Alexander Comyn, 2nd

Earl of Buchan The Mormaer () or Earl of Buchan () was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male li ...

(died 1289) was a

Scoto-Norman The term Scoto-Norman (also Franco-Scottish or Franco-Gaelic) is used to describe people, families, institutions and archaeological artifacts that are partly Scottish people, Scottish (in some sense) and partly Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman (in some ...

magnate who was one of the most important figures in the 13th century

Kingdom of Scotland The Kingdom of Scotland (; , ) was a sovereign state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a l ...

. He was the son of

William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan William Comyn was Lord of Badenoch and Earl of Buchan. He was one of the seven children of Richard Comyn, Justiciar of Lothian, and Hextilda of Tynedale. He was born in Scotland, in Altyre, Moray in 1163 and died in Buchan in 1233 where he is bu ...

, and

Marjory, Countess of Buchan Marjory, Countess of Buchan, also known as Margaret de Buchan, was a Scottish noblewoman. She inherited the earldom from her father, Fergus, Earl of Buchan, who died without male issue. Marjory was married to William Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, t ...

, the heiress of the last native Scottish

Mormaer of Buchan The Mormaer () or Earl of Buchan () was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male ...

, Fergus. He was the chief counsellor of Alexander III, King of Scots for the entire period of the king's majority and, as Scotland's leading magnate, played a key role in safeguarding the independence of the Scottish monarchy. During his long career, Alexander Comyn was

Justiciar of Scotia The Justiciar of Scotia (in Norman-Latin, ''Justiciarus Scotie'') was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. ''Scotia'' (meaning Scotland) in this context refers to Scotland to the north of the River Forth and Riv ...

(1258–89), Constable of Scotland (1275–89),

Sheriff of Wigtown The Sheriff of Wigtown was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order in Wigtown, Scotland and bringing criminals to justice. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobit ...

(1263–66), Sheriff of Dingwall (1264–66), Ballie of

Inverie Inverie (; ) is the main village on the Knoydart peninsula in the Scottish Highlands. It is located on the north side of Loch Nevis and, although on the mainland of Britain, the network of single-track roads surrounding the village is not conne ...

(in

Knoydart Knoydart (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cnòideart'') is a peninsula in Lochaber, Highland, on the west coast of Scotland. Knoydart is sandwiched between Lochs Nevis and Hourn — often translated as "Loch Heaven" (from the Gaelic ''Loch Néimh'') an ...

) and finally,

Guardian of Scotland The Guardians of Scotland were regents who governed the Kingdom of Scotland from 1286 until 1292 and from 1296 until 1306. During the many years of minority in Scotland's subsequent history, there were many guardians of Scotland and the post was ...

(1286–89) during the first interregnum following the death of Alexander III. In 1284 he joined with other Scottish noblemen who acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the heiress to King Alexander.''Foedera'', p. 228 He died sometime after 10 July 1289. Alexander had at least nine children with his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of

Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester (c. 1195 – 25 April 1264), (Roger de Quincy is a subarticle in his father's article.) His dates are given as 1195?-1265 at the beginning of the subarticle, but his death date is given as 25 April 12 ...

: *

John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan (circa 1260 – 1308) was a chief opponent of Robert the Bruce in the civil war that paralleled the War of Scottish Independence. He should not be confused with the better known John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch ...

, Alexander's successor as Earl of Buchan * Roger * Lord Alexander Comyn, sheriff of

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

, married Joan, sister of William le Latimer, and had issue.

Henry de Beaumont Henry de Beaumont (before 1280 – 10 March 1340), '' jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Buchan and ''suo jure'' 1st Baron Beaumont, was a key figure in the Anglo-Scots wars of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, known as the Wars of Scottish Ind ...

would claim the Earldom of Buchan through marriage to their daughter, Alice. * Lord William Comyn, Provost of St. Mary's Church, St. Andrews * Lady Marjorie Comyn, m.

Patrick Dunbar, 8th Earl of Dunbar Patrick IV, 8th Earl of Dunbar and Earl of March (124210 October 1308), sometimes called Patrick de Dunbar "8th" Earl of March, was the most important magnate in the border regions of Scotland. He was one of the Competitors for the Crown of Scotla ...

* Lady Agnes Egidia Comyn, m. Maol Íosa III, Earl of Strathearn * Lady Elisabetha Comyn, m. Gilbert de Umfraville, 1st Earl of Angus * Lady Elena Comyn, m. Sir William de Brechin * Lady Annora Comyn, m. Nicholas de Soules

References

Notes

Sources

* Rymer, Thomas,''Foedera Conventiones, Literae et cuiuscunque generis Acta Publica inter Reges Angliae''. London. 1745. (Latin

*Young, Alan, ''Robert the Bruce's Rivals: The Comyns, 1213–1314'', (East Linton, 1997) *Young, Alan & Cumming, George, ''The Real Patriots of Early Scottish Independence'', Birlinn, (Edinburgh, 2014)

External links

Medieval Lands Project on Alexander Comyn
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan 13th-century births, Comyn, Alexander Comyn, Alexander Year of birth unknown Clan Comyn Comyn, Alexander Comyn, Alexander Comyn, Alexander 13th-century mormaers