Christiane Steward

Christiane (Cristiane) was baptised at the Canongate in Edinburgh on May 13th, 1610.

[National Records of Scotland, Canongate Baptisms, reference OPR685/3] Image of Baptismal Record

She lived in Darnaway, Dyke , near Forres, Moray, Fife until her death.

During this time, James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray (1581– 6 August 1638) was the Earl of Moray, followed by James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray in 1638 – 4 March 1653).

Darnaway Castle 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Forres, in Moray, is the forest of Darnaway, famous for its oaks, in which stands the earl of Moray's mansion of Darnaway Castle. It occupies the site of the castle which was built by Thomas Randolph, the first earl. Attached to it is the great hall, capable of accommodating l000 men, with an open roof of fine dark oak, the only remaining portion of the castle that was erected by Archibald Douglas, earl of Moray, in 1450. Queen Mary held a council in it in 1562.

Once Comyn land, Darnaway Forest was given to Thomas Randolph along with the Earldom of Moray by King Robert l. The castle has remained the seat of the Earls of Moray ever since. It was once the centre of the powerful Province of Moray, the original castle being associated with the Dunbar, Gordon and Douglas families before being acquired by the Stuarts in 1562. The new house, built in the style of a Gothic French mansion, was designed by Alexander Laing for the 9th Earl of Moray in 1802.

Sir Thomas Randolph probably built the first castle. John, 3rd Earl died at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346 without male heirs, and the earldom went to Patrick Dunbar, who was the husband of one of John's daughters. The male line of the Dunbars failed around 1430, and the earldom went to the Douglases, who held it to 1455, then it passed to the Murrays, and then to the Stewarts, with whose descendants it remains.