JAMES STEWART

Hereditary Steward of Scotland

James, 5th High Steward of Scotland (born between 1243 and 1260 - died 16 July 1309) was the 5th hereditary High Steward of Scotland and a Guardian of Scotland during the First Interregnum (1286–1292).

He was the eldest surviving son of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland (d. 1283), by his wife of unknown identity.[1] The date of his birth is not known and some sources have placed it, on no good evidence, as early as 1243. The date of his birth is not known and some sources have placed it, on no good evidence, as early as 1243. This is now thought to be unlikely, for the following reasons. Firstly, James's father is known to have planned a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James of Compostella in 1252 or after, so James would probably have been born after this, and named in honour of that saint. Secondly, James's Christian name was unusual, then uncommon in Scotland and not a traditional name in the Stewart family where Walter and Alan were favoured. It is therefore quite possible that he was not Alexander's eldest son, but the eldest surviving son. For these reasons, and also the fact of his son and successor Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland being described in about 1314 as a "beardless lad" by John Barbour in his poem The Brus, it is proposed that James was born in about 1260.[2]

Career

In 1286 James was chosen as one of the six Guardians of Scotland. He subsequently submitted to King Edward I of England on 9 July 1297 and was one of the auditors for the competitor, Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale. However, during the Wars of Scottish Independence he joined Sir William Wallace. After Wallace's defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, he gave his support[citation needed] to Robert Bruce, later King Robert I of Scotland, grandson of the competitor.

In 1302, with six other ambassadors including John Comyn II of Badenoch, he had been sent to solicit the aid of the French king against King Edward. After the victory of England against Scotland, Stewart would be compelled to swear fealty to King Edward again at Lanercost Priory on 23 October 1306. To render his oath inviolable, it was taken upon the two crosses of Scotland most esteemed for their sanctity, on the consecrated host, the holy gospels and on various relics of saints and he agreed to submit to instant excommunication if he should break his allegiance to Edward. However, convinced that his faith was primarily to his country despite all, he once again took up the Scottish patriotic cause and died in the service of Robert the Bruce in 1309.[3]

Marriages and issue

He married several times:

Firstly to Cecilia, a daughter of Patrick III, Earl of Dunbar (died 1289);

Secondly, apparently to Muriel (born 1244), a daughter of Malise II, Earl of Strathearn (died 1271);
Thirdly to Egidia, a daughter of the Irish nobleman Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster (died 1271),[1] by whom he had issue:[4]

1. Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland (1296–1327), eldest surviving son and heir, who married Marjorie Bruce, daughter of King Robert I.[5] His son was King Robert II of Scotland, the first Stewart monarch.
2. Egidia Stewart, who married Sir Alexander de Menzies, of Durisdeer.[5]

His other issue, by wives uncertain, include:

1. Sir John Stewart, killed 14 October 1318 at the Battle of Dundalk;[5]
2. Sir Andrew Stewart,[6] a "younger son", who married the daughter of James Bethe (or Beith) and was decorated with a military sword-belt by King John II of France (1350-1364);[7][8]
3. Sir James Stewart of Durisdeer, in 1327 the tutor to his nephew the future King Robert II of Scotland;[5]

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Comments

JAMES STEWART, FIFTH STEWART OF SCOTLAND, may have been born in about 1260. The precise date of his birth is a matter for speculation but the anecdotal evidence reviewed by Barrow and Rowan suggests that 1260 may be nearer the mark than the unsubstantiated statement made in The Scots Peerage, that his birth occurred in 1243

Source: [Geoffrey Barrow and Ann Royan, James Fifth Stewart of Scotland, 1260(?)-1309, which was published in: K. J. Stringer (editor), Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland (John Donald, Edinburgh, 1985), pp. 166-194].

