List of heirs of Scotland
Encyclopedia
List of heirs of Scotland details those people who have been either heir apparent
or heir presumptive
to the Kingdom of Scotland
, according to the rules of cognatic primogeniture, except at times when other forms of inheritance were specified, for example from 1371 to 1542 when the succession was limited to agnatic primogeniture by Act of Parliament
. Females are included in the list where appropriate; however, although the Crown could pass through the female line (for example to the House of Dunkeld
in 1034), in the early middle ages
it is doubtful whether a queen regnant
would have been accepted as ruler.
, previously ruler of Lothian
and Cumbria
, became King of all Scotland
on the death of his elder brother Alexander I
, 23 April 1124. His heir apparent was his eldest surviving son,
David died on the 24 May 1153 and was succeeded by his grandson.
William I, known as "William the Lion" from the lion rampant he adopted as his coat of arms
, died on the 4 December 1214, and was succeeded by his son.
Alexander II died on the 8 July 1249 and was succeeded by his only legitimate child.
Alexander III, a widower since 1274, was now left with an infant girl as the only undisputed successor to his throne. In an attempt to beget a male heir, he married Yolande de Dreux on 14 October 1285, but died on the 19 March 1286 of a fall from his horse. Queen Yolande declared herself pregnant with the King's heir, but it soon became apparent that this was not the case, and Alexander's three-year-old granddaughter Margaret was recognised as heir.
for assistance. By the Treaty of Birgham
, 1290, Margaret was placed under Edward's guardianship and betrothed to his eldest son, the Prince of Wales
. Margaret set out from Norway for Scotland in the autumn of that year, but was taken ill on the voyage and died at Orkney on the 26 September 1290, age seven. Scotland was left without an heir and with two claimants, so the Guardians of Scotland again appealed to Edward I to act as an arbitrator between the Competitors for the Crown of Scotland
. The two strongest claimants were
Though Bruce invoked proximity of blood
and claimed to have been made Tanist of the Kingdom by the then-childless Alexander III, Balliol was the genealogically senior heir, and Edward declared in his favour following an election at Berwick-upon-Tweed
, 3 August 1291.
,
In retaliation for this Treaty (the foundation of the Auld Alliance
), Edward invaded Scotland, defeating the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar
on 27 April 1296, and John was compelled to abdicate on the 10 July 1296. He and his son were taken as prisoners to England, but he was still regarded by the Scots as rightful King of Scotland. William Wallace
led an uprising in John's name, winning the Battle of Stirling Bridge
in 1297, but the rebellion was crushed after the Battle of Falkirk
the following year. In 1299 John was released from captivity and went into retirement on his family estates in France, taking no further interest in the recovery of his kingdom. His heirs still exist.
, William Wallace relinquished the position of Guardian of Scotland
in favour of Robert de Bruce, Earl of Carrick
and John Comyn of Badenoch
("the Red Comyn"), John Balliol's brother-in-law. These men had strong claims to the throne of Scotland themselves: Bruce was grandson of the Robert Bruce
who had been a Competitor
for the Crown in 1290, and Comyn had actually been a Competitor himself, as the senior descendant of the 11th century King Donald Bane
. On 10 February 1306, Bruce murdered Comyn at what was supposed to be a parley between the two rivals, and set about claiming the throne for himself, being crowned at Scone on 27 March. Over the next years he gradually reconquered Scotland from the English, culminating in the Battle of Bannockburn
in 1314. He was finally recognised by the English as King of independent Scotland by the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton
, 1328.
At the time he seized the throne, Robert I had no sons, and the succession was not set out until the Parliament held at Ayr
, which, on 27 April 1315, made Robert's brother,
Robert I died on the 7 June 1329, and was succeeded by his only surviving son (a second son, John, had died in infancy).
and secondly to Margaret Drummond
), he had no children, and so the heir presumptive for the duration of his reign was his older nephew
David II died on the 22 February 1371, and was succeeded by his nephew Robert the Steward.
, by whom he had four sons and five daughters, and secondly to Euphemia, Countess of Moray
, by whom he had a further two sons and two daughters. However, the children of the King's first wife had been born before the granting of the dispensation for the marriage, and were therefore of doubtful legitimacy, as the legal doctrine that children born out of wedlock are legitimated
by their parents' subsequent marriage had not yet been fully established in Scotland. It was thus unclear whether the heir-apparent was Robert's eldest son by his first wife, John
, or his eldest son by his second wife, David. On 27 March 1371, Parliament acknowledged John
, as Robert's heir and subsequently on 4 April 1373 passed an Act specifically stating the order of succession to the throne, which was limited to the King's sons (named in the Act) and the heirs male of their bodies, failing which to the King's heirs whatsoever. The heir apparent was now indisputably
Despite his infirmity, John succeeded to the throne on Robert II's death, 19 April 1390, in accordance with the 1371 Act. He assumed the regnal name of Robert III to avoid associations with the House of Balliol.
Robert III died on 4 April 1406, allegedly of grief at his son's capture, and was succeeded as King by his only surviving son James (a second son, Robert, had died young).
King James I was assassinated on 21 February 1437 by a group of conspirators including his uncle and sometime ally the Earl of Atholl, whereupon his infant son became King as James II.
The only other unquestionably legitimate male member of the House of Stewart apart from the King was now Sir James "Mór" Stewart of Baldorran, son of the second Duke of Albany
, who was in exile in Ireland. However as he was under attainder, the next heir according to the 1373 Act of Parliament was the "heir whomsoever" (i.e. including females) of King Robert II. It was still uncertain at this time as to who this would be, as the 1373 Act, while determining which of the King's sons should succeed him, had not pronounced on the legitimacy of the King's elder children one way or the other. If the children of Robert II by his first wife were legitimated by their parents' subsequent marriage (as later legal doctrine would have it), then the heir presumptive in 1437 was the King's eldest sister
However, if the children of Elizabeth Mure were not legitimate, then the heir whomsoever of Robert II during the period 1437 to 1451 was
In the event this potential problem over the succession never arose, as Queen Mary gave birth to a son and heir apparent,
After fathering three more sons, King James II, an artillery enthusiast, was killed by an exploding cannon while besieging Roxburgh Castle, 3 October 1460, and was succeeded by his eldest son.
James III was killed in battle with the rebels at Sauchie Burn
on 11 June 1488 and his son ascended the throne as James IV.
James IV died the next year in battle at Flodden, 9 September 1513, and was succeeded as King by his only son (though another was born posthumously).
was still pregnant at his accession, so the unborn child was heir-presumptive. He was born on 30 April 1514 and given the name
The King was now the only surviving male member of the Royal Family, as had been the case from 1437 to 1451, and it was arguable who should be legally next in line under the 1373 Act as heir general of Robert II (see above).
The senior representative of Robert II's legitimate children by his second wife was
The senior representative of Robert II's legitimated children by his first wife was
King James V died only days later on the 14 December 1542 and Mary succeeded as Queen of Scots under the Earl of Arran's regency. This was not disputed by the contemporary Earl of Menteith, the other potential claimant. However, when the third Earl's great-grandson William
was confirmed as Earl of Strathearn
and heir-of-line of Robert II's eldest unquestionably legitimate son David
in 1631, he began to boast that he had a better claim to the throne than the then King, Charles I. He was swiftly removed from his offices and deprived of the Earldom of Strathearn in 1633, being given the inferior title of Earl of Airth
.
After Mary's third marriage to the Earl of Bothwell
, the Lords of Scotland rose in rebellion against her, and on 24 July 1567 she was forced to abdicate in favour of her son, who became James VI.
King James VI and I died on 27 March 1625 and was succeeded as King by his son Charles.
After being captured by the Parliamentarian
s, escaping and being re-captured, King Charles I was tried for high treason
, and beheaded on 30 January 1649.
