Adam of Kilconquhar
Encyclopedia
Adam of Kilconquhar was a Scottish
noble from the 13th century. Of Fife
origin, he is notable for becoming the husband of the countess of Carrick and participating in Crusade with Louis IX
.
family; he was probably the son of Donnchadh of Kilconquhar, son of Adam (son of Donnchadh I, Earl of Fife), who appears frequently as a witness in the documents of St Andrews Cathedral Priory
as Adam frater comitis, i.e. brother of Earl Donnchadh II
. It is likely that Adam's mother was from the Comyn family: his brother, William of Kilconquhar was called 'Comyn' in his papal letter of appointment as bishop of Brechin
.
Kilconquhar in south-east Fife was the seat of this family's holdings. The feudal arrangement that evolved in the 12th- and 13th-centuries was complicated, in that although the Kilconquhar was held of the bishop of St Andrews, the bishop in turn held it from the earl.
, the earl of Carrick
. He was able to use the title of earl in his wife's name, but it is unlikely that he had much role ruling the province, as Earl Niall had left the position of kindred chief (ceann cineil) to his nephew Lachlan. Although they had no son to take over the earldom for the Kilconquhar family (that went to the Bruces), their daughter was the mother of Robert Bruce
's companion in arms Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray.
He died at Acre
in 1271, while on crusade. According to material in the Chronicle of John of Fordun
, he had been a participant in the Eighth Crusade
. He had been one of a small Scottish contingent that attacked Tunis
in 1270, where fellow-Scot and fellow-MacDuff David I Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl
died. Adam survived, and withdrew with the rest to winter in Sicily
. The following spring the contingent joined with the army of Lord Edward
and proceeded to Acre, where Adam was taken by disease.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
noble from the 13th century. Of Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
origin, he is notable for becoming the husband of the countess of Carrick and participating in Crusade with Louis IX
Louis IX
Louis IX may refer to:* Louis IX of France .* Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria "the Rich" * Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt ....
.
Background
Evidence indicates that Adam was from Mac DuibhClan MacDuff
Clan MacDuff is a Scottish armigerous clan, which is registered with Lyon Court, though currently without a chief. Moncreiffe wrote that the Clan MacDuff was the premier clan among the Scottish Gaels. The early chiefs of Clan MacDuff were the Earls of Fife...
family; he was probably the son of Donnchadh of Kilconquhar, son of Adam (son of Donnchadh I, Earl of Fife), who appears frequently as a witness in the documents of St Andrews Cathedral Priory
St Andrews Cathedral Priory
St Andrews Cathedral Priory was a priory of Augustinian canons in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Plans were made for its foundation in the reign of Alaxandair mac Maíl Choluim , who set aside some land for that purpose. It was finally established by King David I and his son in 1140 with canons from...
as Adam frater comitis, i.e. brother of Earl Donnchadh II
Donnchad II, Earl of Fife
Mormaer Donnchad II , anglicized as Duncan II or Dunecan II, succeeded his father Donnchad I as a child. As a child of the previous Mormaer, he was entitled to succeed his father through primogeniture, but not to lead his kin-group, Clann MacDuib. That probably fell to his cousin, Aed mac Gille...
. It is likely that Adam's mother was from the Comyn family: his brother, William of Kilconquhar was called 'Comyn' in his papal letter of appointment as bishop of Brechin
Bishop of Brechin
The Bishop of Brechin is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Brechin or Angus, based at Brechin Cathedral, Brechin. The diocese had a long-established Gaelic monastic community which survived into the 13th century. The clerical establishment may very well have traced their earlier origins...
.
Kilconquhar in south-east Fife was the seat of this family's holdings. The feudal arrangement that evolved in the 12th- and 13th-centuries was complicated, in that although the Kilconquhar was held of the bishop of St Andrews, the bishop in turn held it from the earl.
Marriage and crusade
Adam appears to have enjoyed the favour of the Scottish king Alexander III, and married Marjory of Carrick daughter and heiress of NiallNiall, Earl of Carrick
Níall of Carrick was the second man to bear the title Mormaer, or Earl, of Carrick. He was successor of mormaer Donnchadh of Carrick. He may have been Donnchadh's son, or else as suggested by one recent genealogical theory, his grandson...
, the earl of Carrick
Earl of Carrick
The Earl of Carrick was the head of a comital lordship of Carrick in southwestern Scotland. The title emerged in 1186, when Donnchad, son of Gille Brigte, Lord of Galloway, became Mormaer or Earl of Carrick in compensation for exclusion from the whole Lordship of Galloway...
. He was able to use the title of earl in his wife's name, but it is unlikely that he had much role ruling the province, as Earl Niall had left the position of kindred chief (ceann cineil) to his nephew Lachlan. Although they had no son to take over the earldom for the Kilconquhar family (that went to the Bruces), their daughter was the mother of Robert Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
's companion in arms Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray.
He died at Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
in 1271, while on crusade. According to material in the Chronicle of John of Fordun
John of Fordun
John of Fordun was a Scottish chronicler. It is generally stated that he was born at Fordoun, Mearns. It is certain that he was a secular priest, and that he composed his history in the latter part of the 14th century; and it is probable that he was a chaplain in the St Machar's Cathedral of...
, he had been a participant in the Eighth Crusade
Eighth Crusade
The Eighth Crusade was a crusade launched by Louis IX, King of France, in 1270. The Eighth Crusade is sometimes counted as the Seventh, if the Fifth and Sixth Crusades of Frederick II are counted as a single crusade...
. He had been one of a small Scottish contingent that attacked Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
in 1270, where fellow-Scot and fellow-MacDuff David I Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl
David I Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl
David I Strathbogie was the first of the Strathbogie Earls of Atholl.David was the son of John de Strathbogie and Ada, suo jure Countess of Atholl....
died. Adam survived, and withdrew with the rest to winter in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. The following spring the contingent joined with the army of Lord Edward
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...
and proceeded to Acre, where Adam was taken by disease.