RUSSELL, John, Sir ¹

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John married Isabella Countess of Menteith, daughter of Maurice (Muretach) Earl of Menteith, Sheriff of Stirling and Unknown, after November 1258.¹ (Isabella Countess of Menteith was born about 1219 and died probably before 1273 ¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

"The Earl (Walter Comyn) died suddenly in November 1258, by the stumbling of his horse, which fell upon its rider. So at least it was reported to the English King, but the Scots believed that he was poisoned by his Countess, who survived him. She certainly gave ground for the story by marrying again within a short time after his death, an English knight, named Sir John Russell. This marriage, though made, it is said, with the King's consent, offended the Scottish nobles, who raised or renewed the accusation of poisoning, and succeeded in depriving the Countess of the earldom, and forcing her and her husband to retire to England. They were even confined in prison for some time because of the charge against them. The earldom was given to Mary, the younger sister of Isabella, and Walter Stewart, her husband. Countess Isabella went to the English Court, where Henry III. certified the agreement of 1213, already quoted, and she also appealed to the Pope, Urban IV., who sent a legate to York, to inquire into the matter. But the legate behaved in such a manner as to rouse the indignation and opposition of King Alexander and the Scottish nobles, and the Pope was obliged to remit the case to be settled by three Scottish clerics, who in turn allowed the subject to drop, as it entrenched upon the King's jurisdiction. The Countess and her second husband did not pursue the matter further."

from Scots Peerage (vol 6) ¹