. Despite disputes between the Royalists and the Covenanters, Charles was crowned on 1 January 1651. However, his forces were defeated in England at the Battle of Worcester
and by the end of the year the King had fled to exile
in France. Scotland ceased to be an independent nation and became part of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
under Oliver Cromwell
on 16 December 1653. The deposition of Cromwell's son Richard
in 1659 paved the way for the King's return, and Charles returned to the British Isles on 25 May 1660.
Throughout the exile and reign of Charles II the heir-presumptive was his brother
Charles II died on 6 February 1685, leaving many illegitimate children but no legitimate ones. He was accordingly succeeded by his brother, who became James VII (II of England).
and the one born to second wife, Mary of Modena
, only one
had survived past the age of three. The heiress-presumptive to the throne was therefore the King's eldest daughter
The King's Roman Catholic faith and policy of religious tolerance towards Catholics, particularly the Declaration of Indulgence
, alarmed the Anglican hierarchy in his realm of England. James's imprisonment of seven Bishops
who protested at his policy, and then the birth of a Catholic male heir, which raised the prospect of a Catholic dynasty on the throne, led a group of English noblemen to invite
the King's Protestant nephew and son-in-law, William of Orange, to invade. This became known as the Glorious Revolution
, and resulted in James's flight to France in December 1688. The English Parliament declared the throne vacant and offered it to William and his wife Mary. All these events in England had no bearing on the constitutional situation in Scotland, and it was only on 11 April 1689, the day of William and Mary's coronation in England, that the Estates of Scotland declared that James VII was no longer King, and offered the Crown jointly to the King and Queen of England. They accepted on 11 May, becoming William II and Mary II of Scots.
was passed in April 1689, establishing the constitutional basis for the accession of William and Mary, and that they would reign jointly, and then that the survivor would reign alone.
Queen Mary died on 28 December 1694, and King William became sole monarch of Scotland.
William II died on 8 March 1702, and was succeeded by his sister-in-law.
, had died in 1700. The succession aspect of the Claim of Right Act which had ensured her succession (and that of the Bill of Rights
by which she succeeded in England) would therefore lapse on her death. The English Parliament had already found a solution to this by passing the Act of Settlement
, which named Sophia, Electress of Hanover, the next-senior Protestant descendant of James I (VI of Scotland), as heiress after Anne. The Estates of Scotland had made no such provision, so there was no heir to the Scottish throne. In 1703 the Estates passed a Bill reserving to themselves the right to choose the monarch from among the Protestant descendants of the Kings of Scots in the event of Anne's death without issue, but stating that this would not be the same person as succeeded to the English throne unless the independence of Scotland as a separate Kingdom could be assured. Royal Assent
to the Bill was initially withheld, but after the Scots threatened to withdraw their troops presently engaged in the War of the Spanish Succession
it was passed in 1704, becoming known as the Act of Security. The Parliament of England then passed the Alien Act 1705, which stopped all Scottish exports to England and English colonies, and enacted that Scots would be treated as foreigners in England, with severe consequences for the inheritance of Scottish-owned property in England. The Alien Act also said that these measures would not be enacted if the Act of Security was repealed or if Scotland entered into parliamentary union with England. The latter eventually took place with the passage of the Act of Union, and Scotland became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain
on 1 May 1707.
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
or heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the Kingdom of Scotland
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...
, according to the rules of cognatic primogeniture, except at times when other forms of inheritance were specified, for example from 1371 to 1542 when the succession was limited to agnatic primogeniture by Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
. Females are included in the list where appropriate; however, although the Crown could pass through the female line (for example to the House of Dunkeld
House of Dunkeld
The so-called House of Dunkeld, in Scottish Gaelic Dùn Chailleann , is a historiographical and genealogical construct to illustrate the clear succession of Scottish kings from 1034 to 1040 and from 1058 to 1290.It is dynastically sort of a continuation to Cenél nGabráin of Dál Riata, "race of...
in 1034), in the early middle ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
it is doubtful whether a queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
would have been accepted as ruler.
Heirs to David I
David IDavid I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
, previously ruler of Lothian
Lothian
Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills....
and Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, became King of all Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on the death of his elder brother Alexander I
Alexander I of Scotland
Alexander I , also called Alaxandair mac Maíl Coluim and nicknamed "The Fierce", was King of the Scots from 1107 to his death.-Life:...
, 23 April 1124. His heir apparent was his eldest surviving son,
- HenryHenry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of HuntingdonHenry of Scotland was a Prince of Scotland, heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Alba. He was also the 3rd Earl of Northumberland and the 3rd Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton....
, born in 1114. On the death of his mother, MaudMaud, 2nd Countess of HuntingdonMaud of Northumbria , Countess of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton, was the daughter of Waltheof II, Earl of Northumbria and Judith of Lens, the last of the major Anglo-Saxon earls to remain powerful after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.- Biography :Maud was married to Simon of...
, he succeeded as Earl of HuntingdonEarl of HuntingdonEarl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
in England. He died on the 12 June 1152, during the life of his father, and his place in the succession passed to the eldest of his three sons, - MalcolmMalcolm IV of ScotlandMalcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Earl Henry and Ada de Warenne...
, born on the 20 March 1141. He was immediately confirmed as heir apparent to the Crown and sent on a tour of the Kingdom under the guardianship of the Earl of FifeDonnchad I, Earl of FifeMormaer Donnchad I , anglicized as Duncan or Dunecan, was the first Gaelic magnate to have his territory regranted to him by feudal charter, by David I in 1136. Donnchad I, as head of the native Scottish nobility, had the job of introducing and conducting King Máel Coluim IV around the Kingdom upon...
.
David died on the 24 May 1153 and was succeeded by his grandson.
Heir to Malcolm IV
Malcolm IV, known as "Malcolm the Maiden", was unmarried and had no children. His heir presumptive was his next brother- WilliamWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
, who succeeded as King on Malcolm's death, 9 December 1165.
Heirs to William I
William I was unmarried at the time of his accession, so the next heir was his younger brother,- DavidDavid of Scotland, 8th Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland was a Scottish prince and Earl of Huntingdon. He was a claimant to the Scottish throne.-Life:He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Elizabeth of Vermandois. His...
, who was made Earl of HuntingdonEarl of HuntingdonEarl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
. He remained heir presumptive until the birth of his niece, - MargaretMargaret of Scotland, Countess of KentMargaret of Scotland was the first child born to William I of Scotland and his Queen consort Ermengarde de Beaumont. She was an older sister of Alexander II of Scotland....
, born in 1193. She was the first child of King William by his wife Ermengarde de BeaumontErmengarde de BeaumontErmengarde de Beaumont , was a Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Scotland.-Life:Ermengarde was born c. 1170 to Richard I, Viscount de Beaumont-le-Vicomte, de Fresnay et de Ste-Suzanne , and wife Lucie de l'Aigle , daughter of Richard II de l'Aigle...
, whom he had married on the 5 September 1186. Another sister, Isabella, was born before the eventual arrival of a son, - AlexanderAlexander II of ScotlandAlexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
, born on the 24 August 1198, who was heir apparent from birth.
William I, known as "William the Lion" from the lion rampant he adopted as his coat of arms
Royal coat of arms of Scotland
The royal coat of arms of Scotland was the official coat of arms of the monarchs of Scotland, and was used as the official coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland until the Acts of Union of 1707...
, died on the 4 December 1214, and was succeeded by his son.
Heirs to Alexander II
Alexander II was only sixteen and unmarried at the time of his succession, and so the heiress presumptive was his elder sister,- MargaretMargaret of Scotland, Countess of KentMargaret of Scotland was the first child born to William I of Scotland and his Queen consort Ermengarde de Beaumont. She was an older sister of Alexander II of Scotland....
, who married in 1221 Hubert de BurghHubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of KentHubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent was Earl of Kent, Justiciar of England and Ireland, and one of the most influential men in England during the reigns of John and Henry III.-Birth and family:...
