James Mor Stewart
James Mór Stewart | |
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Isabella of Lennox |
James Mor Stewart, called James the Fat,
James's eldest son
Biography
Little is known of James's life before the arrest of his father, the Duke of Albany, and his eldest son Alexander, for treason by King James I of Scotland on 21 March 1425, on the 9th day of the March parliament.[6] The family properties of Doune Castle and Falkland Palace were captured, and[6] Duke Murdoch and two of his sons were imprisoned and held pending trial. James soon became a rallying point for enemies of the King, raising a large rebellion against the crown. Initially at least, events moved in his favour. He received the support of his mother's supporters in the Lennox, and also from Fionnlagh MacCailein, Bishop of Argyll, a long-standing supporter of the Albany Stewarts.[6] James marched on the town of Dumbarton, burned it, and killed the keeper of the royal castle there, Sir John Stewart of Dundonald, who was the King's uncle.[7] However, the castle itself, commanded by John Colquhoun, successfully held out against James's men.[6]
Among other supporters were the
Escape to Ireland
James Mor's rebellion was quickly defeated. His father and brothers were found guilty of
James Mor would never return to his native Scotland. He remained an exile in Ireland until his death.[2][10] His widowed mother and sister remained in Scotland.
Claim to the throne
James Stewart was in line to
Family and legacy
In Ireland, James became involved with an unknown woman with the surname MacDonald. Some sources suggest she was one of the daughters of Iain Mòr Tànaiste MacDhòmhnaill, 1st Earl of Antrim, the son of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross.[1] James did not marry, but he had seven illegitimate children:
- Murdoch Stewart, born c.1427 in Antrim, Ireland.[1]
- Arthur Stewart, born c.1429 in Antrim, Ireland.[1]
- Robert Stewart, born c.1433 in Antrim, Ireland.[1]
- Matilda Stewart, born c.1435[1]
- Alexander Stewart, born c.1437 in Antrim, Ireland.[1]
James' mother Isabella of Lennox was imprisoned by King James in Tantallon Castle after the execution of her husband and children. However, in 1437 the King was himself assassinated, and soon afterwards Isabella was released from captivity, eventually recovering her lands and title. In the next few years, although forced to govern her province from her castle at Inchmurrin, Loch Lomond,[11] she issued a large numbers of charters, was popular in the province, and was tolerated by King James II. At some point after she regained her liberty, Isabella brought her young grandchildren, the children of James the Fat, to be raised at her castle at Inchmurrin.[12]
Ancestry
Ancestors of James Mor Stewart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
- Clan Stewart
- Stewart of Balquhidder
- List of heirs of Scotland
Notes
- ^ The Gaelic appellation 'Mór' means big or large, not fat
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Stewarts of Balquhidder webpage Retrieved November 2010
- ^ a b Collins, Arthur; Brydges, Sir Egerton (1812). Peerage of England: Genealogical, Biographical, and Historical. Greatly Augmented and Continued to the Present Time. Printed for F. C. and J. Rivington. p. 409.
- ^ a b Nelker, p.19
- ^ a b James Beag Stewart at Stewarts of Balquhidder webpage Retrieved November 2010
- ^ Alan R. Borthwick, 'Stewart, Andrew, Lord Avondale (c.1420–1488)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 27 June 2016
- ^ ISBN 978-1-902930-17-6.
- ISBN 978-1-84383-261-4.
- ISBN 978-0-9711966-0-5.
- ISBN 978-1-902930-17-6.
- ^ Confusingly, different sources give James' death as, variously, 1429 and 1449. Most sources agree on 1429, but this date is not consistent with the suggested birth dates of most of his children
- ^ Napier, Mark (1835). History of the Partition of the Lennox. W. Blackwood and sons. p. 15. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ^ Morton, H. V. (1933). In Scotland Again. London: Methuen.
- General
- Brown, Michael, James I. Edinburgh: Canongate Press, 1994. ISBN 1-898410-16-X.
- Campbell, Alastair, A History of Clan Campbell, Volume 2
- Dewar, Peter Beauclerk, p.482, Burke's Landed Gentry of Great Britain Retrieved November 2011
- Nelker, Gladys P, The Clan Steuart, 1970.
External links
- James the Fat at Stewarts of Balquhidder webpage Retrieved November 2010
- James the Fat at chuckspeed.com Retrieved November 2010