Alexander of Menteith (d. bef. 1306), a Scottish nobleman and member of the Stewart family, he was the

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 ...

Life

Alexander was the eldest son and heir of Walter Bailloch Stewart and

Mary I, Countess of Menteith Maire inghean Mhuireadhaich or Mary, daughter of Muireadhach II, Mormaer of Menteith, was Countess of Menteith, successor to her sister Isabella (Iosbail). She inherited the title from her father, and married Walter Bailloch, son of Walter Ste ...

and was the

Mormaer In early medieval Scotland, a mormaer was the Gaelic name for a regional or provincial ruler, theoretically second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a ''Toísech'' (chieftain). Mormaers were equivalent to English earls or Continental c ...

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...

of Menteith succeeding his mother the

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...

countess.George Edward Cokayne, ''The complete peerage; or, A history of the House of lords and all its members from the earliest times'', Vol. VIII (London: The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., 1932), p. 662 The first mention of him in records is with his brother

John de Menteith Sir John Menteith of Ruskie and Knapdale (c. 1275 – c. 1329) was a Scottish nobleman during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is known for his capture of Sir William Wallace in 1305 and later joined with King Robert I of Scotland and rec ...

in a compact dated on 20 September 1286, at Turnberry, Carrick, between Bruce and the Stewarts.''

The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland ''The Scots Peerage'' is a nine-volume book series of the Scottish nobility compiled and edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, published in Edinburgh from 1904 to 1914. The full title is ''The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert ...

'', ed. James Balfour Paul, Vol VI (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1909), p. 133 In another writ, of uncertain date, granted by their father to

Kilwinning Abbey Kilwinning Abbey is a ruined abbey located in the centre of the town of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire. History Establishment of the Abbey Kilwinning was a Tironensian Benedictine monastic community, named after Tiron in the diocese of Chart ...

, he and his brother are styled Alexander and John de Menteith. Alexander joined with his father in a charter granting the church of Kippen to the

Cambuskenneth Abbey Cambuskenneth Abbey is an Augustinian monastery located on an area of land enclosed by a meander of the River Forth near Stirling in Scotland. The abbey today is largely reduced to its foundations, however its bell tower remains. The neighbouring ...

situated within the earldom as a place of burial; the writ being dated 1286. He was appointed the

Sheriff of Dumbarton The Sheriff of Dumbarton was historically the royal official responsible for enforcing law and order in Dumbarton, Scotland and bringing criminals to justice. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, followin ...

in 1288. Prior to succeeding his father, Alexander was at

Norham Norham ( ) is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England, It is located south-west of Berwick on the south side of the River Tweed where it is the border with Scotland. History Its ancient name was Ubbanford. Ecgred of Lindisfarne ...

in 1291, and was among those who swore fealty to Edward I. Alexander was with his brother John at the Battle of Dunbar on 27 April 1296, and fled to

Dunbar Castle Dunbar Castle was one of the strongest fortresses in Scotland, situated in a prominent position overlooking the harbour of the town of Dunbar, in East Lothian. Several fortifications were built successively on the site, near the English-Scotti ...

where he and others were taken prisoner and he was committed to the Tower of London. His detention was not long, however, and he was liberated after promising to serve the English King, meeting with him at Elgin 27 July 1296. He repeated this promise, and swore fealty at Berwick a month later, on 28 August, as ''Alexander Comes Meneteth''. Alexander then gave over two of his sons, Alan and Peter, as hostages. Alexander seems to have retired from public life after this, tending only to his family affairs. He died before 1306.

Family

He married a lady named Matilda (Maud), a daughter of Robert, Earl of Strathearn,J. Ravilious, The Earls of Menteith: Murdoch, Earl of Menteith and the Ferrers family of Groby, The Scottish Genealogist (March 2013), Vol. LX, No. 1, pp. 12-25 and together they had the following children: * Alan, Earl of Menteith, who succeeded his father as Earl. * Peter, who in 1296 was a hostage in England with his brother Alan. He accompanied King Edward to

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

, and took part in the French campaign of 1297, where he may have been killed.''The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland'', ed. James Balfour Paul, Vol VI (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1909), p. 134 * Murdach, who became Earl of Menteith. * Alexander, styled as brother of Murdach in a charter to Gilbert Drummond. * Malise, who had a charter from Robert I of the lands of Ballygillachy, married Margaret Mar with issue *

Margaret de Menteith Margaret de Menteith ( fl 1311–1324) was a daughter of Alexander, Earl of Menteith and his wife Matilda. She was the wife of Alexander de Abernethy, a noted Scottish knight and opponent of Robert I of Scotland. She is first encountered in hist ...

, wife of

Alexander de Abernethy Alexander de Abernethy (after 1271 – c. 1315) was a Scottish baron. He was a son of Hugh de Abernethy and Maria de Ergadia. Alexander was a descendant of abbots of Abernethy; his great-grandfather Laurence, great-grandson of Gillemichael, Ea ...

.J. Ravilious, The Earls of Menteith: Alexander, Earl of Menteith and Sir Alexander de Abernethy, The Scottish Genealogist (September 2010), Vol. LVII, No. 3, pp. 130–139 * Ellen, recently identified as the wife of

William Ferrers, 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby William Ferrers, 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby (31 January 1272 – 20 Mar 1325) was an English peer who lived under two kings, Edward I and Edward II. His baronial caput was Groby in Leicestershire. Origins He was born in 1272 at Yoxall in Staffor ...

(d. 20 March 1324/5). Alan Durward = Margery of E of Athol I Scotland I I Colban = Anne = Sir William E of Fife I Durward I de Ferrers d. 1270 I I (2nd husband) _______________I I___________________________________________________________ I I I ______________________________________________________ I I I I I I I Alexander = Matilda Sir John de Menteith Elena = John I I E of Menteith I of Strathearn I de Drummond I I I __I______________________ I I I I I I I I I I John Walter Elena Joanna I I I = Gillespie I I I Campbell I __I________ __I____________________________________________________ I I I I I I I I I Duncan Margery = Alan Murdoch Margaret Malise Elena = Sir William E of I E of E of = Alexander de Menteith of I de Ferrers Fife (d. 1289) I Menteith Menteith de Abernethy Methlick I d. 1325 I I I I I ___I I I I I I I Duncan Alan Walter de Menteith Anne E of E of Menteith of Methlick de Ferrers Fife heir of Fife, 1315 d. aft 13 Jul 1364 = Edward le I I Despenser I I Mary = Sir John John de Menteith C of de Graham d. bef 1394 Menteith d. 1346

Life

Family

References

See also