Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany ( gd, Muireadhach Stiubhart) (136224 May 1425) was a leading Scottish nobleman, the son of
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 ...
, and the grandson of King
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, he was the first monarch of the House of St ...
, who founded the
Stewart dynasty
The House of Stuart, originally spelt Stewart, was a royal house of Scotland, England, Ireland and later Great Britain. The family name comes from the office of High Steward of Scotland, which had been held by the family progenitor Walter fit ...
. In 1389, he became
Justiciar North of the Forth. In 1402, he was captured at the
Battle of Homildon Hill
The Battle of Holmedon Hill or Battle of Homildon Hill was a conflict between English and Scottish armies on 14 September 1402 in Northumberland, England. The battle was recounted in Shakespeare's '' Henry IV, part 1''. Although Humbleton Hi ...
and would spend 12 years in captivity in
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 ...
.
After his father died in 1420, and while the future King
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 Ro ...
was himself held captive in England, Stewart served as
Governor of Scotland until 1424, when James was finally ransomed and returned to Scotland. However, in 1425, soon after James's coronation, Stewart was arrested, found guilty of
treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
, and
executed
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
, along with two of his sons. His only surviving heir was
James the Fat
)
, house =House of Stuart
, father = Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany
, mother =Isabella of Lennox
, birth_date =circa 1400
, birth_place =Scotland. Possibly Stirling, Stirlingshire.
, d ...
, who escaped to
Antrim,
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 ...
, where he died in 1429. Stewart's wife
Isabella of Lennox
Isabella of Lennox (d.1458) was the ruler of Lennox, from 1437–1458, and last in the line of Mormaers or native Scottish rulers. As the wife of Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany (d.1425), she was also Duchess of Albany (1420–1425), but ...
survived the destruction of her family. She lived to see the assassination of James I and the restoration of her title and estates.
Early life
![Robert of Albany](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Robert_of_Albany.jpg)
Stewart was born in 1362, the only son of
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 ...
(1340–1420), and his wife
Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith
Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith (c. 1334 – c. 1380) was a Scottish noblewoman. She held the title Countess of Menteith in her own right, having inherited the title c. 1360 from her mother, Mary, Countess of Menteith, who was married to ...
. Duke Robert was a leading Scottish nobleman who was
Regent of Scotland
A regent is a person selected to act as head of state (ruling or not) because minority reign, the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there is only one ruling Regency (government), Regency in the world, sovereign Liechtens ...
at various stages during the reigns of three kings, (
Robert II,
Robert III, and
James I James I may refer to:
People
*James I of Aragon (1208–1276)
*James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327)
*James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu
*James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347)
*James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...
). In addition, Duke Robert held the titles of
Earl of Menteith
The Mormaer or Earl of Menteith was the ruler of the province of Menteith in the Middle Ages. The first mormaer is usually regarded as Gille Críst (or Gilchrist), simply because he is the earliest on record. The title was held in a continuous ...
(28 February 1361),
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 ...
(1361; resigned in 1372),
Earl of Buchan
The Mormaer () or Earl of Buchan () was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male li ...
(1394; resigned in 1406) and
Earl of Atholl
The Mormaer or Earl of Atholl was the title of the holder of a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl (''Ath Fodhla''), now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is repor ...
. In addition to exercising considerable power and wealth, the Albany Stewarts were potential heirs to the throne; Murdoch's grandfather was King
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, he was the first monarch of the House of St ...
, who was the first member of the Stewart dynasty to rule Scotland.
Murdoch Stewart was raised in a large family, having eight sisters:
* Janet Stewart (married Sir David de Moubray)
* Mary Stewart (married Sir William Abernathy, 6th of Saltoun)
* Margaret Stewart (married to
Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk
Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk, great-grandson of Henry de Swinton who appears on the Ragman Roll, was a distinguished soldier and statesman in the reigns of Robert II of Scotland and Robert III of Scotland. (See Clan Swinton)
France, Hundr ...
)
* Joan Stewart (married Sir Robert Stewart, Lord of Lorn)
* Beatrice Stewart (married Sir
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale (1371 – 24 March 1443), latterly known as James the Gross, and prior to his ennoblement as James of Balvenie, was a late mediaeval Scottish magnate. He was the second son of Archibald Do ...
)
* Isabella (Isobel) Stewart (married to
Alexander Leslie
Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven (15804 April 1661) was a Scottish soldier in Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland b ...
, 7th
Earl of Ross
The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland.
Origins and transfers
In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made a separate earldom in the mid 12th ...
and later to
Walter de Haliburton, 1st Lord Haliburton of Dirleton
Sir Walter de Haliburton, 1st Lord Haliburton of Dirleton (died circa 1449), Lord High Treasurer of Scotland was a Scottish noble.
