David Olifard facts for kids

Sir David Olifard (born around 1113-1117, died around 1170) was a very important person in early Scottish history. He was the first known Justiciar for the southern part of Scotland. This area was south of the Forth and Clyde rivers, but it didn't include Galloway.

David Olifard was the godson of King David I of Scotland. He even saved the King's life during a big battle called the Rout of Winchester in 1141. Today, he is known as the first chief of Clan Oliphant.

Early Life and Family

David Olifard's family, the Olifards, owned land in England. These lands were given to them by the Earls of Northampton and Huntingdon. In 1113, King David I of Scotland married Maud, who was the Countess of Huntingdon. This meant King David I became the Earl of Huntingdon.

Since David Olifard was the godson of King David I, he was named after him. This means David Olifard must have been born after 1113. His mother's name was Muriel.

We don't know much about David Olifard's wife. However, he gave some of his land at Crailing to the monks of Jedburgh. Another person, Berengerias de Engein, also gave money from the same mill at Crailing to the same monks. This suggests they might have been related, perhaps through marriage.

David Olifard had four sons:

• Sir Walter Olifard, who later became the Justiciar of the Lothians, just like his father.
• William, who is an ancestor of the Oliphant family in Perthshire.
• Philip.
• Fulco.

He also had at least one daughter. She married William de Moravia (Murray), who later became the first Murray to own the lands around Bothwell.

Family Lands in England

The Olifard family owned lands in England, like Lilford and Oakington in Cambridge. While David Olifard himself isn't directly recorded as owning Lilford, his family did. His brothers and later his own children held these lands.

The Sawtry Connection

David Olifard was given land at Sawtry in Huntingdon by Henry of Scotland. Henry was the son of King David I and held Sawtry as the Earl of Huntingdon. This was a special gift, as Sawtry was a very important and valuable piece of land.

During a civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda, both Henry of Scotland and King David I supported Empress Matilda. Because of this, King Stephen took away the Earldom of Huntingdon from Henry in 1138. He gave it to one of his own supporters, Simon de Senlis II.

In 1141, David Olifard was fighting on King Stephen's side. But when he saw his godfather, King David I, was in danger of being captured, Olifard left Stephen's army and bravely rescued King David I. This shows his strong loyalty to the Scottish King.

After this, Simon de Senlis II founded a monastery called Sawtry Abbey on Olifard's lands in 1147. This was likely done to stop Olifard from ever returning to Sawtry. Sawtry is the only land David Olifard is known to have owned in England.

Coming to Scotland

When David Olifard came to Scotland, he was seen as a very important noble. He was treated with the same high respect as other powerful newcomers from England and Flanders.

Career in Scotland

David Olifard first appears in Scottish royal records in 1144. For the next 26 years, he was often a witness to important documents signed by the kings. From 1165 until 1170, he became one of the most important figures in the courts of King Malcolm IV and King William I. After 1170, he is no longer mentioned, which suggests he died that year.

David Olifard is recorded as a "Justiciar" in at least ten documents. A Justiciar was like a chief judge or a governor for a large area. He was the first person recorded as a Justiciar in the Lothians region. His son, Sir Walter Olifard, was the first to be officially called "Justiciar of the Lothians." It's also important to remember that during Sir David Olifard's time, areas like Northumbria and Cumbria were also considered part of Southern Scotland.

The Hospital of Soutra

The Hospital of Soutra was the largest hospital in Scotland. It was also known as "Domus de Soltre." King Malcolm IV founded it in 1164. The name "Soltre" or "Soutra" is very similar to Olifard's old land of Sawtry in England.

It's probably not a coincidence that David Olifard was the first to sign a document for the hospital after it was founded. He also gave the hospital a donation of corn every autumn from his lands. His personal seal, showing three crescent moons, was on this document. This is the earliest known example of the Oliphant family's coat of arms.

Later, in 1271, there was a disagreement between the monks at the hospital and the people of Crailing (land owned by Olifard's family). The dispute was eventually settled in favor of the monks.

Land in Scotland

Soon after arriving in Scotland, David Olifard received important lands. These included Smailholm and Crailing, both in Roxburghshire. During the reign of King Malcolm IV, he was given the lands between the North and South Calder rivers. These lands became the main part of the large area known as the barony of Bothwell.

These Scottish lands were given to Olifard by the King in exchange for his lands at Sawtry in England. Olifard's lands around Bothwell were very extensive. They included the barony of Drumsergard, which later changed its name to Cambuslang in the 1600s.