James (Stewart) Vth High Steward of Scotland
Privacy Level: Open (White)

James (Stewart) Vth High Steward of Scotland (abt. 1243 - abt. 1309)

Born about in Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotlandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married before 1270 in Scotlandmap [uncertain]
Husband of — married about 1278 in Scotlandmap
Husband of — married about 1296 in Dun Donald, Kyle, Ayr. Scotlandmap
Descendants descendants
Died about at about age 66 in Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotlandmap
Profile last modified | Created 1 Feb 2011
This page has been accessed 44,853 times.
Declaration of Arbroath
James (Stewart) Vth High Steward of Scotland was an ancestor of a signer of the Declaration of Arbroath.
Join: Scotland Project
Discuss: Scotland
Preceded by
Alexander Stewart
5th High Steward of Scotland
Succeeded by
Walter Stewart

Contents

Biography

Notables Project
James (Stewart) Vth High Steward of Scotland is Notable.
This profile is part of the Stewart Name Study.
James (Stewart) Vth High Steward of Scotland is a member of Clan Stewart.

Family

James, fifth hereditary steward of Scotland, was the son of Alexander Stewart and Jean Macrory, daughter and heir of James, son of Angus Macrory, lord of Bute.[1] His date of birth has traditionally been estimated to have been around 1243, although some historians have placed it as late as 1260. [see research notes] This profile assumes the year 1243 as his most probable birthdate.

The earliest official record of James ocurred in a charter granted by Alexander III, dated January 1276, which both he and his father witnessed.[2] He succeeded his father in 1283, inheriting the title fifth High Steward of Scotland.[3]

Estate and Other Holdings

James's hereditary position automatically made him a person of importance, but his significance was increased even further by his being one of the largest landowners in Scotland at that time.[2] The core part of his estate had been given to his ancestor Walter, son of Alan, by King David I and later confirmed by King Malcolm IV in 1161.[2] It consisted of the lordships of Renfrew, Mearns, Strathgryfe, and north Kyle.[2] To this were added Stenton and Innerwick in East Lothian; Birkenside and Legerwood in Berwickshire; and Molle (now Mow) in Roxburghshire.[2] For almost a century, Renfrew was the family's chief residence.[2]

Rothesay Castle with 13th c. Pigeon Tower (right)
In addition to these lordships in what eventually became Renfrewshire and in the northern part of Kyle, James inherited large amounts of land in the west: the lands of Rothesay and the rest of Bute;[4] and Cowal.[5] These lands not only gave him access to the coastline, but also included (inland) a number of castles: in Renfrew; Rothesay; Dunoon; and Dundonald.[6] He is also reported to have controlled the castle of Glasrog in the west [7]and, if Eilean Dearg near the mouth of the Loch Riddon was constructed by that time (date uncertain), it would also have been under James's control.[8]

With his marriage to Egidia, daughter of Walter de Burgh, earl of Ulster, James received an estate near Coleraine in northern Ireland, which included the castle of the Roe, the borough and demesne of the castle, the lordship, service and rents of the lands of the English enfeoffed by the earl of Ulster in Keenaght, and all of the earl's land of Rennard.[9]

Political Activities

James was overshadowed by his father, and did not assume an active role in politics until after his father's death in 1283.[10] He was one of the leading advocates supporting Margaret, Maid of Norway, as heir to the throne of Scotland, and on the declaration passed by parliament at Scone on 5 February 1284 endorsing this, his signature appears right below that of Robert Bruce.[11] On 11 April 1286 he was selected as one of the six guardians of the kingdom to govern Scotland on behalf of the young queen.[3][10][12] The guardians chosen consisted of two bishops (of St Andrews and Glasgow), two earls (Buchan and Fife), and two barons (Comyn of Badenoch and James the Stewart).[13] This regency began to break up after several years, due primarily to the death of the earl of Buchan and the murder of the earl of Fife.[10] When Margaret died in September, 1290, James Stewart (who had close family ties with the Bruces) became one of the auditors for Bruce's claim to the throne and, although he agreed to accept the decision which was made in Balliol's favor, he made it quite clear that he felt Robert Bruce was the true heir to the throne of Scotland.[14]

