Gille Brigte of Strathearn (Francized

Francization

Francization or Gallicization is a process of cultural assimilation that gives a French character to a word, an ethnicity or a person.-French Colonial Empire:-Francization in the World:...

 as Gilbert) is the third known 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:...

 of Strathearn

Strathearn

Strathearn or Strath Earn is the strath of the River Earn, in Scotland. It extends from Loch Earn in Perth and Kinross to the River Tay....

. He is one of the most famous of the Strathearn mormaers. He succeeded his father Ferchar

Ferchar, Earl of Strathearn

Mormaer Ferchar is the second earliest known Mormaer of Strathearn, but as with other Mormaerdoms, this is simply a source problem and in no way means the he actually was the second....

 in 1171. He is often known by the Francization

Francization

Francization or Gallicization is a process of cultural assimilation that gives a French character to a word, an ethnicity or a person.-French Colonial Empire:-Francization in the World:...

 of his name, Gilbert, or by various anglicizations, such as Gilbride, Gilbridge, etc. A more modern version of his name is Giolla or Gille Brighde, and means - roughly - devotee of St Brigit.

Unikely his predecessors, we know for certain that Mormaer Gille Brigte was a regular attendee of the entourage of the Scottish king (in this case, King William I

William I of Scotland

William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...

). Gille Brigte even served as the Justiciar of Scotia

Justiciar of Scotia

The Justiciar of Scotia was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. Scotia in this context refers to Scotland to the north of the River Forth and River Clyde....

, an office often held by the Mormaers of Fife, during the minority of Donnchad

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...

. Gille Brigte accompanied the King on his expeditions against Harald Maddadsson

Harald Maddadsson

Harald Maddadsson was Earl of Orkney and Mormaer of Caithness from 1139 until 1206. He was the son of Matad, Mormaer of Atholl, and Margaret, daughter of Earl Haakon Paulsson of Orkney...

, the "rebellious" Earl of Orkney

Earl of Orkney

The Earl of Orkney was originally a Norse jarl ruling Orkney, Shetland and parts of Caithness and Sutherland. The Earls were periodically subject to the kings of Norway for the Northern Isles, and later also to the kings of Alba for those parts of their territory in mainland Scotland . The Earl's...

 and Mormaer of Caithness

Earl of Caithness

Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have taken place in favor of Maol Íosa V, Earl of...

. When William was captured at Alnwick

Alnwick

Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....

 in 1174, Gille Brigte too became a hostage, and shared William's fate as a prisoner at Falaise

Falaise, Calvados

Falaise is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:The town was the birthplace of William I the Conqueror, first of the Norman Kings of England. The Château de Falaise , which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of...

.

In 1213, Gille Brigte acted as an arbitrator in the controversy over the succession to the Mormaerdom of Menteith, the neighboruing Mormaerdom. Gille Brigte was one of the Mormaers present at the coronation of King Alexander II

Alexander II of Scotland

Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...

 in 1215, at Scone

Scone, Scotland

Scone is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The medieval village of Scone, which grew up around the monastery and royal residence, was abandoned in the early 19th century when the residents were removed and a new palace was built on the site by the Earl of Mansfield...

.

Gille Brigte's reign brought Strathearn more fully into the fold of Scottish politics, although it does seem that he spent many of his last years in seclusion in Strathearn. He died in 1223.

Gille Brigte had two known canonical wives, Maud d'Aubigny and Iseulte de Kinbuck. He had an extraordinary number of offspring, including seven sons (Gille Críst, William, Ferchar, Mormaer Robert

Robert, Earl of Strathearn

Robert of Strathearn, who ruled Strathearn 1223–1245, is the fourth known Mormaer of Strathearn, but of course this is simply a source problem and certainly does not mean that he actually was the fourth.Robert was the fourth son of Mormaer Gille Brigte...

, Fergus, Máel Ísu, Gille Brigte of Glencarny), and three daughters (Maud, who married Maol Choluim I, Earl of Fife

Maol Choluim I, Earl of Fife

Mormaer Máel Coluim of Fife , or Maol Choluim anglicised as Malcolm, was one of the more obscure mormaers of Fife.He married Matilda, the daughter of Gille Brigte, the mormaer of Strathearn. He is credited with the foundation of Culross Abbey...

, Cecilia, who married Walter fils de Alan

Walter Fitzalan

Walter fitz Alan was the 1st hereditary High Steward of Scotland , and described as "a Norman by culture and by blood a Breton"...

 and Ethne, who married David de le Haye).