Decline and Fall: The earls and earldom of Mar c.1281-1513 Katy Samantha Jack University of Stirling Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2016 1 To Alasdair, for everything. 3 Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 9 Abstract ............................................................................................................................ 11 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................12 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter One Landscape .................................................................................................. 34 Current perceptions .................................................................................................... 34 Following the money: Finding an earldom in the Exchequer Rolls ........................... 40 Lordships .................................................................................................................... 42 1436 to 1466: Testing the waters ............................................................................. 43 Strathdee and Braemar ........................................................................................... 48 Strathdon ................................................................................................................. 49 Cromar ..................................................................................................................... 50 Auchindoir ................................................................................................................ 51 Mukwale .................................................................................................................. 52 Baronies ...................................................................................................................... 52 Forbes ...................................................................................................................... 56 Kinaldie ................................................................................................................... 58 Brux ......................................................................................................................... 58 Invernochty and Kildrummy ................................................................................... 59 Power Centres ............................................................................................................. 64 Kindrochit and Aboyne ........................................................................................... 64 Migvie ...................................................................................................................... 70 Midmar .................................................................................................................... 72 Invernochty and Kildrummy ................................................................................... 73 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 79 Chapter Two Politics (I): The early earls of Mar c.1281-1388 ....................................... 81 The Quiet Years: The three earls of Mar and the development of Scottish lordship .. 83 Donald (I), earl of Mar (c.1270 – c.1297) ................................................................ 84 Gartnait, earl of Mar (d. b. 1305x1307) ................................................................. 100 Donald (II), earl of Mar (1293-1332) ..................................................................... 102 ‘energetic and impressive’: Thomas, earl of Mar ...................................................... 105 William 1st earl of Douglas and Mar .......................................................................... 128 5 James Douglas, 2nd earl of Douglas and Mar ............................................................ 137 Chapter Three Politics (II): The Fortunes of Mar 1388-1408 ....................................... 139 The Last Countess and the ‘lord of Mar’ 1388-1402 ................................................. 139 ‘no way under compulsion’: Isabella and the Wolf cub 1402-1404........................... 145 ‘headstrong and wild’: Alexander Stewart and the earldom of Mar 1404-1408 ....... 173 Going it alone: The widower and his earldom 1408-1435 ......................................... 189 Chapter Four Politics (III): The Decline and Fall of the Earldom of Mar 1435-1503 ....211 A family affair? The death of Alexander and the power of the crown ........................211 A king inspired? Reassessing James I’s involvement in Mar .................................... 213 The importance of local support: The Forbes Family ............................................... 225 ‘I think, therefore I am’: Sir Robert Erskine, earl of Mar? (d.1452) .......................... 229 Sir Thomas Erskine and the fight for Mar ................................................................. 243 Son of the king (I): John (I) Stewart, earl of Mar (1457-1480) ................................ 248 Son of the king (II): John (II) Stewart, earl of Mar ................................................... 251 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 253 Appendix A: Genealogical Tables .................................................................................. 262 Table 1: House of Mar ................................................................................................ 262 Table 2: House of Bruce ............................................................................................264 Table 3: House of Comyn .......................................................................................... 265 Table 4: House of Keith-Menteith .............................................................................266 Table 5: House of Erskine.......................................................................................... 267 Table 6: House of Lyle .............................................................................................. 268 Table 7: House of Crawford .......................................................................................269 Table 8: House of Keith-Marischal ........................................................................... 270 Table 9: House of Douglas ......................................................................................... 271 Table 10: House of Atholl .......................................................................................... 273 Appendix B: Rental values of Mar in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland 1438-1565 ...... 275 Appendix C: Mar Charters and Witness Lists ............................................................... 291 Appendix D: Lands in Mar 1365-1565.......................................................................... 300 Auchindoir ............................................................................................................ 300 Lordship of Mar .................................................................................................... 300 Lordship of Braemar ............................................................................................. 302 Lordship of Strathdee ........................................................................................... 303 Lordship of Strathdon ............................................................................................ 307 Lordship of Cromar............................................................................................... 320 Lordship of Mukwale ............................................................................................. 325 6 Fynlarg ................................................................................................................... 325 Barony of Forbes [Oct. 1429] ................................................................................ 326 Barony of Forbes [July 1477] ................................................................................. 326 Barony of Kennay [1481] ....................................................................................... 327 Barony of Abiryeldy [1501/1506/1534/1535] ........................................................ 327 Barony of Burchis [Brux?] [1504-1505] ................................................................ 327 Free Forest of Glenkervy and Glenconry [1504-1505] .......................................... 328 Barony of Invernochty [Aug. 1507] ....................................................................... 329 Barony of Invernochty [Dec. 1507] ....................................................................... 330 Barony of Kildrummy [Jan. 1509/10] ....................................................................331 Barony of Kildrummy [Aug. 1513] ......................................................................... 334 Barony of Kildrummy [1513] ................................................................................. 337 Barony of Kinaldie [July 1429] .............................................................................. 341 Barony of Kynnaldy [1521] ...................................................................................