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Genealogy

Extracted from https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND.htm#_Toc100815216

ALEXANDER Stewart, son of WALTER FitzAlan High Steward of Scotland & his wife --- (-1283). The Liber Pluscardensis names "dominus Alexander Stevart de Dundonald, pronepos primi Walteri Stewart"[1213]. The Visitation of Cambridge 1575 names "Alexander Stuart secundo genitus Gualt, Senescalli Scotie"[1214]. He succeeded his father as High Steward of Scotland. …

m JEAN, daughter of - Balfour Paul names Jean of Bute heiress of the Isles of Bute and Arran, daughter of James Lord of Bute and Arran & his wife -, and records her marriage to Alexander Stewart (no primary source cited)[1218]. Andrew McEwen suggests that there is no evidence to indicate that the wife of Alexander Stewart was the daughter of James Lord of Bute[1219]. He adds that what evidence there is "suggests a double marriage alliance…about 1240 between Sir Walter fitz Alan II and Richard Comyn by which the Steward’s son and heir Alexander married Comyn’s daughter Joanna, while Comyn’s son and heir John married Sir Walter’s daughter Eva", but he does not cite the nature of the evidence in question[1220].

Alexander Stewart & his wife had [six] children: …

2. JAMES Stewart ([1243]-16 Jul 1309). The Visitation of Cambridge 1575 names "Johannes Steward" as second son of "Alexander Stuart secundo genitus Gualt, Senescalli Scotie", adding that he was killed in battle "ad variu’ Sacella"[1222]. James succeeded his father as High Steward of Scotland. He was appointed one of the six guardians of the kingdom on the death of King Alexander III in 1286[1224]. ….

m firstly CECILIA de Dunbar, daughter of PATRICK Earl of Dunbar & his wife Cecilia - …

[m secondly (before Jan 1279, [divorced before 1291]) as her second husband, MURIEL of Strathearn, widow of WILLIAM Earl of Mar, daughter of MALISE Earl of Strathearn & his first wife Marjory de Muschamp of Wooler ([1244]-[16 May/12 Nov] 1291). …

m [thirdly] EGIDIA de Burgh, daughter of WALTER de Burgh Earl of Ulster & his wife Aveline FitzJohn ([1260/70]-). King Edward I confirmed the grant of "castro de Roo" made by "Ricardus de Burgo comes Ultoniæ et dominus Connactensis" to "Jacobo Senescallo Scotiæ et Egidiæ sorori ipsius comitis" by charter dated 10 Oct 1296[1233]. The Visitation of Cambridge 1575 records that "Johannes Steward", second son of "Alexander Stuart secundo genitus Gualt, Senescalli Scotie", married "heredem de Bouthill"[1234]. According to Burke, James Stewart married "Cecilia, daughter of Patrick de Dunbar 7th Earl of Dunbar & March" by whom he fathered Walter Stewart[1235].

James Stewart & his [third] wife had [five] children:

• a) ANDREW Stewart ([after 1290]-[25 Aug 1306/16 Jul 1309]). The fact that Andrew was his father’s oldest [surviving] son is confirmed by a notarial confirmation dated 9 Aug 1306 which attested the verity of various documents, including one indicating that William Bishop of St Andrews had delivered "Andrew son and heir of Sir James the Steward of Scotland" to Robert de Brus[1236]. Malise Earl of Strathearn and John de Inchmartyn were ordered to produce "Andrew son of the Steward of Scotland and John son of John Earl of Athol" by charter dated 25 Aug 1306[1237]. These two documents presumably indicate that Andrew was still a minor in 1306, which confirms that he must have been from his father’s marriage to Egidia de Burgh. Presumably he predeceased his father.
• b) WALTER Stewart ([1292]-9 Apr [1326/29]). The Liber Pluscardensis names "dominus Alexander Stevart de Dundonald, pronepos primi Walteri Stewart" as "proavus…nobilis Walteri Stevart qui filiam Roberti de Broys desponsavit"[1238]. He succeeded his father as High Steward of Scotland. see below.
• c) EGIDIA Stewart . Her parentage and marriage are confirmed by the charter under which "Alexandro de Meyners militi et Egidie Senescalli sponse sue" renounced "totam baroniam de Dorsidere" {Durrisdeir} in favour of her brother James, dated to [1315/21][1239]. m ALEXANDER de Meyners, son of ---. Balfour Paul says that he was ancestor of the Menzies family[1240].
• d) [JOHN Stewart (-killed in battle Dundalk 1318). "…Johe Senescallo…" witnessed a charter dated 9 Jul 1316 under which "Thomas Ranulphi comes Morauie et dns Mannie" confirmed a donation to Newbattle abbey[1241]. Andrew McEwen states that "if there was such a son [John], he must have been illegitimate", but he does not explain his reasoning for this statement[1242]. Balfour Paul records his death "at the battle of Dundalk with Edward Bruce in 1318" (no source cited)[1243].]
• e) JAMES Stewart of Durisdeer (-after Nov 1330). "…Domino Malcolmo Flemyng, domino Jacobo senescallo fratre quondam domini Walteri quondam senescalli Scotie, domino Alano Senescallo…" subscribed the charter dated Nov 1330 under which "Malcolmus comes de Levenax" donated "ecclesiam de Kylpatrick" to Paisley monastery[1244]. Balfour Paul says that he died childless (no source cited)[1245].

