Morggán MacGylocher, Earl of Mar

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Morggán, Earl of Mar From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Morggán of Mar, is the first Mormaer or Earl of Mar to appear in history as "more than a characterless name in a witness-list.".[1] His father was Gille Chlerig. He is often known as Morgrund or Morgan.

It is possible that Morggán participated in the so-called Revolt of the Earls, a protest by some of the native Scottish nobility at King Máel Coluim IV's trip to France as a vassal of King Henry II of England.

It is also possible that he became estranged from the French-speaking king William I, as Morggán's name appears in no royal acts of the latter king's reign.

He married Agnes, a patroness of churches. Agnes was probably related to the de Warenne family - the family who married Ada de Warenne to Henry of Scotland and mother of Kings Malcolm IV and William the Lion. Morggán and Agnes had at least one son, Donnchad, who eventually succeeded to become a Mormaer of Mar. Morggán had another two sons, Máel Coluim and James, but they may have been illegitimate - i.e. the product of an uncanonical marriage acceptable in the Celtic system, but not in the Franco-Roman system then gaining favour in Scotland.

His daughter Alesta of Mar was married to Alan Fitzwalter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland and was mother to Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland.

He appears in royal charters dated as early as 1147. He is attested in the documents for the last time in 1178, and was dead by 1183. References

   Oram, "The Earls and Earldom of Mar", p. 47

Bibliography

   Richard D. Oram, "The Earls and Earldom of Mar, c1150-1300,"

   Steve Boardman and Alasdair Ross (eds.) The Exercise of Power in Medieval Scotland, c.1200-1500, (Dublin/Portland, 2003).

Preceded by Gille Chlerig Mormaer of Mar before 1147– before 1183 Succeeded by Gille Críst

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Morg(r)und Mac Gylocher, 2nd Earl of Mar; witness by 1152 to a charter of David I and his son Henry to Dunfermline, also a confirmatory charter to the same foundation by David's successor Malcolm IV in the mid 1150's; married Agnes and died by 30 March 1183, leaving possibly five or six sons (Malcolm; James; Duncan; David/Donald (possibly the same person); John); one of his sons may have been the man who was his undoubted successor as Earl. [Burke's Peerage]

Below is per Curt Hofemann's post-it on the Phillips/Weber website: Note that neither CP nor SP give a relationship between Ruardri/Rothri/Roderick, the first Earl of Mar on record and Morgund/Morgrund mac Gylocher the second, but because of the rule of descent in practice at that time, it is believed they were related, but exactly how is a matter of speculation and debate. I hereby post articles on both and leave to others to connect them as they will...CH

THE ANCIENT EARLS OF MAR Mar, which gave its name to what is now claimed to be the oldest existing Scottish title, was one of the original great divisions, afterwards called earldoms, into which Scotland was divided, while its lord was one of the body referred to as the seven earls, who are said to have acted as advisers of the King. The district extended east and west from Braemar, or the Braes of Mar, to Aberdeen, and north and south from the Braes of Angus to the Don.(1-566) Like other such districts of Scotland it was at an early historical period under the rule of a Mormaor or High Steward. 'Donald, son of Emhin, son of Cainnech,' Mormaor or Great Steward of Mar, said to be of the race of Old Ivar and of the Clan Leod of Arran, was one of those Scottish chiefs who went to Ireland to assist King Brian Boruimha against the Danes, and fell at the battle of Clontarf in 1014.(2-566) Norse or Danish descent is thus ascribed to him, but we have no certain knowledge that the succeeding Mormaors of Mar were directly, or even lineally, descended from him. There is a long space of silence between him(1-567) and

I. Ruadri or Rotheri, who appears on record as the first Earl of Mar, and who is also styled Mormaor, thus forming a link between the old Celtic system and the new feudal ideas of territorial dignities. He appears first as 'Rotheri Comes' or Earl, giving consent to the foundation charter of the Abbey of Scone, a writ usually said to be dated in 1114, but which must have been a few years later, though not later than 1124, the year in which King Alexander I., the founder, died.(2-567) He was also a witness to the charter by King David to the Abbey of Dunfermline dated probably about 1128.(3-567) In the eighth year of King David (1132) he is witness to a charter by Gartnait, Mormaor of Buchan.(4-567) The next Earl on record is II. Morgund... [Ref: SP V:566-7]

