Mary Leslie (abt. 1365 - abt. 1440)

Born about 1365 in Dundonald Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Donald (Macdonald) Macdonald Lord of the Isles — married before 25 Jul 1403 in Scotland

Descendants

Died about 1440 at about age 75 in Tulloch Castle, Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland

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Biography

Margaret Leslie is Notable.

Margaret Leslie is a member of Clan MacDonald.

Mary is frequently referred to as Margaret or Mariota but her true name, as found in early Celtic records, was Mary.^[1][2]. She was a daughter of Walter Leslie, Lord of Ross and Euphemia Ross, Countess of Ross.^[3] She was born the older of two children and likely shortly before 1365, her parents being married about 1363 and her father on Crusade in 1365.

Title

Mary was the sister of Alexander Leslie, Earl of Ross.^[3] Alexander had a daughter Euphemia who was a minor when her father died.^[4] Euphemia, holding the important and strategic title to Ross, became an important ward. She became a ward of the Crown and her wardship was held by her grandfather, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, and Regent of Scotland.^[4] Although Robert Stewart made attempts to marry her these were unsuccessful and he persuaded her to relinquish the titles to the Crown and join the church. Robert Stewart then granted the titles to his son John. Mary's husband, Donald, died in 1423 and John Stewart died in 1424. After the death of John Stewart, Mary appealed the decision by the Regent, on the basis of the 1370 Charter, and won her case. At some point prior to her death, in 1440, she was acknowledged in the Earldom. She never called herself Countess, instead granting title to her son, Alexander, who was acknowledged as Earl of Ross in 1437.

Birth

She is alluded to in the Parliamentary Record of Scotland transcription of which, held in Perth on 24 October 1370 is readily available.^[5][6] The transcription is held as a Profile page for easy reference.

The Charter makes it clear that the Earldom of Ross would pass to Walter Leslie and Euphemia and be retained by the longest living. Thus Walter Leslie would hold the title in his own right and not simply in right of his wife.

The charter then states that legitimate heirs to Walter and Euphemia will inherit. It adds the clause that if there are no male heirs, and “perchance she has more daughters” then the eldest daughter “always” shall inherit without division. If there are no heirs then the title would revert to Joanna, the younger sister to Euphemia.

It is clear that, at this point (1370), Walter and Euphemia already had a daughter, Mary (Mariota) and, if we believe the History of Macdonalds and Lords of the Isles,^[7] already engaged to Donald, Lord of the Isles. One can only suppose this was part of the negotiations, between the High Steward, John, Lord of the Isles (Donald's father), and William, Earl of Ross. It could be presumed that Walter Leslie was not a willing partner to this arrangement or may not even have been there when it was made.

As her father was on Crusade between 1365 and 1368 or 1370 (depending on source), she must have been born prior to 1365 and engaged to Donald, her future husband, while a minor and while her father was away.

The son of Walter and Euphemia, Alexander, must have been born after this Parliament, but likely just before William, Earl of Ross, lodged his complaint to Robert Stewart, then in his capacity as King Robert II. Alexander is described as heir-apparent when the title is again granted in 1394 suggesting he was too young, but has inherited before 1398. Thus suggesting he was born about 1374.

Marriage

There is no date of the marriage provided in source material. She seems to have been engaged before 1370, but this as a minor, and was certainly married before 1405 when Donald MacDonald invades Scotland on the pretext of a claim to the Earldom of Ross. In the History of the Battle of Harlaw, Donald is said to have had his son, Alexander, at the battle, but as a youth. Thus we might expect the marriage to have occurred c. 1390. There is mention^[8] that she was married about 1380, but this seems early as Alexander would have been around 30 at Harlaw and hardly regarded as a youth and left out of the battle.

Death

She is said to have died after her son gained the title and in 1440 but she was certainly alive in 1437 when her claim was allowed.

Sources

1. ↑ Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 7, pp. 243-244
2. ↑ Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland: a history of ancient Alban. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1886), vol. 3, p. 408.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 7, p. 241
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 7, p. 242
5. ↑ Source: K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2013), 1370/10/1
6. ↑ See also Antiquities of Aberdeen and Banff; vol 2, page 386.
7. ↑ See: History of Macdonalds and Lords of the Isles, page 61
8. ↑ #S-1 MacLeod; page 57

• Source S-1Roderick Charles MacLeod. The Macleods of Dunvegan from the time of Leod to the end of the seventeenth century. Vol. I. Edinburgh: Clan MacLeod, 1927. archive.org

• Macdonald, Rev. A. and Macdonald Rev. A. (1904). The Clan Donald: Volume 3. Inverness, Scotland. Northern Counties Publishing Company Ltd.

• Foundation for Medieval Genealogy

See also:

• Wikipedia: Mariota, Countess of Ross

• Wikidata: Item Q4259454, en:Wikipedia