Euphemia Elphinstone (also written Euphame or Eupheme; born 11 May 1509) was a mistress of

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...

and the mother of his son

Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney and Lord of Zetland (Shetland) (spring of 1533 – 4 February 1593) was a recognised illegitimate son of James V, King of Scotland, and his mistress Eupheme Elphinstone. Robert Stewart was half-brother to M ...

, born in 1532, as well as another child who died in childhood. One of her sons with her husband John Bruce was

Laurence Bruce Laurence Bruce of Cultmalindie (20 January 1547 – August 1617) was a Scottish landowner and factor to the Earl of Orkney. He features in a number of traditional stories of Shetland. Background He was the son of John Bruce of Cultmalindie and Eu ...

of Cultmalindie (1547–1617), the builder of

Muness Castle Muness Castle is located on Unst, which is one of the Shetland Islands of Scotland. The castle is east of the village of Uyeasound. Unst is Scotland's most northerly inhabited island, and Muness is the most northerly fortalice in the British ...

. She was the second daughter of

Alexander Elphinstone, 1st Lord Elphinstone Alexander Elphinstone, 1st Lord Elphinstone (died 9 September 1513) was a Scottish Peerage, peer. He was the son of Sir John Elphinstone of that ilk and of Pittendreich. Courtier and administrator He was first known as "Alexander Elphinstone of ...

and Elizabeth Barlow or Barlay (c. 1476 – 10 September 1518), an English woman of the household of

Margaret Tudor Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and fought to exte ...

. The family hailed from Elphinstone near

Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...

. Her brother

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

, Lord Elphinstone, died at Edinburgh following the

Battle of Pinkie Cleugh The Battle of Pinkie, also known as the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh (), took place on 10 September 1547 on the banks of the River Esk, Lothian, River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland. The last pitched battle between Scotland and England before the U ...

. Euphemia married John Bruce of Cultmalindie (c. 1507 – March 1547), and had five children:

, Robert Bruce (born c. 1536), Henry Bruce (born c. 1538), James Bruce (born c. 1540) and Euphamie Bruce (born c. 1542). There is no firm evidence for any death date. Her children and descendants were significant in the history of the

Shetland Islands Shetland (until 1975 spelled Zetland), also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the Uni ...

and

Orkney Islands Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland ...

. Laurence Bruce and Robert Stewart and their families were to become closely entwined in the Shetland Islands, of which Laurence Bruce was appointed Sheriff by his half-brother. According to legend, many people in the Shetland Islands are descended from her; in particular, those named Bruce are supposed to be descended from her children by John Bruce.Clark, John, ''Genealogy, Records and Intermarriages of the Fordyce, Bruce & Clark Families at Uyeasound, Unst, Shetland, 2nd ed.'' (Falkirk, 1902).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elphinstone, Euphemia 1509 births 1542 deaths Mistresses of James V of Scotland People associated with Orkney People associated with Shetland Daughters of barons

Euphemia Euphemia (; 'well-spoken f), known as Euphemia the All-praised in the Eastern Orthodox Church, was a virgin martyr, who died for her faith at Chalcedon in 303 AD. According to tradition, Euphemia was martyred for refusing to offer sacrifices t ...