Increasing dissatisfaction with Balliol's subservience to the English king resulted in a parliament held at Stirling on 5 July 1295, where a constitutional rebellion ended with parliament removing the actual day-to-day powers of governing from Balliol and giving them instead to a council of twelve selected magnates.[15] James the Steward was one of the chosen twelve selected to govern the kingdom.[15]By the following year, however, Edward I was able to apply enough pressure to force the guardians to recognize his supreme authority over Scotland, and surrender all the royal castles.[16] James the Steward, in company with most of his countrymen, swore fealty to the English king on 13 May 1296.[17] Notwithstanding this, in 1297 along with Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl (his brother), Sir William Douglas, and Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, Stewart joined with William Wallace in an effort to free Scotland from England's influence.[12][18] In August of the following year, Edward I declared Stewart's lands forfeited to a knight more loyal to the English cause, Sir Alexander de Lindsay.[3]

In 1302, he was one of the delegates sent to France to seek King Philip's assistance in Scotland's war with England.[12][19] This so infuriated King Edward that the Steward was, alongside William Wallace, specially exempted from the Act of Indemnity which was passed several years later.[19] On 3 November 1305, Stewart once again swore fealty to the English king, confessing to having "broken faith to the king in aiding overtly and secretly his enemies, and raising war against him" and submitting himself "as fully as he knows by this writing."[20] In March 1306 he supported the newly crowned King Robert I although he did not engage in any battles, possibly because of his age and uncertain health.[21] And in October of that year, Stewart met the ailing Edward at Lanercost priory in Cumberland and once more swore an oath of fealty to him, this time on "the two holiest crosses in Edward's possession" as well as on a Consecrated Host, gospels, and saint's relics.[21][22] The penalty for breaking his oath was to be instant excommunication, and his reward for submission was the restoration of all of his estates.[21] After Edward I's death on 7 July 1307, James Stewart threw off his allegiance to England for the last and final time and allied himself with King Robert.[23]

Marriage to Cecilia Dunbar

James married (first), before 1270, Cecilia Dunbar, daughter of Earl Patrick III and his wife, Cecilia, daughter of John fitz Robert.[24][3] Although there could have been no sons from this marriage who survived, it is possible there could have been a daugher(s) who has not yet been identified.[24]

Marriage to Muriel Strathearn

He married (second), probably in 1278, Muriel Strathearn, daughter of Malise, 5th earl of Strathearn, and widow of William, earl of Mar.[25][26] There are no known surviving children from this marriage.[25]

Marriage to Egidia de Burgh

James Stewart married (third), by 10 October 1296, Egidia (Giles) de Burgh, daughter of Walter de Burgh, 2nd earl of Ulster, lord of Connacht and Munster in Ireland, and his wife Avelina FitzJohn, daughter of Sir John FitzGeoffrey, Justiciar of Ireland.[27][28][29]

There were at least four children from this marriage: [see research notes]

Death

James Stewart, Vth High Steward of Scotland, died 16 July 1309, and was interred at Paisley.[38][12][28]

