Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland

Walter Stewart
Born	unknown
Died	1246
Title	3rd High Steward of Scotland
Tenure	1204-1246
Other names	Walter Steward of Dundonald
Nationality	Scottish
Offices	Justiciar of Scotia
Predecessor	Alan fitz Walter
Successor	Alexander Stewart
Spouse(s)	Béthoc (Beatrix) Mac Gille Críst
Parents	Alan fitz Walter

Walter Steward of Dundonald (died 1246)^[1] was 3rd hereditary High Steward of Scotland and Justiciar of Scotia.^[2]

He was the eldest son of Alan fitz Walter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland but which wife of Alan's was his mother is not clear. He was the first to use Steward as a surname, and was designated "of Dundonald".^[3]

He witnessed a charter by King Alexander II, under the designation of "Walterus filius Alani, Senescallus, Justiciar Scotiae"^[4] and it may be that seal which Nisbet described pertaining to Walter Hereditary High Steward of Scotland. Around the seal it states "Sigill. Walteri filii Allani".^[5]

Walter married Bethóc, daughter of Gille Críst, Earl of Angus (whose wife, Marjorie, is traditionally said to be a daughter of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, though this is disputed). They were parents of:

• Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland, sometime Regent of Scotland.
• Sir Robert, of Tarbolten and Crookston, and Lord of Darnley.^[6]
• John, killed at Damietta in 1249, Egypt during the Seventh Crusade.
• Walter Bailloch ("the Freckled"), who married Mary de Menteith and became Earl of Menteith.
• William,
• Beatrix, married Maol Domhnaich, Earl of Lennox.
• Christian,
• Eupheme, married Adam Wallace, Laird of Riccarton.
• Margaret, married her cousin Niall, Earl of Carrick.
• Sybella, married Colin Fitzgerald, 1st Lord of Kintail.

Notes

1. G. W. S. Barrow, ‘Stewart family (per. c.1110–c.1350)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.
2. Anderson (1867) vol.ix, p.512
3. Simpson, David, The Genealogical and Chronological History of the Stuarts, 1713, p.38
4. Burke, Messrs., John and John Bernard, The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales &c., volume 2, London, 1851, pps: xl and xli
5. Nisbet, Alexander, A System of Heraldry volume 1, Edinburgh 1722, facsimile 1984, part 1, p.43,
6. Clay, John W., FSA., editor, The Visitation of Cambridge, 1575 and 1619 by Henery St.George, Richmond Herald, Harleian Society, London, 1897, pps: 7 - 11.

References

• Miller, James, The History of Dunbar, Dunbar, 1830, p. 18.
• Burke, Sir Bernard, Ulster King of Arms, Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages, London, 1883, p. 606.
• Clay, John W., FSA., editor, The Visitation of Cambridge, 1575 and 1619 by Henery St.George, Richmond Herald, Harleian Society, London, 1897, pps: 7 - 11.
• Mackenzie, A. M., MA., D.Litt., The Rise of the Stewarts, London, 1935, pps.10-11.