Duncan MacDuff, maormar of Fife

STRATHBOGIE

1. DUNCAN MacDUFF-

Supposedly Duncan, Maormar of Fife overthrew and killed MacBeth at Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire in 1056. In reward for his services Malcolm Canmore granted him the following: 1. That he and his successors, Lords of Fife, should have the right of placing the King on the throne at the coronation; 2. They should lead the Scottish armies whenever the Royal banner was displayed; and 3. That if he or his family killed someone that they should have asylum and obtain remission upon payment of money. "Macduff's Cross" stood near the town of Newburgh as evidence for this last prividedge.

Issue-

  • 2I. DUFAGAN-

    Ref:

    "The Scottish Nation"- Vol. II, p. 209


    2I. DUFAGAN (DUNCAN 1)

    Dufagen is referred to as the second Earl of Fife, but many doubt his existence. Balfour-Paul states of Constantine: "Who he was, and how he became to be Earl of Fife, there is apparently no means of knowing." He supposedly witnessed charters from Alexander I including a charter confirming the rights of the Trinity church of Scone.

    Issue-

  • 3I. CONSTANTIN

    Ref:

    "The Scottish Nation"- Vol. II, p. 209
    Historical Collections- Sir James Dalrymple, p. 273


    3I. CONSTANTIN (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2)

    d. 1129

    Constantine appears in 1107 as a witness to King Ethelred's grant to the Culdees of Loch Leven and he is called "a man of the greatest discretion".(1) He was an arbiter in the dispute between the Culdees and Sir Robert de Burgon concerning the boundaries of Kirkness and Lochore and was called "a discreet and eloquent man" and styled Magnus Judex in Scotia.(2)

    Constantin was the first to use the title of Earl of Fife and was a witness to a charter to the monastery of Dunfermline, c.1126(3).

    Dunfermline Abbey

    Constantine had a feud with Dunfermline Abbey concerning the lands of Kirkcaldy which he kept from the church by force.(4) In a letter to Constantine, King David ordered him to allow the church all the customs that it was due and if he refused the King would compel him to comply.(5)

    Issue-

  • ?4I. GILLIMICHEL MacDUFF

    Ref:

    (1) "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. IV, p. 3
    (2) Chartulary of St. Andrews- No. 116, 117
    (3) "Early Scottish Charters"- p. 323
    (4) Dunfermelyn Chartulary- No. 16
    (5) Ibid- No. 13


    4I. GILLIMICHEL MacDUFF (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3)

    d.c.1136

    In a charter from c.1130 from King David of Kirkcaldy and its church to Dunfermline Abbey there is a clause prohibiting any one of the heirs of Constantine, Earl of Fife, from questioning the grant. Gillemichael was not mentioned as heir or Constantine or as a witness to the charter.(2) This puts some doubt as to whether or not Gillemichael was the son of Constantine. In King David's charter of confirmation to Dunfermline Abbey Gillemichael appears as "Gillemichael Macduf" and is listed after the Earls and before Herbert, the Chancellor.(3)

    Gillimichel was a witness to the foundation charter of Holyrood House abbey in 1128 as well as to several other charters from King David.(>1)

    Holyrood House Abbey

    Issue-

  • 5I. DUNCAN- d. 1154

  • II. Hugo-
  • III. Ete- m. Gartnait, Earl of Buchan
  • IV. Adam- de Syras

    Ref:

    (1) Early Scottish Charters: Prior to A.D. 1153- A.C. Lawrie, MacLehose, 1905- LXXIV, pp. 61, 69
    (2) Dunfermelyn Chartulary- No. 16
    (3) Ibid- No. 4

    "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. VI, pp. 4-5


    5I. DUNCAN (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3, GILLIMICHEL 4)

    d. 1154

    As Duncan was Gillimicheael's successor it is assumed that he was his son, however, no primary evidence is found to link the two. Duncan witnessed several charters from David I and Malcolm IV.(1) In 1138 he was one of the five hostages sent to King Stephen to insure that the truce made after the Battle of the Standard would be kept. Duncan was appointed Regent by David I and in 1153 he placed the young king Malcolm IV on the inaugural stone at his conronation.(2) After the death of his son, Prince Henry, King David sent his grandson Malcolm, in the charge of Duncan, on a tour of Scotland, ordering him to be proclaimed heir to the throne.