Research Notes

Birthdate of James, Vth High Steward of Scotland
  • Sir James Balfour Paul,[39] Douglas Richardson,[28] and Duncan Stewart[12] are among those historians who believe that James was born c.1243, although no sources are given to support this date. In 1965, G.W.S. Barrow suggested James's birthdate should be closer to 1253,[40] based partly on the fact that his second son (Walter) was said to be 'bot ane berdlas hyne' in 1314,[41] and partly because his father, Alexander, announced in 1252 that he would be going on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St James the Great at Compostella,[42] and it has been speculated that he named his son 'James' as a tribute to this saint ('James' being an uncommon name in the Stewart family at that time). This is only speculation, however, and not able to be substantiated. Geoffrey Barrow and Ann Royan, in an article published in 1985, theorized that James was actually more likely to have been born c.1260,[43] based primarily on the supposition that his marriage, before October 1296, to Egidia Burgh, would have been more likely if he were in his early thirties rather than in his early forties. This theory does not seem to take into account the fact that James married (first) Cecilia Dunbar, daughter of Patrick, earl of Dunbar, and this marriage took place in the late 1260s when James was presumeably in his twenties.[44][12] For all of the reasons stated above, this profile uses the traditional date of 1243 as the date of James's birth.
Possible 4th son of James, Vth Steward of Scotland?
  • The historian David Symson, writing in 1713, included a fourth son Sir John Stewart, whom he described as being slain at Dundalk in 1318.[44] (Symson also incorrectly identified all of the children as being from Stewart's first wife, Cecilia Dunbar.) Sympson's work has subsequently been cited by a number of genealogists, although contemporary researchers now believe that, if a son named John did exist, he was almost certainly illegitimate. The only written evidence that might support this son's existence is the signature of a witness to a charter of Thomas Randolph, earl of Moray and lord of Man, at Park of Duns, dated 9 July 1316. The signature was of a "Domino Johanne Senescallo."[45]

