List of heirs of Scotland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of heirs of Scotland details those people who have been either heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Kingdom of Scotland, according to the rules of cognatic primogeniture, except from 1371 to 1542 when the succession was limited to agnatic primogeniture by Act of Parliament. Females are included in the list where appropriate; however, although the Crown could pass through the female line (for example to the House of Dunkeld in 1034), in the early middle ages it is doubtful whether a queen regnant would have been accepted as ruler. The first woman to succeed was Margaret, the Maid of Norway, in 1286.
[edit] Heirs to David I
David I, previously ruler of Lothian and Cumbria, became King of all Scotland on the death of his elder brother Alexander I, 23 April 1124. His heir apparent was his eldest surviving son,
- Henry, born in 1114. On the death of his mother, Maud, he succeeded as Earl of Huntingdon in England. He died on the 12 June 1152, during the life of his father, and his place in the succession passed to the eldest of his three sons,
- Malcolm, born on the 20 March 1141. He was immediately confirmed as heir apparent to the Crown and sent on a tour of the Kingdom under the guardianship of the Earl of Fife.
David died on the 24 May 1153 and was succeeded by his grandson.
[edit] Heir to Malcolm IV
Malcolm IV, known as "Malcolm the Maiden", was unmarried and had no children. His heir presumptive was his next brother
- William, who succeeded as King on Malcolm's death, 9 December 1165.
[edit] Heirs to William I
William I was unmarried at the time of his accession, so the next heir was his younger brother,
- David, who was made Earl of Huntingdon. He remained heir presumptive until the birth of his niece,
- Margaret, born in 1193. She was the first child of King William by his wife Ermengarde de Beaumont, whom he had married on the 5 September 1186. Another sister, Isabella, was born before the eventual arrival of a son,
- Alexander, born on the 24 August 1198, who was heir apparent from birth.
William I, known as "William the Lion" from the lion rampant he adopted as his coat of arms, died on the 4 December 1214, and was succeeded by his son.
[edit] Heirs to Alexander II
Alexander II was only sixteen and unmarried at the time of his succession, and so the heiress presumptive was his elder sister,
- Margaret, who married in 1221 Hubert de Burgh, Justiciar of England during the minority of King Henry III. When Henry came of age in 1227 Hubert was made Earl of Kent. Margaret, now Countess of Kent, continued as heiress presumptive until the King fathered a child,
- Alexander, born 4 September 1241, son of Alexander II by his second wife Marie de Coucy.
Alexander II died on the 8 July 1249 and was succeeded by his only legitimate child.
[edit] Heirs to Alexander III
Alexander III became King at the age of eight, and the heiress presumptive to the Kingdom was once again his aunt
- Margaret, Countess of Kent. She was displaced in the succession by her namesake
- Margaret, born to Alexander's queen Margaret of England on the 28 February 1260. She was in turn displaced by the birth of her brother,
- Alexander, Prince of Scotland, born on the 21 January 1263. His death on the 28 January 1283, and that of his younger brother David two years earlier, meant that his father's heiress was again his elder sister
- Margaret, by now married to King Eirik II of Norway. She died on the 9 April 1283 giving birth to a daughter,
- Margaret, known as "the Maid of Norway", who became heiress presumptive. The King secured her recognition as such from the Estates of Scotland in 1284.
Alexander III, a widower since 1274, was now left with an infant girl as the only undisputed successor to his throne. In an attempt to beget a male heir, he married Yolande de Dreux on 14 October 1285, but died on the 19 March 1286 of a fall from his horse. Queen Yolande declared herself pregnant with the King's heir, but it soon became apparent that this was not the case, and Alexander's three-year-old grand-daughter Margaret succeeded as Queen.
[edit] Heirs to Margaret I, and the Great Cause
Margaret became Queen under a regency of six nobles of Scotland. However, several other powerful nobles claimed the throne, and in an attempt to avoid a civil war the Regents appealed to King Edward I of England for assistance. By the Treaty of Birgham, 1290, Margaret was placed under Edward's guardianship and betrothed to his eldest son, the Prince of Wales. Margaret set out from Norway for Scotland in the autumn of that year, but was taken ill on the voyage and died at Orkney on the 26 September 1290, age seven. Scotland was left without a monarch and with numerous claimants for the Kingdom (see Competitors for the Crown of Scotland), so the Guardians of Scotland again appealed to Edward I to act as an arbitrator. The two strongest claimants were
- Dervorguilla of Galloway, died 1290 and was succeeded by her son: John de Balliol, grandson of Margaret of Huntingdon, the elder daughter of David, Earl of Huntingdon, the younger brother of King William the Lion (see above), and
- Robert de Bruce, Lord of Annandale, son of Isobel of Huntingdon, Margaret of Huntingdon's younger sister.
