William Keith, 2nd Earl Marischal

3RD (2nd) EARL MARISCHAL: William Keith (d. 1530)

From Clan Keith USA

Son of William, the 2nd Earl Marischal, William married Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly. They had a number of children, including Alexander who later received estates at Pittendrum (1513). The 3rd Earl supported King James III against barons, and had custody of the young James V in the 1520s; both of which awarded him with lands and honors. Both of his sons were killed at Battle of Flodden Field (where the dead included Sir William Keith of Inverugie and Sir John Keith of Ludquhairn). His son Robert sired two grandsons for the 3rd Earl, William and Robert Abbot of Deer.

Black John Skirving who was Standard Bearer to Keith, Earl Marischal, at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, was wounded but survived, taken prisoner by the English and imprisoned for several years. He hid the Keith Banderole around his person so that it wouldn't be found. The Skirving family presented this historic relic to the Advocates Library in Edinburgh in the 19th Century. The Banderole is six foot in length with three stags and the motto "Veritas Vincit".

"PLEASE NOTE: There is some disagreement regarding the Keith succession of Earls Marischal. Some accounts, such as the seminal text A System of Heraldry by Alexander Nisbet (1722), record only nine Earl Marischals before the title was forfeited by the Keiths. Other accounts, such as Burke's Peerage and The Scottish Peerage, record ten Earls. In your research, you will probably find examples of each. In accordance with the Countess of Kintore's The Keiths, this website will present the more inclusive list."

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• William Keith, 2nd Earl Marischal1
• M, #19262, d. from 24 November 1526 to 2 May 1527
• Last Edited=24 Mar 2016
• Consanguinity Index=0.15%
• William Keith, 2nd Earl Marischal was the son of William de Keith, 1st Earl Marischal and Margaret Erskine.1 He married Lady Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly and Annabella Stewart, circa 11 January 1481/82.1 He died from 24 November 1526 to 2 May 1527.1
• He succeeded to the title of 2nd Lord Keith [S., 1451] before 1483.1 He succeeded to the title of 2nd Earl Marischal [S., 1458] before 1483.1 He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] in February 1489/90.1
• Children of William Keith, 2nd Earl Marischal and Lady Elizabeth Gordon
  • Lady Janet Keith+1 d. c 25 Aug 1547
  • Robert Keith, Master of Marischal+2 d. bt 24 Aug 1524 - 22 Apr 1525
  • Lady Agnes Keith+3 d. c 1548
  • Lady Elizabeth Keith+4 d. a 24 Nov 1549
  • Robert Keith1
  • Alexander Keith of Aquhorsk1
  • John Keith of Craig1

