William Forbes, Thane of Kinaldy, 1st of Pitsligo

Sir John Forbes ”with the black lip” (=”med den sorte læbe”). Født 13.. . Tilnavnet skal han have fået efter et mærke på hans ansigt. Opdraget af sin mor og p.g.a. sine bedrifter blev han efter sagnet ridder. Fik 3 uægte sønner før sit ægteskab, som blev stamfædre til linierne Auchintoull, Culquharie, Buchan og Argigh. I ægteskabet fik han 4 sønner, hvor den ældste af disse blev den ”1.Lord Forbes” – de øvrige blev stamfædre til linierne Pitsligo, Tolquhun og Brux. I det 5.regeringsår (o.1395) for kong Robert (III) af Skotland, blev han konstitueret som hans majestæts ”Justiciary” (sheriff?) for området Aberdeen, og som retsmediciner for herredet. Han er 10/11 1404 vidne til en traktat udstedt af grevinde Isobel af Mar på området Bonjedworth til hendes nevø Thomas Douglas, hvor han benævnes som ”Joannes Forbes de eodem, miles”. Død før 20/11 1406.

http://home20.inet.tele.dk/perhag/1000aner/ab292.htm

One forum casts doubt about this individual, or at least his connection with a merchant named William Forbus, who later went to Denmark:

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/1996-12/...

He is not easily identified in other sources.

From the English Wikipedia page on the Battle of Arbroath, in which, if he is the Forbes of Pitsligo so named, he died:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arbroath

The Battle of Arbroath was fought on January 24, 1445 (or by another version in 1446) at Arbroath in Scotland. It was between rivals claimants to the post of Baillie of the Regality.

Members of Clan Oliphant fought on the side of the Clan Ogilvy who were also supported by men from the Clan Seton, Clan Gordon and men from the Clan Forbes of Pitsligo.

Their enemy was the Master of Crawford and his Clan Lindsay who advanced with over one thousand men. His father, the Earl of Crawford, rode between the two armies in an attempt to call a truce. However, an ill-advised Ogilvie, thinking that this was the start of the Lindsay's attack, threw his spear at the Earl, hitting him in the mouth and killing him instantly.

So began the battle, which went in Clan Lindsay's favour. Here fell Ogilvie of Inverquharty, Forbes of Pitsligo, Brucklay of Gartley, Gordon of Borrowfield, and Sir John Oliphant of Aberdalgie (father of Laurence, first Lord Oliphant), along with 500 or so Ogilvis. However, the Lindsays lost a disproportionate amount of men, most notably the Earl himself.

External links

Article on the Abbey of Arbroath

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/arbroath/arbroathabbey/index....

If 1320 was the Abbey's high point, its low point came on 29 January 1446. By this time the Abbot usually delegated most of his non-religious functions, powers and privileges to a nominated "Bailie of the Regality". This was a hugely lucrative and highly sought-after position that tended to reside with the Ogilvy family. At the beginning of 1446 the Abbot appointed James Ogilvy to the role. A rival, Alexander Lindsay, arrived in Arbroath with a large crowd of supporters to challenge the appointment. The result was the "Battle of Arbroath", fought in front of the Abbey and through the streets of the town. Some 600 people were killed.