Annabella Drummond

Annabella Drummond
Queen Annabella pictured in the Forman Armorial, 1562
Queen consort of Scotland
Tenure19 April 1390 - October 1401
Coronation15 August 1390
Bornc. 1350[1]
Diedc. October 1401 (aged c. 50)
Scone, Scotland
Burial
Dunfermline Abbey
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1367)​
IssueMargaret
Elizabeth
David
Mary
Robert
Egidia
James I of Scotland
HouseClan Drummond
FatherJohn Drummond of Concraig
MotherMary Montifex

Annabella Drummond (c. 1350 - c. October 1401) was Queen of Scots as the wife of King Robert III. Reigning as consort from 1390 until her death in 1401, Annabella exercised considerable political influence, especially during the later years of her husband's reign. She was praised by her contemporaries, most notably by Andrew of Wyntoun.

Life

Annabella was the daughter of John Drummond of Concraig, a landowner in the earldom of Lennox, and his wife Mary Montifex, the daughter of William Montifex, a knight who had signed the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.[2][3][4] The date of Annabella's birth is unknown. Based on the date of her marriage, it has been estimated in c. 1350. She was traditionally born at Dunfermline.[5] Annabella may have served as a lady-in-waiting to Joan of the Tower, Queen of Scots, during Joan's residence in England in c. 1358.[6]

Annabella's father, John Drummond, married Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith, probably in early 1360, in a bid to secure influence in the earldom of Menteith. Drummond died later that same year.[7] Annabella's fortunes were preserved by the rise of her aunt, Margaret Drummond, to favor at the court of King David II, first as the king's mistress and then, after 1364, as Queen of Scots.[8] David granted Annabella the sum of £20 in 1365, at which time she was resident in Stirling Castle, as a sign of his favor towards the Drummond family.[9]

Marriage

On 13 March 1366, Pope Urban V issued a dispensation for Annabella to marry John Stewart of Kyle, the eldest son of Robert the Steward, who was heir to the throne of Scotland as a grandson of Robert the Bruce.[10] Annabella and John were married by April 1367, likely with the support of the king.[11] Later in 1367, John's father granted him the earldom of Atholl in recognition of his marriage.[12] In 1368, David II gifted the earldom of Carrick to John and Annabella.[13] The grant of Carrick may have represented compensation for David's divorce from Annabella's aunt Margaret, which had been finalized by March 1369,[14] and thereby reduced the political significance of John's marriage to Annabella.[15]

After the death of David II in 1371, Annabella's father-in-law became King of Scots as Robert II. The birth of two daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth, to Annabella by 1373 provoked political tension in Scotland.[16] At the demand of Robert II, the Parliament of Scotland passed an entail of the succession, restricting the right of Annabella's daughters to inherit the throne in favor of their uncle, Robert, Earl of Fife.[17] Annabella gave birth to her first son, David, in 1378, thereby resolving concerns over the succession.[18] Annabella's three eldest daughters were all married to various members of the Douglas family, as part of her husband's political alliances with William, Earl of Douglas, and his son James.[19]

Annabella's husband John became regent of Scotland in 1384, on behalf of her father-in-law Robert II, who was declared incapable of exercising royal authority.[20][21] Annabella's political influence was demonstrated in 1385, when her brother-in-law, Robert, Earl of Fife, was forced to surrender lands in Strathearn in favor of her cousin John Logie, the son of her aunt Margaret Drummond.[22] Annabella's husband suffered a severe injury when he was kicked by a horse, probably in 1388.[23] Shortly afterwards, Annabella's brother-in-law, the Earl of Fife, succeeded her husband as regent for Robert II.[24] Robert II died on 19 April 1390, after which Annabella's husband became King of Scots, assuming the regnal name of Robert III.

Queen of Scots

Annabella was crowned as queen at Scone Abbey by John of Peebles, Bishop of Dunkeld, on 15 August 1390.[25] In March 1391, parliament granted Annabella an annual pension of 2,500 merks, a notably large sum, for the maintenance of her court and entourage.[26] As queen, Annabella maintained a correspondence with Richard II of England, writing two letters to him in 1394.[27][28][3] According to tradition, Annabella favored the town of Inverkeithing, in Fife, as a royal residence.[3]

In April 1398, Annabella attended a general council at Scone Abbey alongside her husband, where the king and queen listened to a sermon preached by Walter Trail, Bishop of St. Andrews, about the state of affairs in Scotland.[29] At this council, Annabella's eldest son David was elevated to the title of Duke of Rothesay. Annabella was a crucial figure in her eldest son's rise to political prominence. Later in 1398, Annabella arranged a tournament in Edinburgh, where David was knighted.[30] By this time, Annabella's husband was facing severe criticism over his governance of Scotland.[31] Probably with Annabella's implicit support, Robert III was removed from power in January 1399 and replaced by David, Duke of Rothesay, as regent of the kingdom.[32][33][34] Annabella's husband seems to have suffered from chronic illness, which likely contributed to his surrender of authority.[35] Annabella attended the general council that removed her husband from power, held at Perth in January 1399, where she formally complained that her brother-in-law, Robert, who had now become Duke of Albany, was abusing his office of Chamberlain of Scotland to prevent the payment of her annual pension.[36][37][38]

