| Notes |
- Properties: Baldorran, Duchlas in Dunbartonshire, Portnellan, and Lettir.
Sir James was born after his father fled to Ireland in 1425 and before his father died in 1429. His mother's identity is not known for certain, but she is believed to have been a daughter of Eoin Mor Tanister MacDonald, Lord of the Glens of Antrim, son of John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles. James would have been no more than four years old when his father died.
The Death of King James I and the Return of the Stewarts of Albany...sort of
In March 1437, King James I was assassinated by Sir Robert Graham of Kinpont, and brothers Christopher and Robert Chambers, all former servants to the Dukes of Albany, and later servant to Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, younger brother of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany. Walter was also convicted for participating in the assassination. The assassination created a power-shift in Scotland.
As the newly crowned King James II was only 6 years old, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas, was named as Regent. Douglas was an old ally of the Albany family. Isobel, Countess of Lennox, powerful grandmother of James Beag Stewart, was released from her imprisonment and seems to have worked to have all her illegitimate grandchildren brought home from Antrim, Ireland as quickly as possible. James Beag Stewart would have been about 11 years old at the time of his return to Scotland.
On 12 May 1437, Isabella, as “Duchez of Albany and Countas of Leuenax,” issued a precept of sasine detailing that she granted a number of lands to her dearest “nevo” (most likely meaning grandson rather than nephew), James Beag Stewart of Albany, one of Sir James Mhor's children. The lands are not listed in the document. (Devlin) The date of this charter indicates that Isobel of Lennox was successful in bringing her grandchildren home within mere weeks of the King's assassination.
Several sources indicate that James Beag Stewart was permitted to return to Scotland after a royal pardon, however we have found no evidence of any royal pardon. The charter above would seem to indicate that James, along with the rest of the Albany grandchildren, returned home because of the efforts of their powerful grandmother, Isobel, Countess of Lennox. As James was not born when his father was banished, he would have done nothing to need pardoning from. Thus, there should have been no impediment to his return to Scotland.
According to Stewart Clan Magazine, James "was knighted by King James II." (SCM, Tome C, April 1934, vol. xi, no. 10, page 42.)
James Beag Chooses a Quiet Life
Unlike his Albany cousins, Sir James never sought legitimation for his birth, thus he was never restored to the royal succession, although he continued to style himself as "of Albany" for the rest of his life. (Devlin) There is no record of why Sir James never sought legitimation, but it could have been a way of assuring the king that he was no threat to the royal succession and, unlike his father, James Beag had no designs on the throne.
The First Stewart of Balquhidder
[Most accountings of this family (including our own old website) show Sir James Beag Stewart as being 1st of Baldorran, but not possessing lands in Balquhidder. It was previously believed that James' son, Sir William Stewart, was the first of this family in Balquhidder. Recent research by Gordon MacGregor (The Red Book of Scotland) and Shayna Devlin, PhD, have revealed documents showing that James was, in fact, the first Royal Baillie in Balquhidder and was granted lands there.]
John Stewart of Darnley first conveyed the (western) half-part of the lands of Balindoran, in the Earldom of Lennox and the Sheriffdom of Stirling, by charter 10 March 1457 and, in which, he is styled as "natural son of the late James Stewart, Sir Murdoch Stewart’s son.” He had the rental of half of the Lordship of Balquhidder from the crown in 1463 and had a second charter from John Stewart of Darnley for the east half of the lands of Balindoran on 7 January 1464. (Gordon MacGregor, The Red Book of Scotland)
There was also a charter "by John Stewart, Lord Darnley, to James Stewart of Albany, natural son of the deceased James Stewart, son of the deceased Sir Murdoch Stewart, sometime Duke of Albany, of the middle-part of the eastern part of the lands of Baldorane in the Earldom of Lennox and Sheriffdom of Stirling." Witnesses include: Andrew Stewart, Lord Avendale, Chancellor (James' first cousin). Dated 7 January, 1464. (RMS 1424-1513. No. 858) (Gordon MacGregor, The Red Book of Scotland)
Sir James married his first-cousin-once-removed, Annabel Buchanan, daughter of Patrick Buchanan, 13th of that Ilk. Her grandmother was Isabel Stewart, James' aunt.
