Elizabeth Mure
Elizabeth Mure (died before May 1355) was wife of Robert, High Steward of Scotland, and Guardian of Scotland (1338–1341 and from October 1346), who later became King Robert II of Scotland. Because their marriage was originally not sanctioned in a church, but what today we would call a 'common-law-marriage', Elizabeth is often identified as his mistress.
Elizabeth Mure | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rowallan Castle |
| Died | before May 1355 |
| Spouse(s) | Robert II of Scotland |
| Issue | Robert III, King of Scots Walter, Lord of Fife Robert, Duke of Albany Alexander, Earl of Buchan |
| Father | Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan |
| Mother | Janet Mure of Pokellie |
Life
Elizabeth Mure was said to be born at Rowallan Castle. Her parents were Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan, Ayrshire and Janet Mure of Pokellie. In 1336 Elizabeth married Robert Stewart, then High Steward of Scotland. The marriage was criticized as uncanonical, so they remarried in 1349 following a papal dispensation dated at Avignon 22 November 1347. They had at least ten children, with some accounts saying as many as thirteen. Doubts about the validity of their marriage led to disputes over their children's right to the crown.
She died before her husband inherited the crown at the age of 55 in 1371, and he later remarried (Papal Dispensation dated 2 May 1355). On 27 March 1371, "The Lord John (who later took the title of King Robert III, changing his name because of what he saw as John de Baliol's unpatriotic desecration of the name John), Earl of Carrick and Steward of Scotland, first-born son of King Robert II" was declared heir to the Crown by Parliament in Scone Abbey.
Issue
- Robert III, born John Stewart, Earl of Carrick
- Walter Stewart, Lord of Fife
- Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340–1420)
- Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan
- Margaret Stewart, married John of Islay, Lord of the Isles
- Marjorie Stewart, married firstly, John Dunbar, Earl of Moray, and secondly, Sir Alexander Keith
- Johanna (Jean) Stewart, married firstly, Sir John Keith, secondly, Sir John Lyon, and thirdly in 1384, Sir James Sandilands.
- Isabella Stewart, married firstly, James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas, and secondly, John Edmonstone of that Ilk
- Katherine Stewart, married Sir Robert Logan of Grugar and Restalrig, Lord High Admiral of Scotland
- Elizabeth Stewart, married Sir Thomas Hay, Lord High Constable of Scotland
See also
Polnoon Castle - Elizabeth Mure was the great-great-granddaughter of John Montgomerie
Notes
References
- Dunbar, Sir Archibald H., Bt., Scottish Kings, a Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005 - 1625, Edinburgh, 1899, p. 160-1.
- McAndrew, Bruce A., Scotlands Historic Heraldry, Boydell Press, 2006: ISBN 1-84383-261-5