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Biography of King Alexander II of Scotland 1198-1249

Paternal Family Tree: Dunkeld

1186 Treaty of Falaise

1236 Marriage of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence

1236 Battle of Galloway

Treaty of Falaise

On 05 Sep 1186 [his father] King William I of Scotland (age 43) and [his mother] Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland (age 16) were married at Woodstock Palace, Oxfordshire [Map] by Archbishop Baldwin Avigo (age 61). She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland at Woodstock Palace, Oxfordshire [Map]. His bride had been chosen by King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 53) as part of the Treaty of Falaise. William received Edinburgh Castle [Map] as a wedding gift from King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. The difference in their ages was 27 years. He the son of [his grandfather] Henry Dunkeld 3rd Earl Huntingdon 1st Earl of Northumbria and [his grandmother] Ada Warenne Countess Huntingdon and Northumbria. They were half fourth cousins. She a great granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 24 Aug 1198 King Alexander II of Scotland was born to King William I of Scotland (age 55) and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland (age 28) at Haddington, Haddingtonshire. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 04 Dec 1214 [his father] King William I of Scotland (age 71) died at Stirling [Map]. He was buried at Arbroath Abbey. His son King Alexander II of Scotland (age 16) succeeded II King Scotland.

On 06 Dec 1214 King Alexander II of Scotland (age 16) was crowned II King Scotland.

On 21 Jun 1221 King Alexander II of Scotland (age 22) and Joan Plantagenet Queen of Scotland (age 10) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. She the daughter of King John of England and Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 33). He the son of King William I of Scotland and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland (age 51). They were half third cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 23 Apr 1224 William "The Younger" Marshal 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 34) and [his sister-in-law] Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Pembroke and Leicester (age 9) were married. She by marriage Countess Pembroke. The difference in their ages was 25 years. She the daughter of King John of England and [his mother-in-law] Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 36). He the son of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke.

In 1225 [his brother-in-law] Richard of Cornwall 1st Earl Cornwall (age 15) was created 1st Earl Cornwall.

On 30 Mar 1231 [his brother-in-law] Richard of Cornwall 1st Earl Cornwall (age 22) and Isabel Marshal Countess Cornwall, Gloucester and Hertford (age 30) were married at Fawley, Lambourn. She by marriage Countess Cornwall. She the daughter of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke. He the son of King John of England and [his mother-in-law] Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 43).

In Apr 1231 Hawise Gernon 2nd Countess Lincoln (age 51) succeeded 2nd Countess Lincoln. Robert Quincy Earl Lincoln by marriage Earl Lincoln. She was gifted the title by her childless brother Ranulf de Blondeville Gernon 6th Earl Chester 1st Earl Lincoln (age 61) by agreement with [his brother-in-law] King Henry III of England (age 23).

On 12 Feb 1233 [his mother] Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland (age 63) died. She was buried at Balmerino Abbey. Her brother [his uncle] Raoul Beaumont Sarthe I Viscount (age 61) succeeded I Viscount of Beaumont le Vicomte.

Before 1235 [his brother-in-law] Hugh Lusignan XI Count Lusignan VI Count La Marche II Count Angoulême (age 13) and Yolande Capet Countess Lusignan, La Marche and Angoulême (age 15) were married. She the daughter of Peter of Dreux aka Mauclerc Duke Brittany (age 47) and Alix Thouars Duchess of Brittany. He the son of Hugh Lusignan X Count Lusignan V Count La Marche (age 51) and [his mother-in-law] Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 46). They were third cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 20 Jul 1235 Frederick I King Jerusalem II Holy Roman Emperor (age 40) and [his sister-in-law] Isabella Plantagenet Holy Roman Empress (age 21) were married at Worms Cathedral [Map]. She the daughter of King John of England and [his mother-in-law] Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 47). He the son of Henry Hohenstaufen VI Holy Roman Emperor.