Though Bruce invoked proximity of blood and claimed to have been made Tanist of the Kingdom by the then-childless Alexander III, Balliol was the genealogically senior heir, and Edward declared in his favour following an election at Berwick-upon-Tweed, 3 August 1291.
[edit] Heir to John I
King John was crowned at Scone on St Andrew's Day 1292. His heir apparent was his son by Isabella de Warenne,
- Edward. On 23 October 1295 Edward was betrothed to Jeanne of Valois, the niece of Philip IV of France, when his father concluded an alliance with the French against Edward I, who had taken full advantage of his influential role in determining the Scottish succession to have himself made Lord Paramount of Scotland and John's feudal superior. In the treaty Edward was described as "future King of Scotland" and confirmed as the heir apparent to the Crown.
In retaliation for this Treaty (the foundation of the Auld Alliance), Edward invaded Scotland, defeating the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar on 27 April 1296, and John was compelled to abdicate on the 10 July 1296. He and his son were taken as prisoners to England, but he was still regarded by the Scots as rightful King of Scotland. William Wallace led an uprising in John's name, winning the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, but the rebellion was crushed after the Battle of Falkirk the following year. In 1299 John was released from captivity and went into retirement on his family estates in France, taking no further interest in the recovery of his kingdom. His heirs still exist.
[edit] Heirs to Robert I
After the Battle of Falkirk, William Wallace relinquished the position of Guardian of Scotland in favour of Robert de Bruce, Earl of Carrick and John Comyn of Badenoch ("the Red Comyn"), John Balliol's brother-in-law. These men had strong claims to the throne of Scotland themselves: Bruce was grandson of the Robert Bruce who had been a Competitor for the Crown in 1290, and Comyn had actually been a Competitor himself, as the senior descendant of the 11th century King Donald Bane. On 10 February 1306, Bruce murdered Comyn at what was supposed to be a parley between the two rivals, and set about claiming the throne for himself, being crowned at Scone on 27 March. Over the next years he gradually reconquered Scotland from the English, culminating in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. He was finally recognised by the English as King of independent Scotland by the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, 1328. At the time he seized the throne, Robert I had no sons, so the heiress presumptive was his only daughter by his first wife Isabella of Mar,
- Marjorie. In 1315 she married Walter, High Steward of Scotland; she died the following year a few hours after giving birth to their son
- Robert, born 2 March 1316. In 1318 the Parliament of Scotland confirmed that he would succeed as King if his grandfather King Robert I died without sons. However, six years later
- David was born, on the 5 March 1324. He was son of King Robert I by his second wife Elizabeth de Burgh, and was thus heir apparent from birth. In 1328 he was created Earl of Carrick, the title held by his father before his accession.
Robert I died on the 7 June 1329, and was succeeded by his only surviving son (a second son, John, had died in infancy).
[edit] Heir to David II
David II was five years old when he became King. Though he married twice during his reign (firstly to Joan of the Tower and secondly to Margaret Drummond), he had no children, and so the heir presumptive for the duration of his reign was his older nephew
- Robert, who had been designated heir in 1318. He had succeeded his father as High Steward of Scotland on 9 April 1326, and was created Earl of Atholl in 1342 and Earl of Strathearn in 1357. He was Regent of the Kingdom in the King's absence during the wars with England, but fell out with his uncle after he was accused of desertion at the Battle of Neville's Cross, at which David was captured. After David's release in 1357, the King made attempts to pay off some of his ransom by agreeing to bequeath the Kingdom either to Edward III of England or to Edward's son Lionel of Antwerp. This would disinherit Robert, and in protest the Steward rose in rebellion in 1363, but was imprisoned with his sons, being released only shortly before the King's death.