Annabella's brother, Malcolm Drummond, Lord of Mar, was a prominent supporter of her eldest son's regency.[39] Annabella resided primarily in eastern Scotland, particularly at Dunfermline, during her later years, where her youngest son, James, was raised as a member of her household.[40][41] Annabella died at Scone in late 1401,[42][3] probably in October, as her death was described by Andrew of Wyntoun as occurring in "the harvest time".[43] She was buried at Dunfermline Abbey.[44] After his death in 1406, Annabella's husband, Robert III, chose to be buried at Paisley Abbey, rather than alongside Annabella's body at Dunfermline.[45]

Andrew of Wyntoun and Walter Bower, who were both contemporaries of Annabella, were complimentary towards the queen. Bower, the author of the Scotichronicon, concluded that Annabella's death was an important factor in the downfall of her eldest son, David, shortly afterwards.[46] In his Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland, Wyntoun described Annabella as "faire, honorabil, and pleasand; cunnand, curtays in her efferis; luvand, and large to strangeris."[3]

Issue

Annabella had seven children with Robert III:

References

  1. ^ Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), p. 227
  2. ^ Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), p. 227
  3. ^ a b c d e Mackay, A.J.G. "Drummond, Annabella" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 16. pp. 22–25.
  4. ^ Named as William Mushet - variably as Willelmus de Montefixo. "Declaration of Arbroath". The Clan Buchanan Society International. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  5. ^ Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), p. 227
  6. ^ Penman, Michael (2004). David II. East Linton: Tuckwell Press. p. 348. ISBN 1 86232 2023.
  7. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 16. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  8. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 15. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  9. ^ Penman, Michael (2004). David II. East Linton: Tuckwell Press. p. 348. ISBN 1 86232 2023.
  10. ^ Penman, Michael (2004). David II. East Linton: Tuckwell Press. p. 348. ISBN 1 86232 2023.
  11. ^ Penman, Michael (2004). David II. East Linton: Tuckwell Press. p. 348. ISBN 1 86232 2023.
  12. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 22. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  13. ^ Penman, Michael (2004). David II. East Linton: Tuckwell Press. p. 369. ISBN 1 86232 2023.
  14. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 23. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  15. ^ Penman, Michael (2004). David II. East Linton: Tuckwell Press. p. 370. ISBN 1 86232 2023.
  16. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 56. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  17. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 57. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  18. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 57. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  19. ^ Penman, Michael (2004). David II. Tuckwell Press. p. 419. ISBN 1-86232-2023.
  20. ^ Brown, K.M. "1384/11/4". The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707. University of St. Andrews. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  21. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 124. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  22. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 135. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  23. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 152. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  24. ^ Brown, K.M. "1388/12/1". The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707. University of St. Andrews. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  25. ^ Nicholson, Ranald (1974). Scotland: The Later Middle Ages (Second ed.). Edinburgh: Mercat Press. p. 204. ISBN 0901824 844.
  26. ^ Nicholson, Ranald (1974). Scotland: The Later Middle Ages (Second ed.). Edinburgh: Mercat Press. p. 215. ISBN 0901824 844.
  27. ^ Nicholson, Ranald (1974). Scotland: The Later Middle Ages (Second ed.). Edinburgh: Mercat Press. p. 217. ISBN 0901824 844.
  28. ^ Brown, Michael (1994). James I (First ed.). Canongate Press. p. 9. ISBN 1-898410-40-2.
  29. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 209. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  30. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 212. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  31. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 211. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  32. ^ Nicholson, Ranald (1974). Scotland: The Later Middle Ages (Second ed.). Edinburgh: Mercat Press. p. 215. ISBN 0901824 844.
  33. ^ Brown, K.M. "1399/1/3". The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707. University of St. Andrews. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  34. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 223. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  35. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 222. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  36. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 223. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  37. ^ Nicholson, Ranald (1974). Scotland: The Later Middle Ages (Second ed.). Edinburgh: Mercat Press. p. 215. ISBN 0901824 844.
  38. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 225. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  39. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 225. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  40. ^ Brown, Michael (1994). James I (First ed.). Canongate Press. p. 14. ISBN 1-898410-40-2.
  41. ^ Brown M. H., James I, ODNB
  42. ^ Nicholson, Ranald (1974). Scotland: The Later Middle Ages (Second ed.). Edinburgh: Mercat Press. p. 221. ISBN 0901824 844.
  43. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 232. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  44. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 297. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  45. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 297. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  46. ^ Boardman, Stephen (1996). The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371-1406. Edinburgh: Tuckwell Press. p. 232. ISBN 978 1 904607 68 7.
  47. ^ "Robert Stewart - died after 8 Feb 1393". Medieval Lands. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.