Hervey de Keith (died c. 1185) was a
Scoto-Norman adventurer and nobleman and first recorded
Marischal of Scotland
The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland.
History
The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held by ...
.
Life
Keith took his name from the
Barony of Keith, in
East Lothian
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the histo ...
, which he held the north eastern part; the south western part was held by
Simon Fraser. The two sections of the estate were known as Keith Harvey and Keith Symmars respectively.
In 1160 Fraser made over the Church at Keith and its revenues to the monks of
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is a ruined Scottish abbey in Kelso, Scotland. It was founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed ...
, compelling Hervey de Keith to build a new church at Keith Harvey paying an annual tribute to Kelso.
Latterly Keith had legal wrangles with the Abbey of Kelso as to the level of payment that he should make to them. These troubles were smoothed out under the auspices of
Jocelin, Bishop of Glasgow and Osbert,
Prior of Paisley, who decreed that he must pay an annual sum of twenty shillings. In this document he is described as "''Marescallus Regis Scocie''".
Keith was Marischal under Kings
Malcolm the Maiden and
William the Lyon
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 ...
, and was witness to many charters under them.
Hervey de Keith died circa 1185.
Marriage and issue
It has been suggested that Keith married Margaret, daughter to
William I, Lord of Douglas
William of Douglas (died c. 1214) was a medieval nobleman living in Clydesdale, an area under the control of the King of the Scots. Enigmatic origins
The origins of William are uncertain, the first of the name of Douglas to appear on historic rec ...
though this is doubtful. Keith had a son:
* Malcolm de Keith, who witnessed many charters between 1178 and 1220, but did not assume the role of Marischal.
[Balfour Paul,vol VI, p. 26] Keith was succeeded in his role as Marischal by his grandsons:
**
Philip de Keith
Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
**
David de Keith
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 ...
He gave origin to
Clan Keith.
References
Notes
Sources
*
Balfour Paul, Sir James ''Scots Peerage'' IX vols. Edinburgh 1905
*
Alexander Nisbet, Nisbet, Alexander, ''A system of Heraldry: &c.''II vols. Edinburgh 181
*''Liber S. Marie de Calchou : registrum cartarum abbacie tironensis de Kelso, 1113-1567'',II vols.
Bannatyne Club, Edinburgh 184
12th-century births
1180s deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain
Norman warriors
Scoto-Normans
{{Scotland-noble-stub