Freskin facts for kids
Freskin was a nobleman from a place called Flanders (which is now mostly in Belgium). He moved to Scotland a long, long time ago, during the time of King David I. Freskin is super important because he is the ancestor of two big Scottish families: the Murray family and the Sutherland family. He died sometime before the year 1171.
Contents
Freskin's Journey to Scotland
Freskin came to Scotland from Flanders. He first settled in the Lowlands, then moved north to a region called Moray. King David I gave Freskin a lot of land. These lands included Strathbrock in West Lothian, and also Duffus, Roseisle, Inchikel, Machir, and Kintrae in Moray.
Historians believe Freskin was part of a large group of Flemish people who moved to Scotland in the mid-1100s. Many of them settled in West Lothian and near the River Clyde. The kings of Scotland gave land to these Flemish settlers, especially in Moray. This was a way for the kings to bring new people into the area. They wanted to create a stronger, more united kingdom. Sometimes, the local Gaelic nobles in Moray had resisted the king's rule.
Freskin's Family Tree
Freskin likely had one main son named William. Some people think Freskin had two other sons, Hugh and Andrew, but they might have actually been William's sons.
William inherited all of his father's lands. He took the name de Moravia, which means "of Moray" in English. This is how the famous Murray family got its name. Today, the main leader of the Murray family holds the title of Duke of Atholl.
One of William's sons, named Hugh, gained a lot of land in a place called Sutherland. Hugh's son, also named William, took the last name Sutherland. In the 1230s, he was made the first Earl of that region. His descendants still hold this important title today.
You can see the connection between the Murray and Sutherland families by looking at their family shields. The Murrays have three silver stars on a blue background. The Sutherlands have three gold stars on a red background. The stars show they are related!
A Possible Link to the Douglas Family
It's also possible that the Douglas family is connected to Freskin's family. A man named Bricius de Douglas, who was the son of William, Lord of Douglas, became the Bishop of Moray in 1203.
There was another man named Freskin of Kerdal. He helped the Holy Trinity Church in Spynie. Bishop Bricius called Freskin of Kerdal his uncle. We don't know exactly who Freskin of Kerdal's parents were, but he was definitely a descendant of the original Freskin.
This connection is also supported by the family shields. Both the Murray and Douglas families use three silver stars on a blue background in their coats of arms. The stars are arranged in similar ways.
People in the early 1400s certainly believed that the Murrays and Douglases shared a common ancestor. They even wrote about it in old poems, saying that even though people told different stories about their beginnings, their shields showed a clear link, suggesting they were related by family lines.
See also
- Lambroughton - More about Freskin and the possible origin of Clan Cunninghame.
- Andrew of Wyntoun
