Forbes, Susanna

Family/Spouse: Urquhart, William Sir. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alexander married Douglas, Baroness Forbes Elizabeth (Mary) on 6 Oct 1423. Elizabeth (daughter of Douglas, EARL OF ANGUS 1st George and Stewart, Lady Mary) was born about 1385 in Of, Mar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Kennedy, Elizabeth (Margaret) about 1375. Elizabeth was born about 1336. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He was caputred by the English at the Battle of Homidon Hill 14 SEP
1402 and died of the plague shortly thereafter.

George married Stewart, Lady Mary on 24 May 1397 in Of, Scotland. Mary (daughter of Stewart, John and Drummond, Annabella) was born about 1380 in Of, Dunfermline, Fifeshire, Scotland; died in 1458 in Scotland; was buried about 1458 in Strathblanechaple, Strathblane, Stirlingshire, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married ?Graham?, Margaret about 1331. Margaret was born about 1311 in Of, Forbes, Aberdeen, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Stewart, COUNTESS OF ANGUS Margaret. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Acceded: 14 AUG 1390, Scone Abbey, Perthshire

The troubles with England continued under Robert III. Actually, his real name was John but he changed it because there has been so many Johns who were ill-fated. His re-naming of himself didn't seem to have helped. He was disabled from a horse kicking him when he was a youth. He did not command respect. He was 53 when he was crowned.

The Duke of Albany, his brother, who may have been responsible for the death of Robert III's son, David, was a very forceful person and Robert III was overshadowed by him. To protect his second son, James I, he sent James away from Scotland.

Albany became the Governor of Scotland after Robert III died and James I was a prisoner of the English. Albany ruled Scotland as Governor until his death and was succeeded as Governor by his incompetent son, Murdoch.

Robert III told his wife, Annabella, that his epitaph should be: "Here lies the worst of kings and the most wretched of men in the whole realm." He said he should be buried on a rubbish heap.

(This is a little confusing but possibly an illegimate child of his named Lady Jean married first to Sir John Keith, second to Sr. John Lyon and third to Sir James Sandilands was the ancestor of H.M. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.)

While the power of the crown suffered from the weaknesses of its kings during this time, the baronage was strong. Four successive heads of the Clan Donald, who assumed the title, Lord of the Isles, were almost independent of the king, such was their strength. In the south, the Black Douglases were strong and actually made a bid for the Crown in 1371. Both of these houses were connected to the Crown by marriage.

The most important advantage Scotland had at this time was the continued weakness of England. Edward III was very old, Richard II was very young, the accession of Henry IV, the failure in France after the appearance of Joan of Arc and the War of the Roses all weakened English power.

There were also economic trouble, the Peasants' Revolt and the sharp decline in the yield of wool. Therefore, in these circumstances, the English Kings were unable to exploit their difficulties with Scotland. The claim to suzerainty was left in abeyance although asserted by Henry IV when he wished to proclaim himself in the succession of English Kings.

Robert III's son, James I, was kidnapped by the English and taken to France by Henry V. There are other reports saying that Robert III sent his son to France for safety reasons.

John married Drummond, Annabella on 13 Mar 1365 in Dispensation, Scotland. Annabella (daughter of Drummond, 11TH SENESCHAL OF LENNOX John and Montefex, Mary) was born about 1350 in Of, Stobhall, Cargill, Perthshire, Scotland; died in 1401 in Scone, Perthshire, Scotland; was buried in 1401 in Dunfermline, Fifeshire, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]