John of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John of Scotland
Earl of Chester
The coat of arms of John of Scotland, 7th Earl of Chester.
Predecessor	Matilda of Chester Countess of Salisbury suo jure
Successor	Extinct – reverted to crown
Other names	John de Scotia, the Scot
Born	1207
Died	6 June 1237 (aged 30)
Spouse(s)	Elen ferch Llywelyn the Elder (1222–1237; his death)
Parents	David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon Matilda of Chester

John of Scotland (also known as John de Scotia or John le Scot) was an important noble who lived from about 1207 to 1237. He was known as "the Scot." John held two important titles: the 9th Earl of Huntingdon and the 7th Earl of Chester.

He was the son of David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon and Matilda of Chester. His mother, Matilda, was the daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester. Around 1222, John married Elen ferch Llywelyn, who was the daughter of Llywelyn the Great, a powerful Welsh prince.

John's Titles and Lands

John inherited important titles and lands during his lifetime. These titles came with a lot of power and responsibility in medieval times.

Becoming Earl of Huntingdon

When John's father, David of Scotland, passed away in 1219, John became the Earl of Huntingdon. This meant he was in charge of a large area of land and had a high rank among the nobles.

Becoming Earl of Chester

John also became the Earl of Chester, which was another very important title.

How John Became Earl of Chester

In 1232, John's uncle, Ranulph de Blondeville, 4th Earl of Chester, died without children. This meant that his mother, Matilda of Chester, inherited the Earldom of Chester because she was Ranulph's oldest sister.

Less than a month later, with the king's permission, Matilda decided to give the Earldom of Chester to her son, John. This was a special gift of land and title given while she was still alive. So, John became Earl of Chester because of his mother's right to the title.

King Henry III officially recognized John as the Earl of Chester on November 21, 1232. John became the Earl of Chester in his own right a few weeks later, when his mother passed away in January 1233.

John's Death and Legacy

John of Scotland passed away on June 6, 1237, when he was about 30 years old. He did not have any children.

What Happened to His Titles?

Like his uncle Ranulph, John left behind three sisters. They were his "co-heirs," meaning they were the next in line to inherit his property and titles.

His sisters agreed to divide the lands among themselves. They also planned for the husband of the eldest sister, William de Forz, to become the Earl of Chester and Huntingdon.

However, King Henry III had other plans. He decided that the Earldoms of Chester and Huntingdon should become part of the royal lands, belonging to the crown. He did not want such important lands to be divided among women.

In 1246, King Henry III bought the rights to the Chester lands from John's four sisters. The Earldom of Chester was later given to Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester in 1264. The Earldom of Huntingdon was given to William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon in 1337.