William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland
de Moravia Earl of Sutherland Coat of Arms
Born	c.1210
Died	1248 Sutherland, Scotland
Buried	Dornoch Cathedral, Sutherland, Scotland
Allegiance	Scotland
Battles/wars	Rebellion of 1228 (helped to defeat) Battle of Embo
Relations	Hugh de Moravia (father) William de Moravia, 2nd Earl of Sutherland (son)

William de Moravia (also known as William Sutherland) was an important Scottish nobleman who lived from about 1210 to 1248. He was the first Earl of Sutherland and the leader of the Clan Sutherland, a famous Scottish clan from the Scottish Highlands.

Becoming the Earl of Sutherland

William de Moravia was given the title "Lord of Sutherland" sometime before 1222. He confirmed land ownership to Gilbert de Moravia, a church official.

In 1222, King Alexander II of Scotland traveled north. He wanted to punish people in Caithness who had killed their bishop. William, Lord of Sutherland, likely joined the King on this trip.

Later, in 1228, a rebellion broke out. A man named Gillescop led it. King Alexander II crushed this rebellion. Gillescop and his two sons were captured the next year. Their heads were sent to the King. Historians believe that William de Moravia helped the King defeat this uprising.

Because of his help, William was likely given the title of Earl of Sutherland. This helped the King balance power in the northern lands. It also helped control the powerful Earl of Caithness.

After becoming an Earl, William de Moravia did not appear often in official records. However, his territory, Sutherland, became more organized and peaceful. Dornoch Cathedral was built within his lands. The new bishop of Caithness, Gilbert de Moravia, decided to build this large church. He also set up fourteen local churches. Sir Robert Gordon, an old historian, said that Earl William greatly helped Bishop Gilbert with this work.

However, the Earl and the Bishop did not always agree. Before the bishop died in 1245, they had a disagreement over some land. They reached an agreement, but the issue was not fully settled. Their families continued the dispute later on.

The Battle of Embo

Sir Robert Gordon also tells the story of the Battle of Embo. A group of Viking invaders attacked the area. William, Earl of Sutherland, sent his trusted helper, Richard de Moravia, to stop them. Richard was Bishop Gilbert's brother. Richard's job was to hold off the Vikings until the Earl could gather a larger army.

Richard de Moravia bravely attacked the Vikings. He was killed during the fight. Soon after, Earl William arrived with his reinforcements. He defeated the Vikings and killed their leader. The Earl then built a tomb for Richard de Moravia inside Dornoch Cathedral.

William de Moravia, the 1st Earl of Sutherland, died in 1248. He was buried in the south side of Dornoch Cathedral.

Family

William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland, had one known son. His son was William de Moravia, 2nd Earl of Sutherland.