, JusticiarJusticiarIn medieval England and Ireland the Chief Justiciar was roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister as the monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent, particularly in Norman Italy. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius In...
of England during the minority of King Henry IIIHenry III of EnglandHenry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
. When Henry came of age in 1227 Hubert was made Earl of KentEarl of KentThe peerage title Earl of Kent has been created eight times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.See also Kingdom of Kent, Duke of Kent.-Earls of Kent, first creation :*Godwin, Earl of Wessex...
. Margaret, now Countess of Kent, continued as heiress presumptive until the King fathered a child, - AlexanderAlexander III of ScotlandAlexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
, born 4 September 1241, son of Alexander II by his second wife Marie de CoucyMarie de CoucyMarie de Coucy was the daughter of Enguerrand III, Lord of Coucy and his third wife Marie de Montmirel . She was Queen consort of the Kingdom of Scotland.- Biography :...
.
Alexander II died on the 8 July 1249 and was succeeded by his only legitimate child.
Heirs to Alexander III
Alexander III became King at the age of eight, and the heiress presumptive to the Kingdom was once again his aunt- MargaretMargaret of Scotland, Countess of KentMargaret of Scotland was the first child born to William I of Scotland and his Queen consort Ermengarde de Beaumont. She was an older sister of Alexander II of Scotland....
, Countess of Kent. She was displaced in the succession by her namesake - Margaret, born to Alexander's queen Margaret of EnglandMargaret of EnglandMargaret of England was a medieval English princess who became Queen of Scots. A daughter of the Plantagenet king Henry III of England and his queen, Eleanor of Provence, she was Queen consort to Alexander III "the Glorious", King of the Scots.- Family :She was the second child of Henry III of...
on the 28 February 1260. She was in turn displaced by the birth of her brother, - Alexander, Prince of ScotlandPrince of ScotlandPrince and Great Steward of Scotland are two of the titles of the heir apparent to the throne of the United Kingdom. The current holder of these titles is HRH The Prince Charles who bears the Scottish titles of Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Lord of the Isles and Baron Renfrew, and is known...
, born on the 21 January 1263. His death on the 28 January 1283, and that of his younger brother David two years earlier, meant that his father's heiress was again his elder sister - Margaret, by now married to King Eirik II of NorwayEirik II of NorwayEirik Magnusson was the King of Norway from 1273/80 until 1299.-Background:He was the eldest surviving son of King Magnus the Lawmender of Norway, and his wife Ingeborg Eriksdatter, daughter of King Eric IV of Denmark. Eric descended from St...
. She died on the 9 April 1283 giving birth to a daughter, - Margaret, known as "the Maid of Norway", who became heiress presumptive. The King secured her recognition as such from the Estates of Scotland in 1284.
Alexander III, a widower since 1274, was now left with an infant girl as the only undisputed successor to his throne. In an attempt to beget a male heir, he married Yolande de Dreux on 14 October 1285, but died on the 19 March 1286 of a fall from his horse. Queen Yolande declared herself pregnant with the King's heir, but it soon became apparent that this was not the case, and Alexander's three-year-old granddaughter Margaret was recognised as heir.
The Great Cause
Scotland was ruled by the six Guardians of Scotland on behalf of the child-heir Margaret. However, other powerful nobles claimed the throne, and in an attempt to avoid a civil war the Regents appealed to King Edward I of EnglandEdward 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...
for assistance. By the Treaty of Birgham
Treaty of Birgham
The Treaty of Birgham, also referred to as the Treaty of Salisbury, comprised two treaties intended to secure the independence of Scotland after Alexander III died without issue in 1286....
, 1290, Margaret was placed under Edward's guardianship and betrothed to his eldest son, the Prince of Wales
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
. Margaret set out from Norway for Scotland in the autumn of that year, but was taken ill on the voyage and died at Orkney on the 26 September 1290, age seven. Scotland was left without an heir and with two claimants, so the Guardians of Scotland again appealed to Edward I to act as an arbitrator between the Competitors for the Crown of Scotland
Competitors for the Crown of Scotland
With the death of Alexander III of Scotland in 1286 without a male heir, the throne of Scotland had become the possession of the three-year old Margaret, Maid of Norway, the granddaughter of the King...
. The two strongest claimants were
- Dervorguilla of GallowayDervorguilla of GallowayDervorguilla of Galloway was a 'lady of substance' during the 13th century, wife from 1223 of John, 5th Baron de Balliol, and mother of the future king John I of Scotland. The name Dervorguilla or Devorgilla was a Latinization of the Gaelic Dearbhfhorghaill...
, died 1290 and was succeeded by her son: John de Balliol, grandson of Margaret of Huntingdon, the elder daughter of David, Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland, 8th Earl of HuntingdonDavid of Scotland was a Scottish prince and Earl of Huntingdon. He was a claimant to the Scottish throne.-Life:He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Elizabeth of Vermandois. His...
, the younger brother of King William the LionWilliam I of ScotlandWilliam the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
(see above), and - Robert de BruceRobert Bruce, 5th Lord of AnnandaleRobert V de Brus , 5th Lord of Annandale , was a feudal lord, Justice and Constable of Scotland and England, a Regent of Scotland, and a leading competitor for the Scottish throne in 1290/92 in the Great Cause...
, Lord of AnnandaleLord of AnnandaleThe Lord of Annandale was a sub-comital lordship in southern Scotland established by David I of Scotland by 1124 for his follower Robert de Brus...
, son of Isobel of HuntingdonIsobel of HuntingdonIsobel of Huntingdon was the daughter of David of Scotland, 8th Earl of Huntingdon and Matilda of Chester. She married Robert Bruce, 4th Lord of Annandale and through her came the claims firstly of her son in 1290 and later in the beginning of 14th century of her great-grandson Robert Bruce, 7th...
, Margaret of Huntingdon's younger sister.
Though Bruce invoked proximity of blood
Proximity of blood
Proximity of blood, or closeness in degree of kinship, is one of the ways to determine hereditary succession based on genealogy. It was at loggerheads with primogeniture in numerous medieval succession disputes....
and claimed to have been made Tanist of the Kingdom by the then-childless Alexander III, Balliol was the genealogically senior heir, and Edward declared in his favour following an election at Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
, 3 August 1291.
Heir to John
King John was crowned at Scone on St Andrew's Day 1292. His heir apparent was his son by Isabella de WarenneIsabella de Warenne
Isabella de Warenne was Baroness of Bywell by her marriage to John Balliol; there is however doubt that she lived to become his Queen consort when he succeeded to the Scottish throne.- Family :...
,
- EdwardEdward BalliolEdward Balliol was a claimant to the Scottish throne . With English help, he briefly ruled the country from 1332 to 1336.-Life:...
. On 23 October 1295 Edward was betrothed to Joan of Valois, the niece of Philip IV of FrancePhilip IV of FrancePhilip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
, when his father concluded an alliance with the French against Edward I, who had taken full advantage of his influential role in determining the Scottish succession to have himself made Lord Paramount of Scotland and John's feudal superior. In the treaty Edward was described as "future King of Scotland" and confirmed as the heir apparent to the Crown.
In retaliation for this Treaty (the foundation of the Auld Alliance
Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance was an alliance between the kingdoms of Scotland and France. It played a significant role in the relations between Scotland, France and England from its beginning in 1295 until the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh. The alliance was renewed by all the French and Scottish monarchs of that...
), Edward invaded Scotland, defeating the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar
Battle of Dunbar (1296)
The Battle of Dunbar was the only significant field action in the campaign of 1296. King Edward I of England had invaded Scotland in 1296 to punish King John Balliol for his refusal to support English military action in France.-Background:...
on 27 April 1296, and John was compelled to abdicate on the 10 July 1296. He and his son were taken as prisoners to England, but he was still regarded by the Scots as rightful King of Scotland. William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
led an uprising in John's name, winning the Battle of Stirling Bridge
Battle of Stirling Bridge
The Battle of Stirling Bridge was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling, on the River Forth.-The main...
in 1297, but the rebellion was crushed after the Battle of Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1298)
The Battle of Falkirk, which took place on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence...
the following year. In 1299 John was released from captivity and went into retirement on his family estates in France, taking no further interest in the recovery of his kingdom. His heirs still exist.