Marriage of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence

On 14 Jan 1236 [his brother-in-law] King Henry III of England (age 28) and Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England (age 13) were married at Canterbury Cathedral [Map] by Archbishop Edmund Rich (age 61). She the daughter of Raymond Berenguer Provence IV Count Provence (age 38) and Beatrice Savoy Countess Provence (age 38). He the son of King John of England and [his mother-in-law] Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 48). They were fourth cousins.

1236 Battle of Galloway

Chronica Majora.

Apr 1236. About the same time, several nobles and powerful men from the various provinces of the West, namely from Galloway, the Isle of Man, and parts of Ireland, assembled at the instance of Hugh de Lacy (age 60), whose daughter had been married to Alan of Galloway, lately deceased, and they all united together for the purpose of restoring Galloway to the illegitimate son of the aforesaid Alan, and of annulling by force the just disposition made by the king of Scots (age 37), who had distributed the inheritance amongst the three daughters of Alan, to whom it belonged by hereditary right. In order, therefore, to revoke and annul his distribution, and to restore the territory to the aforesaid Thomas, or to the son of Thomas, Alan's brother, or at least to one of that family, these presumptuous chiefs flew to arms, and, bursting forth into insolence, endeavoured to free themselves from the authority of the king. And in order to bring their attempts to the desired result, they entered into a strange kind of treaty, by means of a certain mode of divination, yet according to an abominable custom of their ancestors. For all these barbarians and their chiefs and magistrates drew blood from a vein near the heart, and poured it into a large cup, they then stirred and mixed it up, and afterwards, drinking to one another, quaffed it off, as a token that they were from that time forth allied by an indissoluble and, as it were, kindred treaty, and indivisible both in prosperity and adversity, even at the risk of their heads. They therefore provoked the king and the kingdom to war, burning their own houses and those of their neighbours, that the king, when he arrived, might not find either shelter or food for his army, and indulged in rapine and incendiarism, heaping injury on injury. On hearing of this, the king of Scotland collected his forces from all quarters, and, marching to meet them, drew up his forces in order and engaged them in open battle; and the fortune of war turning against the Galwegians, they were put to flight, and the royal troops, pursuing them at the sword's point, slew many thousands of them, and those who were taken alive by the king and his soldiers were put to an ignominious death without any chance of ransoming themselves. Some threw themselves on the king's mercy, and were consigned to close imprisonment by him till he could consult as to what should be done with them, and all of them, together with their descendants, he, not without good reason, disinherited. Having gained this victory the king glorified God, the lord of armies, and listening to good counsel, he sent word to Roger de Quincy (age 41), earl of Winchester, John Baliol (age 28), and William, the son of the earl of Albemarle, that, as they had married the three sisters, the daughters of Alan of Galloway, they might now, as the disturbances were quelled, hold peaceable possession of the rights pertaining to them. This battle took place in the month of April, the fortune of war favouring the king of Scots.

Chronica Majora. 28 Apr 1236. In the same year, on the 28th of April, the nobles of England assembled at a council at London, to discuss the affairs of the kingdom. It was a cause of astonishment to many that the king followed the advice of the bishop elect of Valentia more than he ought, despising, as it appeared to them, his own natural subjects, and at this they were annoyed, and accused the king of fickleness, saying amongst themselves, "Why does not this bishop elect betake himself to the kingdom of France, as the French king has married the elder sister of our queen, to manage the affairs of the French kingdom, like he does here, by reason of his niece the queen of that country?" And they were highly indignant. On the first day of the council the king went to the Tower of London, and gave great cause of discontent to many about this matter, and more unfavourable than prosperous conjectures were entertained. The nobles would not either singly or in numbers go to the Tower to the king, fearing lest he, yielding to evil counsel, should vent his rage on them, and being warned by the words of Horace - Quia me vestigia terrent Omnia te versum spectantia, nulla retrorsum. [Because the footsteps of these beasts all point towards your den, But none of them, as far I can see, come back again.]