(1-566) _Scottish Kings_, map iv., ancient divisions of Scotland. (2-566) _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, iv. p. liv, note; _Annals of Ulster_, at date; Mar Peerage Minutes of Evidence, 659, 702. (1-567) Douglas, on the authority of Martin's _Collections_, inserts a Martacus, Earl of Mar, as nourishing in the reign of Malcolm Canmore (1068-1093), but the authority is fictitious. [ Ref: Scots Peerage vol. V:566-7]

II. Morgund, who first appears on record as a witness to a charter by King David I. to the monks of Dumfermline dated between 1147 and 1152,(5-567) but if the dates assigned to charters by him and his wife are accepted, he may have been Earl before or from 1141.(6-567) It is probable, however, that the later date is more correct. He is designed 'Mac Gyloclery,' or son of Gyloclery, in one writ of undoubted credit, and has been described as the son of Gillocher, Earl of Mar, but this last statement at present rests only on a doubtful document, the authenticity of which is much disputed, but according to which Morgund presented himself before King William the Lyon, at Hindhop Burnemuthe, in the King's new forest ('apud Hindhop Burnemuthe in mea nova foresta') on the tenth Kalend of June (23 May) 1171, claiming the earldom of Mar, in presence of the council and army of Scotland then assembled. The King thereupon, it is said, summoned an inquest, who found that Morgund was son and lawful heir of Gillocher, Earl of Mar, upon which the King granted and restored the earldom to Morgund. The latter then further petitioned for the earldom of Moray on the same grounds, that his father Gillocher was last vest therein. Another inquest found that he was the true and lawful heir of Moray, but because the King was heavily engaged in war with England, and the men of Moray could not be subjected to his will, he was unable to do justice to Morgund. But he promised that when he could terminate the war and subdue the rebels, he would recognise the rights of Morgund to the earldom of Moray.

This writ as it stands is certainly spurious in its form, but while its authenticity is rejected by all historians, they all more or less agree that it may contain some important items of fact. Mr. Skene thinks it contains the record of a real transaction by which the earldom was converted into a feudal holding, but the fact must be dressed in a garb of fancy, as Mr. Skene himself gives valid reasons for believing that the writ, as we have it, was forged, or at least compiled, about 1257, on behalf of the then Earl of Mar, whose possession was challenged.(1-568) The statement, however, that Morgund was the son of a Gillocher may be correct, though the latter may not have been Earl of Mar.(2-568) That Morgund bore that title cannot be doubted, and, so far as extant record goes, there is no evidence that his right to the earldom was questioned during his life or that it was restored as stated. Besides appearing in the reign of David I., as stated, he was present at the granting of an important charter to the monks of Dunfermline by King Malcolm IV., in or after 1154, and is then styled Morgund Comes.(3-568) He was a considerable benefactor to the Priory of St. Andrews, and between 1165 and 1171 made a special grant to the canons there of the church of Tarland in Cromar, for the benefit of himself and his wife, that wherever in Scotland they might die, they were to be buried at St. Andrews.(1-569) Later, before 1178, he and his wife further granted the adjoining church of Migvie to St. Andrews. A learned historian suggests that the separate deeds granted on this occasion by the Earl and his wife indicate that he held the earldom in her right. There are difficulties challenged, an argument which would have been futile had he derived the dignity through his wife. Earl Morgund died probably in the year 1182, certainly before 30 March 1183, when he is referred to as dead in a bull by Pope Lucius III.(2-569) He left issue:— 1. Malcolm, who as son of Morgund, Earl of Mar, in a charter dated after 1207, confirms his father's grant of the church of Tarland to the monks. He also appears at an earlier date, between 1182 and 1199, as a witness to the foundation of the hospital of St. Peter by Matthew, Bishop of Aberdeen.(3-569) 2. James, who is a witness with his brother Malcolm to the foundation charter cited above. There is a curious contract, dated in 1222, between the Priory of St. Andrews and one of their thralls, Gillemor Scolgo of Tarland, permitting the latter to remain with Sir J., son of the deceased M., Earl of Mar, during the pleasure of the convent.(4-569) On 5 May 1226, James, son of Morgund, made a contract with Andrew, Bishop of Moray, which shows that he had previously obtained right to the lands of Cuneneges, now Congash, and others in the barony of Abernethy, in Strathspey.(5-569) He witnessed a charter by King Alexander II. to Ness (Ramsay) his physician, of the lands of Banff, in the lordship of Alyth, dated at Aberdeen 9 October 1232,(6-569) which is apparently his last appearance on record. 3. Duncan, who became Earl of Mar. 4. Donald, who as Donald, son of the Earl of Mar, appears as witness to a grant in 1228, by King Alexander II., permitting the monks of St. Andrews to buy grain. He also appears in two other writs up to about 1240, or not later than 1243, as Sir Donald of Mar, Knight.(1-570) It is probably he who as Sir D., son of the late Earl of Mar, is named along with his brother James in the writ of 1222 cited above. 5. David, son of the Earl, engaged in a dispute with Duncan, son of Morgund, regarding the church of Leochel, which was settled by King Alexander II. at an uncertain date.(2-570) This is the only appearance of David on record, and Donald may be referred to. 6. John, son of the Earl of Mar, is a witness to charter by Malcolm, Earl of Fife, dated between 1214 and 1226, to Archibald Douglas, son of William Douglas, of the lands of Livingston and Herdmanston.(3-570)