Heirs to Robert I (The Bruce)
After the Battle of FalkirkBattle of Falkirk (1298)
The Battle of Falkirk, which took place on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence...
, William Wallace relinquished the position of 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...
in favour of Robert de Bruce, Earl of Carrick
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...
and John Comyn 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...
("the Red Comyn"), John Balliol's brother-in-law. These men had strong claims to the throne of Scotland themselves: Bruce was grandson of the Robert Bruce
Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale
Robert V de Brus , 5th Lord of Annandale , was a feudal lord, Justice and Constable of Scotland and England, a Regent of Scotland, and a leading competitor for the Scottish throne in 1290/92 in the Great Cause...
who had been a Competitor
Competitors for the Crown of Scotland
With the death of Alexander III of Scotland in 1286 without a male heir, the throne of Scotland had become the possession of the three-year old Margaret, Maid of Norway, the granddaughter of the King...
for the Crown in 1290, and Comyn had actually been a Competitor himself, as the senior descendant of the 11th century King Donald Bane
Donald III of Scotland
Domnall mac Donnchada , anglicised as Donald III, and nicknamed Domnall Bán, "Donald the Fair" , was King of Scots from 1093–1094 and 1094–1097...
. On 10 February 1306, Bruce murdered Comyn at what was supposed to be a parley between the two rivals, and set about claiming the throne for himself, being crowned at Scone on 27 March. Over the next years he gradually reconquered Scotland from the English, culminating in the Battle of Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
in 1314. He was finally recognised by the English as King of independent Scotland by the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton
Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton
The Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton was a peace treaty, signed in 1328 between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland. It brought an end to the First War of Scottish Independence, which had begun with the English invasion of Scotland in 1296...
, 1328.
At the time he seized the throne, Robert I had no sons, and the succession was not set out until the Parliament held at Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
, which, on 27 April 1315, made Robert's brother,
- EdwardEdward BruceEdward 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...
the heir, followed by Robert's daughter - MarjorieMarjorie BruceMarjorie Bruce or Marjorie de Brus was the eldest daughter of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots by his first wife, Isabella of Mar, and the founder of the Stewart dynasty. Her marriage to Walter, High Steward of Scotland gave rise to the House of Stewart...
. In 1315 she married Walter, High Steward of ScotlandWalter Stewart, 6th High Steward of ScotlandWalter Stewart was the 6th hereditary High Steward of Scotland. He was also the father of King Robert II of Scotland.-Biography:...
; she died the following year a few hours after giving birth to their son - RobertRobert II of ScotlandRobert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
, born 2 March 1316. In 1318 the Parliament of ScotlandParliament of ScotlandThe Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
confirmed that he would succeed as King if his grandfather King Robert I died without sons. However, six years later - DavidDavid II of ScotlandDavid II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
was born, on the 5 March 1324. He was son of King Robert I by his second wife Elizabeth de BurghElizabeth de BurghElizabeth de Burgh was the second wife and the only queen consort of King Robert I of Scotland.-Life:She was born in Dunfermline, Fife in Scotland, the daughter of the powerful Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and his wife Margarite de Burgh...
, and was thus heir apparent from birth. In 1328 he was created Earl of CarrickEarl of CarrickThe 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...
, the title held by his father before his accession.
Robert I died on the 7 June 1329, and was succeeded by his only surviving son (a second son, John, had died in infancy).
Heir to David II
David II was five years old when he became King. Though he married twice during his reign (firstly to Joan of the TowerJoan of The Tower
Joan of England , known as Joan of The Tower, was the first wife and Queen consort of king David II of Scotland.-Birth:...
and secondly to Margaret Drummond
Margaret Drummond (Queen)
Margaret Drummond was the second queen of David II of Scotland and a daughter of Sir Malcolm Drummond, Knt. by his wife Margaret, née Graham....
), he had no children, and so the heir presumptive for the duration of his reign was his older nephew
- RobertRobert II of ScotlandRobert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
, who had been designated heir in 1318. He had succeeded his father as High Steward of ScotlandHigh Steward of ScotlandThe 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...
on 9 April 1326, and was created Earl of AthollEarl of AthollThe Mormaer of Earl of Atholl refers to a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl , now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from...
in 1342 and Earl of StrathearnEarl of StrathearnThe Mormaer of Strathearn or Earl of Strathearn was a provincial ruler in medieval Scotland. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mormaer, Maol Íosa I is mentioned by Ailred of Rievaulx as leading native Scots in the...
in 1357. He was Regent of the Kingdom in the King's absence during the wars with England, but fell out with his uncle after he was accused of desertion at the Battle of Neville's CrossBattle of Neville's CrossThe Battle of Neville's Cross took place to the west of Durham, England on 17 October 1346.-Background:In 1346, England was embroiled in the Hundred Years' War with France. In order to divert his enemy Philip VI of France appealed to David II of Scotland to attack the English from the north in...
, at which David was captured. After David's release in 1357, the King made attempts to pay off some of his ransom by agreeing to bequeath the Kingdom either to Edward III of EnglandEdward III of EnglandEdward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
or to Edward's son Lionel of Antwerp. This would disinherit Robert, and in protest the Steward rose in rebellion in 1363, but was imprisoned with his sons, being released only shortly before the King's death.
David II died on the 22 February 1371, and was succeeded by his nephew Robert the Steward.
Heir to Robert II (The Steward)
Before he became King, Robert had married twice: firstly to Elizabeth MureElizabeth Mure
Elizabeth Mure was mistress and then wife of Robert, High Steward of Scotland, and Guardian of Scotland , who later became King Robert II of Scotland.-History:...
, by whom he had four sons and five daughters, and secondly to Euphemia, Countess of Moray
Euphemia de Ross
Euphemia de Ross was the second wife and first Queen consort of Robert II of Scotland.She was a daughter of Aodh, Earl of Ross and Margaret de Graham, Hugh's 2nd wife and daughter of Sir David de Graham of Montrose. She first married John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray but the marriage was childless...
, by whom he had a further two sons and two daughters. However, the children of the King's first wife had been born before the granting of the dispensation for the marriage, and were therefore of doubtful legitimacy, as the legal doctrine that children born out of wedlock are legitimated
Legitimation
Legitimation or legitimization is the act of providing legitimacy. Legitimation in the social sciences refers to the process whereby an act, process, or ideology becomes legitimate by its attachment to norms and values within in given society...
by their parents' subsequent marriage had not yet been fully established in Scotland. It was thus unclear whether the heir-apparent was Robert's eldest son by his first wife, John
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
, or his eldest son by his second wife, David. On 27 March 1371, Parliament acknowledged John
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
, as Robert's heir and subsequently on 4 April 1373 passed an Act specifically stating the order of succession to the throne, which was limited to the King's sons (named in the Act) and the heirs male of their bodies, failing which to the King's heirs whatsoever. The heir apparent was now indisputably
- John StewartRobert III of ScotlandRobert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
, the King's eldest son by his first wife, who had been created Earl of CarrickEarl of CarrickThe 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...
in 1368. He was disabled by a kick from a horse in 1389, and his younger brother RobertRobert Stewart, 1st Duke of AlbanyRobert Stewart, Duke of Albany , a member of the Scottish royal house, served as Regent to three different Scottish monarchs...
took on many of the functions of the heir-apparent, including acting as Guardian of the Kingdom.
Despite his infirmity, John succeeded to the throne on Robert II's death, 19 April 1390, in accordance with the 1371 Act. He assumed the regnal name of Robert III to avoid associations with the House of Balliol.
Heirs to Robert III
At Robert III's accession, his heir apparent was his eldest son- DavidDavid Stewart, Duke of RothesayDavid Stewart was the heir to the throne of Scotland from 1390 and the first Duke of Rothesay from 1398. He also held the titles of Earl of Atholl and Earl of Carrick...
