Malise II, Earl of Strathearn facts for kids
Máel Ísu, also known as Malise II (died 1271), was an important Scottish nobleman. He was the fifth Earl of Strathearn, a region in Scotland. His father was Robert, the 4th Earl of Strathearn. Máel Ísu was known for being very generous and for getting along well with both the Scottish and English kings of his time.
Life as an Earl
Malise first appears in official records in 1244. At that time, he promised to follow the rules of the Treaty of York. This treaty was an agreement where the King of Scots gave up his claims to land in northern England. Malise's father had also witnessed the signing of this treaty.
From 1244 to 1245, Malise attended the Scottish parliament, which was like a meeting of important leaders. In 1249, he was present when King Alexander III became king. Malise was a friend of King Henry III of England. King Henry even asked Malise to look after his daughter, Margaret, when she became Queen of Scots.
In 1259, King Henry gave Malise permission to travel abroad safely. Malise returned home the next year. He was a smart man who managed to stay on good terms with both the Scottish and English kings. People said he was "more generous than all his friends." He was indeed known for his kindness.
Throughout his life, Malise gave many gifts to Inchaffray Abbey, a religious place. He gave the monks control over some of his workers, called serfs, who were like servants tied to the land. He also gave them the right to take stone from a quarry and donated money.
Death and Burial
It is believed that Malise died in 1271 while he was in France. His body was brought back to Scotland. He was buried at Dunblane Cathedral, which was an important church in the Strathearn area.
In 1817, during some building work at Dunblane Cathedral, two large stone coffins were found. Inside them were life-sized statues of a warrior and a lady. A writer from the 1300s, John of Fordun, had written that Malise was buried at Dunblane. Because of this, people believed these were the tombs of Malise and his wife, though it's not certain which tomb belonged to whom. One of the tombs had the date 1271 carved on it.
A long time ago, in the late 1600s, someone named Sir Robert Sibbald mentioned seeing a picture in the church. It showed the Countess of Strathearn and her children kneeling to receive a blessing from St. Blane. However, no one knows where this picture is today.
Family Life
Earl Malise was married four times during his life:
- First, around 1245, he married Marjory de Muschamp. She was the daughter of Sir Robert de Muschamp. They had two daughters:
- Muriel, born before 1245, who married William, Earl of Mar.
- Mary, born around 1251, who married Sir Nicholas de Graham.
- Second, before December 1257, he married Matilda. She was the daughter of Gilbert, Earl of Orkney and Caithness. They had two sons and one daughter:
- Malise III, Earl of Strathearn, who became the next Earl after his father.
- Robert.
- Cecilia.
- Third, it seems he married a woman named Emma. We don't know who her parents were, and they did not have any children.
- Fourth, in or after 1265, he married Maria. She was the daughter of Ewan, Lord of Argyll. Maria had been married before to Magnus, King of Mann. She lived longer than Earl Malise. Later, she married Sir Hugh Abernethy, and they had a son named Alexander Abernethy.