Life
The eldest son of Sir John Haliburton of Dirleton (d. 1392), by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Sir John Came ...
)
* Lady Marjorie Stewart (married to Sir
Duncan Campbell, 1st Lord Campbell
Duncan Campbell, 1st Lord Campbell (Classical Gaelic ''Donnchadh mac Cailein'', and also called Donnchadh na-Adh ( en, Duncan the fortunate) of Loch Awe, (died 1453), was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was an important figure in Scottish ...
)
* Lady Elizabeth Stewart (married to Malcolm Fleming, ancestor of
Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming
Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming (c. 1494 – 10 September 1547), was Lord Chamberlain of Scotland to King James V, from 1524.
Early life
He was the son and heir of John Fleming, 2nd Lord Fleming, who was killed in a feud with the Tweedie of D ...
)
His mother Margaret died in 1380. His father Duke Robert married a second time, to Muriella de Keith, with whom he had four children, the elder of whom was
John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan
John Stewart, Earl of Buchan (c. 1381 – 17 August 1424) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who fought alongside Scotland's French allies during the Hundred Years War. In 1419 he was sent to France by his father the Duke of Albany, Regent ...
(1381–1424).
In 1389, at around age 27, Murdoch was appointed
Justiciar North of the Forth. Father and son would now work together to expand their family interest, bringing them into violent confrontation with other members of the nobility, such as
Donald McDonald, 2nd Lord of the Isles.
[Roberts, John L., p.16, ''Feuds, Forays and Febellions: History of the Highland Clans 1475-1625''](_blank)
Retrieved November 2010
War and capture
![ArmstrongMapHomildon1769](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/ArmstrongMapHomildon1769.JPG)
Stewart served in Scottish military actions against the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
in the early 15th century and was captured at the
Battle of Homildon Hill
The Battle of Holmedon Hill or Battle of Homildon Hill was a conflict between English and Scottish armies on 14 September 1402 in Northumberland, England. The battle was recounted in Shakespeare's '' Henry IV, part 1''. Although Humbleton Hi ...
, which took place on 14 September 1402 in
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 on ...
,
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 ...
. Led by
Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, the Scottish army had invaded England bent on plunder, in part to avenge the killing and capture of Scottish nobles in the
Battle of Nesbit Moor on 22 June 1402. While returning to Scotland, they were intercepted by English forces led by
Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, 4th Baron Percy, titular King of Mann, KG, Lord Marshal (10 November 134120 February 1408) was the son of Henry de Percy, 3rd Baron Percy, and a descendant of Henry III of England. His mother was Mary ...
. The result was a decisive defeat of the Scottish army.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
later wrote, in his play
Henry IV, part 1
''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the battle at ...
:
Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty knights,
Balk’d in their own blood did Sir Walter see
On Holmedon’s plains. Of prisoners, Hotspur took
Mordake the Earl of Fife, and eldest son
To beaten Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
* Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civi ...
; and the Earl of Athol,
Of Murray, Angus, and Menteith:
And is not this an honourable spoil?
A gallant prize? ha, cousin, is it not?
---Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
, Henry IV, part 1
''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the battle at ...
, act 1, scene 1.
Murdoch Stewart (described above as "Mordake the Earl of Fife") was held as a prisoner in England for the next twelve years.
Politics
Murdoch Stewart's captivity in England did not prevent his father from ruthlessly pursuing the family interest, often through violent means. On 26 March 1402 the Duke of Albany's nephew,
David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
David Stewart (24 October 1378 – 26 March 1402) was heir apparent to the throne of Scotland from 1390 and the first Duke of Rothesay from 1398. He was named after his great-great-uncle, David II of Scotland, and also held the titles of ...
, had died in
Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace, in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a royal palace of the Scottish Kings. It was one of the favourite places of Mary, Queen of Scots, providing an escape from political and religious turmoil. Today it is under the stewardship of ...
while under his uncle's protection. King Robert III of Scotland, fearful that his younger son Prince James, the
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
to the throne of Scotland, would suffer the same fate, sent him out of the kingdom to escape Albany's clutches. In 1406 James boarded the ''Maryenknyght'', a ship from
Danzig that was bound for
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, but on 22 March 1406, the ship was taken by English pirates off
Flamborough Head and James was delivered as a prisoner to King
Henry IV of England
Henry IV ( April 1367 – 20 March 1413), also known as Henry Bolingbroke, was King of England from 1399 to 1413. He asserted the claim of his grandfather King Edward III, a maternal grandson of Philip IV of France, to the Kingdom of F ...
