifex, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Sir William de Montifex,
Justiciar of Scotland. It has been erroneous postulated that her father was the same John Drummond that was a brother to
Margaret Drummond, Queen of Scotland but as this does not align with any historical dates, the latter John was probably a close ancestor.
She married
John Stewart (the future
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III (c. 13374 April 1406), born John Stewart, was King of Scots from 1390 to his death in 1406. He was also High Steward of Scotland from 1371 to 1390 and held the titles of Earl of Atholl (1367–1390) and Earl of Carrick (1368– ...
) in 1367. Soon, she was enveloped in a power struggle with her husband's brother,
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
. Since Anabella and John did have two daughters, but no sons for several years, he was a supporter of a law that would bar women from inheriting the throne.
Queen
Anabella was
crowned with Robert at
Scone Palace
Scone Palace is a Category A- listed historic house near the village of Scone and the city of Perth, Scotland. Built in red sandstone with a castellated roof, it is an example of the Gothic Revival style in Scotland.
Scone was originally th ...
when he came to the throne in 1390. She continued bearing children until she was past forty and had her last child, the future
James I of Scotland
James I (late July 139421 February 1437) was King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III and Annabella Drummond. His older brother David, Duke of ...
, in 1394.
King Robert, an invalid since 1384 as a result of a riding accident, grew increasingly despondent and incompetent throughout his reign and was not capable of governing. During this time he is said to have said to her that he should be buried in a dung heap with the epitaph "Here lies the worst of kings and the most miserable of men".
Because the king was not able to rule, Anabella was prompted to manage state affairs as
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
ruler. The chronicles of Scotland generally praise queen Anabella and her conduct as queen. Protecting the interests of her oldest son,
David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, she arranged a great
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
in 1398 in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
, where her oldest son was knighted.
[Marshall, Rosalind K. (2003). p. 47.] In April of that year she also called a council where he was created
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay ( ; gd, Diùc Baile Bhòid; sco, Duik o Rothesay) is a dynastic title of the heir apparent to the British throne, currently William, Prince of Wales. William's wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, is the current Duchess of Ro ...
and
Lieutenant of the Realm in the same year.
[ Shortly after his mother's death he would be imprisoned by his uncle and died in mysterious circumstances. David was described as debauched, self-indulgent and erratic, and the Duke of Albany did not have to fight hard to control him.
The Fife burgh of ]Inverkeithing
Inverkeithing ( ; gd, Inbhir Chèitinn) is a port town and parish, in Fife, Scotland, on the Firth of Forth. A town of ancient origin, Inverkeithing was given royal burgh status during the reign of Malcolm IV in the 12th century. It was an imp ...
was a favourite residence of the queen. Her presence is still recalled in the sandstone font
In metal typesetting, a font is a particular size, weight and style of a typeface. Each font is a matched set of type, with a piece (a "sort") for each glyph. A typeface consists of a range of such fonts that shared an overall design.
In mod ...
, decorated with angels and heraldry, which she presented to the parish church of the town, one of Scotland's finest surviving pieces of late medieval sculpture.
Anabella died in Scone Palace
Scone Palace is a Category A- listed historic house near the village of Scone and the city of Perth, Scotland. Built in red sandstone with a castellated roof, it is an example of the Gothic Revival style in Scotland.
Scone was originally th ...
in October 1401, and was buried at her birthplace of Dunfermline
Dunfermline (; sco, Dunfaurlin, gd, Dùn Phàrlain) is a city, parish and former Royal Burgh, in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. The city currently has an estimated population of 58,508. Acco ...
. With the loss of her protection, her eldest son David would become the prey of his uncle, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany
Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340 – 3 September 1420) was a member of the Scottish royal family who served as regent (at least partially) to three Scottish monarchs ( Robert II, Robert III, and James I). A ruthless politician, Albany w ...
, dying shortly after.[
]
Issue
Anabella had several children with Robert III:
*Elizabeth, married James Douglas, 1st Baron Dalkeith
*Mary, married first to George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus (1380–1403) was a Scottish nobleman and peer.
Life
He was born at Tantallon Castle, East Lothian, Scotland. He was the natural-illegitimate son of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret S ...
, second to Sir James Kennedy the Younger (by whom she had Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy
Gilbert Kennedy of Dunure, 1st Lord Kennedy (22 February 1405 – 27 March 1489) was a Scottish lord, a son of Sir James Kennedy, Younger of Dunure, and Lady Mary Stewart, daughter of Robert III, King of the Scots. He served as one of six Rege ...
), third to William Graham of Kincardine, and fourth to Sir William Edmonstone of Duntreath.
*Egidia, died young
*Margaret, married Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas
Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, Duke of Touraine (c. 1369 – 17 August 1424), was a Scottish nobleman and warlord. He is sometimes given the epithet "Tyneman" ( Old Scots: Loser), but this may be a reference to his great-uncle Sir A ...
*Robert, died young
*David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, later Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay ( ; gd, Diùc Baile Bhòid; sco, Duik o Rothesay) is a dynastic title of the heir apparent to the British throne, currently William, Prince of Wales. William's wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, is the current Duchess of Ro ...
*James
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambigua ...
, later King of Scots
The monarch of Scotland was the head of state of the Kingdom of Scotland. According to tradition, the first King of Scots was Kenneth I MacAlpin (), who founded the state in 843. Historically, the Kingdom of Scotland is thought to have grown ...
References
* Marshall, Rosalind, ''Scottish Queens, 1034-1714''
* Richard Oram: ''The Kings and Queens of Scotland''
* Timothy Venning: ''The Kings and Queens of Scotland''
* Mike Ashley: ''British Kings and Queens''
* Elizabeth Ewan, Sue Innes and Sian Reynolds: ''The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women''
External links
thepeerage.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drummond, Anabella
1350 births
1401 deaths
14th-century Scottish people
14th-century Scottish women
15th-century Scottish people
Burials at Dunfermline Abbey
Anabella Drummond
Anabella
Scottish royal consorts
15th-century Scottish women