Justiciar of Scotia

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The Justiciar of Scotia (in Norman-Latin, Justiciarus Scotie) was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. Scotia (meaning Scotland) in this context refers to Scotland to the north of the River Forth and River Clyde. The other Justiciar positions were the Justiciar of Lothian and the Justiciar of Galloway.

The institution has some Anglo-Norman origins, but in Scotland north of the Forth it represented some form of continuity with an older office, a senior version of a Judex or Brithem , a native Scottish lawman often with province-wide responsibilities. Mormaer Causantín of Fife was styled judex magnus (i.e. "great Brehon") in Scotia, and it is probable that the Justiciarship of Scotia was just a further Latinisation/Normanisation of that position. By the middle of the thirteenth century, the responsibilities of the Justiciar became fully formalised. He supervised the activity and behaviour of royal sheriffs and sergeants, held courts and reported on these things to the king personally.

List of Justiciars of Scotia, to 1449

The following list, going up to 1449, consists of names who appear as Justiciar of Scotia in sources. The sources, especially in the twelfth century, are far from exhaustive, and so many names are doubtless missing. In the earliest period, there could be more than one Justiciar in operation at the same point in time.

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Alexander Comyn, 2nd Earl of Buchan was a Scoto-Norman magnate who was one of the most important figures in the 13th century Kingdom of Scotland. He was the son of William Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, and Marjory, Countess of Buchan, the heiress of the last native Scottish Mormaer of Buchan, Fergus. He was the chief counsellor of Alexander III, King of Alba (Scotland) for the entire period of the king's majority and as Scotland's leading magnate, played a key role in safeguarding the independence of the Scottish monarchy. During his long career, Alexander Comyn was Justiciar of Scotia (1258–1289), Constable of Scotland (1275–1289), Sheriff of Wigtown (1263–1266), Sheriff of Dingwall (1264–1266), Baillie of Inverie and finally, Guardian of Scotland (1286–1289) during the first interregnum following the death of Alexander III. In 1284 he joined with other Scottish noblemen who acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the heiress to King Alexander. He died sometime after 10 July 1289.

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Alan Hostarius was the son of Thomas de Lundin, a grandson of Gille Críst, Mormaer of Mar. His mother's name is unknown, but she was almost certainly a daughter of Máel Coluim, Mormaer of Atholl, meaning that Alan was the product of two Gaelic comital families.

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Sir Andrew Moray, Lord of Petty was Justiciar of Scotia.

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References

  1. ↑ Barrow, Prof. G.W.S., The Kingdom of Scots, London, 1973, pps:85 & 137, citing Bower & Fordun.
  2. ↑ Barrow, 1973, p.137.
  3. ↑ Barrow, 1973, p.106.
  4. ↑ Barrow, 1973, pps:97 & 106.
  5. ↑ Barrow, 1973, p.113.
  6. ↑ Barrow, 1973, p.85.
  7. ↑ Barrow, 1973, p.85
  8. ↑ Barrow, 1973, p.98.
  9. ↑ Barrow, 1973, p.138.
  10. ↑ Douglas, Sir Robert, Bt., The Baronage of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1798, p. 571.
  11. ↑ The Great Seal of Scotland number 163 dated at Dunfermline 1st October 1362, when his pension was granted for this position.
  12. ↑ Anderson, William, The Scottish Nation, Edinburgh, 1867, vol. iv, p. 62.
  13. ↑ Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, volume 2, p. 3102
  14. ↑ Williams, Ronald, The Lords of the Isles, 1997, at p. 203
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