Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland
Encyclopedia
Alexander Stewart was 4th hereditary High Steward of Scotland
from his father's death in 1246.
A son of Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland
by his wife Bethóc, daughter of Gille Críst, Earl of Angus
, Alexander is said to have accompanied Louis IX of France
on the Seventh Crusade
(1248–1254). In 1255 he was one of the councillors of King Alexander III
, though under age.
He was the principal commander under King Alexander III of Scotland
at the Battle of Largs
, on 2 October 1263, when the Scots defeated the Norwegians under Haakon IV
. Subsequently the Scots invaded and conquered the Isle of Man
the following year, which was, with the whole of the Western Isles, then annexed to the Crown of Scotland.
. They had issue:
Through their eldest son James they were great-grandparents of King Robert II
, the first Stewart to be King of Scots, and thus ancestors of all subsequent Scottish monarchs and the later and current monarchs of Great Britain.
Through their third son Andrew they were the 9x great grandparents of Oliver Cromwell
, the Lord Protector
.
Stewart was also, through his second son, the direct male ancestor of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
, and of the Stuart monarchs of Scotland and England from Darnley's son James I
onwards.
High Steward of Scotland
The title of High Steward or Great Steward was given in the 12th century to Walter Fitzalan, whose descendants became the House of Stewart. In 1371, the last High Steward inherited the throne, and thereafter the title of High Steward of Scotland has been held as a subsidiary title to that of Duke...
from his father's death in 1246.
A son of Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland
Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland
Walter, Steward of Dundonald was 3rd hereditary High Steward of Scotland and Justiciar of Scotia.He was the eldest son of Alan fitz Walter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland by his second wife Alesta, daughter of Morggán, Earl of Mar...
by his wife Bethóc, daughter of Gille Críst, Earl of Angus
Gille Críst, Earl of Angus
Gilla Críst of Angus, ruled until 1206 as Mormaer of Angus. He was a son of Gille Brigte of Angus and younger brother of Adam of Angus.Almost nothing is known of him, except that he married Marjorie of Huntingdon, the daughter of Henry, Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, and that he was...
, Alexander is said to have accompanied Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
on the Seventh Crusade
Seventh Crusade
The Seventh Crusade was a crusade led by Louis IX of France from 1248 to 1254. Approximately 800,000 bezants were paid in ransom for King Louis who, along with thousands of his troops, was captured and defeated by the Egyptian army led by the Ayyubid Sultan Turanshah supported by the Bahariyya...
(1248–1254). In 1255 he was one of the councillors of King Alexander III
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
, though under age.
He was the principal commander under King Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
at the Battle of Largs
Battle of Largs
The Battle of Largs was an engagement fought between the armies of Norway and Scotland near the present-day town of Largs in North Ayrshire on the Firth of Clyde in Scotland on 2 October 1263. It was the most important military engagement of the Scottish-Norwegian War. The Norwegian forces were...
, on 2 October 1263, when the Scots defeated the Norwegians under Haakon IV
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonarson , also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Under his rule, medieval Norway reached its peak....
. Subsequently the Scots invaded and conquered the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
the following year, which was, with the whole of the Western Isles, then annexed to the Crown of Scotland.
Marriage and children
Alexander the Steward married Jean, daughter of Séamus (or James) Macrory, Lord of ButeIsle of Bute
Bute is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Formerly part of the county of Buteshire, it now constitutes part of the council area of Argyll and Bute. Its resident population was 7,228 in April 2001.-Geography:...
. They had issue:
- James Stewart, 5th High Steward of ScotlandJames Stewart, 5th High Steward of ScotlandJames, 5th High Steward of Scotland was High Steward of Scotland and a Guardian of Scotland during the First Interregnum.-Birth and ancestry:...
(c. 1243-1309) - Sir John Stewart of BonkillJohn Stewart of Bonkyll (d.1298)John Stewart of Bonkyll was a son of Alexander Stewart the High Steward of Scotland and Jean, daughter of Séamus Macrory, Lord of Bute. He was a military commander during the First Scottish War of Independence and during the Battle of Falkirk, he commanded the Scottish archers, and was killed on 22...
, BerwickshireBerwickshireBerwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
(c. 1245-July 22, 1298), described as the "second son" who married the Bonkill heiress, had seven sons and one daughter, and was killed in 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...
. - Andrew Stewart (a.k.a. Andrew Steward) Esq. (c. 1245), third son of Alexander Stewart. Married the daughter of James Bethe. Father of Sir Alexander 'the fierce' Steward and direct ancestor of Oliver CromwellOliver CromwellOliver 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....
. Great uncle of King Robert IIRobert 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...
. - Elizabeth Stewart, (c. 1248, d. before 1288) Married Sir William Douglas the Hardy, Governor of Berwick-upon-TweedBerwick-upon-TweedBerwick-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....
. She was the mother of the Good Sir James DouglasJames Douglas, Lord of DouglasSir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
. - Hawise Stewart (c. 1262) Married the brother of the Lord of LiddesdaleLord of LiddesdaleThe Lord of Liddesdale was a magnate in medieval Scotland; the territorial lordship of Liddesdale was first created by David I of Scotland, perhaps between 1113 and 1124 when the latter was Prince of the Cumbrians. He gave it over to Ranulf de Sules, a knight from the Cotentin Peninsula...
, Sir John de Soulis. Had female issue, Muriel de Soulis.
Through their eldest son James they were great-grandparents of King Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert 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...
, the first Stewart to be King of Scots, and thus ancestors of all subsequent Scottish monarchs and the later and current monarchs of Great Britain.
Through their third son Andrew they were the 9x great grandparents of 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....
, the Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
.
Stewart was also, through his second son, the direct male ancestor of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Henry Stewart or Stuart, 1st Duke of Albany , styled Lord Darnley before 1565, was king consort of Scotland and murdered at Kirk o'Field...
, and of the Stuart monarchs of Scotland and England from Darnley's son James I
James I of England
James 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...
onwards.