William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan
Encyclopedia
William Comyn was one of four sons (and three daughters) of Richard Comyn
, Justiciar of Lothian
and Hextilda of Tynedale. He was born in Scotland, in Altyre, Moray
in 1163 and died in Buchan
in 1233 where he is buried in Deer Abbey
. He was Lord of Badenoch
and was earl-consort of Buchan.
William made his fortune in the service of king William I of Scotland
fighting the Meic Uilleim
in the north. William witnesses no less than 88 charters of the king. William was sheriff
of Forfar
(1195-1211), Justiciar of Scotia
(1205-33) and warden of Moray
(1211-2). Between 1199 and 1200, William was sent to England
to discuss important matters on King William's behalf with the new king, John
.
William was appointed to the prestigious office of Justiciar of Scotia, the most senior royal office in the kingdom, in 1205. Between 1211 and 1212, William, as Warden of Moray (or Guardian of Moray) fought against the insurgency of Gofraid mac Domnaill
(of the Meic Uilleim
family), who William beheaded in Kincardine
in 1213. Upon finally destroying the Meic Uilleim's in 1229, he was given the Lordship of Badenoch
and the lands it controlled.
From an unknown date, William held the title Lord of Kilbride.
He helped oversee the construction of St Mungo's Cathedral in Glasgow and after his death, Marjory continued his work there.
, had no male heirs and so in marrying his daughter to William he ensured a suitable line for his titles before his death. Dying sometime around 1214 (perhaps earlier) William took over the management of the mormaerdom (earldom) of Bucham
, by right of his wife.
through his first wife and the Earldom of Buchan
through the second. For the historian Alan Young, William's life, and particularly his marriage to the Countess of Buchan, marks the beginning of the "Comyn century".
NB. Children are ranked according to either accounts showing a specific rank in the order of Williams children's birth or according to the earliest available date the child was thought to have been born.
Richard Comyn
Richard Comyn was a Scottish noble, the nephew of William Comyn.Richard was probably born between 1115 and 1123. In 1144, William Comyn gave him Northallerton Castle, which he had built a few years earlier. Shortly after, he received the castle and honour of Richmond as part of his uncle's...
, Justiciar 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 Hextilda of Tynedale. He was born in Scotland, in Altyre, Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
in 1163 and died in Buchan
Buchan
Buchan is one of the six committee areas and administrative areas of Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland. These areas were created by the council in 1996, when the Aberdeenshire unitary council area was created under the Local Government etc Act 1994...
in 1233 where he is buried in Deer Abbey
Deer Abbey
Deer Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Buchan, Scotland. It was founded by 1219 AD with the patronage William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, who is also buried there. There was an earlier community of Scottish monks or priests...
. He was Lord of Badenoch
Lord of Badenoch
The Lord of Badenoch was a magnate who ruled the lordship of Badenoch in the 13th century and early 14th century. The lordship may have been created out of the territory of the Meic Uilleim, after William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, Justiciar of Scotia and Warden of Moray defeated Gille...
and was earl-consort of Buchan.
William made his fortune in the service of king William I of Scotland
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
fighting the Meic Uilleim
Meic Uilleim
The Meic Uilleim were the Gaelic descendants of William fitz Duncan, grandson of Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, king of Scots. They were excluded from the succession by the descendants of Máel Coluim's son David I during the 12th century and raised a number of rebellions to vindicate their claims to...
in the north. William witnesses no less than 88 charters of the king. William was sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Forfar
Forfar
Forfar is a parish, town and former royal burgh of approximately 13,500 people in Angus, located in the East Central Lowlands of Scotland. Forfar is the county town of Angus, which was officially known as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1929, when the ancient name was reinstated, and...
(1195-1211), Justiciar of Scotia
Justiciar of Scotia
The Justiciar of Scotia was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. Scotia in this context refers to Scotland to the north of the River Forth and River Clyde....
(1205-33) and warden of Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
(1211-2). Between 1199 and 1200, William was sent to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to discuss important matters on King William's behalf with the new king, John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
.