, who became Earl of CarrickEarl of CarrickThe 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...
the same day. He was further created Duke of RothesayDuke of RothesayDuke of Rothesay was a title of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707, of the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and now of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland....
and Earl of AthollEarl of AthollThe Mormaer of Earl of Atholl refers to a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl , now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from...
on 28 April 1398, the first creation of a Dukedom in Scotland. When David came of age in 1399, he was made Lieutenant of the Kingdom for his disabled father. This led to conflict with his uncle RobertRobert Stewart, 1st Duke of AlbanyRobert Stewart, Duke of Albany , a member of the Scottish royal house, served as Regent to three different Scottish monarchs...
, now Duke of AlbanyDuke of AlbanyDuke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
, who had previously filled that office. David was arrested by Albany and died in prison 26 March 1402, when his younger brother - JamesJames I of ScotlandJames I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
became heir apparent and Duke of Rothesay. To protect him from the same fate as his elder brother, he was sent to France in 1406, but was captured en route by the English and taken prisoner.
Robert III died on 4 April 1406, allegedly of grief at his son's capture, and was succeeded as King by his only surviving son James (a second son, Robert, had died young).
Heirs to James I
The new eleven-year-old King had several sisters living, but under the 1371 Act of Parliament limiting the succession to males his heir presumptive was his uncle- Robert, Duke of AlbanyRobert Stewart, 1st Duke of AlbanyRobert Stewart, Duke of Albany , a member of the Scottish royal house, served as Regent to three different Scottish monarchs...
, who served as Regent. The Duke of Albany made no effort whatsoever to secure the King's release from his English captors, and ruled Scotland himself until his death on the 3 September 1420, when he was succeeded by his son - MurdochMurdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of AlbanyMurdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany was a leading Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany and the grandson of King Robert II of Scotland, who founded the Stewart dynasty. In 1389 he was Justiciar North of the Forth. In 1402 he was captured at the Battle of Homildon Hill and would...
as Duke of AlbanyDuke of AlbanyDuke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
and Regent of the Kingdom. Under Murdoch's regency the ransom on the King was finally paid, and James I returned to Scotland in 1424. However, the Albany family still had considerable power, and in an effort to regain full control of his Kingdom, James I had Murdoch and his son Sir Alexander Stewart attainted and beheaded on 25 May 1425 (Murdoch's eldest surviving son Sir Walter had been beheaded the day before). Murdoch's youngest son Sir James Stewart of Baldorran (called James Mór, or "the Fat"), fled to Ireland where he died in 1451, but he was disqualified from the succession by his father's attainder. The next male of the Stewart family was Murdoch's half-brother Robert Stewart, youngest son of the first Duke of Albany and de jure Earl of RossEarl of RossThe Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
following the death of his elder brother JohnJohn Stewart, 2nd Earl of BuchanJohn Stewart, Earl of Buchan was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who fought alongside Scotland's French allies during the Hundred Years War. In 1419 he was sent to France by his father the Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland, with an army of 6,000 men...
the year before. He was still living in 1431, but the nearest male heir not of the Albany family was - Walter StewartWalter Stewart, 1st Earl of AthollWalter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, Strathearn and Caithness was a Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert II of Scotland. Stewart was an enthusiastic advocate of the ransom and return to Scotland of the future king in exile, James I of Scotland, in 1424. In 1425 he served as a member of the jury of 21...
, Earl of AthollEarl of AthollThe Mormaer of Earl of Atholl refers to a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl , now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from...
and CaithnessEarl of CaithnessEarl 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...
, youngest son of King Robert II by his second wife and the last of James I's uncles. He was instrumental in James's return from England, and assisted in the trial of his Albany relatives. He was given a third Earldom (as Earl of StrathearnEarl of StrathearnThe Mormaer of Strathearn or Earl of Strathearn was a provincial ruler in medieval Scotland. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mormaer, Maol Íosa I is mentioned by Ailred of Rievaulx as leading native Scots in the...
) on 22 July 1427, and remained as heir presumptive until the King fathered a son, - Alexander, Duke of RothesayAlexander Stewart, Duke of RothesayAlexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay . Duke of Rothesay is the honour taken by the heir apparent to the Scottish throne, and so it was given to this boy, the fifth child but first son of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort. Alexander, a twin, died in infancy, and his younger brother became James...
, on 16 October 1430. However the new heir died in infancy, leaving his twin brother - JamesJames II of ScotlandJames II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
as heir apparent and Duke of RothesayDuke of RothesayDuke of Rothesay was a title of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707, of the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and now of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland....
.
King James I was assassinated on 21 February 1437 by a group of conspirators including his uncle and sometime ally the Earl of Atholl, whereupon his infant son became King as James II.
Heirs to James II
At the accession of James II the next male heir to the Crown was the late King's assassin- Walter, Earl of AthollWalter Stewart, 1st Earl of AthollWalter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, Strathearn and Caithness was a Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert II of Scotland. Stewart was an enthusiastic advocate of the ransom and return to Scotland of the future king in exile, James I of Scotland, in 1424. In 1425 he served as a member of the jury of 21...
. However, he and his grandson and accomplice Sir Robert Stewart, Master of AthollRobert Stewart, Master of AthollRobert Stewart, Master of Atholl was a Scottish nobleman of royal descent. He was the grandson of Walter Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl, and the great-grandson of Robert II of Scotland. He was executed, along with his grandfather and other Scottish noblemen on 26 March 1437, for his role in the murder...
were swiftly attainted and executed for their part in the conspiracy, 26 March 1437.
The only other unquestionably legitimate male member of the House of Stewart apart from the King was now Sir James "Mór" Stewart of Baldorran, son of the second Duke of Albany
Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany was a leading Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany and the grandson of King Robert II of Scotland, who founded the Stewart dynasty. In 1389 he was Justiciar North of the Forth. In 1402 he was captured at the Battle of Homildon Hill and would...
, who was in exile in Ireland. However as he was under attainder, the next heir according to the 1373 Act of Parliament was the "heir whomsoever" (i.e. including females) of King Robert II. It was still uncertain at this time as to who this would be, as the 1373 Act, while determining which of the King's sons should succeed him, had not pronounced on the legitimacy of the King's elder children one way or the other. If the children of Robert II by his first wife were legitimated by their parents' subsequent marriage (as later legal doctrine would have it), then the heir presumptive in 1437 was the King's eldest sister
- MargaretMargaret Stewart (Dauphine of France)Margaret of Scotland was a Princess of Scotland and the Dauphine of France. She was the firstborn child of King James I of Scotland and Queen Joan Beaufort....
, who had married the King of FranceCharles VII of FranceCharles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
's son the Dauphin LouisLouis XI of FranceLouis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
on 24 June 1436. She died without children on 16 August 1444, leaving her sister - Isabella as next heir. She was the wife of the Duke of BrittanyFrancis I, Duke of BrittanyFrancis I , was duke of Brittany, count of Montfort and titular earl of Richmond, from 1442 to his death. He was son of Duke John VI and Joan of France.He first married, at Nantes in 1431, Yolande of Anjou Francis I (in Breton Fransez I, in French François I) (Vannes/Gwened, May 14, 1414 –...
, by whom she had two daughters. However she was displaced in the succession after her brother was married on 3 July 1449 to Mary of GueldersMary of GueldersMary of Guelders was the Queen Consort of Scotland as the wife of King James II of Scotland. She served as Regent of Scotland from 1460 to 1463.-Background:...
, who bore him the first of eight children, - a son, on 19 May 1450 (he died the same day, but seven surviving children followed).
However, if the children of Elizabeth Mure were not legitimate, then the heir whomsoever of Robert II during the period 1437 to 1451 was
- Malise GrahamMalise Graham, 1st Earl of Menteith-Biography:He is the first of his name to have borne the title of Earl of Menteith in his own right. He was the only son of Sir Patrick Graham of Kincardine. Patrick was the second son of Sir Patrick Graham, ancestor of the Earls and Dukes of Montrose...