Sir James' son, Sir William Stewart, 2nd of Baldorran, acted as procurator to his father in a sasine to him for the lands of Balindoran on 17 January 1464 and succeeded him as Baillie of the Crown lands within Lordship of Balquhidder from which he received a payment from the Exchequer in 1467. (Gordon MacGregor, The Red Book of Scotland) This would indicate that James died between 1464-1467. It was previously believed that Sir William was the first Royal Baillie of Balquhidder in this family, however this entry would indicate that James was also appointed as Royal Baillie.
Sliochd Tigh nan Eilean
Stewarts of the South says the following about James, but it seems unlikely that an anecdote of this nature would survive 400 years. It seems more likely that this reference has been conflated with one of the later Jameses in the family, especially when this James' daughter-in-law was a Campbell.
"James Beg of Baldorran in the parish of Campsie, Stirlingshire, was predecessor of the Stewarts of Ardvorlich, commonly called Slioch Toigh Nellain from a fortified island in Lochvenacher, Callendar Parish where James Beg usually resided and had different skirmishes with the Campbells and came off with success. Those Campbells are said to be of the family of Breadalbane which I think is not correct as the Breadalbane family had no branches and but little power at that time." - Stewarts of the South
There is a small crannog island in Loch Venacher, called Portnellan Island, just offshore from Portnellan farm, which was held by a younger son of James Mhor Stewart, 4th of Balquhidder, the great-grandson of this James. The island shows signs of earlier fortification.
Duncan Stewart (1739) writes:
"James Stewart, son to Lord James, son of Murdach, Duke of Albany, is a frequent witness to charters granted by Isabel Dutchess of Albany, his grandmother, wherein he is designed, with the rest of his brothers (sic - he had no brothers, Duncan has confused his first cousins.), d'Albania, the title of Duke Murdoch their grandfather. This James, commonly called James Beag, or little, from his stature, or in contradistinction to his father, who was called James More, or great, is designed Filius naturalis Jacob Stewart, fitz Murdach Ducas Albania, in 1464, when he got from his cousin, John, Lord Darnly, a charter of the lands of Baldorran in Stirlingshire, dated at Stirling the 7th of January foresaid year, and is confimed by King James III the 12th of the same month. He married Annabel Buchanan, daughter to Patrick Buchanan of that Ilk, as evinceth a charter in his and the said Annabel's favours, of the lands of Duchlass in Dumbartonshire. This charter is granted by King James III likewise the same year. By her he had William, his son and heir, and Janet, married to William Stirling, a brother of the house of Keir, and first of the Stirlings of Lettir, as testifies a charter, granted by James beg Stewart of Baldorran to Janet his duaghter, by his wife Annabel Buchanan, of the lands of Lettir."
And then later, Duncan Stewart (1739) adds:
"Addenda - According to my account from Mr Crawford, I have said that James Stewart of Baldorran had a daughter, Janet, to whom he gives the lands of Lettir. But there is in the Record, lib 13, num151, a confirmation-charter to William Stewart of Baldorran, whereby he talzies the lands of Lettir (in the Lordship of Strogarthra, and shire of Perth, holden feu of the King, upon payment of sixteen shillings Scots yearly to Janet Stewart, his daughtger, by his wiife, Janet Buchanan, and her lawful heirs, which failing, to Agnes Stewart, his daughter by his foresaid wife, Janet Buchanan, and her lawful [illegible] heirs. The principal charter is dated at Stirling, the 4th day July 1493. Among the witnesses are, Alexander Stewart of Garchell, and James Stewart. And the confirmation under the Great Seal is dated at Edinburgh, the 5th of April 1494."
Possessions
James Stewart held the following lands:
Baldorran
Portnellan (on Loch Vennacher)
Letter (in Port of Menteith)
Duchlass (in Strathendrick)
(Stewarts of the South refers to this place as Duchlage and says it was located in Roseneath, Argyll. However, documents below indicate that it was located in the Lennox not far from Baldorran.)
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Abt 1425 - 1467 (~ 39 years)