William was appointed to the prestigious office of Justiciar of Scotia, the most senior royal office in the kingdom, in 1205. Between 1211 and 1212, William, as Warden of Moray (or Guardian of Moray) fought against the insurgency of Gofraid mac Domnaill
Gofraid mac Domnaill
Gofraid mac Domnaill , was a thirteenth-century Scottish rebel. The son of Domnall , his father's surname was almost certainly MacWilliam though Bane has been proposed.In 1211, Gofraid came from Ireland to Ross, and raised a rebellion...
(of the Meic Uilleim
Meic Uilleim
The Meic Uilleim were the Gaelic descendants of William fitz Duncan, grandson of Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, king of Scots. They were excluded from the succession by the descendants of Máel Coluim's son David I during the 12th century and raised a number of rebellions to vindicate their claims to...
family), who William beheaded in Kincardine
Kincardine
Kincardine or Kincardine-on-Forth is a small town located on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, in Fife, Scotland. The town was given the status of a Burgh of barony in 1663. It was at one time a reasonably prosperous minor port...
in 1213. Upon finally destroying the Meic Uilleim's in 1229, he was given the Lordship of Badenoch
Lord of Badenoch
The Lord of Badenoch was a magnate who ruled the lordship of Badenoch in the 13th century and early 14th century. The lordship may have been created out of the territory of the Meic Uilleim, after William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, Justiciar of Scotia and Warden of Moray defeated Gille...
and the lands it controlled.
From an unknown date, William held the title Lord of Kilbride.
He helped oversee the construction of St Mungo's Cathedral in Glasgow and after his death, Marjory continued his work there.
Earl of Buchan
During his period as Warden of Moray, Comyn was so successful, it may have been the reason he received the hand of Marjory (aka. Margaret), Countess of Buchan, sometime between 1209-1212. Her father Fergus, Earl of BuchanFergus, Earl of Buchan
Fergus of Buchan was the last native Gaelic Mormaer of Buchan, and only the third to be known by name as Mormaer. Fergus appears to have had strong connections in Fife, and it is possible that his father Colbán was a Fifer. A charter issued by Fergus appears to have survived. The charter is a...
, had no male heirs and so in marrying his daughter to William he ensured a suitable line for his titles before his death. Dying sometime around 1214 (perhaps earlier) William took over the management of the mormaerdom (earldom) of Bucham
Earl of Buchan
The Mormaer or Earl of Buchan was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male line. The earldom had three lines in its history, not counting...
, by right of his wife.
Family tree
William (is believed to have) had six children through his first wife Sarah Fitzhugh and eight through Marjory, Countess of Buchan. The two branches would be associated with the Lordship of BadenochLord of Badenoch
The Lord of Badenoch was a magnate who ruled the lordship of Badenoch in the 13th century and early 14th century. The lordship may have been created out of the territory of the Meic Uilleim, after William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, Justiciar of Scotia and Warden of Moray defeated Gille...
through his first wife and the Earldom of Buchan
Earl of Buchan
The Mormaer or Earl of Buchan was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male line. The earldom had three lines in its history, not counting...
through the second. For the historian Alan Young, William's life, and particularly his marriage to the Countess of Buchan, marks the beginning of the "Comyn century".
NB. Children are ranked according to either accounts showing a specific rank in the order of Williams children's birth or according to the earliest available date the child was thought to have been born.
- father Richard ComynRichard ComynRichard Comyn was a Scottish noble, the nephew of William Comyn.Richard was probably born between 1115 and 1123. In 1144, William Comyn gave him Northallerton Castle, which he had built a few years earlier. Shortly after, he received the castle and honour of Richmond as part of his uncle's...
