Alexander, Earl of Menteith
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Alexander of Menteith son of Mary I, Countess of Menteith
and Walter Bailloch Stewart, her husband, was a Mormaer or Earl of Menteith
for most of the 1290s. He is first noted with his brother John de Menteith
in a compact between Bruce and the Stewarts on 20 September 1286, at Turnberry
, Carrick
. In another writ, of uncertain date, granted by their father to Kilwinning Abbey
, he and his brother are styled Alexander and John de Menteith. They had therefore dropped the name Stewart for the name Menteith.
Alexander joined with his father in a charter granting the church of Kippen to the Cambuskenneth Abbey
to secure themselves a place of burial. This writ is said to be dated in 1286. He was at Norham
in 1291, and swore fealty to Edward I
, while he also appears in other matters before his succession, the date of which is uncertain, but was probably between 1292 and 1295. In any case he was the Earl of Menteith who with the Earls of Atholl
, Ross
, and others gathered a force and invaded England in revenge for Edward's savage attack on Berwick
. Their army was defeated at the Battle of Dunbar
on 27 April 1296, and on that or the following day Menteith and others who had fled to Dunbar Castle
were taken captive, and he was committed to the Tower.
He was not, however, detained long as a prisoner, but was liberated either before or shortly after a promise of service made by him to the English King, and dated at Elgin 27 July 1296. He repeated this promise, and swore fealty at Berwick a month later, on 28 August. He then left two of his sons in the King's hands as hostages. Perhaps this fact influenced his future movements, for, excepting some transactions dealing with the estates of Alexander de Abernethy
, and also of Alexander of Argyll
and his son, of which he was appointed guardian by Edward, he seems to have taken no part in public affairs. At least nothing is recorded about him, except a letter to him from the English King on 26 September 1297, and the date of his death is not known.
He married a lady named Matilda, whose surname has not been discovered, and had the following children:
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 . She inherited the title from her father, and married Walter Bailloch, son of Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland...
and Walter Bailloch Stewart, her husband, was a Mormaer or Earl of Menteith
Earl of Menteith
The Mormaer or Earl of Menteith was originally the ruler of the province of Menteith in the Middle Ages. The first mormaer is usually regarded as Gille Críst, simply because he is the earliest on record. The title was held in a continuous line from Gille Crist until Muireadhach IV , although the...
for most of the 1290s. He is first noted with his brother John de Menteith
John de Menteith
Sir John de Menteith was a Scottish nobleman.He was born to Mary, Countess of Menteith and her husband Walter "Bailloch" Stewart, Earl of Menteith jure uxoris. He and his older brother, Alexander, Earl of Menteith, replaced their paternal Stewart surname in favour of Menteith, which earned him the...
in a compact between Bruce and the Stewarts on 20 September 1286, at Turnberry
Turnberry
Turnberry is a golf resort on the coast of the outer Firth of Clyde in southwestern Scotland. Located in South Ayrshire on the rugged coast, it comprises three links golf courses, a golf academy, a five-star hotel, designed by James Miller and completed in 1906, as well as lodge and cottage...
, Carrick
Carrick, Scotland
Carrick is a former comital district of Scotland which today forms part of South Ayrshire.-History:The word Carrick comes from the Gaelic word Carraig, meaning rock or rocky place. Maybole was the historic capital of Carrick. The county was eventually combined into Ayrshire which was divided...
. In another writ, of uncertain date, granted by their father to Kilwinning Abbey
Kilwinning Abbey
Kilwinning Abbey is a ruined abbey located in the centre of the town of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire.-The establishment of the Abbey:The ancient name of the town is 'Segdoune' or 'Saigtown', probably derived from 'Sanctoun', meaning the 'town of the saint'. Saint Winnings festival was on 21 January...
, he and his brother are styled Alexander and John de Menteith. They had therefore dropped the name Stewart for the name Menteith.
