Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany

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Robert Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany (c. 13403 September 1420) a member of the Scottish royal house, served as regent (at least partially) to three different Scottish monarchs. He also held the titles of Earl of Menteith (28 February 1361), Earl of Fife (1361; resigned in 1372), Earl of Buchan (1394; resigned in 1406) and Earl of Atholl (1403, for the duration of Robert III's life only), in addition to his 1398 creation as Duke of Albany.

Robert Stewart, an illegitimate son of the future King Robert II of Scotland and of Elizabeth Mure of Rowallan, became legitimated in 1349 upon his parents' marriage. The elder Robert had many children, the eldest of whom, John Stewart, became Earl of Carrick in 1368. In 1361, Robert Stewart married Mary Graham, Countess of Menteith, with whom he had several daughters and one son, Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany; his sister-in-law's claim to the Earldoms of Menteith and Fife allowed him to assume those titles after marriage. Robert subsequently married Muriella de Keith, with whom he had two sons.

During the reign of their infirm father as King Robert II (1371 - 1390), the future Duke of Albany and Lord Carrick functioned as regents, with Albany serving as High Chamberlain of Scotland; during this time, he also led several military expeditions and raids into the Kingdom of England. However, in 1389, Lord Carrick became incapacitated in an accident. After Carrick nevertheless acceded to the throne as Robert III (1390), this "sickness of the body" caused control of the kingdom to devolve in 1399 to the new king's son and heir apparent, David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (who held the first dukedom created in the Scottish Peerage). However, the English soon invaded Scotland, and several important events took place, fomenting serious differences between Albany and Rothesay, and in 1402 the latter duke died under mysterious circumstances at Falkland Palace. After the death of his brother Robert III in 1406, Albany served as regent for his young nephew James I.

The Duke of Albany died in Stirling Castle and lies buried in Dunfermline Abbey in Fife.

See also

Preceded by
New Creation
Duke of Albany
13981420
Succeeded by
Preceded by Earl of Fife
13711420
Succeeded by