Hugh, Earl of Ross


Hugh , was the third successor of Ferchar mac in tSagairt as Mormaer of Ross.

Biography

He was the eldest son and heir of William or Uilleam II, Earl of Ross by his wife Euphemia de Berkeley, or Barclay.
Hugh was a favourite of King Robert I of Scotland, who endowed him with many lands. Aodh even married in 1308 Orkney Isles Robert's sister, Matilda/Margery Bruce. Aodh's young brother, Iain, was given marriage to the Margaret Comyn, heiress of Buchan.

Marriages and issue

Hugh was married twice: Matilda/Margery, sister of Robert I "the Bruce", King of Scots, and Margaret de Graham, daughter of Sir John de Graham of Abercorn.
With Matilda, Hugh had several children, including Matilda/Marjory de Ross, wife of Malise, 8th Earl of Strathearn, his son and successor William de Ross, and John de Ross, who died on 27 May 1364 without issue.
By Margaret, Hugh had at least one daughter Euphemia de Ross, who married John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray and by dispensation Robert Stewart, Earl of Strathearn, subsequently Robert II, King of Scots as his second wife. Euphemia is sometimes incorrectly assigned as a daughter of Matilda, but this would have involved consanguinity in the 2nd and 3rd degrees which was not stated in the dispensation for her marriage to Robert Stewart. Hugh and Margaret Graham are usually also assigned a daughter Janet, wife of Sir John de Monymusk. This has been found to be erroneous, as Janet was actually Janet de Barclay, daughter of Margaret de Graham by her 2nd husband, John de Barclay of Gartley. All received prestigious marriage partners, including to the earls of Buchan and Moray, to Maol Íosa IV, Earl of Strathearn and the future king Robert II.

Death

He was killed along many other Scottish nobles at the Battle of Halidon Hill on 19 July 1333, and was succeeded by his son and successor, Uilleam.