John Comyn, Earl of Buchan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Comyn, 3rd Earl Buchan
Coat of arms as Earl of Buchan
Personal details
Born	Buchan, Aberdeenshire
Died	1308 England
Spouse	Isabella MacDuff
Parents	Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan Elizabeth de Quincy

John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan (born around 1260 – died 1308) was a powerful Scottish noble. He was a main enemy of Robert the Bruce during the War of Scottish Independence. It's important not to confuse him with his cousin, John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch. That cousin was killed by Bruce in 1306.

John Comyn of Buchan came from a family that had a lot of power in Scotland for a long time. Robert the Bruce defeated him at the Battle of Barra. After this, Comyn had to escape to England. Bruce then attacked the Comyn lands in Buchan. This attack, along with Comyn's death, changed who held power in Scotland for good.

The Comyn Family in Scotland

How the Comyns Gained Power

The Comyns were a family from Normandy, France. They first came to Scotland when King David I ruled. In 1136, a man named William Comyn became the Chancellor of Scotland. He was part of a new group of French-speaking people. Their power came from serving the Scottish king.

Kings used these new families to spread royal power across Scotland. The Comyns first received land in the south. In 1212, they became even more important. William Comyn, a top judge, married Marjory. She was the only child of Fergus, the ruler of Buchan.

Becoming Earls of Buchan

The lordship of Buchan was a large area in north-east Scotland. When their son Alexander took over, the Comyns became the first Norman family to become earls in Scotland. This gave them a head start over the Bruce family. The Bruces did not become earls until later.

William Comyn also helped his family gain more power. He got the southern part of the old earldom of Moray for his son, Walter Comyn. This area included Lochaber. By the mid-1200s, the Comyn family ruled a huge area. It stretched from Aberdeenshire all the way to Loch Linnhe. They stayed powerful through the reigns of Alexander II and Alexander III. Their power reached its peak during the reign of King John Balliol.

Choosing a New King for Scotland

The Great Succession Problem

In 1290, Margaret, Maid of Norway, the last direct heir of the Scottish royal family, died. This meant there was no clear person to become the next king. Thirteen people, called competitors, stepped forward. These included Robert Bruce of Annandale, who was the grandfather of the future King Robert the Bruce. John Balliol was another main competitor.

Comyns Support Balliol

John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, also known as the Black Comyn, was one of the competitors. But the Comyn family mostly supported John Balliol. He was the Black Comyn's brother-in-law. King Edward I of England stepped in to help decide. In 1292, Balliol was chosen as the rightful king.

However, the Bruce family was not happy with this decision. Any future attempt to claim the Scottish crown would need the Comyns' help, or the Comyn family would have to be removed. By 1292, the big split between the Comyns and the Bruces had clearly formed. This rivalry would affect Scottish politics for over 50 years.

John Comyn, Earl of Buchan's Role

Serving King John Balliol

John Comyn became the 3rd Earl of Buchan in 1289, after his father Alexander died. He was about 30 years old. He played an important role in King John Balliol's government. By 1293, he was the Constable of Scotland, a high military position.

King Edward I of England, who saw himself as Scotland's overlord, asked Buchan to fight in wars in France. When King John agreed to send Scottish soldiers, Buchan and other nobles took control of the kingdom. This new government made an alliance with France. They also got ready for war with England.

First Clashes with the Bruces

The first act of this war was an attack on Carlisle. Buchan, along with his cousin John, the Red Comyn, led this attack. The attack was against Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick. He was the son of the Bruce who had competed for the throne. So, the War of Scottish Independence began with a fight between the Comyns and the Bruces.

The attack on Carlisle failed. The whole Scottish campaign of 1296 also failed. Edward I quickly moved north. Buchan and King John surrendered at Montrose in July. Buchan was taken to the Tower of London and imprisoned in England. In June 1297, he promised to serve in the English army.

Returning to Scotland

Later that year, Scotland was in a widespread rebellion. Sir Andrew Moray led it in the north, and Sir William Wallace led it in the south. Moray's uprising was close to Buchan's own lands. To bring Moray under control, Edward I sent Buchan back to Scotland in July 1297.