(1-566) _Scottish Kings_, map iv., ancient divisions of Scotland. (2-566) _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, iv. p. liv, note; _Annals of Ulster_, at date; Mar Peerage Minutes of Evidence, 659, 702. (1-567) Douglas, on the authority of Martin's _Collections_, inserts a Martacus, Earl of Mar, as nourishing in the reign of Malcolm Canmore (1068-1093), but the authority is fictitious. (2-567) _Early Scottish Charters_, by Lawrie, 28-30, 279-286; _Scottish Historical Review_, ii. 428-431. (3-567) _Early Scottish Charters_, 61. (4-567) _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, iv. 548. (5-567) _Early Scottish Charters_, 181. (6-567) _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, iv. 690, 691. (1-568) See _Celtic Scotland_, iii. 69, 441-447; _The Earldom of Mar, etc._, by Lord Crawford, i. 169, 171, 172; _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, iv. 691, note; _Acta Parl. Scot._, i. 19, 20, note, and an able paper by the late Mr. Burnett on 'The Early Earls of Mar,' _Genealogist_, new ser., iv. 177, etc., for opinions on the subject. (2-568) Lord Crawford expresses his belief that evidence will some day emerge to show that 'Morgund was really the son of Gillocherus or Gillocher, possibly Earl of Mar.' (3-568) _Reg. de Dunfernlyn_, 22. This charter is, in _Acta Parl. Scot._, i. 363, dated 1154, but may be between that date and 1190. (1-569) _Reg. Prior. S. Andree_, 246. (2-569) _Ibid._, 59; Morgund witnesses a charter by Malcolm, Earl of Atholl, along with Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, who only succeeded in 1182; _Acta Parl. Scot_., i. 387, where the writ is misdated. (3-569) _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, ii. 17; _Reg. Epis. Aberdonensis_, i. II. (4-569) _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, ii. 18. (5-569) _Registrum Moraviense_, 76. (6-569) _Antiq. of Aberd. and Banff_, iv. 695. (1-570) _Reg. Prior. S. Andree_, 237, 250, 253. (2-570) _Acta Parl. Scot._, i. 405. (3-570) _Reg. Honoris de Morton_, i. p. xxxiii.; Mr. Burnett (_Genealogist_, new ser., iv. 182) assigns this son John to Earl Duncan, but he has inadvertently misdated the writ. John appears nowhere else, and it is possible James may be the person intended, though Earl Gilchrist appears also to have had a son John. [ Ref: Scots Peerage vol. V:566-570]

MAR or MARR [Mar with Buchan (the territory comprising that now covered by the counties of Aberdeen and Banff) formed one of the seven original Earldoms of Scotland, the holders of which were styled Mormaers in the 10th and 11th centuries,(a-398) and later called Earls. Before the 12th century Buchan had become separated from mar.]

EARLDOM [S.] I. circa 1115. 1. Roderick, Ruadri or Rothri, Mormaer of Mar, witnessed, circa 1114 or 1115, the foundation charter of Scone as _Rothri Comes_.(b-398) As such he also witnessed, between 1124 and 1129, King David's charter to Dunfermline Abbey;(c-398) and therefore may be considered to have been EARL OF MAR [S.]; and in 1131-1132, as Ruadri, Mormaer of Mar, he witnessed a charter of Gartrait or Gratney, Mormaer of Buchan, to the Monastery of Deer.(d-398)

