Euphemia Stewart, Countess of Strathearn

Euphemia Stewart (d. c. 1434) was a medieval Scottish noblewoman, the daughter of David Stewart, Earl Palatine of Strathearn and Caithness. She succeeded to both her father's titles after his death between 1385 and 1389, probably March 1386. Calling herself Countess Palatine of Strathearn, she resigned the tile Earl of Caithness to her uncle Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, before 1402. She was married to Patrick Graham, son of Sir Patrick Graham of Dundaff. They had issue :

*1. Malise, afterwards Earl of Menteith.
*2. Euphemia, married, first, about 1425, to Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas, who died in June 1439; secondly, to James Hamilton of Cadzow, afterwards first Lord Hamilton.
*3. Elizabeth (or Anna), married to her first cousin once removed, Sir John Lyon.

Patrick Graham appears to have taken the designation of Earl of Strathearn, as appears from a charter cited by Lord Strathallan in his history of the Drummonds, and others in the "Register of the Great Seal". [James Balfour Paul, "Scots Peerage", vol. viii, p. 260, citing "Genealogie of the House of Drummond", 91 ; "Reg. Mag. Sig.", fol. 225, 236, 237, 246.] He was killed on St Laurence Day, August 10 1413, near Crieff, by Sir John Drummond of Concraig, Steward of Strathearn, in an encounter between them arising out of the Earl-consort's dissatisfaction with Sir John's official duties. [James Balfour Paul, "Scots Peerage", vol. viii, p. 260, citing Fordun and Goodall, ii. 447.]

The Countess survived him, and had dispensations to marry Robert Stewart of Fife, eldest son of Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany (on May 4 1414), also Robert's brother Walter (September 5, 1415), [James Balfour Paul, "Scots Peerage", vol. viii, p. 260, citing "Regesta Avenionensia", vols. 344, f. 70; 335, f. 649.] but she married instead Sir Patrick Dunbar of Bele. She was still alive in 1434, [James Balfour Paul, "Scots Peerage", vol. viii, p. 260, citing "Exch. Rolls", iv. pp. clix, 592.] but is not again named in record.

Notes

References

* Paul, James Balfour, "The Scots Peerage", Vols. II & VIII, (Edinburgh, 1909)
* Boardman, S. I., "Stewart, David, first earl of Strathearn and first earl of Caithness (b. in or after 1357?, d. 1386?)", "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/54325 , accessed 21 May 2007]