    "And als he depute hys Consale
    The Erle of Fyffe mast specyalle
    All governyd by hym to be
    In his state, and hys reawte."(3)

    Issue-

  • 6I. DUNCAN- m. ELA, d. 1204
  • II. Adam- m. Orabilis (m.1. Robert de Quincy, 2. Morgund, Earl of Mar)
  • III. Afreka- m. Harald Maddadsson, Jarl of Orkney

    Ref:

    (1) Early Scottish Charters: Prior to A.D. 1153- A.C. Lawrie, MacLehose, 1905- CI, p. 80; CCXXIV, p. 181
    (2) Complete Peerage- Vol. V, p. 373
    (3) Wyntoun's "Cronykil"- Vol. II, chap. 191

    "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. IV, p. 5


    6I. DUNCAN (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3, GILLIMICHEL 4, DUNCAN 5)

    m. ELA
    d. 1204 (3)

    Duncan was one of the Scottish nobles who agreed to the meeting of William the Lion with Henry II at Falaise, Normandy in 1174 and was one of the hostages for the performance of King William's obligations.(6) Duncan is often named in the charters of Malcolm IV and King William and in 1175 he as associated with Richard Comyn as Justiciarius Scotiae an office he held until his death.

    St. Mary's Priory- North Berwick- George Hutton, 1782

    Duncan, Earl of Fife confirmed the donation of Gillecamstone to North Berwick St. Mary by his father by an undated charter (from before 1177) which was witnessed by his wife Ela, his son Malcolm, and his brother Adam. Duncan calls himself "Duncan, by the Grace of God, Earl of Fife".(1) He also donated the church of Cupar to St. Andrew's Priory by another undated charter which was witnessed by Ela and his brother Adam.(2) Duncan granted the church of Earl's Calder to Dunfermline Abbey before 1159. The way the grant is written it suggests that Ela was the heiress of Earl's Calder.(7)

    In a charter from 1160 King Malcolm IV mentions "Ada nepte mea", however, he was too young to have a neice who could have married at this time so the term "nepte" probably refers to a more remote relative, possibly a cousin.(4)

    Issue-

  • I. Malcolm- m.1. Marjory, d. of King William the Lion, 2. Matilda, d. of Earl of Strathern, 3. Marguerite de Tosny (d. after 1246), d. 1229
  • II. Duncan- m. Alicia Corbet of Makerstoun
  • 7III. DAVID-
  • IV. ______- m. son of Roger de Merlay (5)

    Ref:

    (1) Bannatyne Club- "Prioratus Cisterciensis B. Marie de Nothberwic munimenta vetusta", Edinburgh, 1847- V. 3, p. 4
    (2) Ibid- "Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree in Scotia", 1841- p. 241
    (3) "Extracta e Variis Cronicis Scocie, from the Ancient Manuscript in the Advocates Library at Edinburgh"- W.B. Turnbull, Edinburgh, 1842- p. 84
    (4) "The History of Fife and Kinross"- Sir. R. Sibbald, London, 1803- p. 228
    (5) Calendar of Documents for Scotland- No. 191, 202- quoted by Balfour-Paul in "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. IV, p. 8
    (6) Rhymer's "Foedera"- Vol. I, chap. 39
    (7) Dunfermelyn Chartulary- No. 55, 89


    7III. DAVID (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3, GILLIMICHEL 4, DUNCAN 5, DUNCAN 6)

    David was given the lands of Strathbogie which his father received from King William the Lion. There are charters from 1226 and 1232 from the Bishop of Moray concerning these lands.(1) King Alexander II confirmed donations to Kinloss by David 12 Feb. 1236.(2)

    Issue-

  • 8I. JOHN- m. ADA De HASTINGS

    Ref:

