Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith

Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith
Born	1334 (1334) Doune Castle, Perthshire, Scotland
Died	4 May 1380(1380-05-04) (aged 46) Scotland
Title	Lady
Spouse	Sir John Moray, Lord of Bothwell, Thomas, 9th Earl of Mar, Sir John Drummond, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany
Children	Janet, Mary, Margaret, Joan, Beatrice, Isabella, Marjorie, Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany.

Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith (1334–1380) was a Scottish noblewoman. She married four times, becoming Countess of Menteith and, in 1361, Duchess of Albany. Her fourth and last husband was Sir Robert Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany, who would go on to be Regent of Scotland from 1406 until his death in 1420. Her son Murdoch Stewart would become the second Duke of Albany, but was executed for treason by King James I of Scotland in 1425.

Early life

Margaret Graham was the only daughter of Sir John Graham and Mary Menteith, Countess of Menteith. She was born in Doune Castle, Stirlingshire, Scotland. Margaret's father served as second-in-command to Sir William Wallace, fighting alongside Wallace during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He was killed at the disastrous Battle of Falkirk on 22 July 1298, when the Scottish army was routed by Edward I of England.

Sir John was buried in Falkirk Old Parish Church. The inscription reads:

Here lyes Sir John the Grame, baith wight and wise,
Ane of the chiefs who rescewit Scotland thrise,
Ane better knight not to the world was lent,
Nor was gude Graham of truth and hardiment ^[1]

Marriages

Seal of Margaret's fourth husband, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany.

She was married four times. First, to Sir John Moray, Lord of Bothwell (son of Sir Andrew Moray and Lady Christina Bruce). No issue. Then she was married to Thomas, 9th Earl of Mar but they were divorced circa 1359. No issue. Thirdly, she was married to Sir John Drummond of Concraig. No issue.

Duchess of Albany

Her last marriage in 1361 was to Sir Robert Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany (son of Robert II Stewart, King of Scotland and Elizabeth Mure of Rowallan). Sir Robert Stewart was a member of the Scottish Royal House and later served as regent to three different Scottish monarchs.

Family

Margaret's son, Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany.

The Duke and Duchess of Albany had eight children:

• Janet Stewart
• Mary Stewart (married to sir William Abernathy,6th of Saltoun)
• Margaret Stewart (married to Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk)
• Joan Stewart (Sir Robert Stewart, Lord of Lorn)
• Beatrice Stewart (married to Sir James Douglas of Balveny)
• Isabella Stewart (married to Alexander Leslie, 7th Earl of Ross and later to Walter Haliburton)
• Lady Marjorie Stewart (married to Sir Duncan Campbell)
• Murdoch Stewart (1362–1425), 2nd Duke of Albany (married to Joan Douglas and later to Isabel, Countess of Lennox).

Margaret Graham’s married name evolved from Moray to Erskine to Drummond and later to Stewart.

Margaret Graham died on May 4, 1380 in Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland and was buried in Inchmahone Priory, Perthshire in Scotland.

References

• Margaret Countess of Menteith at www.thepeerage.com Retrieved January 2011
• Margaret Countess of Menteith at www.geni.com Retrieved January 2011
• Margaret Countess of Menteith at the National Archive wiki pages Retrieved January 2011

Notes

1. ^ "Falkirk". Statistical Account of Scotland. 19. 1791–1799. p. 100. 

Persondata
Name	Graham, Margaret
Alternative names
Short description	Countess Of Menteith
Date of birth	1334
Place of birth	Doune Castle, Perthshire, Scotland
Date of death	1380
Place of death	Scotland