The Comyns and the Scottish Uprising

Dealing with the Rebels

Buchan's job was to control Moray. This was tricky because it involved national politics and family ties. Moray was the son of Sir Andrew Moray of Petty and Avoch, a neighbor and friend. The Morays and Comyns also had family connections. Sir Andrew's second wife was Euphemia Comyn, daughter of the first Lord of Badenoch.

Buchan faced a difficult choice. If he did nothing, or joined the rebels, it would be risky. His cousin, the Red Comyn, was with Edward I in Flanders. Buchan and Moray eventually met near the River Spey. Moray then retreated into a "great stronghold of bog and wood." Buchan later told Edward I that he couldn't follow him there.

Suspicions of Loyalty

The English leader, Hugh de Cressingham, thought Buchan was secretly helping the rebels. He wrote that the peace in Scotland was unclear because of what the earls were doing. The Guisborough Chronicle also believed Comyn was guilty. It said he "pretended to repress rebellion but in the end changed sides."

However, the English government still thought Buchan was loyal just before the Battle of Stirling Bridge. But it's likely that Wallace and Moray could not have gathered their forces in the north without Buchan's quiet approval.

Nobles, Guardians, and Rivalries

After Stirling Bridge

Buchan likely helped the Scottish victory at Stirling Bridge, even though he wasn't there. After this, not much is known about his actions for a while. It seems that the death of Moray and the rise of William Wallace as Guardian of Scotland changed Buchan's view of the rebellion.

It's important to remember that nobles like Buchan were not always just selfless heroes or villains. They also thought about their own benefits. For Buchan and many other nobles, Wallace was not a great hero. He was a "newcomer" who normally wouldn't have much power in their society.

Disputes and Resignations

It was especially annoying for Buchan when Wallace chose William Lamberton to be the Bishop of St Andrews. Buchan had expected his own brother, Master William Comyn, to get the job. Some old stories say that the Comyns abandoned Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk. This shows that the Comyns probably disliked Wallace, especially since Lamberton was known to be close to the Bruce family.

After the defeat at Falkirk, Wallace stepped down as Guardian. He was replaced by Robert Bruce the younger (who would become king) and John Comyn of Badenoch (the Red Comyn). This was an uneasy partnership. It was meant to balance the different powerful families in Scotland. Bruce openly wanted the throne, even though he acted in the name of "the illustrious King John" (Balliol).

A Tense Meeting

In 1299, a meeting of nobles almost turned violent. An English spy reported what happened. David Graham, a supporter of the Comyns, spoke up. He demanded that William Wallace's lands be taken because Wallace had left Scotland without permission. Wallace's brother, Malcolm, argued back. The two knights drew their daggers.

When the Earl of Buchan and John Comyn heard about the fight, they got involved. John Comyn grabbed Robert Bruce by the throat. The Earl of Buchan turned on Bishop Lamberton, saying that treason was being planned. Other nobles stepped in and calmed them down. Lamberton was added as a Guardian to keep the peace, but the Comyns disliked him. Eventually, Lamberton had to step down. Bruce himself also stepped down in 1300. At this time, it seemed possible that King John Balliol might return, which was the main goal of the Comyn family.

The Comyns in Power and Peace with England

Leading the Scottish Cause

From about 1300 to 1304, the war in Scotland was largely led by the Comyns. With his cousin, the Red Comyn, as Guardian, Buchan was a top judge in the north of Scotland. He held court in Aberdeen in early 1300. He also fought near the border, raiding English lands. In Galloway, he tried to get local people to support the Scottish cause.

In 1301, he joined John de Soules in fighting the English army in the River Clyde valley. The next year, he was chosen to go to Paris to try and stop a peace treaty between England and France. While he was away, his cousin helped defeat an English force at the Battle of Roslin.

Facing Edward I's Invasion

However, this victory didn't last. Edward I was preparing a huge attack on Scotland. He convinced King Philip IV to exclude Scotland from the Treaty of Paris in May 1303. Buchan and the other Scottish ambassadors wrote a letter to his cousin, encouraging him not to give up. They said his honor had grown because of his recent battle.

Edward's invasion in 1303 was the strongest since 1296. It was too powerful to resist. The English army pushed north, threatening the Comyn lands. The Red Comyn decided to make peace with King Edward. This peace was agreed near Perth in February 1304.

