Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Fife (c. 1320–1389) was a Scottish noblewoman who was
Countess of Fife from 1363 until she resigned the title in 1371. She was the only child of
Duncan, Earl of Fife, by his wife
Mary de Monthermer, daughter of
Ralph, Lord Monthermer and
Joan of Acre
Joan of Acre (April 1272 – 23 April 1307) was an English princess, a daughter of Edward I of England and Eleanor of Castile. The name "Acre" derives from her birthplace in the Holy Land while her parents were on a crusade.
She was married twi ...
.
Scotland in the fourteenth century had no shortages of heiresses. The great earldoms of the country, frequently in some cases, passed through and into the hands of dowagers and heiresses at various points in the late Middle Ages. Across Europe events such as plague or ongoing warfare had an adverse effect on the male population, and so, noblewomen and their position in society, law, and politics became an increasingly urgent question. Isabella of Fife's position as a woman with significant land, wealth and potential influence was not a unique one.
In 1332 she and her mother had been captured at Perth by supporters of
Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol (; 1283 – January 1364) was a claimant to the Scottish throne during the Second War of Scottish Independence. With English help, he ruled parts of the kingdom from 1332 to 1356.
Early life
Edward was the eldest son of John ...
. She was sent as a ward to
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land ...
.
Her first husband was Sir William Felton of Northumberland (died c. 1358) in Fife, whom she married around 1358. He died soon afterwards, leaving aher with three children. She was next married, before June 1361, to
Walter Stewart, second son of
Robert Stewart, later King Robert II. He died without issue the following year, and she was married again in January 1363 to Sir
Thomas Bisset of Upsetlington in
Berwickshire
Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of t ...
. He had died by April 1366. She was married for a fourth and final time to John Dunbar, who died before 1371. She had three children by her first marriage.
Isabel was persuaded to resign the earldom on 30 March 1371 to
Robert Stewart, Earl of Menteith (later Duke of Albany), who was her brother-in-law by her second marriage. She died shortly after 12 August 1389 and was buried next to Walter Stewart.
Ancestry
References
Sources
*Grant, Rev'd Alexander, "The Ancient Earls of Fife", in
Sir James Balfour Paul (ed.
'' ''The_Scots_Peerage''">The_Scots_Peerage">''The_Scots_Peerage
''_Volume_IV,_(Edinburgh,_1907),_pp. 13-14
*Gray,_Thomas,_''Scalacronica''_(pub._1911)
*Boardman,_Steve,_''The_Early_Stewart_Kings,_Robert_II_and_Robert_III''_(1996),_ch._1,_esp._p._13_ff._
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The_Scots_Peerage">''The_Scots_Peerage''_Volume_IV,_(Edinburgh,_1907),_pp. 13-14
*Gray,_Thomas,_''Scalacronica''_(pub._1911)
*Boardman,_Steve,_''The_Early_Stewart_Kings,_Robert_II_and_Robert_III''_(1996),_ch._1,_esp._p._13_ff._
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isabella,_Countess_Of_Fife
1320_births">Fife,_Isabella_Macduff
1389_deaths.html" ;"title="The Scots Peerage
''">The Scots Peerage">''The Scots Peerage
'' Volume IV, (Edinburgh, 1907), pp. 13-14
*Gray, Thomas, ''Scalacronica'' (pub. 1911)
*Boardman, Steve, ''The Early Stewart Kings, Robert II and Robert III'' (1996), ch. 1, esp. p. 13 ff.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isabella, Countess Of Fife
1320 births">Fife, Isabella Macduff
1389 deaths">Fife, Isabella
Clan MacDuff
Earls or mormaers of Fife
House of Stuart, Isabella