Euphemia de Ross

Euphemia de Ross
Euphemia depicted in the Forman Armorial, produced in 1562 for her descendent Mary, Queen of Scots
Queen consort of Scotland
Tenure 1371–1386
Died 1386
Spouse John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray
Issue David Stewart, 1st Earl of Caithness
Walter Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl
Margaret Stewart
Elizabeth Stewart, Countess of Crawford
Egidia Stewart
Father Hugh, Earl of Ross
Mother Margaret de Graham

Euphemia de Ross (died 1386), a member of Clan Ross, was Queen of Scots as the second wife of Robert II of Scotland.

Life

Euphemia was a daughter of Hugh, Earl of Ross and Margaret de Graham, Hugh's second wife and daughter of Sir John de Graham of Abercorn[1]. She first married John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray but the marriage was childless. Her husband died in 1346 and she remained a widow for nine years.

On 2 May 1355, Euphemia married Robert Stewart, sole son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland and Marjorie Bruce. Marjorie was a daughter of Robert I of Scotland and his first wife Isabella of Mar. Over a decade earlier, her second husband Robert had been joint Regent of Scotland with her first husband.

It appears that there was an obstacle of affinity to this second marriage, and a papal dispensation by Pope Innocent VI was required for it to be recognized by the Catholic Church. The affinity was due to her first husband, John Randolph, Earl of Moray, having been a second cousin of Robert Stewart. There also was a blood relationship, as the dispensation referenced their being related in the fourth degree of consanguinity, but this relationship has as yet not been identified.[2] The children of Robert's first marriage to Elizabeth Mure were considered illegitimate by some due to reasons of consanguinity. Both sets of children from each marriage considered themselves rightful heirs to the throne, which constituted considerable future conflict.[3]

Euphemia and Robert were parents to four children:

Robert II succeeded his childless maternal uncle David II of Scotland in 1371. Euphemia became his Queen and served in this position for about fifteen years, until her death in 1386.

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ John P. Ravilious, Queen Euphemia and her ancestry, The Scottish Genealogist, June 2017, vol. LXIV(2) pp. 49-52. Prior publications including J. Balfour Paul's Scots Peerage identify Margaret de Graham in error as a daughter of Sir David Graham of Montrose.
  2. ↑ Andrew Stuart, Genealogical History of the Stewarts (London, 1798), pp. 420-421.
  3. ↑ Ashley, Mike (1999). The mammoth book of British kings and queens. London: Robinson Publishers. p. 553. ISBN 1-84119-096-9.
Scottish royalty
Preceded by
Margaret Drummond		 Queen consort of Scotland
1371–1386		 Succeeded by
Anabella Drummond
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