Sir William Graham of Kincardine-in-Menteith and Montrose

Sir William Graham, of Kincardine

• Birth: ABT 1356 in Kincardine, Perth and Kinross, Scotland
• Death: 12 FEB 1423/24 in Kincardine, Perth and Kinross, Scotland / or Angus in Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• Father: Sir Patrick Graham, of Kincardine, Lord of Dundaff b: ABT 1332 in Kincardine, Perth and Kinross, Scotland
• Mother: Matilda b: ABT 1335 in Scotland
• Property: of Kincardine-in-Menteith and Montrose

William had a charter from Robert, Duke of Albany in 1407 of an entail for the lands of Old Montrose. He may have been created a Lord of Parliament as Lord Graham by the Duke of Albany in his capacity as Regent in about 1419, while James I was in English captivity, but such creations can only legally be made by a monarch. He married the king's sister as his second or third wife, while he was her third or fourth husband.

He fought at Battle of Homildon 1402. NN Lindsay was his 1st wife; Princess Mary Stewart his 2nd

family

Married

1. About 1391 to (a Lindsay, a Barclay, or an Oliphant)
2. 22 NOV 1413 to Mary Stewart, Princess of Scotland, Countess of Angus (her 3rd husband)

Children of 1st wife:

1. Alexander Graham b: ABT 1396 in Kincardine, Blackford, Perth and Kinross, Scotland
2. Elizabeth Graham b: ABT 1397 in Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
3. John Graham b: 1399 in Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Children of 2nd wife:

1. Sir Robert Graham b: 1414 in Graham, Stirlingshire, Scotland
2. Patrick Graham b: 1415 in Graham, Stirlingshire, Scotland
3. William Graham b: 1417 in Graham, Stirlingshire, Scotland
4. Henry Graham b: 1418 in Graham, Stirlingshire, Scotland
5. Walter Graham b: 1420 in Graham, Stirlingshire, Scotland

brief biography

Sir William De Graham was present in a Justiciary Court of Strathearn when Alexander De Moravia, indicted for the slaughter of William De Spalding, was repledged by Robert, Earl Of Fife, afterwards Duke Of Albany, by the law of Clan Macduff 7 December 1391. He had a charter from Alice of Erth, Lady of Craigbernard, of certain lands in Mugdock wherein he is styled Lord of Kincardyn, 13 February 1400-1. He had also a grant from Archibald, fourth Earl of Douglas, of Logyachray in Stirlingshire, and apparently by the favour of that powerful nobleman appears to have become a tenant in chief of the Crown for his barony of Dundaff on the forfeiture of George of Dunbar, Earl Of March. Accompanying the Earl of Douglas in his invasion of England, he was made prisoner with him at Homildon Hill 14 September 1402, but was soon after ransomed. After Douglas had been again made prisoner at Shrewsbury 1403, Sir William on 8 March 1405 had a safe-conduct from Henry IV to commune with the Earl Of Fife (Murdoch, son of the Duke Of Albany) and Earl of Douglas, 'being with the King,' on certain matters touching their condition. In the following year he was one of the hostages for the return of Earl Douglas temporarily liberated. In the same year he was a commissioner receiving a safe-conduct to go to England to treat for peace or a long truce between the kingdoms. He had a charter from Robert, Duke Of Albany, of the lands of Old Montrose and others, was an adherent of the Duke, by whom he is styled 'consanguineus carissimus,' and is a frequent witness to charters granted by Albany as Governor of Scotland. He was at different times one of the commissioners sent by the Duke to England to treat for the release of James I having safe-conducts both from Henry IV and Henry V for that purpose. He was an Auditor in Exchequer March 1405, and at intervals till June 1418. Towards the end of his life he acquired from Duncan, Earl Of Lennox, the superiority of Mugdock and his other extensive estates in the Lennox, which have sice been held directly of the Crown, and he obtained new charters of his other estates, with the exception of Kincardine, the fee of which he had previously settled on his eldest son. From these charters the names of his sons are ascertained.

In some of the charters by Robert and Murdoch, Dukes of Albany, and of the English letters of safe-conduct from the year 1412, he is styled Dominus De Graham or Lord Graham, which has led Crawfurd and Douglas to assign him the positon of the first Lord Graham, but in the latest of the charters above referred to - by Duncan, Earl Of Lennox, of the lands in that earldom, dated 10 August 1423 - he is styled simply 'Dominus Willielmus De Graham miles.' That is also his designation in a charter granted by him of the lands of Ballancleroch at Campsie, dated at Mugdock 11 August 1423. Probably the title 'Dominus De Graham' was used by him simply as a comprehensive term in place of Dominus 'De Dundaff' or 'De Kincardine' as formerly.

He died in 1424.