. Soon afterwards, on 4 April 1406
King Robert III died, leaving Scotland without a King. Prince James, now the heir to the throne of Scotland and just 12 years old, would endure 18 years of detention in England. In his absence the Albany Stewarts took the reins of power, and Murdoch's father,
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 ...
, became
Governor of Scotland, king in all but name. The English price of returning James to Scotland was English overlordship of Scotland, something that few Scots were prepared to accept.
At this time Murdoch Stewart was still a prisoner in England, but in 1416 he was exchanged for
Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland (3 February 139322 May 1455) was an English nobleman and military commander in the lead up to the Wars of the Roses. He was the son of Henry "Hotspur" Percy, and the grandson of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of N ...
, and he returned to Scotland. The Albany Stewarts took James's lands under their own control, depriving the king of income and any of the
regalia
Regalia is a Latin plurale tantum word that has different definitions. In one rare definition, it refers to the exclusive privileges of a sovereign. The word originally referred to the elaborate formal dress and dress accessories of a sovereign ...
of his position. James was referred to in the official records as merely 'the son of the late king'.
[Brown, Michael, ''James I'', p. 18]
Governor of Scotland and Duke of Albany
In 1420, on his father's death, Murdoch, now aged 58, finally inherited the
Dukedom of Albany. He also inherited the
Earldom of Fife and the
Earldom of Menteith, and at last became
Governor of Scotland in his own right. He would hold this position from 1420 to 1424, while King James I was still held captive in England. Few serious attempts appear to have been made by Duke Albany to return James to Scotland, but eventually political pressure compelled Murdoch to agree to a general council.
Ransom and return of James I
![Vigiles du roi Charles VII 49](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Vigiles_du_roi_Charles_VII_49.jpg)
In August 1423 it was agreed that an embassy should be sent to England to negotiate James's release. A ransom treaty of 60,000
marks
Marks may refer to:
Business
* Mark's, a Canadian retail chain
* Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain
* Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members
* Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel ...
(an enormous sum) was agreed at
Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham
*County Durham, an English county
* Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
on 28 March 1424, to which James attached his own seal—he and his queen, accompanied by an escort of English and Scottish nobles, proceeded to
Melrose Abbey
St Mary's Abbey, Melrose is a partly ruined monastery of the Cistercian order in Melrose, Roxburghshire, in the Scottish Borders. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks at the request of King David I of Scotland and was the chief house of ...
, arriving on 5 April where he met Albany to receive the governor's seal of office. Upon the return of
James I James I may refer to:
People
*James I of Aragon (1208–1276)
*James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327)
*James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu
*James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347)
*James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...
to Scotland, Albany lost his position as Regent.
James began to consolidate his position. His
coronation
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
took place at
Scone
A scone is a baked good, usually made of either wheat or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash. The scone is a basic component ...
on 21 May 1424. At his coronation parliament the king—probably with the intent of securing a cohesive political community loyal to the crown—knighted 18 prominent nobles including Albany's son Alexander Stewart.
[Stevenson, ''Chivalry and knighthood in Scotland, 1424-1513'' pp. 171–2]
At this stage, it is probable that the king felt unable to take action against the Albany Stewarts while Murdoch's brother,
John Stewart, Earl of Buchan
John Stewart, Earl of Buchan (c. 1381 – 17 August 1424) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who fought alongside Scotland's French allies during the Hundred Years War. In 1419 he was sent to France by his father the Duke of Albany, Regent ...
and
Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas were fighting the English in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
alongside their
Dauphinist French allies. Buchan was a soldier with an international reputation, and commanded the large Scottish army of around 6,000 men, a formidable force. In addition he was
Constable of France
The Constable of France (french: Connétable de France, from Latin for 'count of the stables') was lieutenant to the King of France, the first of the original five Great Officers of the Crown (along with seneschal, chamberlain, butler, and ...
, making him the effective commander of the entire French army. However, both he and Douglas were killed at the
Battle of Verneuil
The Battle of Verneuil was a battle of the Hundred Years' War, fought on 17 August 1424 near Verneuil-sur-Avre in Normandy between an English army and a combined Franco- Scottish force, augmented by Milanese heavy cavalry. The battle was a s ...
in August 1424 and the Scottish army was routed—the loss of these Albany allies with their fighting force left Murdoch politically exposed.
[Brown M. H., ''John Stewart'', ODNB] James moved swiftly against his Albany Stewart relatives soon afterwards.
