John de Soules
Encyclopedia
Sir John de Soules (died 1310) was Guardian of Scotland
from 1301 to 1304, at a crucial period in the Wars of Scottish Independence
.
Sir John de Soulis was the younger son of the Lord of Liddesdale
and married to the daughter of the High Steward of Scotland
. Sir John had previously protected Galloway
from Sir Andrew Harclay, Earl of Carlisle
and Warden of the English March. In 1301 after the resignations of Robert The Bruce and John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
he was appointed Guardian of Scotland
. Sir John, the Guardian, seems more likely to have been the diplomat of the family, staying in exile and dying in France, John II being the soldier.
Sir John de Soulis II joined Robert the Bruce, and was rewarded with a grant of the baronies of Kirkandrews and Torthorwald, and the lands of Brettalach, Dumfriesshire
. He accompanied Edward Bruce
to Ireland
and was slain with him in the battle of Dundalk, 5th October, 1318. His brother William de Soulis
was given John's lands and appointed Butler of Scotland, whether he was filling his brother's shoes as Butler or not is not a known fact.
Guardian of Scotland
The Guardians of Scotland were the de facto heads of state of Scotland during the First Interregnum of 1290–1292, and the Second Interregnum of 1296–1306...
from 1301 to 1304, at a crucial period in the Wars of Scottish Independence
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
.
Life
There were two distantly related contemporary Sir John de Soulis during this period:Sir John de Soulis was the younger son of the Lord of Liddesdale
Lord of Liddesdale
The Lord of Liddesdale was a magnate in medieval Scotland; the territorial lordship of Liddesdale was first created by David I of Scotland, perhaps between 1113 and 1124 when the latter was Prince of the Cumbrians. He gave it over to Ranulf de Sules, a knight from the Cotentin Peninsula...
and married to the daughter of the High Steward of Scotland
High Steward of Scotland
The title of High Steward or Great Steward was given in the 12th century to Walter Fitzalan, whose descendants became the House of Stewart. In 1371, the last High Steward inherited the throne, and thereafter the title of High Steward of Scotland has been held as a subsidiary title to that of Duke...
. Sir John had previously protected Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
from Sir Andrew Harclay, Earl of Carlisle
Earl of Carlisle
Earl of Carlisle is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1322 when the soldier Andrew Harclay, 1st Baron Harclay was made Earl of Carlisle. He had already been summoned to Parliament as Lord Harclay in 1321...
and Warden of the English March. In 1301 after the resignations of Robert The Bruce and John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lord of Lochaber or John "the Red", also known simply as the Red Comyn was a Scottish nobleman who was an important figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence, and was Guardian of Scotland during the Second Interregnum 1296-1306...
he was appointed Guardian of Scotland
Guardian of Scotland
The Guardians of Scotland were the de facto heads of state of Scotland during the First Interregnum of 1290–1292, and the Second Interregnum of 1296–1306...
. Sir John, the Guardian, seems more likely to have been the diplomat of the family, staying in exile and dying in France, John II being the soldier.
Sir John de Soulis II joined Robert the Bruce, and was rewarded with a grant of the baronies of Kirkandrews and Torthorwald, and the lands of Brettalach, Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
. He accompanied Edward Bruce
Edward Bruce
Edward the Bruce , sometimes modernised Edward of Bruce, was a younger brother of King Robert I of Scotland, who supported his brother in the struggle for the crown of Scotland, then pursued his own claim in Ireland. He was proclaimed High King of Ireland, but was eventually defeated and killed in...
to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and was slain with him in the battle of Dundalk, 5th October, 1318. His brother William de Soulis
William de Soulis
William II de Soules , Lord of Liddesdale and Butler of Scotland, was a Scottish Border noble during the Wars of Scottish Independence. William was the elder son of Nicholas II de Soules, Lord of Liddesdale and Butler of Scotland, and a daughter of Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan...
was given John's lands and appointed Butler of Scotland, whether he was filling his brother's shoes as Butler or not is not a known fact.
External links
- article on his family