People of Medieval Scotland
1093 - 1371

William (III), earl of Ross (d. 1372)

Biography
William was the son of Hugh, fourth earl of Ross, killed at Halidon Hill in 1333, and Maud Bruce, the sister of Robert I. Was involved in a prolonged struggle with Hebridean lords for control of Skye and west coast territories associated with the earldom of Ross. Relationship with his cousin David II may have been permanently soured in October 1346 when William assassinated one of his regional rivals, Ranald MacRuaridh of Garmoran during a mustering of the king’s host at Perth and then withdrew to his own lands. A dispute over succession to his earldom dominated William’s later years. In 1342 he had married Mary, daughter of John of Islay, lord of the Isles. The marriage produced two daughters, Euphemia and Janet, and, belatedly, a son and heir named William. The younger William’s early death left Euphemia as a potential heir but Earl William, anxious to maintain the make line, tried to entail the title and lands to his brother Hugh. King David intervened, however, forcing Euphemia’s marriage [sometime before September 1366] to one of his own favoured knights, Sir Walter Leslie, and then, in 1370, imposing an entail of the earldom of Ross and lordship of Skye on William that guaranteed the succession of Euphemia and Leslie. Complaints by Earl William to the new king, Robert II, after 1371, failed to overturn this arrangement so that when William died at Delny on 9 February 1372 his lands passed to Euphemia and her husband. https://doi-org.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/10.1093/ref:odnb/54308
Floruits
1341 × 1370

Total number of associated factoids: 65

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Date Short Summary Role Witnesses Source
unavailable Gift of Easter Foulis (ROS) Grantor 1/54/430 (RRS, vi, no. 330)
unavailable Gift of davoch of Brae (ROS) Grantor 1/54/717 (RRS, vi, no. 476)
unavailable Resignation of rights in Plater forest and Finavon (ANG) Grantor 1/54/693 (RMS, i, no. 311)
unavailable Gift of 20 marks annually from burgh of Cromarty (ROS) Grantor 1/54/406 (RRS, vi, no. 315)
circa 12 Jun. 1343 Inspection of charter of William, earl of Ross, of ten davochs of Kintail named person (transaction) 1/54/73 (RRS, vi, no. 485)
18 Nov. 1358 Gift of sheriffdom of Cromarty (ROS) Sicut Clause Alexander Stewart, bishop of Ross (d. 1371); Patrick of Leuchars, bishop of Brechin (d. 1383); Robert Erskine, chamberlain; Robert of Lauder, justiciar of Lothian; Robert [Stewart] II, king of Scots (d. 1390); William Landellis, bishop of St Andrews (d. 1385) 1/54/217 (RRS, vi, no. 202)
12 May 1362 Confirmation of marriage of daughter of Malise, earl of Strathearn and Caithness to William earl of Ross Beneficiary 1/54/308 (RMS, i, App. 1, no. 150)
10 Mar. 1364 Confirmation of annual rent of 20 marks from burgh of Cromarty (ROS) Sicut Clause Archibald Douglas, lord of Galloway, earl of Douglas (d. 1400); Patrick of Leuchars, bishop of Brechin (d. 1383); Robert Erskine, chamberlain; Robert [Stewart] II, king of Scots (d. 1390); Walter of Halliburton, knight; William Douglas, earl of Douglas and Mar (d. 1384); William Landellis, bishop of St Andrews (d. 1385) 1/54/406 (RRS, vi, no. 315)
28 Jun. 1364 Inspection of charter of William, earl of Sutherland, of Inverbrekie (ROS) named person (transaction) Archibald Douglas, lord of Galloway, earl of Douglas (d. 1400); Patrick of Leuchars, bishop of Brechin (d. 1383); Robert Erskine, chamberlain; Robert [Stewart] II, king of Scots (d. 1390); William Douglas, earl of Douglas and Mar (d. 1384); William Landellis, bishop of St Andrews (d. 1385) 1/54/414 (RRS, vi, no. 321)
6 May 1370 Grant of right in forest of Plater (ANG), lands and advowson of Finavon (ANG) Beneficiary 1/54/693 (RMS, i, no. 311)
23 Oct. 1370 Gift of earldom of Ross and lordship of Skye Beneficiary 1/54/711 (RMS, i, no. 354)
23 Oct. 1370 Resignation of earldom of Ross and lordship of Skye (ROS) Grantor 1/54/711 (RMS, i, no. 354)


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Date Short Summary Role Source
20 Jun. 1341 Nepos (nephew/grandson) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial Relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/21 (RRS, vi, no. 30)
17 Sept. 1341 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/25 (RRS, vi, no. 33)
17 Sept. 1341 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/26 (RRS, vi, no. 34)
22 Sept. 1341 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/29 (RRS, vi, no. 37)
18 Jun. 1342 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/50 (RRS, vi, no. 52)
18 Jun. 1342 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/51 (RRS, vi, no. 53)
1 May 1343 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/67 (RRS, vi, no. 68)
circa 12 Jun. 1343 Nepos (nephew/grandson) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial Relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/73 (RRS, vi, no. 485)
22 Nov. 1345 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] object (relationship) 1/54/107 (RRS, vi, no. 99)
12 Nov. 1358 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/213 (RRS, vi, no. 198)
10 Mar. 1364 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/406 (RRS, vi, no. 315)
28 Jun. 1364 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/414 (RRS, vi, no. 321)
6 May 1370 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/693 (RMS, i, no. 311)
23 Oct. 1370 Cognatus/consanguineus (kinsman/male cousin) of David II, king of Scots (d. 1371) [Familial relationship] subject (relationship) 1/54/711 (RMS, i, no. 354)
23 Oct. 1370 Daughter of William (III), earl of Ross [Familial relationship] object (relationship) 1/54/711 (RMS, i, no. 354)