General Notes

John Comyn, the elder (d 1300?), of Badenoch, 'claimant to the Scottishthrone,' was the second son of John Comyn, justiciar of Galloway, andsucceeded to the estates of his branch of his family on the death of hiselder brother, William Comyn, without issue. His lordship of Badenochcame from his uncle, Walter Comyn, earl of Menteith. In 1281 he was atthe convention at Roxburhg, when the marriage was settled of Margaret,daughter of Alexander III, with King Eric of Norway. In 1284 he agreed touphold the title of Margaret, the Maid of Norway, the fruit of thisunion, to the throne on her grandfather Alexander's death. In 1286 hebecame one of the six guardians of the realm, being one of three incharge of the lands south of the Forth. At Michaelmas 1289 he, with thebishops of St Andrews and Glasgow, his fellow regents, and others, signedat Salisbury the treaty by which the young Queen of Scots was to bemarried to the eldest son of the English king. In March 1290 he was atthe parliament of Brigham, which confirmed the treaty of Salisbury. InAugust of that year Comyn and others signed a new agreement with Edwardat Northampton which confirmed the treaty of Brigham. But the death ofMargaret at once gave Scottish affairs a new aspect. The regency was fora time continued, even although Comyn himself became one of the claimantsfor the vacant throne. His somewaht fantastic claim was derived fromDonald Bane, whose granddaughter Hexilda was the mother of Comyn'sgreat-grandfather. Along with the other competitors he made hissubmission to Edward I as liege lord of Scotland, as the only conditionof obtaining him as arbitrator (June 1291). But though his claim waspresented, it was hardly seriously urged. During the protractednegotiations which preceded and accompanied the great trial he appears asone of the guardians of Scotland rather than as a pretender to itsthrone. He and the other guardians were compelled to surrender theirtrust into Edward's hands, but almost immediately a new commission ofregency, in which one fresh name only was added, retored them to power.But while previously styling themselves the elected of the commons ofScotland, they were now 'custodas regni per Edwardum supremum dominumScotiæ constituti.' In the contest for the succession Comyn used all hisgreat influence in favour of his brother-in-law, John Baliol; and thewhole Comyn family took up the same side. He was associated with Baliolin naming forty arbitrators to join with the forty appointed by Bruce andthe twenty-four Englishmen of Edward's choice, in the further proceedingsof the suit. But he soon practically withdrew his own claims, and wasultimately neither present himself at the court nor represented byattorney. The decision which in November 1292 made John Baliol king ofScots brought his seven years' regency to an end. On 28 Nov Comyn and hisson were exempted from the common summons to attend common pleas in theliberty of Tyndale. After King John's accession to the throne Comynadhered to his royal brother-in-law, and incurred the hostility of Edwardby continuing his friend even after the Scottish king had broken from hisgrasping overlord. His eldest son, John Comyn, the younger, took aprominent part on the patriotic side, and was taken prisoner at Dunbar.The elder Comyn made his submission to Edward in July 1296 at Montrose,and was sent withe other Scottish magnates to live in England south ofthe Trent until quieter times came. In his exile at Geddington his familywas allowed to join him, and permission to hunt in the royal forests wasgiven him. But the revolt of Wallace soon induced Edward to releaseComyn, in the hopes of his exerting his great influence against theturbulent patriot. In June 1297 Comyn received a safe-conduct to proceedto Scotland, and his estates were restored. In July he acted as a suretyfor his son, then set at liberty. He was alive in November 1299, but diedsoon after at his castle of Lochindorb. He married Marjory or Margery,daughter of John