Sources

1. A genealogical history of the dormant, abeyant, forfeited, and extinct ... By Sir Bernard Burke Pg. 303

Citations

• 1.[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 2195. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
• 2.[S8] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 1, page 99. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition.
• 3. [S6286] Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy, online http://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info. Hereinafter cited as Clan MacFarlane.
• 4.[S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
• From http://thepeerage.com/p1927.htm#i19262 ____________________
• William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal1
• M, #2924, d. before 2 May 1527
• Father William Keith, 2nd Earl Marischal b. b 1442, d. b 1483
• Mother Muriella Erskine
• William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal married Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of Sir George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntley, Lord of Gordon & Badenoch, Justiciary North of the Forth, Lt. North of the Esk, Lord High Chancellor and Elizabeth Hay, on 11 January 1481. William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal died before 2 May 1527.
• Family Elizabeth Gordon d. a 22 Apr 1525
• Children
  • Christian Keith+
  • Janet Keith+ d. bt 27 Aug 1546 - 25 Aug 1547
  • William Keith, Lord Keith d. 9 Sep 1513
  • Agnes Keith+ d. b 1548
  • Alexander Keith
  • Elizabeth Keith+ d. a 24 Nov 1549
  • Gilbert Keith2 d. Dec 1537
  • David Keith3 d. a 12 Feb 1528
  • George Keith3 d. a 1538
  • Robert Keith, Lord Keith+ b. c 1481, d. a 5 Apr 1514
• Citations
• [S186] Unknown author, Burke's Peerage, 1938, p. 1459; Wallop Family, p. 465.
• [S11585] The Scots Peerage, Vol. VI, edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, p. 44.
• [S11585] The Scots Peerage, Vol. VI, edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, p. 45.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p97.htm#i2924 ______________________
• William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal (died 7 October 1581) was a Scottish nobleman and politician.
• William Keith was the son of Robert Keith, Master of Marischal and Lady Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of John Douglas, 2nd Earl of Morton.[1] He succeeded his grandfather, William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal.[2] ....
• .... Later, the Earl Marischal retired with his great fortune to a secluded life at Dunnottar Castle becoming known locally as "William of the Tower."[6] The Earl died on 7 October 1581[2]
• He was married to Margaret Keith, eldest daughter of William Keith younger, of Inverugie, with whom he obtained large estates.[7] He and Margaret had twelve children:
  • William Keith, Master of Marischal (died 1580).[8]
  • Hon. Robert Keith, 1st Lord Altrie (died 1596).[9]
  • John Keith, probable Rector of Duffas.[9]
  • Agnes Keith, Countess of Moray (or Annas), m. 1st to the Regent Moray, 2nd. to Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll. She died 16 July 1588 at Edinburgh.[9]
  • Alexander Keith
  • Alison, m. to Alexander Abernethy, 6th Lord Saltoun (died 1587).[9]
  • Mary, m. to Sir John Campbell of Calder (dispensation for consanguinity).[9]
  • Beatrice, m. to Sir John Allardice of Allardice. She died 19 May 1596.[9]
  • Joneta, m. to James Crichton of Frendraught.[9]
  • Margaret, m. to John Kennedy of Blairquhan.[9]
  • Elizabeth, m. to Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum.[9]
  • Isobel, m. Alexander Strachan of Thornton. She died August 1595.[9]
  • Barbara, promised in m., failing her sister Isobel, to Alexander Strachan; m. Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo.[9]
• Keith's chief residence was Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire.[10]
• When he died on 7 October 1581, he was succeeded by his grandson, George Keith, son of William, Master of Marischal; George became the 5th Earl Marischal.[8]
• From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Keith,_4th_Earl_Marischal ________________
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 30
• Keith, William (d.1581) by Thomas Finlayson Henderson
• KEITH, WILLIAM, fourth Earl Marischal (d. 1581), was the eldest son of Robert, lord Keith (eldest son of William, third earl Marischal), by Lady Elizabeth Douglas, eldest daughter of John, second earl of Morton. His father having been slain at the battle of Flodden in 1513, he succeeded to the title on the death of his grandfather about 1530. .... He died on 7 Oct. 1581. By his wife Margaret, daughter and coheiress (with her sister Elizabeth, wife of Lord Forbes) of Sir William Keith of Inverugie, Banffshire, he had two sons: William, lord Keith, master of Marischal, who predeceased him in August 1580, and Robert, lord Altree, and seven daughters, all married: (1) Anne, first to the regent Moray, and secondly to Colin, sixth earl of Argyll, (2) Elizabeth, to Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum, (3) Alison, to Alexander, lord Salton, (4) Mary, to Sir John Campbell of Calder, (5) Beatrice to John Allardice of Allardice, (6) Janet, to James Crichton of Frendraght, (7) Margaret, to Sir John Kennedy of Balquhan.
• [Knox's Works, ed. Laing; Sadler's State Papers; Calderwood's History of the Church of Scotland; Cal. State Papers, Scott. Ser. and For. Ser. reign of Elizabeth; Peter Buchan's Ancient and Noble Family of Keith; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), ii. 191–3.]
• From: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Keith,_William_(d.1581)_(DNB00) __________________________
• A Genealogical History of the Dormant: Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct ... By Sir Bernard Burke
• https://books.google.com/books?id=K3MaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA303&lpg=PA303#v...
• Pg.303
• This great and illustrious family has held from the earliest ages the dignified post of Great Marischals of Scotland. With out attempting to trace the line of hereditary Great Marischals of Scotland from the year 1010, when Robert, the direct ancestor of this family was invested with that dignity by King MALCOM II., we will commence with Sir WILLIAM KEITH, Great Marischal of Scotland, the 11th in direct descent from the founder of the family, and who d. prior to 1476. he was created Earl Marischal of Scotland prior to 1458. By Mary, dau. of Sir James Hamilton, of Cadzow, he had, with other issue, a son,
• WILLIAM KEITH, 2nd Earl Marischal. He m. Muriella, dau. of Thomas, 1st Lord Erskine, by whom he had issue,
  • I. WILLIAM 3rd earl.
  • II. Robert.
  • III. Alexander, of Auquhorsk, ancestor of the late Rev. Dr. George Skene Keith.
  • IV. John, of Craig, ancestor of the late Sir Robert Murray Keith, K.B., a distinguished ambassador.
• The eldest son,
• WILLIAM KEITH, 3rd Earl Marischal, d. 1530. He m. 1482, Lady Elizabeth Gordon, dau. of George, 2nd Earl of Huntley, and grand-dau. of JAMES, 1st King of Scotland and Queen Jane Beaufort, by whom he had issue,
  • I. .... etc. ________________

