William made his fortune in the service of King William I of Scotland fighting the Meic Uilleims in the north. William witnesses no fewer than 88 charters of the king. William was sheriff of Forfar (1195–1211),Justiciar of Scotia (1205–1233) and warden of Moray (1211–12). Between 1199 and 1200,William was sent to England to discuss important matters on King William's behalf with the new king,John.
William was appointed to the prestigious office of Justiciar of Scotia,the most senior royal office in the kingdom,in 1205. Between 1211 and 1212,William,as Warden of Moray (or Guardian of Moray) fought against the insurgency of Gofraid mac Domnaill (of the Meic Uilleim family),whom William beheaded in Kincardine in 1213. Upon finally destroying the Meic Uilleims in 1229,he was given the Lordship of Badenoch and the lands it controlled.
William helped oversee the construction of St Mungo's Cathedral in Glasgow and after his death,Marjory continued his work there.
Earl of Buchan
During his time as Warden of Moray,Comyn's success may have been a reason for his marriage to Marjory (a.k.a. Margaret),Countess of Buchan,sometime between 1209 and 1212. Her father,Fergus,Earl of Buchan (died c.1214),had no male heirs and so in marrying his daughter to William he ensured a suitable line for his titles before his death. Through this marriage,William took management of the mormaerdom (earldom) of Buchan.
Deer Abbey
Founded in 1219 by Comyn as a Cistercian house,[1][2]Deer Abbey,later a monastery,bringing "Cistercian monks from Kinloss Abbey near Elgin to establish the new monastery."[3] After the Reformation of 1560 the abbey was secularized,becoming the barony or Altrie.[3]
Family tree
The marriage of William and Sarah Fitzhugh,William's first marriage,is believed to have produced six children. This marriage is associated with the Lordship of Badenoch. The marriage of William and Marjory,Countess of Buchan,produced seven children and is associated with the Earldom of Buchan.[4] For the historian Alan Young,William's life,and particularly his marriage to the Countess of Buchan,marks the beginning of the "Comyn century". [citation needed]
NB. Children are ranked according to either accounts showing a specific rank in the order of Williams children's birth or according to the earliest available date the child was thought to have been born.
Mother:Hextilda of Tynedale (a.k.a. Hextilda FitzUchtred or Hextilda FitzWaldeve) (b.1112–1122 d.c. 1149–1189).[5] First married Malcolm,2nd Earl of Atholl,making their son Henry,3rd Earl of Atholl,William Comyn's half-brother.
William
First marriage, 1193. Sarah Fitzhugh (a.k.a. Sarah filia Roberti) (b.1155–1160 d.c.1204).
Richard (b.c.1190–1194 d.c.1244–1249). Marriage,name unknown,father of John I Comyn,Lord of Badenoch (b.c.1220 d.c.1277)
↑ Davies, John; Williamson, Eila; Boardman, Steve (2023). "Earl of Buchan William Comyn". Dedications to Saints in Medieval Scotland. University of Edinburgh. doi:10.7488/ds/153. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
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