Alexander joined with his father in a charter granting the church of Kippen to the Cambuskenneth Abbey
Cambuskenneth Abbey
Cambuskenneth Abbey is a ruined Augustinian monastery located on an area of land enclosed by a meander of the River Forth near Stirling in Scotland. The abbey is largely reduced to its foundations. The neighbouring modern village of Cambuskenneth is named after it.Cambuskenneth Abbey was founded...
to secure themselves a place of burial. This writ is said to be dated in 1286. He was at Norham
Norham
Norham is a village in Northumberland, England, just south of the River Tweed and the border with Scotland.It is the site of the 12th century Norham Castle, and was for many years the centre for the Norhamshire exclave of County Durham...
in 1291, and swore fealty to Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, while he also appears in other matters before his succession, the date of which is uncertain, but was probably between 1292 and 1295. In any case he was the Earl of Menteith who with the Earls of Atholl
Earl of Atholl
The Mormaer of Earl of Atholl refers to a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl , now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from...
, Ross
Earl of Ross
The Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
, and others gathered a force and invaded England in revenge for Edward's savage attack on Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
. Their army was defeated at the Battle of Dunbar
Battle of Dunbar (1296)
The Battle of Dunbar was the only significant field action in the campaign of 1296. King Edward I of England had invaded Scotland in 1296 to punish King John Balliol for his refusal to support English military action in France.-Background:...
on 27 April 1296, and on that or the following day Menteith and others who had fled to Dunbar Castle
Dunbar Castle
Dunbar Castle is the remnants of one of the most mighty fortresses in Scotland, situated over the harbour of the town of Dunbar, in East Lothian.-Early history:...
were taken captive, and he was committed to the Tower.
He was not, however, detained long as a prisoner, but was liberated either before or shortly after a promise of service made by him to the English King, and dated at Elgin 27 July 1296. He repeated this promise, and swore fealty at Berwick a month later, on 28 August. He then left two of his sons in the King's hands as hostages. Perhaps this fact influenced his future movements, for, excepting some transactions dealing with the estates of Alexander de Abernethy
Alexander de Abernethy
Alexander de Abernethy was a Scottish baron. He was a descendant of lay abbots of Abernethy; his grandfather Laurence, great-grandson of Gillemichael, Earl of Fife, was the first to style himself Lord...
, and also of Alexander of Argyll
Alexander of Argyll
Alexander of Argyll or Alexander of Lorne, also known as Alexander MacDougall , was a Scottish magnate from the late 13th and early 14th century, and was chief of Clan MacDougall. Alexander was the son of Ewen MacDougall, Lord of Argyll...
and his son, of which he was appointed guardian by Edward, he seems to have taken no part in public affairs. At least nothing is recorded about him, except a letter to him from the English King on 26 September 1297, and the date of his death is not known.
He married a lady named Matilda, whose surname has not been discovered, and had the following children:
- Alan, Earl of MenteithAlan, Earl of Menteith-Life:Menteith was the son of Alexander, Earl of Menteith, and is first on record as a hostage in England, to ensure the good behaviour of his father in 1296. He and his brother Peter Menteith, accompanied the English King as esquires, on his expedition to Flanders in 1297.He supported King Robert...
, who succeeded as Earl. - Peter, who in 1296 was a hostage in England with his brother Alan. He accompanied King Edward to FlandersFlandersFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, and took part in the French campaign of 1297, where he may have been killed, as nothing further is known of him. In any case he seems to have predeceased his older brother. - MuireadhachMuireadhach III, Earl of Menteith-Life:He was the third son of Alexander, Earl of Menteith. Like his father and brothers, his "surname" was "Menteith" rather than Stewart, even though he could claim agnatic descent from the Stewarts...
, who became Earl of Menteith. - Alexander
- Margaret de MenteithMargaret de MenteithMargaret de Menteith 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 historical records as "lady Margaret de Abrenythy", a lady of the court...
, wife of Sir Alexander de AbernethyAlexander de AbernethyAlexander de Abernethy was a Scottish baron. He was a descendant of lay abbots of Abernethy; his grandfather Laurence, great-grandson of Gillemichael, Earl of Fife, was the first to style himself Lord...
.