David II died on the 22 February 1371, and was succeeded by his nephew Robert the Steward.
[edit] Heir to Robert II
Before he became King, Robert had married twice: firstly to Elizabeth Mure, by whom he had four sons and five daughters, and secondly to Euphemia, Countess of Moray, by whom he had a further two sons and two daughters. However, the children of the King's first wife had been born before the granting of the dispensation for the marriage, and were therefore of doubtful legitimacy, as the legal doctrine that children born out of wedlock are legitimated by their parents' subsequent marriage had not yet been fully established in Scotland. It was thus unclear whether the heir-apparent was Robert's eldest son by his first wife, John, or his eldest son by his second wife, David. On 27 March 1371, Parliament therefore passed an Act specifically stating the order of succession to the throne, which was limited to the King's sons (named in the Act) and the heirs male of their bodies, failing which to the King's heirs whatsoever. The heir apparent was now indisputably
- John Stewart, the King's eldest son by his first wife, who had been created Earl of Carrick in 1368. He was disabled by a kick from a horse in 1389, and his younger brother Robert took on many of the functions of the heir-apparent, including acting as Guardian of the Kingdom.
Despite his infirmity, John succeeded to the throne on Robert II's death, 19 April 1390, in accordance with the 1371 Act. He assumed the regnal name of Robert III to avoid associations with the House of Balliol.
[edit] Heirs to Robert III
At Robert III's accession, his heir apparent was his eldest son
- David, who became Earl of Carrick the same day. He was further created Duke of Rothesay and Earl of Atholl on 28 April 1398, the first creation of a Dukedom in Scotland. When David came of age in 1399, he was made Lieutenant of the Kingdom for his disabled father. This led to conflict with his uncle Robert, now Duke of Albany, who had previously filled that office. David was arrested by Albany and died in prison 26 March 1402, when his younger brother
- James became heir apparent and Duke of Rothesay. To protect him from the same fate as his elder brother, he was sent to France in 1406, but was captured en route by the English and taken prisoner.
Robert III died on 4 April 1406, allegedly of grief at his son's capture, and was succeeded as King by his only surviving son James (a second son, Robert, had died young).
[edit] Heirs to James I
The new eleven-year-old King had several sisters living, but under the 1371 Act of Parliament limiting the succession to males his heir presumptive was his uncle
- Robert, Duke of Albany, who served as Regent. The Duke of Albany made no effort whatsoever to secure the King's release from his English captors, and ruled Scotland himself until his death on the 3 September 1420, when he was succeeded by his son
- Murdoch as Duke of Albany and Regent of the Kingdom. Under Murdoch's regency the ransom on the King was finally paid, and James I returned to Scotland in 1424. However, the Albany family still had considerable power, and in an effort to regain full control of his Kingdom, James I had Murdoch and his son Sir Alexander Stewart attainted and beheaded on 25 May 1425 (Murdoch's eldest surviving son Sir Walter had been beheaded the day before). Murdoch's youngest son Sir James Stewart of Baldorran (called James Mór, or "the Fat"), fled to Ireland where he died in 1451, but he was disqualified from the succession by his father's attainder. The next male of the Stewart family was Murdoch's half-brother Robert Stewart, youngest son of the first Duke of Albany and de jure Earl of Ross following the death of his elder brother John the year before. He was still living in 1431, but the nearest male heir not of the Albany family was
- Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl and Caithness, youngest son of King Robert II by his second wife and the last of James I's uncles. He was instrumental in James's return from England, and assisted in the trial of his Albany relatives. He was given a third Earldom (as Earl of Strathearn) on 22 July 1427, and remained as heir presumptive until the King fathered a son,
- Alexander, Duke of Rothesay, on 16 October 1430. However the new heir died in infancy, leaving his twin brother
- James as heir apparent and Duke of Rothesay.
King James I was assassinated on 21 February 1437 by a group of conspirators including his uncle and sometime ally the Earl of Atholl, whereupon his infant son became King as James II.
[edit] Heirs to James II
At the accession of James II the next male heir to the Crown was the late King's assassin
- Walter, Earl of Atholl. However, he and his grandson and accomplice Sir Robert Stewart, Master of Atholl were swiftly attainted and executed for their part in the conspiracy, 26 March 1437.