   The Earls Marischall, hereditary heads of Scotland's armies and navies, claimed Dunnottar as their own. One of them, Sir William Keith, built a tower on Dunnottar. His siting was unfortunate--the tower was on hallowed ground--and the Bishop of St. Andrews excommunicated the earl from the Catholic church for his transgression. Pope Benedict XIII, one of three competing popes at the time, forgave Sir William in return for a substantial payment to the church. [High Drama: Scotland's Dunnottar Castle

   <http://www.worldwarii.com/HistoricTraveler/articles/1998/05982_text...]

   For three centureis Dunnottar Castle was held by the Keith family who were Grand Marischals of Scotland. [Castles and Historic Houses <http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/~ecs/culture/cult02.htm]

   d. bef 2 May 1527; son of William Keith and Mariot/Muriella Erskine; m. Elizabeth Gordon. [Richard Hodgson <ancestorsearch@talk21.com, 27 Sep 2002]

   With the accession of King James IV he was, in 1501, made commander of the Scottish forces along with the Earls of Argyll, Huntly, and Crawford, and Lord Lovat to campaign in the Highlands and capture the notorious Donald Dhu. From his common use of the phrase, he was called "Hearken and Take Heed!" The banner carried by the Keiths is still in existence and is now in the Advocates Library, Edinburgh. [Kywhite <Kywhite@aol.com, 16 Apr 1998]

William Keith, 2nd Earl Marischal, married Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander GORDON, 1st Earl of Huntly, and had several children. One son, Alexander, recieved estates at Pittendrum (1513), and was ancestor of Alexander Keith (Sheriff-Depute of Mearns), Robert Keith (Minister in Edinburgh), and Alexander Keith (noted writer of the mid-1700's). This William, 2nd Earl, had custody of young King James V in the 1520's, and was ever afterwards rewarded with lands and honors. William's eldest son, Robert, was at the battle of Flodden (where the dead included Sir William Keith of Inverugie, and Sir John Keith of Ludquhairn). This Robert Keith married Beatrix, daughter of John DOUGLAS (Earl of Morton) and died before his father, leaving sons: William, and Robert Abbot of Deer (whose shield is shown at right). Earl William's daughters were Elizabeth (married George, Earl of Huntly), Janet (m. George Lord GLAMMIS), and Agnes (m. Sir Archibald DOUGLAS of Glenbervie).

Source: http://www.reocities.com/sconemac/marshall.html

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• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jan 13 2017, 16:24:10 UTC