Wright and Chambers Family of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee » Murdoch Stewart 2nd Duke of Albany (1362-1425)

Personal data Murdoch Stewart 2nd Duke of Albany 

• He was born on December 9, 1362 in Dunreath, Strathblane, Argylshire, Scotland.
• He died on May 24, 1425 in Stirling Castle, Stirlingshire, Scotland (beheaded), he was 62 years old.
• A child of Robert Stewart and Margaret Graham

Household of Murdoch Stewart 2nd Duke of Albany

He had a relationship with Isabel Lennox.

Child(ren):

1. Walter Stewart  ± 1394-1425 

Notes about Murdoch Stewart 2nd Duke of Albany

Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany (1362 – 24 May 1425) was Governor of Scotland (1420 - 1424). In 1389 he was Justiciar North of the Forth. He was the grandson of King Robert II of Scotland, who founded the Stewart dynasty.

His father, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany was a prominent Scottish nobleman who was Regent of Scotland at various stages during the reigns of three kings, (Robert II, Robert III, and James I). Murdoch inherited the Dukedom of Albany in 1420. He also inherited the Earldom of Fife and the Earldom of Menteith.

He served in military actions against the English in the early 15th century and was captured in 1402, but was traded for Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland.

Upon the return of James I to Scotland he lost his position as Regent, and during the parliament of March 1424 Murdoch, with Lord Alexander Stewart, his younger son, were suddenly arrested and immediately afterwards twenty six of the principal nobles and barons shared the same fate. Albany was first confined in the castle at St. Andrews and afterwards transferred to Caerlaverock Castle. His wife was found in the fortified palace of Doune, their favourite residence, and committed to Tantallon Castle. Walter, the eldest son of Albany, had already been shut up in the strong castle of The Bass, belonging to Sir Robert de Lauder, a firm friend of the king. Walter was tried in Stirling Castle on May 24, 1424, in the presence of the king. The trail was a hurried affair in that it only took one day for a jury of nobles to find him guilty of treason, and he was executed.

Albany and his son Alexander were tried before the same jury the following day, declared traitors and publicly executed on Heading Hill before Stirling Castle.
Several other members of his family and close associates were also purged, some sharing the same fate. He was attainted and all of his peerage titles were forfeited.

His sole surviving male heir was his youngest son, James the Fat, who was able to escape to Ireland following the execution of his father and brothers. James remained in Ireland, unable to return, and died there in 1429. He was not able to inherit his father's titles since they had been declared forfeit.

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Timeline Murdoch Stewart 2nd Duke of Albany

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