Gofraid mac Domnaill (alternatively "Godfrey MacWilliam";
"Guthred";
"Guthred son of Macwilliam"
), was a thirteenth-century Scottish rebel. The son of Domnall (modern; Donald), his father's surname was almost certainly MacWilliam (the modern spelling for the Gaelic
Meic Uilleim
__NOTOC__
The Meic Uilleim (MacWilliams) were the Gaelic descendants of William fitz Duncan, grandson of Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, king of Scots. They were excluded from the succession by the descendants of Máel Coluim's son David I during the 1 ...
family) though Bane has been proposed.
In 1211, Gofraid came from
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
to Ross, and raised a rebellion.
William I of Scotland
William the Lion, sometimes styled William I and also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough"''Uilleam Garbh''; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Scots from 11 ...
led a great army north, but failed to bring Gofraid to decisive battle. Late in the year King William returned south, leaving
Maol Choluim,
Mormaer 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 ...
, as his lieutenant in Moray. Gofraid soon afterwards captured a royal castle, showing that he was far from being defeated.
The following year,
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
(later Alexander II) son of King William, led an army north once more. King William followed with yet more soldiery, including mercenaries from
Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to:
Place names in Europe
* London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany
Belgium
* Province of Bra ...
supplied by King
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
of
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. As it fell out, Gofraid's supporters betrayed him to
William Comyn,
Justiciar of Scotia
The Justiciar of Scotia (in Norman-Latin, ''Justiciarus Scotie'') was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. ''Scotia'' (meaning Scotland) in this context refers to Scotland to the north of the River Forth and Rive ...
(who at the time was Warden of Moray) before battle was joined. Gofraid was "beheaded
nKincardine 1211"
(other sources specify 1212
), by William Comyn, on the King's orders.
Gofraid's revolt is said to have been a bloody affair and, although it was ended relatively quickly, it was, nonetheless, a serious threat to the aged, unloved King William.
[Duncan, p. 112; MacDonald, pp.42–43.]
References
Reading list
* Duncan, A.A.M., ''The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence.'' Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2002.
* McDonald, R. Andrew, ''Outlaws of Medieval Scotland: Challenges to the Canmore Kings, 1058–1266.'' Tuckwell Press, East Linton, 2003.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Domnaill, Gofraid mac
1210s deaths
Year of birth unknown
13th-century Scottish people