, Earl of MenteithEarl of MenteithThe Mormaer or Earl of Menteith was originally the ruler of the province of Menteith in the Middle Ages. The first mormaer is usually regarded as Gille Críst, simply because he is the earliest on record. The title was held in a continuous line from Gille Crist until Muireadhach IV , although the...
, maternal grandson of David, Earl of StrathearnEarl of StrathearnThe Mormaer of Strathearn or Earl of Strathearn was a provincial ruler in medieval Scotland. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mormaer, Maol Íosa I is mentioned by Ailred of Rievaulx as leading native Scots in the...
, the eldest son of King Robert II by his second, indisputably valid marriage to Euphemia de RossEuphemia de RossEuphemia de Ross was the second wife and first Queen consort of Robert II of Scotland.She was a daughter of Aodh, Earl of Ross and Margaret de Graham, Hugh's 2nd wife and daughter of Sir David de Graham of Montrose. She first married John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray but the marriage was childless...
. The Earl of Menteith was closely related on his father's side to the conspirators that murdered James I: his uncle Sir Robert Graham of Kilpont had been one of the leaders of the plot, and his cousin Elizabeth Graham was second wife to the treacherous Earl of AthollWalter Stewart, 1st Earl of AthollWalter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, Strathearn and Caithness was a Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert II of Scotland. Stewart was an enthusiastic advocate of the ransom and return to Scotland of the future king in exile, James I of Scotland, in 1424. In 1425 he served as a member of the jury of 21...
.
In the event this potential problem over the succession never arose, as Queen Mary gave birth to a son and heir apparent,
- James, Duke of RothesayJames III of ScotlandJames III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
, on 10 July 1451.
After fathering three more sons, King James II, an artillery enthusiast, was killed by an exploding cannon while besieging Roxburgh Castle, 3 October 1460, and was succeeded by his eldest son.
Heirs to James III
James III was nine years old at his accession, and his heir-presumptive was his next brother- AlexanderAlexander Stewart, 1st Duke of AlbanyAlexander Stewart, Duke of Albany was the second son of King James II of Scotland, and his Queen consort Mary of Gueldres, daughter of Arnold, Duke of Gelderland.-Biography:...
, who had been created Duke of AlbanyDuke of AlbanyDuke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
. He was next in line to the throne for the next twelve years, until the King begat a son, - James, Duke of RothesayJames IV of ScotlandJames IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
, on 17 March 1473. After the death in 1485 of the Duke of Albany, who had previously laid claim to the crown with English help as "Alexander IV", the Duke of Rothesay became the figurehead for nobles dissatisfied with the King's misrule.
James III was killed in battle with the rebels at Sauchie Burn
Battle of Sauchieburn
The Battle of Sauchieburn was fought on June 11, 1488, at the side of Sauchie Burn, a stream about two miles south of Stirling, Scotland. The battle was fought between as many as 30,000 troops of King James III of Scotland and some 18,000 troops raised by a group of dissident Scottish nobles...
on 11 June 1488 and his son ascended the throne as James IV.
Heirs to James IV
At the accession of James IV his heir-presumptive was his next brother- JamesJames Stewart, Duke of RossJames Stewart, Duke of Ross was the son of King James III of Scotland and Margaret of Denmark.-Titles and Offices:He was made Marquess of Ormond at his baptism...
, Duke of RossDuke of RossThe title Duke of Ross has been created twice in the Peerage of Scotland, both times for younger sons of the King of Scotland. Named for Ross in Scotland, it was first created in 1488 for James Stewart, Earl of Ross, the second son of James III. On his early death in 1504, the title became...
. He later became Archbishop of St AndrewsArchbishop of St AndrewsThe Bishop of St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews and then, as Archbishop of St Andrews , the Archdiocese of St Andrews.The name St Andrews is not the town or church's original name...
and Chancellor of ScotlandLord Chancellor of ScotlandThe Lord Chancellor of Scotland was a Great Officer of State in pre-Union Scotland.Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower status with the title of Keeper of the Great Seal...
, and died in January 1504, when the position of heir-presumptive went to the next male member of the House of Stewart, - JohnJohn Stewart, 2nd Duke of AlbanyJohn Stewart, Duke of Albany was Regent of the Kingdom of Scotland, Duke of Albany in peerage of Scotland and Count of Auvergne and Lauraguais in France.-Early life:...
, second Duke of AlbanyDuke of AlbanyDuke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
, the son of James IIJames II of ScotlandJames II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
's second son AlexanderAlexander Stewart, 1st Duke of AlbanyAlexander Stewart, Duke of Albany was the second son of King James II of Scotland, and his Queen consort Mary of Gueldres, daughter of Arnold, Duke of Gelderland.-Biography:...
. He continued as first in line to the throne until the birth of the King's first son - James, Duke of Rothesay, on 21 February 1507. However, this prince died on 27 February 1508, so
- the Duke of AlbanyJohn Stewart, 2nd Duke of AlbanyJohn Stewart, Duke of Albany was Regent of the Kingdom of Scotland, Duke of Albany in peerage of Scotland and Count of Auvergne and Lauraguais in France.-Early life:...
again became heir until the birth of a second son, - Arthur, Duke of RothesayArthur Stewart, Duke of RothesayArthur Stewart, Duke of Rothesay was the second son of James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor, and had he outlived his father, James IV of Scotland would have been King of Scotland.-Birth:...
on 20 October 1509. He too only survived to the next year, leaving - AlbanyJohn Stewart, 2nd Duke of AlbanyJohn Stewart, Duke of Albany was Regent of the Kingdom of Scotland, Duke of Albany in peerage of Scotland and Count of Auvergne and Lauraguais in France.-Early life:...
as heir from 14 July 1510 until 10 April 1512, when another son, - James, Duke of RothesayJames V of ScotlandJames V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
, was born.
James IV died the next year in battle at Flodden, 9 September 1513, and was succeeded as King by his only son (though another was born posthumously).
Heirs to James V
The new King's mother Margaret TudorMargaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor was the elder of the two surviving daughters of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and the elder sister of Henry VIII. In 1503, she married James IV, King of Scots. James died in 1513, and their son became King James V. She married secondly Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of...
was still pregnant at his accession, so the unborn child was heir-presumptive. He was born on 30 April 1514 and given the name
- AlexanderAlexander Stewart, Duke of RossAlexander Stewart, Duke of Ross was the fourth and last son of King James IV of Scotland and his queen Margaret Tudor....
and the title Duke of RossDuke of RossThe title Duke of Ross has been created twice in the Peerage of Scotland, both times for younger sons of the King of Scotland. Named for Ross in Scotland, it was first created in 1488 for James Stewart, Earl of Ross, the second son of James III. On his early death in 1504, the title became...
. He only survived until 8 December 1515, so - the Duke of AlbanyJohn Stewart, 2nd Duke of AlbanyJohn Stewart, Duke of Albany was Regent of the Kingdom of Scotland, Duke of Albany in peerage of Scotland and Count of Auvergne and Lauraguais in France.-Early life:...
again became heir-presumptive. He served intermittently as Regent for the young King, opposed by the Queen and her new husband the Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 6th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots...
, and later returned to FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he died without issue on 2 July 1536.
The King was now the only surviving male member of the Royal Family, as had been the case from 1437 to 1451, and it was arguable who should be legally next in line under the 1373 Act as heir general of Robert II (see above).
The senior representative of Robert II's legitimate children by his second wife was
- William GrahamWilliam Graham, 3rd Earl of MenteithWilliam Graham, 3rd Earl of Menteith was the third Earl of Menteith.-Biography:He was the son of Alexander Graham, 2nd Earl of Menteith and Margaret Buchanan. He was the great grandson of Malise Graham, 1st Earl of Menteith...
, third Earl of MenteithEarl of MenteithThe Mormaer or Earl of Menteith was originally the ruler of the province of Menteith in the Middle Ages. The first mormaer is usually regarded as Gille Críst, simply because he is the earliest on record. The title was held in a continuous line from Gille Crist until Muireadhach IV , although the...
