Maurice de Moravia, Earl of Strathearn

Maurice de Moravia, Earl of Strathearn (1276 to 1346), also known as Malise, 8th Earl of Strathearn, was a Scottish soldier.

He was the oldest of the sons of Sir John de Moravia of Drumsagard ("ridge of the priest"), and appears in sources for the first time in October 1334, as the Sheriff of Lanark. By this point he had become a powerful military leader, being styled by Walter Bower "Lord of Clydesdale". In 1339, Maurice served under Robert Stewart at the siege of Perth, but when King David II returned from exile in France in 1341, Maurice became a royal favourite and was used by King David against Stewart, his rival and heir.

Maurice held Stirling Castle for David from 1342, and was granted the baronies of Strathaven (Lanarkshire) and Hawick (Roxburghshire). On October 31, 1343, King David assigned to Maurice the forfeited Earldom of Strathearn. Maurice had a vague claim to this earldom, as in 1339 he had married Joanna of Menteith, widow of Maol Íosa IV, Earl of Strathearn. Despite the royal grant, the legality of Maurice's possession was challenged, partly because a parliament at Perth in 1339 had cleared the previous earl, Maol Íosa V, of treason. However, as Maol Íosa V had surrendered his earldom to Edward Balliol, the parliament of Scone in June 1344 declared the earldom forfeit and confirmed the possession of Maurice. Earl Maurice continued his service as a royal retainer and by 1346 was made Justiciar of Scotia.

Earl Maurice was killed at the Battle of Neville's Cross on October 17, 1346.

Issue

By Joanna of Menteith, Moravia had a daughter Joanna, who married: 1st Sir Thomas de Moravia of Bothwell, 2nd Sir Archibald Douglas.^[1]

He also had an illegitimate son by the name of Maurice who later found patronage with King David II of Scotland.^[2]

Notes

References

• Balfour Paul, James, Scots Peerage, (Edinburgh, 1904–1914), vol. 8
• Penman, Michael A., "Murray, Maurice, earl of Strathearn (d. 1346)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006 accessed 27 Feb 2007