David Etherington ( 1144 to June 17, 1219) and the Robin Hood Connection

 

Clan Carruthers Int Society CCIS

Promptus Et Fidelis

 

Robin Hood, aka David “Etherington” Dunkeld

Gaelic: Dabíd mac Eanric,

Prince David Etherington Dunkeld de Huntingdon

Knight Crusader

Lord of Brereton

8^th Earl of Huntington

8^th Earl of North Hampton

4^th Earl of Northumberland

9^th Earl of Dorcaster

Earl of Carlisle, Lennox and Cambridge

Prince of Scotland

Claimant to the Scottish throne

Inspiration for Robin Hood

 

David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon

David of Scotland (Medieval Gaelic: Dabíd) (c. 1144 – 17 June 1219) was a Scottish prince and Earl of Huntingdon. He was a claimant to the Scottish throne.

He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Elizabeth of Vermandois. His paternal grandfather was David I of Scotland. Huntingdon was granted to him after his elder brother William I of Scotland ascended the throne. David’s son John succeeded him to the earldom.

He married Matilda or Maud of Chester (1171 – 6 January 1233), daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc, 3rd Earl of Chester, Viscount d’Avranches, Seigneur de St. Sever & Briquessart and Bertrade de Montfort. He was almost thirty years Matilda’s senior. The marriage was recorded by Benedict of Peterborough.

In the litigation for succession to the crown of Scotland in 1290–1292, the great-great-grandson Floris V, Count of Holland of David’s sister, Ada, claimed that David had renounced his hereditary rights to the throne of Scotland. He therefore declared that his claim to the throne had priority over David’s descendants. However, no explanation or firm evidence for the supposed renunciation could be provided.

After the extinction of the senior line of the Scottish royal house in 1290, when the legitimate line of William the Lion of Scotland ended, David’s descendants were the prime candidates for the throne. The two most notable claimants to the throne, Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale (grandfather of King Robert I of Scotland) and John of Scotland were his descendants through David’s daughters Isobel and Margaret, respectively.

David, 9th Earl of Huntingdon died on 17 June 1219 at Yardley, Northamptonshire, England; He was buried at Sawtry Abbey, Huntingdonshire.

The Robin Hood Connection

Many historians believe that David is the true inspiration for the Robin Hood legend because the legend plays at the same time as David lived in the 1190s. Another similarity is the Earl of Huntingdon question, because a historian names Robin Hood as a possible Earl of that area. Also both had taken part in the Third Crusade and by 1194 David had taken part at the siege of Nottingham Castle where the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derby County was taken captive. His son Robert who died young was also a possible inspiration for Robin Hood. David of Scotland pictured in Sir Walter Scott’s 1832 crusader novel The Talisman as a Prince of Scotland as a crusader in the Third Crusade. Although emphasizing his own story is fiction, Scott’s Introduction states that David did go on crusade with Richard the Lionheart “and was the hero of some very romantic adventures on his way home”. Interestingly the name Matilida (of Chester) is also translated as Mary or Marian.

David and Matilda had seven children:

• Margaret of Huntingdon (c. 1194 – c. 1228), married Alan, Lord of Galloway, by whom she had two daughters, including Dervorguilla of Galloway.

• Robert of Huntingdon (died young)

• Ada of Huntingdon, married Sir Henry de Hastings, by whom she had one son, Henry de Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings.

• Matilda (Maud) of Huntingdon (-aft.1219, unmarried)

• Isobel of Huntingdon (1199–1251), married Robert Bruce, 4th Lord of Annandale, by whom she had two sons, including Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale.

• John of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon (1207 – 6 June 1237), married Elen ferch Llywelyn. He succeeded his uncle Ranulf as Earl of Chester in 1232, but died childless.

• Henry of Huntingdon (died young)[2][3]

Earl David also had three known illegitimate children:

• Henry of Stirling

• Henry of Brechin d. bef 30 Aug 1245

• Ada, married Malise, son of Ferchar, Earl of Strathearn

More about David and Matilda’s seven children:

Margaret of Huntingdon (c. 1194 – c. 1228), married Alan, Lord of Galloway, by whom she had two daughters, including Dervorguilla of Galloway. Robert of Huntingdon (died young) Ada of Huntingdon, married Sir Henry de Hastings, by whom she had one son, Henry de Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings. Matilda (Maud) of Huntingdon (-aft.1219, unmarried) Isobel of Huntingdon (1199–1251), married firstly, Henry De Percy and had issue and secondly, Robert Bruce, 4th Lord of Annandale, by whom she had two sons, including Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale. John of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon (1207 – 6 June 1237), married Elen ferch Llywelyn. He succeeded his uncle Ranulf as Earl of Chester in 1232, but died childless. Henry of Huntingdon (died young)[2][3] Earl David also had three illegitimate children:[4]

Henry of Stirling Henry of Brechin Ada, married Malise, son of Ferchar, Earl of Strathearn After the extinction of the senior line of the Scottish royal house in 1290, when the legitimate line of William the Lion of Scotland ended, David’s descendants were the prime candidates for the throne. The two most notable claimants to the throne, Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale (grandfather of King Robert I of Scotland) and John of Scotland were his descendants through David’s daughters Isobel and Margaret, respectively.

The Mighty Oak of Sherwood Forest

 

In January of 2019 through continued research and after the completion of the original Carruthers DNA project, we were extremely fortunate to receive additional information through forensic DNA testing. The findings revealed that the following women also carried the Carruthers genome, CTS 11603:

Lady Isovel Mac Crinan  1185-1251 m. to Robert de Brus

Mary Bruce 1282-1323

Christine Bruce 1278-1356/57

Margaret Carrick 1256-1292

Marjorie Bruce 1296-1316

Marjorie C Charteris 1317-1348

Lady Isovel de Huntington 1193—1252

Elizabeth de Burg  1284-1327

 

 

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