, the great-grandson of the first EarlMalise Graham, 1st Earl of Menteith-Biography:He is the first of his name to have borne the title of Earl of Menteith in his own right. He was the only son of Sir Patrick Graham of Kincardine. Patrick was the second son of Sir Patrick Graham, ancestor of the Earls and Dukes of Montrose...
who had been a possible heir-presumptive to James II.
The senior representative of Robert II's legitimated children by his first wife was
- James HamiltonJames Hamilton, 2nd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the eldest legitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran....
, second Earl of ArranEarl of ArranEarl of Arran is a title in both the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. The two titles refer to different places, the Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the Aran Islands in Ireland...
, grandson of James II's elder daughter Mary. He was a much closer relative of the King, and was regarded as heir-presumptive until the birth of the King's son - James, Duke of Rothesay on 22 May 1540. He and his brother Arthur, Duke of Albany both died in infancy, leaving
- the Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 2nd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the eldest legitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran....
again as next in line until the birth of a daughter - Mary, on 8 December 1542.
King James V died only days later on the 14 December 1542 and Mary succeeded as Queen of Scots under the Earl of Arran's regency. This was not disputed by the contemporary Earl of Menteith, the other potential claimant. However, when the third Earl's great-grandson William
William Graham, 7th Earl of Menteith
William Graham , 7th Earl of Menteith, 1st Earl of Airth, was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:Appointed a member of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1626, he was Lord President of the Court of Session from 1628, an office he held in conjunction with that of Lord Justice General...
was confirmed as Earl of Strathearn
Earl of Strathearn
The Mormaer of Strathearn or Earl of Strathearn was a provincial ruler in medieval Scotland. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mormaer, Maol Íosa I is mentioned by Ailred of Rievaulx as leading native Scots in the...
and heir-of-line of Robert II's eldest unquestionably legitimate son David
David Stewart, Earl of Strathearn
David Stewart , Prince of Scotland, was a 14th century Scottish magnate. He was the eldest son of the second marriage of King Robert II of Scotland with Euphemia de Ross...
in 1631, he began to boast that he had a better claim to the throne than the then King, Charles I. He was swiftly removed from his offices and deprived of the Earldom of Strathearn in 1633, being given the inferior title of Earl of Airth
Earl of Airth
Earl of Airth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland created on 21 January 1633 by Charles I, for William Graham, 7th Earl of Menteith. It became extinct on the death of his son in 1694.-Earls of Airth :*William Graham, 1st Earl of Airth...
.
Heirs to Mary I
The new Queen was only a few days old when she succeeded her father. The heir-presumptive was her kinsman- the Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 2nd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the eldest legitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran....
, who was named Regent. He became a leader of the pro-French party, being instrumental in arranging the marriage of the Queen to the eldest son of King Henry II of FranceHenry II of FranceHenry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, the Dauphin FrancisFrancis II of FranceFrancis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
, and was rewarded by the French king with the title of Duc de Châtellherault in 1548. In 1554 he surrendered the regency to the Queen's mother, Mary of GuiseMary of GuiseMary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
, in return for confirmation of his status as heir-presumptive. He later joined the Protestant faction, and tried to marry the widowed Queen to his son JamesJames Hamilton, 3rd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who fought against French troops during the Scottish Reformation....
, but retired to his estates in 1565 after Mary married her first cousin Henry Stuart, Lord DarnleyHenry Stuart, Lord DarnleyHenry Stewart or Stuart, 1st Duke of Albany , styled Lord Darnley before 1565, was king consort of Scotland and murdered at Kirk o'Field...
. The couple's first child, - James, Duke of RothesayJames I of EnglandJames VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, was born on the 19 June 1566 and was heir-apparent from that date.
After Mary's third marriage to the Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney , better known by his inherited title as 4th Earl of Bothwell, was hereditary Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He is best known for his association with and subsequent marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third husband...
, the Lords of Scotland rose in rebellion against her, and on 24 July 1567 she was forced to abdicate in favour of her son, who became James VI.
Heirs to James VI
James VI was only one year old when he became King, and so the next heir at this time was once again- James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 2nd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the eldest legitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran....
. In 1568 he took part in a rebellion to restore Queen Mary to the throne, but was imprisoned in 1569. His release was secured by his eventual recognition of James as King in 1573, and died on the 22 January 1575, leaving his eldest son, - James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 3rd Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who fought against French troops during the Scottish Reformation....
as successor to his titles and heir-presumptive to the Crown. The third Earl had been driven insane by his use as a pawn in his father's political machinations (his candidacy had been urged as a suitor for the hands of both the young Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth of EnglandElizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
), and his younger brother JohnJohn Hamilton, 1st Marquess of HamiltonJohn Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Hamilton was a Scottish nobleman.-Life:Hamilton was the third son of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran by his wife Margaret Douglas, a daughter of James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton...
(later first Marquess of HamiltonMarquess of HamiltonThe title of Marquess of Hamilton has been created twice in British history.*For the creation of 1599, see Duke of Hamilton*For the creation of 1868, see Duke of Abercorn...
) administered his estates. Kept in confinement, his earldomEarl of ArranEarl of Arran is a title in both the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. The two titles refer to different places, the Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the Aran Islands in Ireland...
was removed from him in 1581 and assumed by the Chancellor of Scotland, James Stewart of BothwellhaughJames Stewart, Earl of ArranCaptain James Stewart, Earl of Arran was created Earl of Arran by the young King James VI, who wrested the title from James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran...
, but in 1585 his resignation was judged by the Court of SessionCourt of SessionThe Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
to be the act of a madman and therefore invalid, and he was restored to the title. - Henry FrederickHenry Frederick, Prince of WalesHenry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales was the elder son of King James I & VI and Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley and Frederick II of Denmark. Prince Henry was widely seen as a bright and promising heir to his father's throne...
, the King's first child, was born on 19 February 1594 and was heir-apparent and Duke of RothesayDuke of RothesayDuke of Rothesay was a title of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707, of the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and now of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland....
from birth. At his father's accession as King James I of England on 24 March 1603, he further became Duke of CornwallDuke of CornwallThe Duchy of Cornwall was the first duchy created in the peerage of England.The present Duke of Cornwall is The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning British monarch .-History:...
in the Peerage of EnglandPeerage of EnglandThe Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
, and was created Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
on 4 June 1610. Seen as having great promise as a future King, he died of typhoid on 6 November 1612, and was succeeded as heir-apparent by his brother - CharlesCharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, who had previously been created Duke of AlbanyDuke of AlbanyDuke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
and Duke of YorkDuke of YorkThe Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
. He became Duke of RothesayDuke of RothesayDuke of Rothesay was a title of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707, of the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and now of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland....
and Duke of CornwallDuke of CornwallThe Duchy of Cornwall was the first duchy created in the peerage of England.The present Duke of Cornwall is The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning British monarch .-History:...
on his brother's death, and was created Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
on 4 November 1616.
King James VI and I died on 27 March 1625 and was succeeded as King by his son Charles.
Heirs to Charles I
Charles I was unmarried at his accession, so his elder sister- ElizabethElizabeth of BohemiaElizabeth of Bohemia was the eldest daughter of King James VI and I, King of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Anne of Denmark. As the wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, she was Electress Palatine and briefly Queen of Bohemia...
was heiress-presumptive. She had married the Elector Palatine Frederick VFrederick V, Elector PalatineFrederick V was Elector Palatine , and, as Frederick I , King of Bohemia ....
in 1613, but since his ill-fated reign as King of Bohemia in the winter of 1619-20 they had been living in exile at the HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. Charles I's first child to survive birth, - CharlesCharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, Duke of RothesayDuke of RothesayDuke of Rothesay was a title of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707, of the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and now of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland....
and Duke of CornwallDuke of CornwallThe Duchy of Cornwall was the first duchy created in the peerage of England.The present Duke of Cornwall is The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning British monarch .-History:...
