Isabel (Mortimer) Leslie (abt. 1352 - abt. 1425)

Descendants

Died about 1425 at about age 73 in Balquhain, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

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Isabel (Mortimer) Leslie was an inhabitant of Medieval Scotland. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

Isabel Mortimer was born, likely around 1352, the daughter of Bernard Mortimer of Craigievar.^[1]

She married, sometime close to 1370, Sir Andrew Leslie, 3rd Baron Balquhain. Sir Andrew Leslie is stated,^[2] even by the family historian and even relative to his day, as having "been a turbulent baron and of very loose morals". At the time his titles included Balquhain, Syde and Braco. He was nicknamed “Red Andrew the Robber Baron”. He is recorded as having many “natural” children, to unknown mothers, from whom many of the Leslie families are descended. The Leslies of Buchanstone, Andrew Leslie of Cortashy, James Leslie in Aberdeen, David Leslie in Meikle Durno, George Leslie in Drumdollo, Andrew Leslie in Pitscurry, and many others, were all descended from, or were natural sons of, Sir Andrew Leslie. He was constantly fighting both at war and in feuds with the family of Forbes, he was party to kidnapping and murder.

There are many stories about his mother Ann, who was clearly still living at Balquhain, and his wife Isabel. Both would, in hard times when food and money were in short supply in the surrounding area, load up a cart with food and ale and distribute these provisions to the families who were bringing up Andrew's illegitimate children. Some web sources put these as high as 80 children but there is no definitive source.

Battle of Braco

After the Battle of Harlaw, in which her husband survived but she lost six sons, the feud with the Forbes still remained. Many indiscretions of her husband followed but in 1419 they were significant enough to force Leslie, now about 70, once again, to flee to the safety of the Bennachie hilltop fortress. Mar sent a force, under the command of Alexander Ogilvy, Sheriff of Angus, against him and Sir Andrew met the force, on 22 Jan 1420, at Braco, about three kilometres from Bennachie.

During the battle, Isabel Mortimer, came and threw herself between the two forces, entreating them to stop the carnage. But her efforts were vain. Sir Andrew Leslie was slain along with many more of his followers.^[3]

His wife appealed, as he had been declared a rebel, for favour to erect a memorial and Alexander Ogilvy, Sheriff of Angus allowed a chaplainry to be constructed near the spot he was buried in the "memory of her grief for her six sons slain on the fatal field [Harlaw], and for her husband, Sir Andrew, less honourably brought to his end".^[4] This memorial was at the Chapel of the Garrioch where it seems likely that many from Harlaw were buried.^[5]

Family and Legacy

Needless to say that, with so many indiscretions, it is difficult to determine his children and only the legitimate children are recorded, and then only some. They had:

Six legitimate unnamed sons that died at Harlaw; many of these would have been of age although it is impossible to determine who and which.

William Leslie; who will succeed.

Alexander Leslie; he is married to Margaret Leslie, daughter of David Leslie, 9th Lord of Leslie, from whom she received the barony of Leslie in the Garioch, from which her husband derived the style and title of Leslie of Leslie, or of that Ilk.

A daughter; who will marry a Glaster of Glack.

A daughter; who will marry a Monroe of Foulis.

A daughter; who will marry Raynold Cheyne of Straloch.

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Footnotes

1. ↑ #S-26 Leslie, Charles Joseph; Volume 3, page 7.
2. ↑ #S-26 Leslie, Charles Joseph; Volume 3, page 3.
3. ↑ #S-26 Leslie, Charles Joseph; Volume 3, page 3.
4. ↑ Inverurie and The Earldom of the Garioch: A Topographical and Historical Account of the Garioch from Earliest times to the Revolution Settlement; Davidson, page 440-442
5. ↑ Collections for a history of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff; page 526

Sources

• Source S-26 Leslie, Charles Joseph. Historical records of the family of Leslie from 1067 to 1868-69. Collected from public records and authentic private sources. Volume 1 referenced. Edinburgh: Edmonson and Douglas, 1869. archive.org

• Source S-80 Burke, Sir Bernard. The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time . London: Harrisons and Sons, 1884. Open Library

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