William (Irwyne) Irvine (abt. 1317 - abt. 1380)

Descendants

Caution: This Profile represents the 2nd Laird of Drum. He appears to have been sometimes known as William but source material, predominantly Forbes Leslie's work, suggests he appears on the Scottish Charter record as Sir Thomas. It is probable that Wimberley (and others sourcing him) confuse him and his brother, William. Note that MacVeigh omits him from the lineage. There is also considerable confusion, in source, material regarding family relationships. Please follow the lineage provided in Leslie's work and take care when merging.

Caution: There is confusion between this person and Sir Thomas Irvine, 2nd of Drum. The person represented on this profile is the progenitor of the Irvines in Orkney. Please follow the lineage provided in Forbes Leslie's work and take care when merging.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Genealogical Notes 1.2 Family 2 Footnotes 3 Sources

Biography

According to Wimberley, William, the 2nd Laird of Drum, was son of William de Irvine, 1st Laird, who died c. 1333. He was born c. 1317^[1]

Forbes Leslie notes ^[2] that "In the few remaining fragments of the Parliamentary records of the time when the throne of Scotland was occupied by the selfish and ignoble son of Robert Bruce, the name of Thomas de Irwyne appears amongst the barons; and as I have not been able to discover that any of this name, except Irwyne of Drum, held the lands and had the authority of a baron". He thus assumes that this Thomas de Irwine was the proprietor of Drum during the reign of David II.

He appears to have inherited the title to Drum c. 1333 as his father was alive in 1332.^[3]

He must have died c. 1380 as his son, Alexander, appears as proprietor in the court of the Bishop of Aberdeen in 1381, and again in 1382.^[4]

Genealogical Notes

Forbes Leslie, in his work, notes that Nisbet's "Heraldry," II., p. 5, states that Sir Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland, who was killed at the battle of Durham in 1346, had two daughters, one married to John Maitland, predecessor to the Earl of Lauderdale, and the other to Irvine, laird of Drum. Sir Robert Keith had no issue (so Nisbet is in error), but he had a sister married to Sir Robert Maitland, and a nephew, John Maitland (Robertson's " Index," 58, 4).

In his notes, ^[5]Forbes Leslie suggests "The eldest son of this Sir Robert Keith, Sir John Keith, died in his father's lifetime, leaving a family of one son (Sir Robert, who succeeded as Marischal, and was killed at the battle of Durham in 1346) and two daughters. Sir Robert left no issue, and the office of Marischal and the entailed lands passed to his grand-uncle, Sir Edward Keith. It was probably a claim for property by the sisters of the deceased Sir Robert Keith (one of whom was married to Sir Robert Maitland of Thirlestane, and the other to the laird of Drum) that led to the "cruel feud" which raged in the latter part of the fourteenth century between the Keiths Marischal and the Irvines of Drum. This feud was finally settled in 1411 by the marriage of Elizabeth de Keth, daughter of the Marischal, to Alexander de Irvin of Drum, and by a grant of the estates of Strachan as a dower with the bride. The feud is alluded to in the marriage contract. It is not possible to say whether the sister of Sir Robert Keith, Marischal, was the wife of William de Irvin or the first wife of his son and successor, Thomas de Irvin." Forbes Leslie appears to support the notion that William, father of Thomas, married Marrote, a daughter of Keith, Lord Marischall, and that Thomas married a daughter of Montford of Lonmay. This has been supposed on wikitree.

Family

The family relationships are uncertain. Most sources follow Burke and suggest:

• Sir Thomas de Irvine of Drum married 1st a daughter of the Marshall of Scotland and 2ndly the daughter of Sir Montfort of Lommay. Page 854, Burke. Leslie in his work suggests "It is not possible to say whether the sister of Sir Robert Keith, Marischal, was the wife of William de Irvin or the first wife of his son and successor, Thomas de Irvin."^[6]

• Thomas, 2nd of Drum, who appears among the list of Barons in the reign of King David II, and was a member of the Parliament held in Perth 1369; born ca 1317, married a daughter of Sir Thomas Montford of Lonmay. Page 1358, Burke.

Forbes Leslie appears to support the notion that William, father of Thomas, married Marrote, a daughter of Keith, Lord Marischall, and that Thomas married a daughter of Montford of Lonmay. This has been supposed on wikitree.

In either event he was known to have had a son:

• Alexander Irvine, succeeded his father in 1381 and clearly of age.

Note: In Wimberleys work and also noticed in web material such as thepeerage.com, much is made of two sons; one Alexander and another Robert that will become Alexander. Wimberley's work was written in 1893 and he notes: "that Alexander, the 3rd laird, who succeeded his father, probably about 1380, and was killed at Hariaw, was not the husband of Elizabeth Keith, but of a daughter of Montford of Lonmay; that he started from Drum for the battle, accompanied by his two sons, Alexander and Robert, and resting at Drum's Stone, exacted a promise from the elder to marry Elizabeth Keith, if he got back safe, and from the younger, that should his brother fall, and he survive, he would marry her; that the laird was killed, but Alexander his son returned to Drum and married the lady, being the 4th laird and progenitor of a long race." He further states that "I believe this version was adopted by Col. Forbes-Leslie, and am compelled to admit that there is good evidence of an Alex. Irvine of Drum and his brother Robert being both living in 1424." ^[7]Leslie did indeed adopt this for his work which was revised and then later published in 1909. It is this lineage that is the one adopted on wikitree, unless other source material is found.

William Irvine is thought to be a son of William de Irvine, 1st Laird of Drum.^[8] His mother is noticed as Marotte.^[9]

His father had received a charter for the Royal Forest of Drum in 1322/23 and it seems likely he was younger that his brother Thomas as it will be Thomas that inherits Drum. William will become the progenitor of the Irvines in Orkney.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Short account of the family of Irvine of Drum in the county of Aberdeen; page 2
2. ↑ The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; page 26
3. ↑ The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; page 27
4. ↑ The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; page 27
5. ↑ The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; page 25, note 5
6. ↑ The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; page 25, note 5
7. ↑ Short account of the family of Irvine of Drum in the county of Aberdeen; page 3, notes
8. ↑ The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; page 25
9. ↑ The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; page 24

Sources

• The Irvines of Drum and collateral branches; Forbes Leslie, Jonathan; available at archive.org

• Short account of the family of Irvine of Drum in the county of Aberdeen; Wimberley, Douglas; 1893; available at archive.org

• Burkes Landed Gentry, Sir Bernard Burke, Pages 1358-60. Editor L G Pine, Pun 1953, 17th Edition.

• The Scottish nation; or, The historical and genealogical account of all Scottish families and surnames; James MacVeigh; Vol 2; available at archive.org. Note that in this work Sir Thomas is not included and Alexander, his son, is said to be a son of William

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p48589.htm#i485887