Uilleam II, Earl of Ross

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Image: A bust of Uilleam II, made for display in the Tain Museum.

Uilleam II of Ross was the second successor of Ferchar mac in tSagairt, as Mormaer of Ross (1274–1323).

In 1284 he joined with other Scottish noblemen who acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the heir of Alexander.[1] At the beginning of the Wars of Scottish Independence Uilleam was captured fighting against the English at the Battle of Dunbar. After which, like many Gaelic lords, he became pro-English and one of the most early enemies of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick. Uilleam had been in English custody, but his wife Euphemia had obtained his release, and Uilleam was appointed Edward I of England's warden of Scotland north of the Grampians.

When a band of Bruce supporters, including the Countess of Atholl, Bruce's wife Elizabeth de Burgh, his daughter Marjorie and Robert's brother Niall took refuge in St Duthac's chapel in Tain, Uilleam arrested them and handed them over to the English crown. The men were executed.[dubious – discuss]

This put Uilleam in a dangerous position when the Bruce revival began in the same year, 1306. He found himself being attacked by Bruce in the south, and by Lachlan MacRuadridh (Lord of the Isle of Skye), Uilleam's nominal vassal, but Bruce's ally, in the west. When Bruce came north in 1308, Uilleam submitted, receiving his Mormaerdom back from Bruce, along with a pardon and the burgh of Dingwall. This bribe and the realities of power kept Uilleam in the Bruce camp.

Uilleam was chief of the Clan Ross who fought on the side of the Bruce against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn. Uilleam was a signatory of the Declaration of Arbroath.

Uilleam had six children, one of whom, Aodh, Earl of Ross, succeeded him when he died in 1323.

William's wife Euphemia was previously known only as 'a lady named Euphemia, who warmly supported the English party' [Scots Peerage VII:234]. She has been identified as Euphemia de Berkeley, or Barclay, daughter of Sir Hugh de Berkeley, Justiciar of Lothian (1258–1276, d. bef 28 August 1296).

Notes

1^ Foedera, p228

Bibliography

• Barrow, G.W.S., Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, (Edinburgh, 1988)
• John P. Ravilious, The Ancestry of Euphemia, Countess of Ross: Heraldry as Genealogical Evidence, The Scottish Genealogist, Vol. LV, No. 1 (March 2008), pp. 33–38
• Rymer, Thomas,Foedera Conventiones, Literae et cuiuscunque generis Acta Publica inter Reges Angliae. London. 1745. (Latin) [1]

Mormaer of Ross 1274–1323 Preceded by Uilleam I Succeeded by Aodh

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ID: I10739 Name: William de Ross Sex: M Birth: BEF 1274 in 3rd Earl of Ross Death: 28 JAN 1322/23 Reference Number: 10739 Note: William de Ross, 3rd Earl of Ross was born before 1274. He was the son of William de Ross, 2nd Earl of Ross and Joan Comyn. He died on 28 January 1323. William de Ross, 3rd Earl of Ross gained the title of 3rd Earl of Ross.

Family 1 Child Sir John Ross 1

Family 2 Euphemia Child Hugh de Ross, 4th Earl of Ross+ d. 19 Jul 1333

Citations [S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 375. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.

William "William, 3rd Earl of Ross" de Ross formerly Ross

Born 1249 in Fearn, Ross and Cromarty, Scotlandmap

Son of William (Ross) de Ross and Johanna (Comyn) Ross

Brother of William O'Beolan

Husband of Euphemia (Graham) O'Beolan — married [date unknown] [location unknown]

Husband of Euphemia (Balliol) Ross — married [date unknown] [location unknown]

Father of [private son (unknown - unknown)], Hugh (Ross) de Ross, John Ross, Lillas Ross and Isabella Ross

Died January 28, 1323 in Delny, Ross-shiremap