James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn

James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn

James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn (c.1383–c.1451) was a Scottish nobleman.

The Black Knight of Lorn was born at Innermeath, Scotland. His father, Sir John Stewart (d. 26 Apr 1421), was ambassador to England and was married to Isabel MacDougall (d. 21 Dec 1439), heiress to the House of Ergadia, the senior line descending from Somerled, King of Mann and the Isles. He was a direct male line descendant of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland, through his second son Sir John Stewart of Bonkill, who was killed at the Battle of Falkirk. His mother was also a descendant of Robert I of Scotland through his second marriage to Elizabeth de Burgh.

James was a younger brother of Robert Stewart, 1st Lord Lorne (1382-1449), whose descendants bore this title. He was an ally of the Black Douglases, Earls of Douglas. After the murder of James I of Scotland in 1437, power was held by Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas as regent for the underage James II of Scotland. The Stewarts of Lorne were amongst his most trusted supporters, and their power greatly increased while the Douglas family controlled Scotland and the king was a mere 7 years of age. However the unexpected death of the 5th Earl of Douglas from a fever in 1439 saw power now being uneasily shared between William, 1st Lord Crichton, Chancellor of Scotland and Sir Alexander Livingston, Governor of Stirling Castle.

Stewart married the Dowager Queen, Joan Beaufort, and became stepfather to James II. Stewart and his Douglas allies planned to remove the young James II who was being held by Livingstone in his stronghold of Stirling Castle. However, Livingston arrested Lady Joan on 3 Aug 1439, imprisoning her in Stirling Castle, while throwing Sir James and his brother Sir William into its dungeon. They were later released on good behaviour. He was given safe conduct to England in 1445, 1447, and 1451. He was supposedly captured at sea by Flemish pirates and put to death after 1451.

He married, before 21 Sep 1439, Joan Beaufort, Dowager Queen of Scotland and widow of James I of Scotland. They had a papal dispensation for both consanguinity and affinity. She was a daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset (son of Katherine De Roet/Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the son of Edward III of England) by his wife Lady Margaret Holland, daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent and Joan 'The Fair Maid' of Kent.

James Stewart and Joan Beaufort had 3 children:

• John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl
• James Stewart, Earl of Buchan, d. 1499. Married 27 Mar 1459, to Margaret Ogilvy, daughter of Alexander Ogilvy of Auchterhouse.
• Andrew Stewart, c. 1443-1501. The Bishop of Moray from 1483-1501.

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_James_Stewart,_the_Black_Knight_of...

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• JOHN Stewart, son of ROBERT Stewart of Innermeath & his wife --- . Lord of Lorn 1407/12 [from his brother].
• m ISABEL of Argyll, daughter of JOHN Lord of Lorn, Chief of Clan Douglas & his wife --- (-21 Dec 1439).
• John & his wife had eight children:
  • 1. ROBERT Stewart (-before 1449). Lord of Lorn. m (dispensation 27 Sep 1397) JOAN Stewart, daughter of ROBERT Stewart Earl of Albany Regent of Scotland & his first wife Margaret Graham Ctss of Menteith . Lord Robert & his wife had seven children: .... etc.
  • 2. ARCHIBALD Stewart . 1452.
  • 3. JAMES Stewart (-[1448]). The Black Knight of Lorn. m (1439) as her second husband, JOAN Beaufort, widow of JAMES I King of Scotland, daughter of JOHN Beaufort Earl of Somerset & his wife Margaret de Holand (-Dunbar Castle 15 Jul 1445, bur Monastery of the Charterhouse, Perth). Sir James & his wife had three children:
    • a) Sir JOHN Stewart of Balveny ([1440]-the Laighwood 15 Sep 1512, bur Dunkeld Cathedral). 1st Earl of Atholl 1457.
    • b) JAMES Stewart (-[Jan 1497/Jan 1500]). 1st Earl of Buchan 1469.
    • c) ANDREW Stewart (1443-1501). Bishop of Moray 1483.
  • 4. ALEXANDER Stewart . He was ancestor of the Stewarts of Grandlully.
  • 5. WILLIAM Stewart .
  • 6. CHRISTIAN Stewart . m James DUNDAS of that Ilk, son of ---.
  • 7. ISABEL Stewart . m firstly WILLIAM Oliphant of Aberdalgy, son of ---. m secondly DAVID Murray of Gask, son of ---.
  • 8. JEAN Stewart . m DAVID Bruce of Clackmannan, son of ---.
• From: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND.htm#JamesBlackKnightLornMJ... _____________________________

Links

• http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p126.htm#i...
• http://thepeerage.com/p10213.htm#i102129
• http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/STUART2.htm#James STEWART of Lorn (Sir)1
• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#JohnBalveny...

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