William Hay, 1st Earl of Erroll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Erroll
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Arms of the Earl of Erroll
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| 5th Lord High Constable of Scotland | |
| In office 1437–1462 |
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| Preceded by | William de la Haye |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Hay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1423 Errol, Perthshire, Scotland |
| Died | October 1462 (age 38 or 39) Old Slains Castle, Aberdeenshire |
| Spouse |
Beatrix Douglas
(m. 1449) |
| Children | 7, including Nicholas and William |
William Hay, 1st Earl of Erroll (born 1423 – died October 1462) was an important Scottish noble. He was the very first person to hold the title of Earl of Erroll. He was also known as the second Lord Hay of Erroll.
Contents
Life and Times of William Hay
William Hay was born in a place called Erroll, which is now spelled Errol. This town is in Perthshire, Scotland. His parents were Gilbert Hay and Alicia Hay.
Family Background
William Hay came from a very important family. His grandmother was Princess Elizabeth Stewart. She was the youngest daughter of Robert II of Scotland, who was a king of Scotland.
His grandfather, Thomas de la Hay, held a special job called the Lord High Constable of Scotland. This was a very old and important position in the Scottish government. The Constable was in charge of keeping order and leading the king's army when needed.
Becoming Lord High Constable
In 1437, William Hay inherited the title of Lord High Constable. He took over this role after his father, Sir William, passed away. This made him the fifth person to hold this powerful position.
New Lands and Titles
In 1454, William Hay bought some land in a region called Angus. He bought these lands from Alexander Ogilvie.
A few years later, on March 17, 1452, King James II of Scotland gave William Hay a new, even higher title. The king made him the first-ever Earl of Erroll. This was a very high honor.
William Hay passed away in October 1462. He was likely buried in the Abbey Church of Cupar.
Family Life
William Hay married a woman named Beatrix Douglas. She was the daughter of James Douglas, who was the 7th Earl of Douglas.
Together, William and Beatrix had seven children. They had three sons and four daughters. Their sons included Nicholas and William, who both later became Earls of Erroll.
