Ferteth of Strathearn (''fl.'' 1160), sometimes referred to as Ferchar or Ferquhard, is the second known earl or
mormaer of Strathearn
Earl or Mormaer of Strathearn is a title of Scottish nobility, referring to the region of Strathearn in southern Perthshire. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mo ...
, a region in central Scotland.
Ferteth was the son of his predecessor
Malise I, and Rosabella Forteith. His name likely derives from the Gaelic ''Fer Téid'', "
Teith Man". He first appears in history in 1160, when he came to the Parliament at
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
. On this occasion he, with the help of five other earls, besieged
King Malcolm in
Perth Castle. The reason for this is not clear, but it may have been a protest against Malcolm's friendship with
Henry II of England
Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...
, which they believed might lead to Scotland becoming an English vassal. The king and the earls were later reconciled, and Earl Ferteth was not punished for his actions.
Ferteth took a great interest in ecclesiastical affairs, and it was largely due to his influence that Strathearn was made a separate diocese, headed by the
Bishops of Dunblane
The Bishop of Dunblane or Bishop of Strathearn was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunblane or Strathearn, one of medieval Scotland's thirteen bishoprics. It was based at Dunblane Cathedral, now a parish church of the Church of Scotland ...
. He died in 1171, having married a woman named Ethen, of unknown parentage. Ferteth and Ethen had two sons and a daughter:
*
Gille-Brigte (Gilbert)
* Malise, who held Muthil, Ogilvy, Kincardine, Rossie and other lands in Perthshire, and married Ada, illegitimate daughter of
David, Earl of Huntingdon
David of Scotland (Medieval Gaelic: ''Dabíd'') (1152 – 17 June 1219) was a Scottish prince and 8th Earl of Huntingdon. He was, until 1198, heir to the Scottish throne.
Life
He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of ...
* Christian, who married
Sir Walter Olifard, Justiciar of the Lothians and son of
Sir David Olifard.
Bibliography
*Anderson, Rev'd John, "The Ancient Earls of Strathearn", in
Sir James Balfour Paul (ed.
''The_Scots_Peerage''.html" ;"title="The Scots Peerage">''The Scots Peerage
''">The Scots Peerage">''The Scots Peerage
'' Volume VIII, (Edinburgh, 1911), pp. 240-1
* Neville, Cynthia J., ''Native Lordship in Medieval Scotland: The Earldoms of Strathearn and Lennox, c. 1140–1365'', (Portland & Dublin, 2005)
External links
Entry for Ferteth (Fer Téid) on POMS
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strathearn, Ferteth, Earl of
12th-century deaths
People from Perth and Kinross
Year of birth unknown
Mormaers of Strathearn
12th-century mormaers