Uilleam, Earl of Mar
Encyclopedia
Uilleam of Mar - Uilleam mac Dhonnchaidh (Anglicized: William, Duncan's son) - was perhaps the greatest of the Mar
mormaer
s, ruling Mar from 1244 to 1276.
Uilleam was responsible for the construction of Kildrummy Castle
, the greatest castle to have been built in 13th century northern Scotland. It is one of the few examples where a native Scottish
magnate built a large-scale fortification
, something normally practiced by the incoming French
.
Uilleam, more than any of his predecessors, participated in Scottish and even British-wide politics, becoming a leading figure in the royal regime of Alexander II
, and the minority of Alexander III
. By 1244, Uilleam had married into the Comyn house, the fastest rising french family in the Scottish kingdom. He married Isabel, the daughter of William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan
. The Comyn-Mar alliance helped fight off the ambitions of the Durwards, who were then in prime favor with the king.
Alan Durward
used his descent from a daughter of Gille Críst
to contest Uilleam's right to the Mormaerdom, but Uilleam successfully held off these claims. Uilleam and the Comyn Earl of Menteith
then launched accusations of treason towards Alan while at the court of Henry III of England
at York
.
Uilleam engaged in supplementing his power on a nation-wide basis. He held the post of Sheriff of Dumbarton between 1264 and 1266, a post which opened up connections in the western Highlands. Uilleam was able to marry his younger son Donnchadh to Christina MacRuaridh, the heiress of the Hebridean
chief Alan MacRuadridh, the principal Hebridean supporter of the Scottish cause against Norway
.
When his wife Isabel died in 1267, Uilleam married Muriel, the daughter of Maol Íosa II
, Mormaer of Strathearn.
Uilleam died in 1276, and was succeeded by his son Domhnall
.
Marr
Marr is one of six committee areas in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, bordering Atholl, Badenoch, Gowrie, The Mearns, Banff and Buchan. It has a population of 34,038...
mormaer
Mormaer
The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a toisech.-Origin:...
s, ruling Mar from 1244 to 1276.
Uilleam was responsible for the construction of Kildrummy Castle
Kildrummy Castle
Kildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. Though ruined, it is one of the most extensive castles of 13th century date to survive in eastern Scotland, and was the seat of the Earls of Mar....
, the greatest castle to have been built in 13th century northern Scotland. It is one of the few examples where a native Scottish
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
magnate built a large-scale fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
, something normally practiced by the incoming French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
.
Uilleam, more than any of his predecessors, participated in Scottish and even British-wide politics, becoming a leading figure in the royal regime of Alexander II
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
, and the minority of Alexander III
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
. By 1244, Uilleam had married into the Comyn house, the fastest rising french family in the Scottish kingdom. He married Isabel, the daughter of William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan
William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan
William Comyn was one of four sons of Richard Comyn, Justiciar of Lothian and Hextilda of Tynedale. He was born in Scotland, in Altyre, Moray in 1163 and died in Buchan in 1233 where he is buried in Deer Abbey...
. The Comyn-Mar alliance helped fight off the ambitions of the Durwards, who were then in prime favor with the king.
Alan Durward
Alan Durward
Alan Hostarius was the son of Thomas de Lundin, a grandson of Gille Críst, Mormaer of Mar. His mother's name is unknown, but she was almost certainly a daughter of Máel Coluim, Mormaer of Atholl, meaning that Alan was the product of two Gaelic comital families.Alan was one of the most important...
used his descent from a daughter of Gille Críst
Gille Críst, Earl of Mar
Gille Críst of Mar is the fourth known Mormaer of Mar, 1183–1203.His relationship to the previous Mormaer, Morggán, is not totally clear; but Gille Críst was not the son of Morggán, and so his succession could probably be explained by operations of Gaelic succession, but as we know almost nothing...
to contest Uilleam's right to the Mormaerdom, but Uilleam successfully held off these claims. Uilleam and the Comyn Earl of Menteith
Menteith
Menteith or Monteith , a district of south Perthshire, Scotland, roughly comprises the territory between the Teith and the Forth. The region is named for the river Teith, but the exact sense is unclear, early forms including Meneted, Maneteth and Meneteth.First recorded as the Mormaerdom of...
then launched accusations of treason towards Alan while at the court of Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
Uilleam engaged in supplementing his power on a nation-wide basis. He held the post of Sheriff of Dumbarton between 1264 and 1266, a post which opened up connections in the western Highlands. Uilleam was able to marry his younger son Donnchadh to Christina MacRuaridh, the heiress of the Hebridean
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
chief Alan MacRuadridh, the principal Hebridean supporter of the Scottish cause against Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
When his wife Isabel died in 1267, Uilleam married Muriel, the daughter of Maol Íosa II
Maol Íosa II, Earl of Strathearn
Maol Íosa II of Strathearn who ruled Strathearn 1245–1271, is the fifth known Mormaer of Strathearn, but of course this is simply a source problem and in no way means that he actually was the fifth....
, Mormaer of Strathearn.
Uilleam died in 1276, and was succeeded by his son Domhnall
Domhnall I, Earl of Mar
Domhnall I Earl of Mar - Domhnall mac Uilleim - was the seventh known Mormaer of Mar, ruling from 1276 until his death somewhere between 1297 and 1302....
.