Euphemia de Brus, countess of Dunbar

Euphemia Stewart was previously thought in peerages to have been the wife of Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, but she’s now thought to have been Eupheme de Brus. “ SP said she was dau. of Walter 3rd High Steward; CP corrects this in XIV.”

Her children were Patrick, Waldeve and Isabel.

The Countess survived her husband, dying perhaps in or about 1267. From the chronicler of Lanercost, who tells a somewhat decorated anecdote of the strained relations between her and her eldest son, we learn she resided, in her later years, at Whittinghame, in East Lothian. The same writer also states that he was present when mother and son were reconciled at her deathbed, he asking her forgiveness.

According to the Lanecost chronicler, Earl Patrick and his wife had several children, and a William and a Robert appear in a writ of 14 April 1248, as if they were sone of the Earl, But by comparison of writs, it would rather appear they they were his brothers.

Source: THE SCOTS PEERAGE, ed. by Sir James Balfour Paul, Vol III, Edinburgh, 1906, pp.255-7.

Origins

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND.htm#Euphemiadied1267

2. WILLIAM de Brus (-before 4 Dec 1214). The manuscript history of the Bruce family of Carleton records that “Willielmus filius eius” succeeded “Robertus Brus”[1011]. m as her first husband, CHRISTINA, daughter of ---. Christina was the sister of Eva, second wife of Robert de Quincy (see ENGLAND EARLS, WINCHESTER), as shown by the undated charter under which "Eua quondam uxor Roberti de Quinci" donated property "de Edmundesten" to Melrose abbey, for the souls of "dominorum meorum Robti de Quinci et Walteri de Berkeley et Rolandi fratris mei et Johis filii mei et Christine sororis mee"[1016]. The Liber Vitæ of Durham names "Cristina uxor Willelmi de Brus, Robertus de Brus filius eius"[1017]. She married secondly (before 4 Dec 1214) as his second wife, Patrick Earl of Dunbar. "Patricius comes de Dumbar" donated land "iuxta Emudestu" to Melrose abbey, for the souls of "Ade comitisse quondam uxoris mee…et Christine comitisse uxoris mee et…Patricii filii mei et omnium filiorum meorum et filiarum", to Melrose abbey by undated charter[1018].

William de Brus & his wife had two children:

a) ROBERT [IV] de Brus “the Noble” (-[1 Apr] 1245). The manuscript history of the Bruce family of Carleton records that “Robertus Brus secundus” succeeded “Willielmus Brus”[1019]. Lord of Annandale. - see below.

b) [EUPHEME (-1267). Her parentage is suggested by MacEwan[1020]. If correct, she was her husband’s step-sister, daughter of his father’s second wife by her first husband. "Eufemia comitissa" donated revenue from land in "Kirkinfyde" to Dryburgh monastery, for the soul of "domini mei Patricii comitis", by undated charter[1021]. The Chronicle of Lanercost records the death in 1267 of "domina mater domini comitis Patricii de Dunbar, Eufemia…magistri Patricii qui apud Marsilium obiit"[1022]. m (1213 or before) PATRICK de Dunbar, son of PATRICK Earl of Dunbar & his first wife Ada of Scotland (-Marseilles [May/Dec] 1248). He succeeded his father in 1232 as Earl of Dunbar.]

Family

https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#PatrickDun...

B. EARLS of DUNBAR

PATRICK de Dunbar, son of WALTHEOF Earl [of Dunbar] & his wife Aline --- (1152-31 Dec 1232, bur Eccles St Mary, Berwick[1533]). m firstly (1184[1547]%29 ADA, illegitimate daughter of WILLIAM "the Lion" King of Scotland & his mistress --- (-1200). m secondly (probably before 1208[1551]) as her second husband, CHRISTINE, widow of WILLIAM de Brus of Annandale, daughter of ---. Earl Patrick & his first wife had [five] children:

1. PATRICK de Dunbar (-Marseille [May/Dec] 1248). "P. comes de Dunbar et P. filius eius" donated property which "Willo de Curteneya m (1213 or before) EUPHEME, daughter of [WILLIAM de Brus of Annandale & his wife Christine ---] (-1267). "Eufemia comitissa" donated revenue from land in "Kirkinfyde" to Dryburgh monastery, for the soul of "domini mei Patricii comitis", by undated charter[1563]. Her parentage is suggested by MacEwan[1564]. If correct, she was her husband’s step-sister, daughter of his father’s second wife by her first husband. The Chronicle of Lanercost records the death in 1267 of "domina mater domini comitis Patricii de Dunbar, Eufemia…magistri Patricii qui apud Marsilium obiit"[1565].

