James Mor Stewart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids James Mór Stewart |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coat of Arms of the Albany Stewarts
|
|||||
| Born | circa 1400 Scotland. Possibly Stirling, Stirlingshire. |
||||
| Died | 1429 (some sources say 1449) Antrim, Ireland |
||||
| Spouse | Unknown member of Clan MacDonald | ||||
| Issue | James "Beag" Stewart Murdoch Stewart Arthur Stewart Robert Stewart Matilda Stewart Alexander Stewart |
||||
|
|||||
| House | House of Stuart | ||||
| Father | Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany | ||||
| Mother | Isabella of Lennox | ||||
James Mor Stewart, also known as James the Fat, (Scottish Gaelic: Seamas Mór) (born around 1400, died 1429 or 1449) was the youngest son of Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany and Isabella of Lennox.
In 1425, King James I had James's father and brothers executed for going against the king. James then led a rebellion against the king. He captured the town of Dumbarton and killed the person in charge of Dumbarton Castle. However, his success did not last long. He soon had to flee to Ireland, where he lived the rest of his life away from Scotland. In 1429, there was another plan to bring James back to Scotland to become king, but he died before this could happen.
James's oldest son, James "Beag" Stewart, was later allowed to return to Scotland. He is an ancestor of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich. Their family story is told by Sir Walter Scott in his book A Legend of Montrose.
Early Life and Rebellion
Not much is known about James Mor Stewart's early life. His family was very powerful in Scotland. His father, Murdoch Stewart, was the Duke of Albany. This made him a very important person, second only to the king.
In March 1425, King James I of Scotland arrested James's father and his oldest brother, Alexander. They were accused of treason, which means going against the king. The king took over their family homes, Doune Castle and Falkland Palace. Duke Murdoch and two of his sons were put in prison to wait for a trial.
James Mor Stewart quickly became a leader for those who were unhappy with the king. He started a large rebellion against the crown. At first, things went well for him. He got support from his mother's family in Lennox. He also had help from Fionnlagh MacCailein, the Bishop of Argyll, who had always supported the Albany Stewarts.
James marched to the town of Dumbarton. He burned the town and killed Sir John Stewart of Dundonald, who was the king's uncle and in charge of the royal castle there. However, the castle itself, led by John Colquhoun, managed to defend against James's men.
Other groups also supported James. The Clan Galbraith joined his rebellion. After the revolt failed, about 600 members of the Clan Galbraith had to leave Scotland. They went to Kintyre and the Isle of Gigha.
Escape to Ireland
James Mor's rebellion was quickly stopped. His father and brothers were found guilty of treason and executed after a trial. This meant that almost all of James's family was gone. Only his mother, Isabella of Lennox, survived.
Later in 1425, King James's forces chased James Mor. He fled to Antrim, Ireland. He was joined by the sons of his dead brother, Walter. He went to Ireland to escape the king's punishment. We don't know many details about how he escaped. It is likely he got help from the Clan Campbell of Lochawe, as they were related to him.
James Mor never returned to Scotland. He lived as an exile in Ireland until he died. His mother and sister stayed in Scotland.
Family and Legacy
In Ireland, James had children with a woman from the MacDonald family. Some people think she was a daughter of Iain Mòr Tànaiste MacDhòmhnaill, who was the 1st Earl of Antrim. James was not married to this woman, but they had several children:
- James "Beag" Stewart (born around 1424, died 1470) was able to get permission from the king to return to Scotland. He married Annabel Buchanan. He was given land called "Baldorran" in 1457. He is the ancestor of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich. Their family history is told by Sir Walter Scott in A Legend of Montrose.
- Murdoch Stewart, born around 1427 in Antrim, Ireland.
- Arthur Stewart, born around 1429 in Antrim, Ireland.
- Robert Stewart, born around 1433 in Antrim, Ireland.
- Matilda Stewart, born around 1435.
- Alexander Stewart, born around 1437 in Antrim, Ireland.
James's mother, Isabella of Lennox, was put in prison by King James in Tantallon Castle. This happened after her husband and children were executed. However, in 1437, King James himself was killed. Soon after, Isabella was set free. She eventually got her lands and title back.
After she was freed, Isabella brought her young grandchildren, James Mor's children, to live with her. She raised them at her castle on Inchmurrin, Loch Lomond.
See also
- Clan Stewart
- Stewart of Balquhidder
- List of heirs of Scotland