Arrest
![Stirling Castle John Slezer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Stirling_Castle_John_Slezer.jpg)
Murdoch was arrested, along with his younger son Lord Alexander Stewart. Albany was at first confined in the castle at
St. Andrews and afterwards transferred to
Caerlaverock Castle
Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland, south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Caerlaverock was a stronghold o ...
. His wife Isabella was captured in the family's fortified castle of
Doune
Doune (; from Scottish Gaelic: ''An Dùn'', meaning 'the fort') is a burgh within Perthshire. The town is administered by Stirling Council. Doune is assigned Falkirk postcodes starting "FK". The village lies within the parish of Kilmadock and mai ...
, their favourite residence, and committed to
Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to ...
.
James's older brother
David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
David Stewart (24 October 1378 – 26 March 1402) was heir apparent to the throne of Scotland from 1390 and the first Duke of Rothesay from 1398. He was named after his great-great-uncle, David II of Scotland, and also held the titles of ...
had died young, in
Falkland Castle, while in the care of Murdoch's father,
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 ...
. Though Albany had been exonerated by Parliament, the suspicion of foul play remained. Moreover, neither Duke Robert nor his son Murdoch had exerted themselves in negotiating James's release while in English captivity. This may well have left James with the suspicion that the Albany Stewarts had personal designs on the throne of Scotland.
At this time Albany's other son Walter was already in prison. James, Murdoch's youngest son (also known as
James the Fat
)
, house =House of Stuart
, father = Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany
, mother =Isabella of Lennox
, birth_date =circa 1400
, birth_place =Scotland. Possibly Stirling, Stirlingshire.
, d ...
), escaped arrest. and fled into the
Lennox, where he began to organise a revolt, leading men of Lennox and Argyll in open rebellion against the crown. He attacked and burned the burgh of Dumbarton with much loss of life. This resort to violence by Albany's youngest son may spurred the king into bring a charge of treason against the Albany Stewarts, however, it is likely there was other evidence (no longer extant) for him to have gained the support of the leading magnates.
Trial and execution
![King James I of Scotland](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/King_James_I_of_Scotland.jpg)
Duke Murdoch, his sons Walter and Alexander, and Duncan, Earl of Lennox were in
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...
for their trial on 18 May 1425, at a prorogued parliament in the presence of the King. An
assize
The courts of assize, or assizes (), were periodic courts held around England and Wales until 1972, when together with the quarter sessions they were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court. The assizes e ...
of seven earls and fourteen lesser nobles heard the evidence that linked the prisoners to the rebellion in the Lennox—in a trial lasting just one day the four men were found guilty of treason.
The jury which condemned them was composed of 21 knights and Peers, including Albany's
half uncle Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl
Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, Strathearn and Caithness (c. 1360 – 26 March 1437) was a Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert II of Scotland. Stewart advocated for the ransom and return to Scotland of the future king in exile, James I, in 1424. ...
,
first cousin
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar,
first cousins once removed
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (c. 1391 – 26 June 1439) was a Scottish nobleman and general during the Hundred Years' War.
Life
Douglas was the son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, eldest daughter o ...
, and
Alexander, Earl of Ross and
Lord of the Isles
The Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles
( gd, Triath nan Eilean or ) is a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title w ...
.
Walter was condemned on 24 May. Albany and his son Alexander were tried before the same jury the following day. All the prisoners were publicly beheaded on
Heading Hill "in front of"
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...
.
[Tytler (1866) vol.iii, p.192–3] Albany was
attainted and all of his peerage titles were forfeited. He was buried at
Blackfriars' Church, Stirling.
In the destruction of his close family, the Albany Stewarts, James I gained the substantial rents from the family's three forfeited earldoms of Fife, Menteith and Lennox, a blow from which the Albany Stewarts never recovered. More importantly, he secured his reign from the threat which had been constantly posed to him by the Albany Stewarts since his older brother's death, probably at their hands, decades before.
Marriage and children
Murdoch was married to
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:
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* Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Isabella (surname), including a list of people
Places
United States
* Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...
, daughter of
Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox. They had four sons and a daughter:
* Robert Stewart (d. 1421)
* Walter Stewart (executed 1425). Married to Janet Erskine; father of:
**
Andrew Stewart, 1st Lord Avondale who became Lord of Avondale in 1459, and
Lord Chancellor of Scotland
The Lord Chancellor of Scotland, formally the Lord High Chancellor, was a Great Officer of State in the Kingdom of Scotland.
Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower st ...
in the same year, becoming one of the leading servants of King
James III of Scotland
James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, King James II, at the siege of Roxburgh ...
. He would hold the office of Chancellor for 25 years, dying in 1488.