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http://www.electricscotland.com/history/james.htm

Significant Scots
James Stewart 5th High Steward
by Kelly d. Whittaker

The legacies of the Stewart’s are well documented in Scottish history. Walter FitzAllan was the First High Steward of Scotland assigned by King David. The Stewart family went on to inherit the thrown of Scotland by the marriage of Walter Stewart the son of James 5th High Steward, to Marjory Bruce the daughter of Robert the Bruce and Isabella of Mar.

The Stewart’s have been over-looked for their loyalty to the people of Scotland. Today’s history teaches that the Stewart’s were only barons that were greedy and married into the Royal Lines in order to obtain their power.

James the 5th High Steward was a fantastic example of his patronage to his beloved country, Scotland. He was one of the seven guardians of Scotland that had the right to appoint a King. The fight was on between John Balliol and Robert Bruce the Competitor for the thrown. Robert was the closest in line for the thrown because he was a grandson of Alexander where Balliol was a great grandson.

The Guardians of Scotland knew Robert by all rights should be crowned King. King Edward chose John Balliol due to the alliance established between him and Balliol. Sir William Wallace fought under the banner of Balliol. Balliol was forced to abdicate his thrown due to the great pressure the Scots were putting on him as a traitor. He did abdicate and was killed. Wallace continued to fight for the Balliol claim.

Silently, many men were flocking to Robert Bruce’s defense. One of these men was James 5th High Steward. James had all the genealogies sent to attorneys in Europe to be examined by impartial parties. The attorneys concluded based on an example from the Bible that Robert Bruce the Competitor should inherit the Thrown of Scotland. When James had received the letters from the attorneys, he took a firm stand. His judgement was the same as the attorneys.

James swore allegiance to Robert the Competitor on September 20, 1286. Turbulence surrounded Scotland for the next 30 years. Edward became obsessed with Scotland. After his wife died, Edward became a tyrant and barbarian. He poured out great cruelty upon the Scots. For thirteen years Scotland had suffered greatly so the leaders of Scotland agreed to surrender to Edward on July 9th, 1297. Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, grandson of the Competitor and James Stewart refused to surrender or produce hostages.

The battle at Stirling Bridge was a win for the Scots. They had slaughtered the English when they tried to cross to get to Berwick. The Earl of Surrey came upon the English’s defeat and retreated back to Falkirk. James Stewart and Lennox along with their troops remained in the woods watching Surrey. On September 11, 1297 after watching Surrey’s group for three days, Stewart and Lennox attacked them. The two Scotsmen and their troops beat Surrey and seized the laden wagons of booty.

James Stewart participated in the first full-scale raid in Roxburgh in July of 1299. Once the Scots arrived at Roxburgh, the fortress was so heavily guarded that the Scots knew they would loose many men if they attempted to siege it. Stewart and the other leaders told their men to retreat. This caused the Scots to become very discouraged and ill tempered.

The Constable of Roxburgh placed a spy in the camp of the Scots. The spy’s accounting is still in existence and kept in the Public Record Office in London.

At the council, Sir David Graham demanded the land and goods of Sir William Wallace because he was leaving the Kingdom without the leave or approval of the Guardians. And Sir Malcolm, Sir William’s brother, answered that neither his lands nor his goods should be given away, for they were protected by the peace in which Wallace had left the Kingdom. At this the two knights gave the lie to each other and drew their daggers. And since Sir David Graham was of Sir John Comyn’s following, it was reported to the Earl of Buchan and John Comyn that a fight had broken out without their knowing it: and John Comyn leapt at the Earl of Carrick and seized him by the throat and the Earl of Buchan turned on the Bishop of St. Andrews, declaring that treason and lese majeste were being plotted. Eventually the Stewart and others came between them and quieted them. At that moment a letter was brought from beyond the Firth of Forth, telling how Sir Alexander Comyn and Lachlan Macruarie were burning and devastating the district they were in, attacking the people of the Scottish nation. So it was ordained then that the Bishop of St. Andrews should have all the castles in his hands as principle captain and the Earl of Carrick and John Comyn be with him joint-guardians of the Kingdom. And that same Wednesday, after the letter had been read, they all left Peebles.