[The Scots Peerage VI:215-217]

discussion of first wife

From The Scots peerage founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom. Published 1904 by D. Douglas in Edinburgh .  Vol Vl.  Page 217-218:

"He married, first, in his father's lifetime, a lady whose name is not certainly known. Crawfurd, followed by Douglas and (with hesitation) by Wood, calls her Mariota, daughter of Sir John Oliphant of Aberdalgie, but he gives no authority, and there is probably confusion with the wife of his brother Robert. He married secondly, before 1416, the Princess Mary (or Mariota) Stewart, daughter of Robert III ..."

From http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=john_d_ne...

11. Sir William Graham of Kincardine; possibly married (1) after 1390 to a daughter of Sir Alexander Lindsay of Glenesk and Catherine Stirling; married (2) before 1404 to Mariota, daughter of Sir John Oliphant of Aberdalgie; married (3) about 13 November 1413 to Mary, daughter of Robert III, King of Scots and Annabella Drummond (died after 1458). William died in 1424.

His first wife (if the marriage took place) was widow of David Stewart, Earl of Caithness and Strathearn, a younger son of King Robert II. The only child of this earlier marriage, Euphemia Stewart, married William's half-brother Sir Patrick Graham of Dundaff and Kilpont, and they were the parents of Malise Graham, Earl of Menteith.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND.htm#Walter6Stewartdied1326B

Lady MARY Stewart (-after 1458, bur Strathblane) m thirdly (13 Nov 1413) as his second wife, WILLIAM Graham of Kincardine, son of PATRICK Graham & his first wife Maud --- (-1424).  He may have been created Lord Graham in [1419][1259].

http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/dtog/graham2.html

Approx in 1410, Sir William Graham of Kincardine married his second wife Mary Stewart, second daughter of King Robert III and widow of George Douglas (d. 1403), 1st Earl of Angus, and of Sir James Kennedy, by whom she had James Kennedy (1408-65), Bishop of St Andrews and Lord Chancellor of Scotland (after Graham's death she acquired a fourth husband). One of their sons, Patrick Graham (d.1478), succeeded Kennedy at St Andrews and persuaded Pope Paul II to promote the see to an archbishopric.

notes

From http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2006-05/11479...

1.1a.1a Sir William Graham*

----------------------------------------

Death: 1424[1] of Kincardine-in-Menteith and Montrose fought at Battle of Homildon 1402[1]

William the Graham, witness to an indenture between Alexander Stewart,earl of Mar and David Fleming, dated 24 Aug 1405 [Charter Chest/Wigtown, p. 5, no. 20[5] ]

William Graham of Kincardine, on embassy [together with David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and others] to England to enquire as to the captivity of Prince James, Dec 1406 [Red Book of Menteith I:193[8], cites Foedera viii, 461]

[Thomas C. Renehan.ged]

William Graham (elder brother, of the half blood, of Patrick, jure uxoris EARL OF STRATHERN [SCT]), son and heir of Sir Patrick G., of Kincardine and of Old Montrose, co. Forfar, by his 1st wife, Maud, succeeded his father before 1404, was from 1411 to 1416 employed in negotiations with England, and may possibly have been created a Lord of Parl. [LORD Graham] [SCT] by the Regent Albany [1419?],with whom he was in great favour, such grant being confirmed by the King (after his return to his kingdom) either to him or to his grandson and heir. He married 1stly, in his father's lifetime, a lady, by some said to have been Mariot, daughter of Sir John OLIPHANT, of Aberdalgy. He married, 2ndly, 13 November 1413 Mary [or Mariot] STEWART, widow of Sir James KENNEDY, and before that of George (DOUGLAS), EARL OF ANGUS [SCT], and daughter of Robert III, by Annabel, daughter of John DRUMMOND, she being sister of the reigning (though then captive) king, James I [SCT]. He died in 1424. His widow married, in 1425, as her 4th husband, Sir William EDMONSTONE, ancestor of the Edmonstones of Duntreath. She was living 1458, and was buried at Strathblane with her last husband.

[Complete Peerage V:499-500]

Citations

1. [S01352] ~Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, London, 1938.
2. Page 88
3. [S00119] The Lineage and Ancestry of H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Edinburgh, 1977, Paget, Gerald.I 160
4. [S03222] Sir William Graham and the Countess of Strathearn The Scottish Genealogist Vol.LVIII nr.3, Ravilious, John P.. pp 112-116

Links

• http://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00060366&tree=LEO
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bevangene...
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=john%5Fd%...

  ---

William was of Kincardine, co., and Old Montrose, co. Angus. He was capture at the battle of Homildon Hill in 1402 but was ransomed. In 1406, he was commissioner for peace with England and served similar roles several times. He served as an auditor in Exchequer.