[Nelker, p.19]
** Walter Stewart, feudal baron of Morphie
*** Alexander Stewart
****
Andrew Stewart, 1st Lord Avondale
*****
Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven
Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven (c. 1495 – 1552) was Master of the Scottish Artillery and third, and last husband, of Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.
Ancient lineage
He was a son of Andrew Stewa ...
, married to
Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Marg ...
as her 3rd husband; her 1st was
James IV of Scotland.
* Alexander Stewart (executed 1425).
*
James the Fat
)
, house =House of Stuart
, father = Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany
, mother =Isabella of Lennox
, birth_date =circa 1400
, birth_place =Scotland. Possibly Stirling, Stirlingshire.
, d ...
(Seamas Mòr) Stewart, fled to Ireland and died in 1429.
*Isabel, who married Sir Walter Buchanan, 12th
Laird of Buchanan Buchanan may refer to:
People
* Buchanan (surname)
Places Africa
* Buchanan, Liberia, a large coastal town
Antarctica
* Buchanan Point, Laurie Island
Australia
* Buchanan, New South Wales
* Buchanan, Northern Territory, a locality
* Buch ...
.
Ancestry
Legacy
![Tantallon Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Tantallon_Castle.jpg)
Albany's sole surviving male heir was his youngest son,
James the Fat
)
, house =House of Stuart
, father = Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany
, mother =Isabella of Lennox
, birth_date =circa 1400
, birth_place =Scotland. Possibly Stirling, Stirlingshire.
, d ...
who, after his failed rebellion, escaped to Ireland following the execution of his father and brothers. James remained in Ireland, unable to return, and died there in 1429. He was never able to inherit his father's titles, since they had been declared forfeit under the attainder. Albany's grandson,
James "Beag" Stewart
James "Beag" Stewart (c1424-1470) of Baldorran was the seventh illegitimate son of James Mor Stewart (known as "James the Fat"), who fled into exile in Ireland when his father Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany was executed for treason by James I o ...
(c1410-1470), would eventually secure a pardon from the King and return to Scotland, though the family would never recover their lost estates. James "Beag" Stewart is the ancestor of the
Stewarts of Ardvorlich on
Lochearnside, whose family history is recounted by
Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy' ...
in ''
A Legend of Montrose
''A Legend of Montrose'' is an historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, set in Scotland in the 1640s during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It forms, along with ''The Bride of Lammermoor'', the 3rd series of Scott's '' Tales of My Landlord''. The ...
''.
Albany's wife,
Isabella of Lennox
Isabella of Lennox (d.1458) was the ruler of Lennox, from 1437–1458, and last in the line of Mormaers or native Scottish rulers. As the wife of Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany (d.1425), she was also Duchess of Albany (1420–1425), but ...
, survived the execution of her family, though she spent eight years as a royal prisoner at
Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to ...
. In 1437, after the death of James I, she at last recovered her lands and title. In the next few years, although forced to govern her province from
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (1984) ''Elm'', Cambridge University Press.) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Ce ...
, she issued a large number of charters and was tolerated by James's successor, King
James II of Scotland
James II (16 October 1430 – 3 August 1460) was King of Scots from 1437 until his death in 1460. The eldest surviving son of James I of Scotland, he succeeded to the Scottish throne at the age of six, following the assassination of his father. ...
, who allowed her to assume all her titles and honors as Duchess of Albany and Countess of Lennox.
See also
*
Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
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 ...
Notes
References
*
* Campbell, Alastair, ''A History of Clan Campbell, Volume 2''
Crawfurd, George, p.159, ''A General Description of the Shire of Renfrew'' (1818)Retrieved November 2010
* Mackie, J. D., ''A History of Scotland'', Penguin Books, London (1964)
*
* Nelker, Gladys P., ''The Clan Steuart'', Genealogical Publishing (1970)
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Albany, Murdoch Stewart, Duke Of
1362 births
1425 deaths
14th-century Scottish people
15th-century executions
15th-century Scottish peers
15th-century viceregal rulers
Regents of Scotland
Dukes of Albany
Murdoch
Murdoch ( , ) is an Irish/Scottish given name, as well as a surname. The name is derived from old Gaelic words ''mur'', meaning "sea" and ''murchadh'', meaning "sea warrior". The following is a list of notable people or entities with the name.
...
Murdoch
Murdoch ( , ) is an Irish/Scottish given name, as well as a surname. The name is derived from old Gaelic words ''mur'', meaning "sea" and ''murchadh'', meaning "sea warrior". The following is a list of notable people or entities with the name.
...
Earls or mormaers of Fife
Earls or mormaers of Menteith
People executed for treason against Scotland
People executed by Stuart Scotland
Executed Scottish people
People executed by the Kingdom of Scotland by decapitation