Mariota MacKay

• Preferred Name: Mariota MacKay
  
• Alternate Name: filia Athyn
  
• Alternate Name: Stewart
  
• Alternate Name: inghean Eachann
  
• Gender: F
  
• Burial: 1395
  
• Death: 1395 in Auchenbreck, Argyll and Bute, United Kingdom at LATI: N5.9833 LONG: E5.1667
  
• Birth: 1351 in Glamis, Scotland, United Kingdom at LATI: N6.6064 LONG: E3.0034
  
• FSID: L14T-33R
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  According to historian Angus Mackay, Alexander Stewart the Wolf of Badenoch's mistress, who is given in this article as Mairead inghean Eachainn, was in fact Mariota Mackay, daughter of Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver, and they had the following children:
  1. Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar
  2. James Stewart, of Fortingall & Garth
  3. Duncan Stewat
  4. Sir Andrew Stewart, of Strathaven
  5. Robert Stewart, of Athol
  6. Walter Stewart
  7. Margaret Stewart
  
  The Mackay historian explains that Mariota Mackay who is described in Latin as "Mariota filia Athyn", being the "handfasted" wife of Alexander Stewart the Wolf of Badenoch, would explain Stewart's friendship with Farquhar Mackay who was Mariota Mackay's brother and physician to Robert II of Scotland. It would also explain why a party of Mackay's supported Stewart the Wolf of Badenoch in a raid into the Braes of Angus in 1391. It may well also have served as a motive for Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver having supported Alexander Stewart the Earl of Mar, son of the Wolf, at the Battle of Dingwall in 1411 against Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles, as Mackay and Stewart the Earl of Mar would have been cousins.
  _____________________
  
  Biography
  This lady is recognisable in history as being the "handfast" wife of Sir Alexander Stewart, Lord of Badenoch and also known as "The Wolf of Badenoch". A son to Robert Stewart, later King Robert II, and one of the Albany Stewarts. He was notorious in Scotland's history for leading a band of "caterans" (although in Gaelic this is a highly respected term depicting brave warriors, amongst the Scottish nobility at the time it was generally meant to describe bandits).
  
  She appears on the record of the Episcopal See of Moray, her diocese,[1] during the divorce proceedings of her husband to Euphemia Ross as Mariotamque filiam Athyn, which can be refined to Mariota filia Athyn, Balfour Paul simply suggests Mariota. In English this suggests; Margaret, daughter of Athyn.
  
  In Balfour Paul,[2] who had no time for handfast wives, he suggests that "He deserted his wife (Euphemia of Ross) for a woman named Mariota, who may have been the mother of his illegitimate children." Clearly if he had made any attempt to calculate the dates of birth of his children or checked the Register of the Episcopal See of Moray he would have noticed that he was "cohabiting" with this "woman" both prior to and after the marriage with Euphemia of Ross.
  
  Although her name has not been noticed, in original source material, in Gaelic she appears on a number of web sites, wikipedia included, as Mairead nighean (or nic) Eachann - Margaret, daughter of Hector.
  
  Her Lineage
  The conjecture regarding this lady is not in who she was but who her parents were. It might be presumed that her name would tell the story but unfortunately the names recorded, on most web sites, are different and there has been little attempt made to rationalise them. While Margaret is common to both the Latin and Gaelic the name of her father is different.
  
  The Latin is a bit easier to work with; Athyn is a Latin diminutive of the Gaelic Aodh, suggesting she was the daughter of Aodh, noticed on wiktree as Iye Mackay. He was actually likely the first of the family of Mackay (Gaelic: MacAoidh) in Strathnaver, Sutherland. However the Gaelic is a mess; the only Hector contemporary with the events would have been of the MacLeans. Possibly Hector Maclean, 1st Laird of Lochbuie, who had married Mary MacDonald. This seems unlikely though as the families of MacLean and the Albany Stewarts fought much of the period in question.
  
  Given the persistent use of the Mackay by Alexander Stewart in his terror campaign of the north it could be presumed she was from the family of Mackay but could not have been Eachann. But it could have been Eadann. Eadann, or Aidan, is a diminutive of Aodh and it might be presumed that a clerical error was made in transposing a "d" into a "ch" or that modern historians have carelessly changed the letter from script. The Mackay and the Albany Stewarts maintained a strong family relationship until 1411 (Battle of Dingwall) and beyond and it seems highly probable that she was the daughter to Aodh; if she was the daughter to one of his sons she would have been known as Mairead nighean mhic Eadann.
  
  It is this lineage that has been used on wikitree. If there is material evidence, in source documents, that might change this supposition please discuss with the Profile Manager.
  
  Family
  It is likely she married (handfasted) young. Her children start, at the latest, to be born, Alexander being the first born about 1370. It can thus be presumed she married near that time and was born about 1350. She is regarded as the mother to his children, all illegitimate in the eyes of the church:
  
  Sir Alexander Stewart, likely born ab
  
  === FHL "The Mackays of Strathnaver," pg 305 ===
  FHL "The Mackays of Strathnaver," pg 305a; was hadfasted to Alexander, Earl of Buchan; Temple dates from Ordinance Index; Temple dates from Ordinance Index Film #1760977 - listed surname as Athyn; Temple sealing card in poss of Jeanne Jensen
  
  === [kkgedcomcam6.FTW] TITL World Family Tr ===
  [kkgedcomcam6.FTW] TITL World Family Tree Vol. 16, Ed. 1 AUTH Brderbund Software, Inc. PUBL Release date: December 15, 1997 REPO CALN MEDI Family Archive CD PAGE Tree #1609 DATA TEXT Date of Import: Jun 25, 1999 TITL phelps1609.FTW REPO CALN MEDI Other DATA TEXT Date of Import: Jun 26, 1999 TITL World Family Tree Vol. 16, Ed. 1 AUTH Brderbund Software, Inc. PUBL Release date: December 15, 1997 REPO CALN MEDI Family Archive CD PAGE Tree #1609 DATA TEXT Date of Import: Jun 25, 1999 TITL phelps1609.FTW REPO CALN MEDI Other DATA TEXT Date of Import: Jun 26, 1999 TITL World Family Tree Vol. 16, Ed. 1 AUTH Brderbund Software, Inc. PUBL Release date: December 15, 1997 REPO CALN MEDI Family Archive CD PAGE Tree #1609 DATA TEXT Date of Import: Jun 25, 1999 TITL phelps1609.FTW REPO CALN MEDI Other DATA TEXT Date of Import: Jun 26, 1999
  
  === !#21-v12-p545; ===
  !#21-v12-p545;
  
  === 7 children ===
  7 children

• m. 1367 in Sutherland, Scotland

1. Margaret Stewart of Buchan, b. 1373 in Badenoch, Inverness-shire, Scotland     d. SEP 1434 in Thrieve Castle, Galloway, Galloway, Scotland