James Stewart, Duke of Ross

James Stewart, Duke of Ross (March 1476 – January 1504) was the son of King James III of Scotland and Margaret of Denmark.

Titles and offices

He was made Marquess of Ormond at his baptism. He was created Earl of Ross in 1481 after that title was forfeited to the crown by John, Lord of the Isles.

Of his father's three sons, James of Ross was the favourite. James III even tried to marry him to Edward IV's daughter, Catherine of York. This increasing preference shown to James of Ross was a factor in the rebellion of his elder brother (the future James IV) against their father; and later, as king, James IV was suspicious of his brother's loyalty.

Nonetheless, when the elder James succeeded to the crown in 1488, he raised James of Ross's title to Duke of Ross.

Around May 1497, his brother the King nominated James of Ross (then twenty years old) to be Archbishop of St Andrews. King James thought that would keep James of Ross from rebelling against him. Also, James of Ross was a minor, and so the revenues of the archbishopric would be controlled by King James.

James of Ross also became Lord Chancellor of Scotland in 1502.

Name

He was one of three brothers, his two brothers being King James IV of Scotland and John Stewart, Earl of Mar. It may seem surprising that there were two brothers both called James. It has been suggested that at the time the younger was born the older was seriously ill and seemed unlikely to survive, but it is unclear whether there is any evidence for this hypothesis. In late mediaeval Scotland it was not uncommon to have two brothers with the same Christian name, or occasionally even three.

References

[1] MacDougall, Norman., James IV (Edinburgh, 1989)

Ancestry

Family of James Stewart, Duke of Ross

16. Robert III of Scotland               8. James I of Scotland                       17. Anabella Drummond               4. James II of Scotland                             18. John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset               9. Joan Beaufort                       19. Margaret Holland               2. James III of Scotland                                   20. John II of Egmond               10. Arnold, Duke of Gelderland                       21. Maria van Arkel               5. Mary of Guelders                             22. Adolph I, Duke of Cleves               11. Catherine of Cleves (1417–1479)                       23. Mary of Burgundy               1. James Stewart, Duke of Ross                                         24. Christian V, Count of Oldenburg               12. Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg                       25. Agnes of Hohnstein-Heringen               6. Christian I of Denmark                             26. Gerhard VI, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg               13. Helvig of Schauenburg                       27. Catherine Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg               3. Margaret of Denmark                                   28. Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg               14. John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach                       29. Elisabeth of Bavaria               7. Dorothea of Brandenburg                             30. Rudolf III, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg               15. Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg                       31. Barbara of Legnica

Religious titles
Preceded by William Scheves	Archbishop of St. Andrews 1497–1504	Succeeded by Alexander Stewart
Preceded by George Crichton	Commendator of Dunfermline 1500–1504	Succeeded by James Beaton * *His immediate successor may have been Gilbert Strachan.
Academic offices
Preceded by William Scheves Archbishop of St Andrews	Chancellor of the University of St Andrews 1497–1504	Succeeded by Alexander Stewart Archbishop of St Andrews
Political offices
Preceded by 2nd Earl of Huntly	Lord Chancellor of Scotland 1502–1504	Succeeded by in 1510 Alexander Stewart
Scottish royalty
Preceded by James IV of Scotland	Heir to the Scottish throne as heir presumptive 11 June 1488–January 1504	Succeeded by John Stewart, Duke of Albany
Peerage of Scotland
New title	Duke of Ross 1481–1504	Extinct
	Marquess of Ormonde 1488–1504