Earl Patrick & his wife had two children:

a) PATRICK de Dunbar ([1213]-

b) WALTHEOF [Waldeve] (-after 3 Feb 1245). Rector of Dunbar. et A. uxori ei teneant…de Home" to Kelso monastery by charter dated to [1200][1554]. .. .

https://www.stirnet.com/genie/data/british/dd/dunbar01.php Retrieved 21 February 2021

1) Patrick, 6th Earl of Dunbar (d 1248) m. (c1213) Eupheme Stewart (d c1267) [SIC]

1. (A) Patrick, 7th Earl of Dunbar (b c1213, d 24.08.1289) m. (1242) Cecilia (dau of John (Fraser ?))
2. (B) Waldeve of Dunbar (a 1271, rector of Dunbar)
3. (C) Thomas of Dunbar This connection from the house of Dunbar is suggested by research on the Learmonth family.
4. (D) Isabel of Dunbar (a 1269) identified by a contributor (JB, 21.04.06) m1. Roger FitzJohn de Clavering of Clavering, Warkworth and Horsford (d 1249) m2. (before 19.05.1262) Sir Simon Baard (Bayard) (a 1288)

Comments

Adam Wallace of Riccarton, 3rd of Riccarton is seen in online trees as husband of Euphemia Stewart, an undocumented daughter of Walter (FitzAlan) Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland, and the widow of
Patrick ll de Dunbar, 5th/6th Earl of Dunbar. But more recent scholarship identifies the countess of Dunbar as Euphemia de Brus, countess of Dunbar, daughter of William de Brus, 3rd Lord of Annandale and Christine of Galloway. She died 1267. Patrick died 1246. Adam died soon after 1646. It does not seem possible for Euphemia to have married both men.

http://powys.org/pl_tree/ps16/ps16_014.html

In spite of MichaelAnne's firm statement that Euphemia was not the dau. of Roger and Isabella, John Ravilous is saying that she was (s.g.m. 4 Nov 2004, "Magna Carta line of Euphemia wife of William Comyn..."):

"Two items that support the present placement of the latter Euphemia (__) (Comyn) Murray as daughter of Isabel de Dunbar and Roger fitz John:

" 1. Isabel's brother Earl Patrick was alive at the time of the dispute between Euphemia and William Comyn on one part, and Isabel de Dunbar and her 2nd husband Simon Baard of the 2nd part. It seems illogical for Isabel to have been placed as guardian for the minor Euphemia as to the castle given her by the elder Euphemia de Brus, Countess of Dunbar, UNLESS Isabel was in fact Euphemia's mother, and not her aunt.

" 2. In discussing these finds with Andrew MacEwen last week, he stated that Euphemia was the daughter of Isabel de Dunbar and Roger fitz John."

References

• PoMS, no. 5989 (https://www.poms.ac.uk/record/person/5989/; accessed 21 February 2021) Thus, Christina, who married secondly Earl Patrick (I) of Dunbar, apparently had a daughter from her previous marriage, Euphemia de Brus, who married Earl Patrick (I)’s son from a previous marriage, Earl Patrick (II). Thus Countess Christina appears to have been both stepmother and mother-in-law to Earl Patrick II. See also Andrew B.W. MacEwen, ‘A Clarification of the Dunbar Pedigree’, The Genealogist, vol. 9, no. 2 (1988), 229-41
• MacEwen, Andrew. A Clarification of the Dunbar Pedigree. The Genealogist, 9(2) 1988: PDF
• http://powys.org/pl_tree/ps38/ps38_402.html cites
• 83. “The Scots Peerage,” Sir James Balfour Paul, Lord Lyon King of Arms, David Douglas, 1907 to 1912.
• Magna Carta line of Eufemia (was Eufemia wife of William Comyn of Kilbride) (2004)

www.findagrave.com

Euphemia Brus Dunbar
BIRTH 1206
Dundonald, South Ayrshire, Scotland
DEATH 1267 (aged 60–61)
Whittingehame, East Lothian, Scotland
BURIAL
Burial Details Unknown. Specifically: Whittingehame East Lothian Scotland
MEMORIAL ID 170616898

Family Members
Spouse
Patrick Dunbar
1192–1248 (m. 1213)

Children
Patrick Dunbar
1213–1289