The only other unquestionably legitimate male member of the House of Stewart apart from the King was now Sir James "Mór" Stewart of Baldorran, son of the second Duke of Albany, who was in exile in Ireland. However as he was under attainder, the next heir according to the 1371 Act of Parliament was the "heir whomsoever" (i.e. including females) of King Robert II. It was still uncertain at this time as to who this would be, as the 1371 Act, while determining which of the King's sons should succeed him, had not pronounced on the legitimacy of the King's elder children one way or the other. If the children of Robert II by his first wife were legitimated by their parents' subsequent marriage (as later legal doctrine would have it), then the heir presumptive in 1437 was the King's eldest sister
- Margaret, who had married the King of France's son the Dauphin Louis on 24 June 1436. She died without children on 16 August 1444, leaving her sister
- Isabella as next heir. She was the wife of the Duke of Brittany, by whom she had two daughters. However she was displaced in the succession after her brother was married on 3 July 1449 to Mary of Guelders, who bore him the first of eight children,
- a son, on 19 May 1450 (he died the same day, but seven surviving children followed).
However, if the children of Elizabeth Mure were not legitimate, then the heir whomsoever of Robert II during the period 1437 to 1451 was
- Malise Graham, Earl of Menteith, maternal grandson of David, Earl of Strathearn, the eldest son of King Robert II by his second, indisputably valid marriage to Euphemia de Ross. The Earl of Menteith was closely related on his father's side to the conspirators that murdered James I: his uncle Sir Robert Graham of Kilpont had been one of the leaders of the plot, and his cousin Elizabeth Graham was second wife to the treacherous Earl of Atholl.
In the event this potential problem over the succession never arose, as Queen Mary gave birth to a son and heir apparent,
After fathering three more sons, King James II, an artillery enthusiast, was killed by an exploding cannon while beseiging Roxburgh Castle, 3 October 1460, and was succeeded by his eldest son.
[edit] Heirs to James III
James III was six years old at his accession, and his heir-presumptive was his next brother
- Alexander, who had been created Duke of Albany. He was next in line to the throne for the next twelve years, until the King fathered a son,
- James, Duke of Rothesay, on 17 March 1473. After the death in 1485 of the Duke of Albany, who had previously laid claim to the crown with English help as "Alexander IV", the Duke of Rothesay became the figurehead for nobles dissatisfied with the King's misrule.
James III was killed in battle with the rebels at Sauchie Burn on 11 June 1488, and his son ascended the throne as James IV.
[edit] Heirs to James IV
in progress
- 1488: James Stewart, Duke of Ross
- 1504: John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
- 21 February 1507: James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
- 27 February 1508: John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
- 20 October 1509: Arthur Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
- 14 July 1510: John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
- 10 April 1512: James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
- 9 September 1513: Alexander Stewart, Duke of Ross
- 8 December 1515: John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
- 2 July 1536: James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran (or William Graham, 3rd Earl of Menteith)
- 22 May 1540: James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
- 1541: James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran (or William Graham, 3rd Earl of Menteith)
- 8 December 1542: Mary Stuart (or the Earl of Menteith)
- 14 December 1542: James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
- 19 June 1566: James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay
- 24 July 1567: James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
- 22 January 1575: James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran
- 19 February 1594: Henry Frederick Stuart, Duke of Rothesay
- 6 November 1612: Charles Stuart, Duke of Rothesay
- 27 March 1625: Charles Stuart, Duke of Rothesay
- 30 January 1649: James Stuart, Duke of York
- 16 December 1653: none (monarchy abolished and replaced by Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland)
- 8 May 1660: James Stuart, Duke of York (restored)
- 6 February 1685: Mary Stuart, Princess of Orange
- 10 June 1688: James Francis Edward Stuart, Duke of Rothesay
- circa December 1688: none (throne retroactively declared vacant)
- 11 April 1689: none (or possibly Princess Anne of Denmark)
- 5 November 1689: Princess Anne of Denmark
- 8 March 1702: none
- 1 May 1707: Scotland becomes part of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Sophia, Electress of Hanover is the heiress presumptive.
- http://www.burkes-peerage.net/sites/common/sitepages/roking.asp
- http://www.wargs.com/essays/succession/strathearn.html
