William I, 2nd Earl of Ross

Uilleam I, Earl of Ross From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uilleam_I,_Earl_of_Ross

Uilleam I of Ross was the first successor of Ferchar mac an tSagairt, as Mormaer of Ross, with his comital dates traditionally given as 1251–1274.

Uilleam appears as early as 1232, witnessing a charter as the son of Ferchar. He was definitely Mormaer by 1258, but the traditional date is 1251. Uilleam played a pioneering role in the Scottish reconquest of the Hebrides, which had been under Norwegian control. Indeed, in many ways, he may be regarded as the instigator of Scottish aggression. Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar tells us that in Norway:

"In the previous summer [i.e. that of 1262], letters came east from the Hebrides ... and they brought forward much about the dispeace that the Earl of Ross ... and other Scots, had made in the Hebrides, when they went out to Skye, and burned towns and churches, and slew very many men and women ... They said that the Scottish king intended to lay under himself all the Hebrides." 1

Uilleam's attacks on Norwegian possessions earned him the ire of King Håkon IV, who planned an expedition against him. However, Uilleam escaped this expedition. He was probably rewarded with Skye and Lewis after the Scottish reconquest of the Hebrides, a reward secured when the conquests were ratified by the Treaty of Perth in 1266.

He married Johanna Comyn, the daughter of William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, by whom he fathered his successor Uilleam.2 He died, probably in 1274.

References

1. A.O. Anderson, Early Sources, Vol. II, p. 605
2. Genealogy Page [edit]Bibliography

• Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History: AD 500-1286, 2 Vols (Edinburgh, 1922)
• Brooke, Daphne, Wild Men and Holy Places, (Edinburgh, 1994)
• McDonald, R. Andrew, "Old and new in the far North: Ferchar Maccintsacairt and the early earls of Ross" in Steve Boardman and Alasdair Ross (eds.) The Exercise of Power in Medieval Scotland, c.1200-1500, (Dublin/Portland, 2003)

External links

Genealogy Page: Source for Marriage Info
Scran & The Breve Cronicle of the Erllis of Ross Preceded by Ferchar mac an tSagairt Mormaer of Ross 1251–1274 Succeeded by Uilleam II

Family Joan Comyn b. before 1233 Child William de Ross, 3rd Earl of Ross+ b. b 1274, d. 28 Jan 1323

William (Ross) de Ross's Profile

Family Tree & Genealogy Tools

William "2nd Earl of Ross, O'Beolan" de Ross formerly Ross

Born 1194 in Cromarty, Scotland, United Kingdommap

Son of Farquhar MacTaggart and Margaret MacGillvray

Brother of Christina (Ross) de Ross, Malcolm MacTaggart (Ross) de Ross and Euphemia (Ross) Mactaggart

Husband of Joan Comyn — married [date unknown] [location unknown]

Husband of Johanna (Comyn) Ross — married [date unknown] [location unknown]

Father of William O'Beolan and William (Ross) de Ross

Died May 1274 in Castle Delgany, Delny, Co Ross, Scotlandmap