Comyns After the Conquest

Surprisingly, the Comyns did not fare too badly. They were still part of the Scottish government even after the English conquest. Edward I, despite his fierce reputation, had to compromise. He couldn't afford the huge cost of conquering Scotland like he had Wales. So, he often made deals with his former enemies.

Buchan's lands, which had been taken away, were given back to him. He became a member of the council that helped govern Scotland under the new English governor. In September 1305, he was one of the Scottish nobles who went to the English Parliament to accept Edward's rules for governing Scotland.

The Murder and Its Aftermath

The Throne is Empty Again

By 1306, it was clear that John Balliol, who was living in France, would never return to Scotland. His claim to the throne was still alive, but his son, Edward Balliol, was held captive by the English. The next best person to claim the throne was the Red Comyn, King John's nephew.

However, his biggest rival was Robert Bruce. Bruce had submitted to the English in 1302, but he never gave up his dream of becoming king. Since 1286, the threat of civil war between the Bruce and Balliol families had shaped Scottish politics.

The Killing in Dumfries

On February 10, 1306, Bruce and his friends murdered the Red Comyn and his uncle in Dumfries. This act turned the threat of civil war into a real war. We don't know for sure why the Red Comyn was killed. Scottish stories say he was a traitor. English stories say it was a bloody crime. But both sides agree that the Comyn family, especially the Red Comyn, was a major obstacle to Bruce's ambition.

Bruce quickly took advantage of the situation. He was crowned king at Scone on March 25 in a quick ceremony. The Stone of Scone was missing. Also, the Earl of Fife, who traditionally placed new kings on the throne, was not there.

Isabella MacDuff's Role

In a surprising move, Isabella MacDuff, the Earl of Fife's sister, arrived. She was also Buchan's wife. She brought her husband's war horses and claimed the right to place Bruce on the throne herself. So, another ceremony was held two days later. We don't know why she acted differently from her husband. Buchan, as a main supporter of Edward I, did nothing to save Isabella from the punishment she soon faced. Some sources even say he wanted her executed.

With Bruce now going one way, it was certain that Buchan and his allies would go the other. People who had been seen as patriots now fought on the English side. This was a key reason why the Comyns eventually failed. People who didn't take a side in the Dumfries murder would eventually support a new, successful King of Scots against a group that was allied with the national enemy.

War and Destruction in Buchan

Bruce's Campaign Against Comyn

At first, the forces against Bruce were strong but spread out. He decided to deal with them one by one. This became easier when Edward I died in July 1307. His son, Edward II, was much less capable. With the main English army gone, Bruce dealt with his enemies in Scotland with great determination.

After successful campaigns in Galloway and Argyll, Bruce focused all his efforts on the Earl of Buchan. Buchan was his main enemy within Scotland.

The Battle of Inverurie

The campaign against Comyn lasted from late 1307 into the spring of 1308. It was prolonged because Bruce became seriously ill. This might have been Comyn's best chance to defeat his enemy. With Bruce sick and his army smaller, Comyn attacked Bruce's camp near Huntly. But the attack was not very strong, and Buchan retreated after some arrow fire.

The only stories we have about this campaign are against Comyn. This means either Buchan was not a very good soldier, or he couldn't fully trust his own forces. It was probably a mix of both. The campaign ended in December 1307 or May 1308, when Buchan's army fell apart at the Battle of Inverurie. Buchan then fled to England after his earldom was systematically destroyed.

The Harrying of Buchan

The Harrying of Buchan was done for one reason: to destroy the Comyn family's power in north-east Scotland forever. For once, the destruction was carried out by Scots against other Scots, not by the English. It was so thorough that people remembered it for 50 years. It was a very effective act of political terror. A similar destruction in Galloway did not break the local people's loyalty to the Balliol family. But the earldom of Buchan would never again rise for the Comyns.

In England, King Edward II welcomed the fleeing earl. He made him warden of the west marches in June 1308. But Buchan did not enjoy his new role for long. He died sometime before December 1308. His niece and heir, Alice Comyn, married Henry Beaumont. He was a French nobleman serving the English. Beaumont would claim the earldom of Buchan through his wife. His strong efforts to claim it were a major reason for the start of the Second War of Scottish Independence in the 1330s. This also restarted the war between the Comyns and the Bruces.

See also

• Earl of Buchan