General Notes

REFN: 2944AN
REFN: P2945
Countess of Mar
http://www.ayrshireroots.com/Genealogy/Historical /historic%20Stewart.htm
Thomas, the ninth earl, or, according to another moDe of reckoning, the
thirteenth who enjoyed that dignity, was one of the most po werful nobles
of his day. He held the office of Great Chamberlain of Scotland , and was
repeatedly sent as ambassador to England. He died in 1377, leaving no
issue, and in him ended the direct male line of the Earls of Mar. His
si ster Margaret was, at the time of Earl Thomas's death, the wife of
William, E arl of Douglas, nephew and heir of the 'Good Sir James,' the
friend of Robert Bruce. On the death of his brother-in-law he obtained
possession of the hist orical earldom of Mar and transmitted it, along
with his own hereditary title s and estates, to his son James, the hero of
Otterburn, 'the dead man that wo n a fight'--one of the most renowned in
Scottish history. The Douglas estates were inherited by Archibald 'the
Grim,' the kinsman of Earl James, while the earldom of Mar passed to his
sister, Isabella, wife of Sir Malcolm Drummond, brother of Annabella,
Queen of Scotland, wife of Robert III. About the year 1403, Sir Malcolm
was suddenly surprised by a band of ruffians, who treated h im with such
barbarity that he soon after died, leaving no issue. This outrag e was
universally ascribed to Alexander Stewart, natural son of the Earl of
Buchan, the 'Wolf of Badenoch,' fourth son of Robert II. After the death
of her husband the Countess was residing quietly and in fancied security
at her castle of Kildrummie, when it was suddenly attacked and stormed by
Stewart at the head of a formidable band of Highland freebooters and
outlaws, and eithe r by violence or persuasion the young Countess was
induced to become the wife of the redoubted cateran, and to make over to
him, on the 12th of August, 14 04, her earldom of Mar and Garioch, with
all her other castles. In order, how ever, to give a legal aspect to the
transaction, Stewart presented himself, o n the 19th of September, at the
gate of the castle of Kildrummie, and surrend ered to the Countess 'the
castle and all within it, and the title deeds there in kept; in testimony
thereof he delivered to her the keys to dispose of as s he pleased.' The
Countess, holding the keys in her hand, declared that delibe rately and of
her own free will she chose Stewart for her husband, and confer red upon
him the castle, pertinents, &c., as a free marriage gift, of which h e
took instruments. It appears that even this formal transaction was not
De emed sufficient to give validity to the transaction, for on the 9th
December following, the Countess, taking her station in the fields
outsiDe her castle, in the presence of the Bishop of Ross, and the
sheriff and posse comitatus o f the county, along with the tenantry on the
estate, that it might appear tha t she was really acting without force on
Stewart's part or fear on hers, gran ted a charter to him of her castle
and estates duly signed and sealed.