James Stewart had earlier stepped in the middle of King Edward and the Competitor to prevent a great blood shed upon the Kingdom of Scotland. This was at the Treaty of Birgham. James attended the first secession of parliament in eighteen years in 1309. Many other Scotsmen were present at this meeting. James Stewart remained loyal to The Bruce even until his death, which was shortly after parliament in 1309.

King Robert the Bruce loved James Stewart and proved this by allowing his daughter to marry James’ son Walter. Bruce mourned the loss of his dear quiet friend. Stewart is not well known in the legacy of the Bruce because he was a quiet, tactful caring man. Stewart was opposite of The Bruce and Wallace but that is what kept the balance of the Scots to win against the greatest oppression they had ever suffered, the cruel barbaric yet intelligent King Edward of England.

DNA

DNA project - https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Stuart

ScotlandsDNA.com claims that: "About 20% of all men who carry the famous surname Stewart share Sir John’s lineage while 30% are descended from Sir John’s brother, James Stewart, the 5th High Steward of Scotland (died 16 July 1309)." James' son Walter fought at Bannockburn and helped separatist William_Wallace to win Scotland's independence. Walter married the daughter of Robert Bruce I (died on 7 June 1329). Their son became Robert II, the first Stewart king.

About 50 members of this project had been tested by FTDNA or one of its competitors for SNP S781 (R1b1a2a1a2c1i1a1) by Feb/4/2015. About 40% tested positive and about a third added their test results to their surnames as a suffix in order to facilitate subgrouping, etc.

Everyone who tests positive for SNP S781 descends from Sir John Stewart of Bonkyll (died 22 July 1298 at the Battle of Falkirk). FTDNA's project for Sir John's patrilineal descendants is at https://www.familytreedna.com/public/R-S781. Some of their Big Y test results are posted in the S781 Phylogenetic Tree below and at http://www.s781.org/allsnps.html. All or part of Sir John's patrilineal descendants via the Lennox line (e.g. King James I of England) test positive for both S781 and S768. Sir John's patrilineal descendants via other lines test S781+ and S768-