    (1) "Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis"- C.N. Innes, Ed., Edinburgh, 1837- 30, p. v, 22; 35, p. 28
    (2) "Records of the Monastery of Kinloss"- J. Stuart, Edinburgh, 1872- p. 114


    8I. JOHN (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3, GILLIMICHEL 4, DUNCAN 5, DUNCAN 6, DAVID 7)

    m. ADA De HASTINGS

    By his marriage to Ada, John became the 9th Earl of Athol. There is no proof that Ada married the son of David Strathbogie, however, the later earls of Atholl referred to themselves as of Strathbogie and their seals are similar.(1)

    Issue-

  • 9I. DAVID-

    Ref:

    (1) "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. I, p. 424


    9I. DAVID(DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3, GILLIMICHEL 4, DUNCAN 5, DUNCAN 6, DAVID 7, JOHN 8)

    m.1. Helen _____
    2. ISABEL de CHILHAM (m.2. Sir Alexander Baliol of Cavers, d. 1292)- d. of Richard, Lord Childham and Matilda, Countess of Angus
    d.c.1270 on the Seventh Crusade

    David was the tenth Earl of Athol and succeeded his father in 1260. He was knighted in 1264.(1) He confirmed a donation to Cupar abbey for the souls of Earl David de Hastings, former earl of Atholl and his countess "Florflissea" and his wife Helen.(2) David had a disagreement with John Comyn in 1269 concerning Blair Castle which was settled by King Alexander and his council.

    David seems to have lived mostly in England and in Apr. 1270 he had four years protection from pleas and plaints from King Henry III, which was a privilege granted to crusaders.(4) Sir David took part in the Seventh Crusade with King Louis IX and he died during this adventure. Fordun states that his bones were sent back to Scotland.(3)

    Issue-

  • 10I. JOHN- m. MARGARET de MAR, Executed 7 Nov. 1306

    Ref:

    (1) Liber Pluscardensis- in Historians of Scotland- Vol. I, liber VII, CXXV, p. 100
    (2) "Rental Book of the Cistercian Abbey of Cupar-Angus"- C. Roger, Ed., London, 1879- Vol. I, "Breviarum Antiqui Registri"- 87, p. 348
    (3) "Johannis de Fordun"- Vol. II, Liber X, chapters XXVI-XXVII; see also "The Complete Peerage"- Vol. I, p. 305 and the "Liber Pluscardensis"- Vol. I, Liber VII, CXXVII
    (4) Cal. Doc. Scot.- Vol. I, No. 2557

    "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. I, p. 425


    10I. JOHN (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3, GILLIMICHEL 4, DUNCAN 5, DUNCAN 6, DAVID 7, JOHN 8, DAVID 9)

    m. MARGARET de MAR- d. of Donald, Earl of Mar and Helen of Wales
    Executed 7 Nov. 1306

    John first appears in 1282 when he was in the care of his step-father Sir Alexander Baliol.(3) In 1284 he was one of the nobles who acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the heir of King Alexander and he was at Brigham in Mar. 1289/0 when the proposed marriage between Margaret and the future Edward II was agreed to.(4)

    Sir John swore fealty to Edward I in 1292 but was fighting with the Scots against the English when they were defeated at the Battle of Dunbar on 28 Apr. 1296 and he was taken prisoner to the Tower of London and released on 31 July 1297 to serve King Edward in Flanders.(1) In 1304 he made peace with Edward and joined the Prince of Wales in his Scottish campaign in Perthshire and was involved as an intermediary between the English king and the Scottish nobility in peace talks. He was warden and justiciary of Scotland from this time. In 1305 he was declared to be the heir to his mother's lands of Lesnes, Kent. Also at this time he was ordered by King Edward to find a suitable site to build the castle of Tullibody. He then switched sides and joined his brother-in-law Robert the Bruce and his English possessions were forfeited.(5)

    Kildrummy Castle

    John was at the coronation of Robert the Bruce at Scone 27 Mar. 1306 and fought with the King at Methven and accompanied him on his flight from Scotland. After the surrender of Kildrummy castle John was captured by Edward's forces while attempting to escape by sea and was taken to London. He was condemned in Westminster Hall 7 Nov. 1306 and executed the same day on a gallows thirty feet higher than ordinary because of his Royal descent.(6) The Earldom of Athol was forfeited and then granted to Ralph de Monthermir.

