medieval-atlas/events-from-about-850-to-1460/78

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Scotland from about 842 to 1286 The political power struggle between the Comyn and Durward parties during the tense minority of King Alexander III cannot be fully understood without the awareness oftheir rivallandcd inlerests and ambitions. especially between about 1230 and about 1260. TIle Comyn ascendancy ofthe 1230s was threatened in 1242 by the loss of the earldoms ofAmoll and Angus from family control and more especially in 1244 by the promotion of Alan Durward as Justiciar of Scotia. chief adviser of Alexander 11. This office. the main political office of state, would play a crucial role when Alexander 11 died in 1249 and the minority of the young Alexander II1 began. Ourward sought to use the office 10 realise the long-held family ambition for the earldom of Mar. The Comyns had had their first tussle with the Ourwards over the earldom of Atholl. Alan Ourward had himself brieny held the title of earl of Atholl around 1233 x 1235, his right probably based on wardenship of the heir rather than marriage to the heiress -but the earldom remained in the Comyn family circle until 1242 when il fell to Oavid de Hastings. A longer and more passionate dispute exisled over the earldom of Mar. Malcolm of Lundie. an Angus lord and the king's doorward (hence the name 'Ourward') had been given land on marriage to the daughter of v,l,ocn.euu • Comynland .6. OUTWard land ~Disputed land Mar, about 1203 x 1211. Thomas Ourward pressed a claim 10 the earldom when it fell vacant about 12 10 -1220 but had to be satisfied with the important lordship of Coull between Don and Dec. When the earldom of Mar also came under Comyn innuence around 1242 x 1244 -through the marriage of William, earl of Mar to the daughter of William Comyn. earl of Buchan -OUTWard resentment was understandable. It is hardly surprising that. after exclusion from political power from 1251 10 1255 during another period ofComyn ascendancy, Alan DUTWard took full advantage of his renewed Justiciarship of Scolia to pursue personal profit. He challenged the legitimacy of the earl of Mar's father and grandfather in order to obtain the earldom himself. Earl William's delaying tactics and a Counte

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