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart,_5th_High_Steward_of_Sc... cites
  • 1. MacEwen, ABW (2011). "The Wives of Sir James the Steward (d.1309)". Foundations. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Vol. 3: 391–398. < link >
  • 2. Barrow, G. W. S.; Royan, Ann (1985), "James, Fifth Stewart of Scotland, 1260(?)–1309", in Stringer, Keith, Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland, Edinburgh: John Donald, pp. 166–167, ISBN 1-904607-45-4.
  • 3. Simpson, David, The Genealogical and Chronological History of the Stuarts, Edinburgh, 1713 < Archive.Org >
  • 4. Burke, Messrs., John and John Bernard, The Royal Families of England Scotland and Wales, with Their Descendants, London, 1851, volume 2, page xlvi. < Hathitrust >
  • 5. Clay, John W., FSA., editor, The Visitation of Cambridge, 1575 and 1619 by Henery St.George, Richmond Herald, Harleian Society, London, 1897, pps: 7 - 11, where he is described thus: "Andreas Stuard filius capit in uxorem filiam Jacobi Bethe et a Johanne Francor' Rege militario ringulo condecoratus est"; translation reads: Andrew Stewart younger son, married the daughter of James Bethe (Beith) and was decorated with a military swordbelt by John (II), King of France ('The Good', reigned 1350-1364).
  • 6. East Anglian Stewarts by G.M.S.Lauder-Frost, FSA Scot., in The Scottish Genealogist, vol.LI, no.4, December 2004, pps:151-161, ISSN 0300-337X
  • 7. Anderson, William, The Scottish Nation, Edinburgh, 1867, vol.ix, p.513
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley_Abbey Paisley Abbey is the burial place of all six High Stewards of Scotland, Marjorie Bruce who was the mother of Robert II, and the wives of Robert II.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/151529631/james-stewart: accessed April 22, 2025), memorial page for James Stewart (1260–16 Jul 1309), Find a Grave Memorial ID 151529631, citing Paisley Abbey, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland; Maintained by Pixturmn (contributor 47729036).
• http://www.electricscotland.com/history/james.htm
• https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND.htm#_Toc100815216
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p10531.htm#i105308 cites
  • Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), page 214. Hereinafter cited as Britain's Royal Family.
• https://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00006192&tree=LEO cites
  • 1. [S00119] Paget, Gerald, The Lineage and Ancestry of H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Edinburgh, 1977. 212.
  • [S01353] ~Burke's Peerage and Baronetage 1967 . 1762
  • [S00200] Stewart, J. K., The Story of the Stewarts, Edinburgh, 1901 . 64 biography
• page 356 of Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 2nd Edition, 2011 by Douglas Richardson. "Giles de Burgh, married (as his 3rd wife) James [Stewart] (or James fitz Alexander), Knt., 5th Stewart of Scotland, son and heir of Alexander Stewart, Knt., 4th Stewart of Scotland, of Dundonlad. They had four sons, Andrew, Walter, Knt. [6th Steward of Scotland], John, Knt., and James, Knt., [of Durrisdeer], and one daughter, Giles (wife of Alexander de Meyners or Menzies, Knt.). ...."
• "The Wives of Sir James the Steward (d.1309)" Author: MacEwen, Andrew B W Publisher: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy Year published: 2011 Status: See notes Description / Notes: "This paper rehabilitates the traditional year of Sir James the Steward’s birth, names his first two wives, explains the late date of his third marriage to Giles de Burgh, and provides information about their four known children. It posits a double marriage alliance between the Stewarts and Comyns about 1240, clarifies the date of birth of Robert II, and establishes the circumstances of his mother’s death in 1317. It incidentally brings forward some overlooked information on the Muschamp family and shows when Sir William, earl of Mar, actually died. Lastly it draws together what little is known concerning Sir Nicholas Campbell (d.1305), whose representation passed to the Lochawe branch."
• WikiTree contributors, "James (Stewart) Vth High Steward of Scotland (abt.1243-abt.1309)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stewart-1015 : accessed 22 April 2025). cites
  • Crawford, George C. A Genealogical History of the Royal and Illustrious Family of the Stewarts 1034-1710. James Watson, Pub. (1710). < GoogleBooks >
  • Hay, Richard. Essay on the Origine of the Royal Family of Stewarts. Edinburgh: William Adams (1722), repr. 1793. < link >
  • Henderson, Thomas Finlayson. Stewart, James (d. 1309)., Dictionary of National Biography Online. < link >
  • Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 1, p. 14 < Archive.Org >
• PoMS is a database of all known people of Scotland between 1093 and 1314 mentioned in over 8600 contemporary documents. It is also being extended to 1371 to include all those lands, peoples and relationships mentioned in royal charters between 1314 and 1371. James Stewart is PoMS, no. 1453 (https://poms.ac.uk/record/person/1453/; accessed 22 April 2025)
• https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Stuart This FTDNA Project is devoted to works in Genetic Genealogy concerning the descendants of Sir John Stewart "of Bonkyll". All Patrilineal descendants of this medieval Stewart have the mutation known as SNP S781.
• https://www.geni.com/projects/R-L21-Y-DNA/3837
• https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/alexander-stewart-the-wolf/about
• https://www.chuckspeed.com/balquhidder/history/DNA_of_Ancient_Stewa... Tree diagram showing Y-DNA relationships at 67 markers for descendants of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland – Nov 2010. Draft 1.
• University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Stewart Family. < link > “About the Stewart family”. The Stewart family, descended from Walter FitzAlan (d 1177), High Steward of Scotland and ancestor of the Stewart kings, originated in Brittany. Walter, a minor landholder in England, arrived in Scotland during the reign of David I and by the early 13th century the family had adopted the surname Stewart. Genetically the Stewart family is part of the R1b grouping. … This was probably the first SNP progenitor to be identified through genetic genealogy and facilitated research into descendants of Walter Stewart (d 1327), 6th High Steward, who both fought in the Battle of Bannockburn and was named in the Declaration of Arbroath. We now know that his descendants carry the SNP Z38845 and since his only male line descents are through his son King Robert II, all those who test positive for Z38845 have Robert II as an ancestor.
  • Stewart genealogical haplotree < PDF >