The king, nevertheless, restrained by motives of prudence, went from the Tower to his palace, there to discuss the urgent business of the kingdom more suitably with his nobles. After discussing several matters, he came to one praiseworthy determination, which was, that all the sheriffs should be dismissed, and others appointed in their places, because they had been corrupted by bribes and deviated from the paths of truth and justice. The king, therefore, substituted in their places men who possessed more tenements, who were richer, and of more noble race, who would not be driven by necessity to covet presents, nor to be cornipted. He also made them swear that they would not accept any gifts, unless in food and drink, and that only moderately and not to excess; or any present of land by way of reward, by which justice would be corrupted. To this council the king of Scotland (age 37) sent special messengers, who urgently demanded from the king the rights which pertained to their lord, the said king of Scots, concerning which they said that they held a charter and had the testimony of a great many nobles; but the determination of this matter was put off for the present. At the same time, too, the king, because he could not re-establish peace between [his brother-in-law] Earl Richard (age 27), his brother, and Richard Seward, banished the latter from the kingdom, saying that he would rather incur his anger than that of his brother.

He also, to the astonishment of many, removed from their offices and dismissed from his councils, Ralph Fitz-Nicholas, seneschal of his palace, and several other high offices of his household. He also demanded instantly his seal from the bishop of Chichester, his chancellor; although he had blamelessly discharged the duties of his office, proving himself a remarkable pillar of truth at court. This, however, the chancellor refused to do, seeing that the kings violence exceeded the bounds of moderation, and said that he could on no account give it up, since he had undertaken the charge by the general consent of the kingdom, and therefore could not resign it without that same consent. About the same time, too, the emperor sent messengers to the king, demanding from him a large sum of money which he, the king, had promised him with his sister.

Chronica Majora. Sep 1236. In the same year, the king, by the advice of his nobles, proceeded to York to consult vith them and make arrangements for settling the dispute between him and Alexander (age 38), king of Scotland, and which had now grown into hatred. For to wise men, who weighed future events in the scale of reason, it seemed foolish that the kingdom of England, surrounded on all sides by enemies on the continent, should secretly generate internal hatred. The origin of this discord was (it is said) as follows: -The king of Scotland had constantly demanded the county of Northumberland, which King John had given him as a marriage portion with his daughter [his illegitimate sister-in-law] Johanna (age 45), and for which he declared that he held a charter and had the evidence of a great many bishops and clergy of rank, as well as earls and barons; and he declared that it was an unworthy and execrable action to revoke what proceeded from the lips of kings, and to annul a compact made between persons of such noble station. He also added, that unless the English king would peaceably give him what plain reason proved to be his right, he would seek it at the sword's point. He was inspired with confidence by the secret, although suspected, friendship of Llewellyn, and by his alliance and affinity with Gilbert Marshal (age 39), who had married his sister [his sister] Margaret (age 36), a most handsome lady. The hostility of his continental states, too, was always in conspiracy against him, and moreover, his cause was just, as was proved by the muniments of former kings. After much discussion on both sides, the king of England, for the sake of peace, and for the protection of his kingdom, as far as lay in his power offered the king of Scots a revenue of eighty marks from some other part of England, in order that the boundaries of his kingdom might not be broken in upon in the northern parts. But whilst he waited until the affair should be settled to the satisfaction of both parties, the conference ended, and all for the moment remained at peace.

About that time, the knight, Philip Daubeney, a noble devoted to God, and brave in battle, after fighting for the Lord during several pilgrimages to the Holy Land, at length closed his life by a praiseworthy death there, and obtained a holy burial in the Holy Land, which he had long desired when living.

In 1238 Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester (age 30) and [his sister-in-law] Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Pembroke and Leicester (age 23) were married at Westminster Palace [Map]. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. She the daughter of King John of England and [his mother-in-law] Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 50). He the son of Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester and Alix Montmorency. They were half third cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 04 Mar 1238 [his wife] Joan Plantagenet Queen of Scotland (age 27) died at Havering atte Bower, Essex [Map]. She was buried at Tarrant Abbey, Dorset [Map].

