William Stewart of Baldorran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Stewart of Baldorran
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Arms of the Albany Stewarts
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| Born |
William Stewart
c1440 |
| Died | c1500 |
| Occupation | Royal Bailie of the Crown Lands of Balquhidder |
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| Children | Janet Stewart (born c1475) Agnes Stewart (born c1477) Walter Stewart (born c1480) John Stewart (born c1485) Mariote Stewart, (born c1490) |
| Parent(s) | James "Beag" Stewart (c.1410–1470) Annabel Buchanan |
Sir William Stewart (around 1440–1500) was an important Scottish landowner. He was the 2nd Laird of Baldorran and the first Royal Bailie of Balquhidder. William Stewart founded the Balquhidder Stewart family. His grandfather, James Mhor Stewart, tried to become King of Scotland in 1429 but did not succeed.
William's Early Life
William Stewart was born around 1440 in Scotland. His parents were James "Beag" Stewart and Annabel Buchanan. Annabel was the daughter of Patrick, the 14th Lord of Buchanan.
William's grandfather was James Mhor Stewart. James Mhor was the only son of Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, who survived King James I of Scotland's actions in 1425. The King had Murdoch and his oldest sons executed for treason. Their lands were taken by the Crown.
James Mhor Stewart escaped to Ireland to avoid the King's anger. His youngest son, James "Beag" Stewart, received a royal pardon. He was allowed to return to Scotland. James "Beag" married Annabel Buchanan and was given the Baldorran estate. William Stewart was their second son.
Royal Bailie of Balquhidder
Around 1488, William Stewart of Baldorran became the Royal Bailie of the Crown Lands of Balquhidder. A Bailie was a local officer in Scottish towns. This job was similar to a mayor or a judge in other countries. Bailies were in charge of an area called a bailiary. Scottish lords often chose a Bailie to be their legal officer.
William brought the Stewart family name to Balquhidder. He was the founder of the Balquhidder Stewart clan. Many important Stewart families, like the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, Glen Buckie, Gartnafuaran, and Annat, are his descendants.
The name Baldorran comes from a Gaelic phrase meaning "town of the otter." It was sometimes spelled "Balindoran" long ago. Today, Baldorran no longer exists as a town. It was located in East Dunbartonshire, near Milton of Campsie. This area is about 15 miles southwest of Stirling. The Stewarts of Baldorran later sold their land to the Glorat family. Now, maps show the old Baldorran area as Glorat House.
William Stewart worked hard to make his family rich again. His family had lost much after the events of 1425. He successfully made his family's land bigger. He added parts of Upper Strathgartney and most of Balquhidder.
William's Family
William Stewart married two times. His first wife was Janet Buchanan. She was the daughter of Archibald Buchanan of Lettir. They had two daughters:
- Janet Stewart (born around 1475).
- Agnes Stewart (born around 1477).
His second wife was Marion Helen Campbell. She was the daughter of Colin Campbell, 1st of Glenorchy. They married on October 5, 1498. They had three children:
- Walter Stewart, who became the 3rd Laird of Baldorran. He was also the 2nd Bailie of Balquhidder. He was born around 1480 in Baldorran.
- John Stewart, who became the 1st Laird of Glenbuckie. He was born around 1485 in Baldorran.
- Mariote Stewart, born around 1490 in Baldorran.
Later, in the 1500s, the land in Balquhidder was divided. William Stewart's descendants received special rights to farm parts of the land. These rights were passed down through their families.
See also
