Comyn coat of arms

Clan Comyn

The family is Norman in origin, the name derived from Comines near Lisle in northern France, on the frontier with Belgium. They claimed to be directly descended from the Emperor Charlemagne. Robert de Comyn came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and was given lands in Northumberland. His grandson, William, came to Scotland in the reign of David I, who bestowed lands upon him in Roxburghshire. He eventually rose to become Chancellor of Scotland. William’s nephew, Richard, married a granddaughter of Donald Bane, later Donald III, second son of Duncan I. In the early thirteenth century as a result of good marriages they held three earldoms: Monteith, Menteith, and Atholl and Buchan. When Alexander III was killed near Burntisland, two Comyns, both direct descendants of Duncan I, were appointed to the council of six guardians of Scotland. They were Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan, and ‘Black John’ Comyn, Lord of Badenoch. After the death in 1290 of the child queen Margaret, the ‘Maid of Norway’, and granddaughter of Alexander III, at least six claimants to the throne (including John Balliol, brother-in-law of the Black Comyn, Robert Bruce, grandfather of the future king, and the two Comyn guardians) invited Edward I of England to decide who should succeed to the Scottish throne. He agreed, providing the chosen successor recognised him as overlord of Scotland, a demand which the Scots were not in a position to resist at that time. .... more

  • A1. Robert de Comyn, Earl of Northumberland, d:1060;
    • B1. John de Comyn, m. N. Giffard;
      • C1. William de Comyn of Fonthill, m. Maud Basset;
        • D1. Richard de Comyn, Justiciar, m. Hextilda, daughter of Princess Bethoc;  ==>  House of Dunkeld
          • E1. William de Comyn, 1st Earl of Buchan, Justiciar of Scotland, d:1233, m1. Marjory, Countess of Buchan, m2. Sarah FitzHugh;
            • F1. [m1]: Elizabeth Comyn, d:1267, m. Earl Uilleam of Mar;  <==  Earls of Mar
            • F2. [m1]: Idonea Comyn, m. Gilbert de Haya;  <==  Clan Hay
            • F3. [m1]: Richard Comyn, 2nd Earl of Buchan, d:1289, m. Elizabeth de Quincy;
              • G1. John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan, m. Isabel of Fife;
                • H1. Isabel Comyn, m. Francis le Chen;  <==  Clan Cheyne
            • F4. [m1]: Alexander Comyn, m. Eliabeth de Quincy;  <==  Quincy family
              • G1. Agnes Comyn, m. Malaise de Strathearn;  <==  Earls of Strathearn
              • G2. Sir John 'the Red' Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, m. Alicia;
                • H1. Sir John 'the Black' Comyn, m. Alianora de Baliol;  ==>  Baliol family
            • F5. [m2]: Jean Comyn, m. William Ross;  <==  Clan Ross

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