(a-398) Donald mac Emkin mac Cainnech, an early Mormaer of Mar, is said to have been one of the 10 Mormaers who crossed over to Ireland to assist Brien Boroihme against the Danes, by whom both were slain in the battle of Clontarf in 1014. The names of Donald's successors are unknown until the time of Roderick, early in the 12th century, and Roderick accordingly is here numbered as the first Earl of Mar. (b-398) Lawrie, _Early Scottish Charters_, no. 36—there marked (? Spurious). (c-398) _Idem_, no. 74. (d-398) _Book of Deer_ (Spalding Club), p. 94. [Ref: CP VIII:397-8]

MAR or MARR EARLDOM [S.] II. 1141? 2. Morgund or Morgrund mac Gylocher, Earl of Mar [S.].(e-398) As _Morgund Comes_ he witnessed a charter of David I and his son Henry to Dunfermline before 1152,(f-398) and a confirmation charter to Dunfermline by Malcolm IV between 1154 and 1158.(a-399) As _Moregrundus comes de Mar_ he granted the church of Tarland to the priory of St. Andrews between 1165 and 1177.(b-399) He and his wife Agnes made several grants to St. Andrews, and directed they should be buried there, wherever in Scotland they might die.(c-399) She, as _Agnes, comitissa de Mar_, made a grant thereto of land in Inverinche.(d-399) His legitimacy was questioned long after his death, but appears to have been upheld.(e-399) He died before 30 March 1183.(f-399)

(e-398) His relationship to his predecessor is unknown, but the rule of descent in Celtic tribes was in the male line from the common founder. It was not till after the introduction of the feudal system into Scotland in the 12th century that the Celtic Earldoms, as Crawford* observes (vol. i, p. 168), "originally descendible to male agnates only, became thenceforward descendible to heirs general." He is called, in a document of doubtful authenticity (see _Achæologia_, vol. xix, pp. 241-252), _filium Gillocheri quondam Comitis de Marre_. This document purports to be a grant, 10 Kalends of June 1171, by William the Lion of the Earldom of Mar to Morgund, and the Earldom of Moray is also therein attributed to him and to Gillocher. The deed was in the possession of Selden, who printed it in his _Titles of Honour_ (p. 700). It is therein represented that the Earldom was granted to Morgund, who had been found by inquest lawful s. and h. of his father. With respect to its value John Anderson observes (_Scots Peerage_, vol. v, p. 568): "This writ as it stands is certainly spurious in its form, but while its authenticity is rejected by all historians, they all more or less agree that it may contain some important items of fact. . . .The statement . . . that Morgund was the son of Gillocher may be correct, though the latter may not have been Earl of Mar." The last memorandum attached to the protocal of 1290 (referred to in note "c" on preceding page) runs thus: "Memorandum quod quondam Dominus Willelmus rex Scotie reddidit Morgundo McGylochery predecessori domini Douenaldi Comitis de Marr comitatum suum de Marr secundum quod continetur in scripto quod habet predictus Douenaldus Comes de Marr. Deficiebant tunc dicto Morgundo et adhuc deficiunt Comiti de Marr tres centum liberatas terre pro parte in dominiis et pro parte in homagiis et amplius de quibus petit jus sibi fieri et racionem" (Palgrave, _op. cit._, p. 21). (f-398) _Reg. Dunfermline_ (Bannatyne Club), p. 8. (a-399) _Idem_, p. 22. (b-399) _Reg. Priorat. Sci. And._ (Bannatyne Club), pp. 230, 235. (c-399) _Idem_, p. 246. (d-399) _Idem_, p. 249. _Burnett_** (p. 178) observes: "These charters are undoubtedly suggestive of Morgund having been Earl in right of his wife . . . but it is . . . difficult to reconcile this supposition with the importance afterwards attached to the question of Morgund’s legitimacy, and it would rather seem that some other explanation must be sought of Agnnes thus dealing with the earldom in her own name." (e-399) See post, p. 401, note "d." (f-399) In a bull of Pope Lucius III of that date he is referred to as _quondom comitis de Mar_. The _Scots Peerage_ gives him six sons, Malcolm, James, Duncan (who became Earl), Donald, David and John, but observes that as only one mention is found of David, it may refer to Donald. [Ref: CP 398-9]

   Alexander (Crawford), Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, Lord Lindsay, etc., _The Earldom of Mar in Sunshine and in Shade_, 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1882

       Dr. George Burnett, LL.D., Lyon King-at-Arms, 'The Early Earls of Mar', _Genealogist_, vol. iv, New Series, London, 1887. 

Sources

   Phillips, Weber, Kirk and Staggs Families of the Pacific Northwest, by Jim Weber, on Rootsweb.com 

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