, was born to Queen Henrietta MariaHenrietta Maria of FranceHenrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
on 29 May 1630. He was later also designated Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. From 1646 he lived abroad, as the civil warEnglish Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
in which his father was engaged was going badly.
After being captured by the Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
s, escaping and being re-captured, King Charles I was tried for high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
, and beheaded on 30 January 1649.
Heir to Charles II
Although prevented from succeeding in England, Charles II was proclaimed King in Scotland on 5 February 1649, although a promise was extracted from him to adhere to the terms of what became the Treaty of BredaTreaty of Breda (1650)
The Treaty of Breda was signed on 1 May 1650 between Charles II and the Scottish Covenanters during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.-Background:...
. Despite disputes between the Royalists and the Covenanters, Charles was crowned on 1 January 1651. However, his forces were defeated in England at the Battle of Worcester
Battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians defeated the Royalist, predominantly Scottish, forces of King Charles II...
and by the end of the year the King had fled to exile
Escape of Charles II
The Escape of Charles II from England in 1651 is a key episode in his life. Although it took only six weeks, it had a major effect on his attitudes for the rest of his life.-The fugitive king:...
in France. Scotland ceased to be an independent nation and became part of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland
The Protectorate
In British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
under Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
on 16 December 1653. The deposition of Cromwell's son Richard
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
in 1659 paved the way for the King's return, and Charles returned to the British Isles on 25 May 1660.
Throughout the exile and reign of Charles II the heir-presumptive was his brother
- James, who was Duke of YorkDuke of YorkThe Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
in the Peerage of EnglandPeerage of EnglandThe Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
.
Charles II died on 6 February 1685, leaving many illegitimate children but no legitimate ones. He was accordingly succeeded by his brother, who became James VII (II of England).
Heirs to James VII
At the time of James's accession he had no heir-apparent; of the three sons born to his late wife Anne HydeAnne Hyde
Anne Hyde was the first wife of James, Duke of York , and the mother of two monarchs, Mary II of England and Scotland and Anne of Great Britain....
and the one born to second wife, Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena was Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of King James II and VII. A devout Catholic, Mary became, in 1673, the second wife of James, Duke of York, who later succeeded his older brother Charles II as King James II...
, only one
James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge
James, Duke of Cambridge KG was the second son of James, Duke of York and his first wife Anne Hyde....
had survived past the age of three. The heiress-presumptive to the throne was therefore the King's eldest daughter
- MaryMary II of EnglandMary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
. She had married her first cousin William IIIWilliam III of EnglandWilliam III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, Prince of OrangePrince of OrangePrince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
in 1677 and lived with him in the Netherlands. Her half-brother - James Francis EdwardJames Francis Edward StuartJames Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
was born on 10 June 1688, and became heir-apparent, Duke of RothesayDuke of RothesayDuke of Rothesay was a title of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707, of the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and now of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland....
and Duke of CornwallDuke of CornwallThe Duchy of Cornwall was the first duchy created in the peerage of England.The present Duke of Cornwall is The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning British monarch .-History:...
at birth.
The King's Roman Catholic faith and policy of religious tolerance towards Catholics, particularly the Declaration of Indulgence
Declaration of Indulgence
The Declaration of Indulgence was two proclamations made by James II of England and VII of Scotland in 1687. The Indulgence was first issued for Scotland on 12 February, and then for England on 4 April 1687...
, alarmed the Anglican hierarchy in his realm of England. James's imprisonment of seven Bishops
Seven Bishops
thumb|200px|A portrait of the Seven Bishops.The Seven Bishops of the Church of England were those imprisoned and tried for seditious libel over their opposition to the second Declaration of Indulgence issued by James II in 1688...
who protested at his policy, and then the birth of a Catholic male heir, which raised the prospect of a Catholic dynasty on the throne, led a group of English noblemen to invite
Invitation to William
The Invitation to William was a letter sent by seven notable Englishmen, later named the Immortal Seven, to William III, Prince of Orange, received by him on 30 June 1688...
the King's Protestant nephew and son-in-law, William of Orange, to invade. This became known as the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
, and resulted in James's flight to France in December 1688. The English Parliament declared the throne vacant and offered it to William and his wife Mary. All these events in England had no bearing on the constitutional situation in Scotland, and it was only on 11 April 1689, the day of William and Mary's coronation in England, that the Estates of Scotland declared that James VII was no longer King, and offered the Crown jointly to the King and Queen of England. They accepted on 11 May, becoming William II and Mary II of Scots.
Heirs to William II and Mary II
Since an illness in 1679, the new Queen had been barren, so she and her husband had no children to carry on the line. The Claim of Right ActClaim of Right Act 1689
The Claim of Right is an Act passed by the Parliament of Scotland in April 1689. It is one of the key documents of Scottish constitutional law.-Background:...
was passed in April 1689, establishing the constitutional basis for the accession of William and Mary, and that they would reign jointly, and then that the survivor would reign alone.
- King William IIWilliam III of EnglandWilliam III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Queen Mary IIMary II of EnglandMary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
were therefore joint heirs-apparent to each other, as well as joint sovereigns.
Queen Mary died on 28 December 1694, and King William became sole monarch of Scotland.
Heir to William II
The Claim of Right Act had determined that after the death of both William and Mary, and failing any issue born to both of them (any children born to William by a subsequent wife were placed further down the list), the Crown would next pass to Mary's sister- AnneAnne of Great BritainAnne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, wife of Prince George of Denmark and the surviving Protestant daughter of James VII, who accordingly became heiress-apparent.
William II died on 8 March 1702, and was succeeded by his sister-in-law.
Heirs to Anne
At the time of her accession, Queen Anne was the last living descendant of Charles I who was a Protestant; her only child to survive past infancy, the Duke of GloucesterWilliam, Duke of Gloucester
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester was the son of Princess Anne, who ascended the British thrones in 1702, and her husband, Prince George of Denmark and Norway. Styled Duke of Gloucester, he was their only child to survive infancy...
, had died in 1700. The succession aspect of the Claim of Right Act which had ensured her succession (and that of the Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights 1689
The Bill of Rights or the Bill of Rights 1688 is an Act of the Parliament of England.The Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament on 16 December 1689. It was a re-statement in statutory form of the Declaration of Right presented by the Convention Parliament to William and Mary in March 1689 ,...
by which she succeeded in England) would therefore lapse on her death. The English Parliament had already found a solution to this by passing the Act of Settlement
Act of Settlement 1701
The Act of Settlement is an act of the Parliament of England that was passed in 1701 to settle the succession to the English throne on the Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs. The act was later extended to Scotland, as a result of the Treaty of Union , enacted in the Acts of Union...
, which named Sophia, Electress of Hanover, the next-senior Protestant descendant of James I (VI of Scotland), as heiress after Anne. The Estates of Scotland had made no such provision, so there was no heir to the Scottish throne. In 1703 the Estates passed a Bill reserving to themselves the right to choose the monarch from among the Protestant descendants of the Kings of Scots in the event of Anne's death without issue, but stating that this would not be the same person as succeeded to the English throne unless the independence of Scotland as a separate Kingdom could be assured. Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
to the Bill was initially withheld, but after the Scots threatened to withdraw their troops presently engaged in the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
it was passed in 1704, becoming known as the Act of Security. The Parliament of England then passed the Alien Act 1705, which stopped all Scottish exports to England and English colonies, and enacted that Scots would be treated as foreigners in England, with severe consequences for the inheritance of Scottish-owned property in England. The Alien Act also said that these measures would not be enacted if the Act of Security was repealed or if Scotland entered into parliamentary union with England. The latter eventually took place with the passage of the Act of Union, and Scotland became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
on 1 May 1707.
- Sophia, Electress of Hanover was the heiress-presumptive to the new Kingdom, and her son became King as George IGeorge I of Great BritainGeorge I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
on Anne's death in 1714.
See also
- List of heirs to the English throne
- List of heirs to the British throne