Patrick I, Earl of Dunbar

Patrick I († 1232), Earl of Dunbar and lord of Beanley, was a 13th century Anglo-Scottish noble.

He was the eldest son of Waltheof, Earl of Dunbar and Alina, and succeeded to his father's titles upon the latter's death in 1182.

Patrick was one of the most important magnates to Kings William and Alexander II of Scotland, frequently witnessing their charters and traveling in their entourages whenever they went to the south of England to perform homage to the King of England.

Patrick also served as Justiciar of Lothian as well as Warden of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Patrick held, like his predecessors (who were originally of the kindred of the native English earls of Northumberland), some of his most important lands were in northern England. Patrick's close association with the Scottish kings in fact got him in trouble, and perhaps because of Alexander II's pursuit of claims to the earldom of Northumberland, Waltheof found himself temporarily deprived of some of his lands by King John of England.

Patrick married (1) Ada, an illegitimate daughter of King William the Lion, by whom he had four sons:

* Patrick (his successor),
* William,
* Robert,
* Fergus.

His first wife predeceasing him, Patrick married again: (2) Christina, daughter of William de Brus, 3rd Lord of Annandale. No children are known by this marriage.

The Earl of Dunbar died on December 31, 1232. He was buried at the Cistercian nunnery of Eccles, Berwickshire.

References

* McDonald, Andrew, ‘Patrick, fourth earl of Dunbar (d. 1232)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/50326, accessed 28 Nov 2006]
* McDonald, Andrew, ‘Waltheof, third earl of Lothian (d. 1182)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/50325, accessed 28 Nov 2006]