(b.c.1115-1123 d.c.1179); mother Hextilda of Tynedale (aka. Hextilda FitzUchtred or Hextilda FitzWaldeve) (b.1112-1122 d.c. 1149-1189). Hextilda's first husband was Malcolm, 2nd Earl of Atholl, making their son Henry, 3rd Earl of Atholl, William Comyn's half-brother.- first wife married 1193: Sarah Fitzhugh (aka. Sarah filia Roberti) (b.1155-1160 d.c.1204)
- 1. Richard (b.c.1190-1194 d.c.1244-1249); married to unknown wife; father of John I Comyn, Lord of BadenochJohn I Comyn, Lord of BadenochJohn Comyn was Lord of Badenoch in Scotland. He was justiciar of Galloway in 1258. He held lands in Nithsdale and Tynedale.-Life:...
(b.c.1220 d.c.1277) - 2. Jardine Comyn, Lord of Inverallochy (b. during or before 1190)
- 3. Walter, Lord of BadenochWalter Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, jure uxoris Earl of MenteithWalter Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, jure uxoris Earl of Menteith was the son of William Comyn, Justiciar of Scotia and Mormaer or Earl of Buchan by right of his second wife....
(b.1190 d.c.1258) married Isabella, Countess of MenteithIsabella, Countess of MenteithIsabella, Countess of Menteith was the eldest daughter of Muireadhach II, Mormaer of Menteith. When the old mormaer died without legitimate male heir in 1233, the province passed to Isabella.... - 4. Johanna (aka. Jean) (b.c.1198 d.c.1274); married c.1220: Uilleam I, Earl of RossUilleam I, Earl of RossUilleam I of Ross was the first successor of Ferchar mac an tSagairt, as Mormaer of Ross, with his comital dates traditionally given as 1251–1274....
(aka. William de Ross) (b.c.1194-1214 d.1274) - 5. John Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Angus (d.1242); married (c.1242); Matilda, Countess of AngusMatilda, Countess of AngusMatilda of Angus was the daughter of Maol Choluim, Earl or Mormaer of Angus and as his heiress was countess of the province in her own right.She was first married to John Comyn, but his early death in France in 1242 meant that a new husband was needed to control the dispersed Earldom. The man...
(aka. Maud) (b.c.1222, d.1261) - 6. David Comyn, Lord of Kilbride (d.1247); married Isabel de Valoigne (d.1253)
- 1. Richard (b.c.1190-1194 d.c.1244-1249); married to unknown wife; father of John I Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
- second wife married c.1209-1212: Marjory (aka. Margaret), Countess of Buchan (aka. Margaret Colhan of Buchan) (b.c.1184 d.c.1243-1244)
- 1. Idonea (aka. Idoine) (b.c.1215-1221); married 1237: Gilbert de Haya of Erroll (aka. Gilbert de la Hay) (d.1262)
- 2. Alexander, Earl of BuchanAlexander Comyn, Earl of BuchanAlexander Comyn, 2nd Earl of Buchan was a Scoto-Norman magnate who was one of the most important figures in the 13th century Kingdom of Scotland. He was the son of William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, and Marjory, Countess of Buchan, the heiress of the last native Scottish Mormaer of Buchan,...
(b.c.1217 d.c.1289-1290); married: Elizabetha de Quincy (aka. Isabel) (b.1220 d.1282) - 3. William (b.c.1217)
- 4. Margaret (b.c. 1218-1230); married Sir John de Keith, Marischal of Scotland (b.1212 d.1270)
- 5. Fergus (b.c.1219-1228 d.); married 1249: unknown wife; father of Margaret Comyn (b.c.1270)
- 6. Elizabeth (b.c. 1223 d.1267); married: Uilleam, Earl of MarUilleam, Earl of MarUilleam of Mar - Uilleam mac Dhonnchaidh - was perhaps the greatest of the Mar mormaers, ruling Mar from 1244 to 1276....
(d.1281) - 7. Agnes (b.c.1225); married 1262: Sir Philip de Meldrum, Justiciar of Scotia (aka. Philip de Fedarg or Philip de Melgarum)
- first wife married 1193: Sarah Fitzhugh (aka. Sarah filia Roberti) (b.1155-1160 d.c.1204)