In 1239 King Alexander II of Scotland (age 40) and Marie Coucy (age 21) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of King William I of Scotland and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 04 Sep 1241 [his son] King Alexander III of Scotland was born to King Alexander II of Scotland (age 43) and [his wife] Marie Coucy (age 23) at Roxburgh Castle, Roxburgh. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 06 Jul 1249 King Alexander II of Scotland (age 50) died at Kerrera. He was buried at Melrose Abbey, Melrose. His son [his son] King Alexander III of Scotland (age 7) succeeded King Scotland.

In 1285 [his former wife] Marie Coucy (age 67) died.

[his daughter] Majory Dunkeld was born to King Alexander II of Scotland. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

King Alexander II of Scotland 1198-1249 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

King William "Conqueror" I of England 1028-1087

King Malcolm III of Scotland 1031-1093

King Duncan I of Scotland 1001-1040

Royal Ancestors of King Alexander II of Scotland 1198-1249

Kings Wessex: Great x 4 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings England: Great x 2 Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Kings Scotland: Great x 3 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 12 Grand Son of Louis "Pious" King Aquitaine I King Franks

Kings France: Great x 4 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King France

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 9 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Royal Descendants of King Alexander II of Scotland 1198-1249

King Alexander III of Scotland

Ancestors of King Alexander II of Scotland 1198-1249

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Duncan I of Scotland

Great x 2 Grandfather: King Malcolm III of Scotland

Great x 1 Grandfather: King David I of Scotland

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward "The Exile" Wessex

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ealdgyth Unknown

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Wessex Queen Consort Scotland

Great x 3 Grandmother: Agatha

GrandFather: Henry Dunkeld 3rd Earl Huntingdon 1st Earl of Northumbria

Great x 3 Grandfather: Siward "Stout" Earl of Northumbria

Great x 2 Grandfather: Waltheof Northumbria 1st Earl of Northampton 1st Earl Huntingdon

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ealdred Northumbria Earl Bernicia

Great x 3 Grandmother: Aelfflaed Northumbria

Great x 1 Grandmother: Maud Queen Consort Scotland

Father: King William I of Scotland

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Warenne

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Warenne 1st Earl of Surrey

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Warenne 2nd Earl of Surrey

Great x 3 Grandfather: Gerbod The Fleming

Great x 2 Grandmother: Gundred Countess of Surrey

GrandMother: Ada Warenne Countess Huntingdon and Northumbria

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert "Pious" II King France

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Henry I of France

Great x 4 Grandmother: Constance Arles Queen Consort France

Great x 2 Grandfather: Hugh "Great" Capet

Great x 4 Grandfather: Yaroslav "The Wise" Rurik

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Rurik Queen Consort France

Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Capet Countess Leicester, Meulan and Surrey

Great x 4 Grandfather: Otto Vermandois I Count Vermandois

Great x 3 Grandfather: Herbert Vermandois IV Count Vermandois

Great x 4 Grandmother: Pavia Countess Vermandois

Great x 2 Grandmother: Adelaide I Countess Vermandois

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph IV Count of Valois

Great x 3 Grandmother: Adela Valois Countess Blois and Vermandois

King Alexander II of Scotland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

GrandFather: Richard Beaumont Sarthe I Viscount Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: King William "Conqueror" I of England -2 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Herleva Falaise

Great x 2 Grandfather: King Henry I "Beauclerc" England Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Baldwin "The Good" V Count Flanders

Great x 3 Grandmother: Matilda Flanders Queen Consort England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Adela Capet Duchess Normandy

Great x 1 Grandmother: Constance Fitzroy Viscountess Beaumont Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Mother: Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

GrandMother: Lucie Aigle Viscountess