    Gilbert de Hay, Constable of Scotland confirmed donations to Cupar Abbey by Margaret, countess of Atholl, relict of John, Earl of Atholl and confirming David as first son and heir.(2)

    Issue-

  • 11I. DAVID- m. JOAN COMYN, d. 1327
  • John-
  • Isabel- m. Edward Bruce, d. by June 1317

    Ref:

    (1) "The Complete Peerage"- Vol. I, p. 306
    (2) "Rental Book of the Cistercian Abbey of Cupar-Angus"- C. Roger, Ed., London, 1880- Vol. I, appendix, II, 5, p. 286
    (3) Cal. Doc. Scot.- Vol. II, No. 219
    (4) Acta Parl. Scotiae- Vol. I, pp. 424, 441
    (5) Cal. Doc. Scot.- Vol. II, No. 658-1790; III, No. 1768, pp. 480-485
    (6) "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. I, p. 427


    11I. DAVID (DUNCAN 1, DUFAGAN 2, CONSTANTIN 3, GILLIMICHEL 4, DUNCAN 5, DUNCAN 6, DAVID 7, JOHN 8, DAVID 9, JOHN 10)

    m. JOAN COMYN (d. before 24 July 1326), d. of John COMYN of Badenoch
    d. 28 Dec. 1326

    David was a prisoner of the English 23 Dec. 1300. By his marriage to Joan he obtained a part of the vast dominions of the Comyns. Sir David became the 12th Earl of Athol after buying back the title from Ralph de Morthermer, Earl of Gloucester for 5,000 marks (the king paid another 5,000 marks). This was a reward for David submitting to King Edward which he did in May 1307. The following year he received the thanks of King Edward II for his fidelity. David continued in the service of the English until Jan. 1312 when he went to Roxburgh. He was at the Parliament at Westminster in Aug. 1312 and was given a gift of 100s, but, he was at the Scottish Parliament at Inverness 29 Oct. 1312 where he was a witness to the treaty with Norway.(2) David was Lord High Constable of Scotland under Robert the Bruce 26 Feb. 1312/3. His Scottish service was short lived as in 1314 he revolted against the Bruce and his office of constable and estates were forfeited and granted to Sir Neil Campbell.(3) Barbour in "The Brus" stated that he quarrelled with Edward Bruce about his behavior to his wife who was Earl David's sister. He also made an attack on Robert the Bruce's supply of food at Cambuskenneth for which he was banished and his land confiscated.(4) He was then granted three manors in Norfolk in compensation for what he lost in Scotland. In 1316 he served in the border wars against Scotland. He was at Parliament in England in 1322 as Lord Strathbogie.(1) In Feb. 1325 David was sent on a mission to Aquitaine. For his service Chilham Castle was granted to him in 1321 and on 18 Dec. 1326 Edward II granted him his wife's share of inheritance from her uncle, Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke. David probably died soon afterwards as on 28 Jan. 1326/7 the King gave his goods to his executors so he could be honorably buried.(5)

    Chilham Castle- 1803

    Issue-

  • I. David- b.c.1307, m. Catherine de Beaumont (d. 11 Nov. 1368), d. 30 Nov. 1335 Battle of Killblane
  • 12II. ANNABELLA- m. ADAM GORDON
  • III. Adomar- m. Mary ____, d. after 1381

    Ref:

    (1) "The Complete Peerage"- Vol. I, pp. 306-7
    (2) Acta Parl. Scotiae- Vol. I, pp. 461-3
    (3) Calendar Doc. Scotiae- Vol. III, no. 396
    (4) "The Brus"- The Spaulding Club- 311-2
    (5) Cal. Doc. Soct.- Vol. II, pp. 515, 517, 526; III, No. 5 to 897

    "The Scots Peerage"- Vol. I, pp. 428-9


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