Marjorie, Countess of Carrick
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- See also Marjorie Bruce, her granddaughter.
Marjorie of Carrick (before 1256-1292), was countess of Carrick, Scotland, and is most famous today as the mother of Robert the Bruce. Her name occurs in Barbour's Brus as "Marthok", a name which contains the medieval Gaelic feminine diminutive suffix óc; and so her name meant "Little Mary" or "Little Martha" (c/f Bethóc).
She was the daughter and heiress of Niall, Earl of Carrick and Margaret Stewart, and Countess of Carrick in her own right. Her first husband was Adam de Kilconcath, who died during the Eighth Crusade in 1270. Then, as the story goes, a handsome young man arrived one day to tell her of her husband's death in the Holy Land. He was Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale, and he had been a companion-in-arms of Adam de Kilconcath. Marjorie was so taken with him that she had him held captive until he agreed to marry her in 1271. He became Earl of Carrick de jure uxoris (in right of his wife). Their children were:
- Isabel b c1272, married King Eric II of Norway in 1293, d 1358 in Bergen, Norway
- Christina b 1273, Seton, East Lothian, marries 1) Sir Christopher Seton, 2). Gartnait, Earl of Mar, 1292 in Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire, 3) Sir Andrew Moray, 20 September 1305, d. 1356/7 in Scotland
- Robert b 11 July 1274
- Edward b 1276, crowned May 2, 1316, 'King of Ireland'. Killed in battle, October 5, 1318.[1]
- Neil (Niall or Nigel) b1279, taken prisoner at Kildrummie, hanged and beheaded at Berwick-upon-Tweed in September 1306.[2]
- Mary b1282, marries (1) Sir. Neil Campbell; (2) Sir. Alexander Fraser of Touchfraser and Cowie.
- Margaret b1283
- Sir Thomas, b1284, taken prisoner in Galloway, executed 9 February 1307, Carlisle, Cumberland[3]
- Alexander, b1285, executed 9 February 1307, Carlisle, Cumberland
- Christina (Christian), married Gartnait, Earl of Mar, mother of Domhnall II, Earl of Mar
- Elizabeth b1286
- Matilda, b1287, married Hugh / Aodh, Earl of Ross, in 1308 Orkney Isles, dies aft. September 1323
Marjorie died in 1292, at which time her husband transferred Carrick to their eldest son, Robert.
There is a traditional story that Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray was son of Marjorie's daughter from her first marriage with Adam. However this is probably is not true, it was probably put forward as an explanation of why Thomas Randolph was described as a nephew of Robert the Bruce.
[edit] Sources
- Scott, Ronald McNair. Robert the Bruce: King of Scots
| Preceded by Níall |
Countess of Carrick 1256 – 1292 |
Succeeded by Robert |