Sources

  1. Stewart, Duncan. A Short Historical and Genealogical Account of the Royal Family of Scotland...Edinburgh: W. Sands (1739), eccoprint ed. reproduced from the British Library, p. 49.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 167.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Henderson, Thomas Finlayson. Stewart, James (d. 1309)., Dictionary of National Biography Online.
  4. Paisley Reg., p. 15.
  5. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 167, citing Barrow, Era, p.68
  6. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 168.
  7. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 168, citing Stevenson, Documents, ii, no. 445 (p. 191); Highland Papers, ii, pp. 115-117.
  8. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 168, citing Chron. Bower, i, p. 46.
  9. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 168, citing Stevenson, Documents, ii, no. 401.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Stewart, James King. The Story of the Stewarts. Edinburgh: G.Stewart & Co., for the Stewart Society (1901), p. 64.
  11. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 169.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Stewart, Duncan. A Short Historical and Genealogical Account of the Royal Family of Scotland...Edinburgh: W. Sands (1739), eccoprint ed. reproduced from the British Library, p. 51-2.
  13. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 170.
  14. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 174.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 175.
  16. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 173.
  17. Cal. Docs. Scot., vol. 2, no. 737, pp. 175-176.
  18. Stewart, James King. The Story of the Stewarts. Edinburgh: G.Stewart & Co., for the Stewart Society (1901), pp. 65-66.
  19. 19.0 19.1 Stewart, James King. The Story of the Stewarts. Edinburgh: G.Stewart & Co., for the Stewart Society (1901), p. 70.
  20. Cal. Docs. Scot., vol. 2, no. 1713, p. 463.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 180.
  22. Cal. Docs. Scot., vol. 2, no. 1843, p.494.
  23. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 181.
  24. 24.0 24.1 MacEwen, Andrew B.W. The Wives of James the Steward. Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (Jan 2011), vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 391-392.
  25. 25.0 25.1 MacEwen, Andrew B.W. The Wives of James the Steward. Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (Jan 2011), vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 392-393.
  26. Page, William (ed). Three Early Assize Rolls for Northumberland, 13th Century. Durham: Surtees Society, vol. 88 (1891), p. 301. ["Jacobus filius Alexandri et Muriella, uxor ejus, ponunt loco suo Stephanum de Muschaump vel Thomam de Hagarston versus Thomam de Rok...."]
  27. Cal. Docs. Scot., vol. 2, no. 847, p.223.
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), vol. 2, pp. 15-16 BURGH 4.ii. Giles de Burgh.
  29. MacEwen, Andrew B.W. The Wives of James the Steward. Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (Jan 2011), vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 394-395.
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 MacEwen, Andrew B.W. The Wives of James the Steward. Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (Jan 2011), vol. 3, no. 5, p.395.
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed, Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author 2013), vol. 1, pp. 610-612, BRUS 9. Marjory de Brus.
  32. Barrow, G.W.S. Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (2013), p. 381.
  33. Mackenzie, Agnes Mure. The Rise of the Stewarts. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd (1957), p. 15.
  34. Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 1, p. 14 available online.
  35. Menzies, D.P. The Red and White Book of Menzies. Glasgow: Banks and Co. (1894), p. 60 available online.
  36. Hallen, Rev. Cornelius. Scottish Antiquary. Edinburgh: T and A Constable, vol. 5 (1891), p. 2.
  37. Thomson, John Maitland (ed.). The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland AD 1306-1424. Vol. 1 (1912), Appendix 2, p. 530, nos. 311 & 312 and fn. 1.
  38. Stuart, Andrew. Genealogical History of the Stewarts. Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, Inc. (facsimile reprint) (2012), p. 16.
  39. Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 1, p. 13.
  40. Barrow, G.W.S. 'James the Stewart of Scotland,' The Stewarts, xii, no. 2 (1965), p. 77.
  41. Barbour, John. The Bruce, ed. W.M. Mackenzie. London (1909), bk. xi, lines 216-17.
  42. Paisley Reg., p. 90
  43. Barrow, Geoffrey and Ann Royan. James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland. Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, K.J. Stringer (ed). Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, LTD. (1985), p. 166.
  44. 44.0 44.1 Symson, David. The Genealogical and Chronological History of the Stuarts. Edinburgh:Freebairn and Knox (1713), page 102.
  45. MacEwen, Andrew B.W. The Wives of James the Steward. Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy (Jan 2011), vol. 3, no. 5, p.396, citing Innes, Cosmo (ed.). Registrum S. Marie de Neubotle (1849), p. 93, no.123.
See Also:
  • Barrow, G.W.S. Stewart Family. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online (23 Sep 2004), available through subscription or some library services.
  • Birch, W. de G. Catalogue of Seals in the....British Museum. London: The Trustees (1895), p. 265. [seal of James Stewart c. 1270]
  • Burke, John. The Royal Families of England Scotland and Wales, with their descendants. London: E. Churchton (1851), vol. 2, p. xlvi.
  • St George, Sir Henry. The Visitation of Cambridge 1575 and 1619. London: Harleian Society (1897), pp. 7-11.
  • Stewart, John H.S. Stewarts of Appin. Edinburgh: Maclachlon and Stewart (1880), pp. 38-40. [Interesting, but unsourced and containing a number of errors.]
  • The Earls of Menteith. The Scottish Genealogist, vol.57, no.3 (Sep 2010), pp.130-139.
  • Weis, Fredrick Lewis. Magna Carta Sureties. Boston (1955), pp. 35-36, Clare line 41.




Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with James by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 9

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
I am going to be updating this profile on behalf of the Scotland Project's Arbroath team. If anyone knows of additional information or sources which should be included, please message me or post here. Thanks,

Jen

posted by Jen (Stevens) Hutton
Hi Bobbie,

Definitely remove from James Stewart. Possible merge with Edward Brus-97.

posted by Allan Stuart
I find no indication that he had a son Edward. Shall we disconnect the phantom & unsourced child?
posted by Bobbie (Madison) Hall
22nd great grandfather!
posted by Russell Van Rooy
4th cousin 23 times removed. Connection William DeWarenne
Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current

View Record Name James Stewart Birth Date 1243 Birth Place East Ayrshire, Scotland Death Date 16 Jul 1309 Death Place East Ayrshire, Scotland Cemetery Has Bio? N

James was buried at Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He was buried the same day he died, and in service to the Bruce.
posted by Gay (Leonard) Brown