• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Person Index
  • Evidence Index
  • Get In Touch

Genealogy of a Large and Diverse Family

A Journey Through Time

, Ada De Warenne

Ada de WarenneI10974
b: ABT 1120
d: 1178
Biography
Ada de Warenne (or Adeline de Varenne) (c. 1120 – 1178) was theAnglo-Norman wife of Henry of Scotland, Earl of Northumbria and Earl ofHuntingdon. She was the daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl ofSurrey by Elizabeth of Vermandois, and a great-granddaughter of Henry Iof France. She became mother to two Kings of Scots, Malcolm the Maidenand William the Lion.

Ada and Henry were married in England in 1139.[1] They had sevenchildren:
Malcolm IV, King of Scots.
William the Lion, King of Scots
Margaret of Huntingdon married 1) Conan IV, Duke of Brittany and 2)Humphrey III de Bohun.[2]
David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon married Mathilda (Maud) of Chester.Through their daughter, Isobel, they were the direct ancestors of therenowned Scottish King, Robert the Bruce.
Matilda of Huntingdon, born and died 1152.
Marjorie of Huntingdon, married Gille Críst, Earl of Angus.
Ada of Huntingdon, married Count Floris III of Holland.

As part of her marriage settlement, the new Countess Ada was granted theprivileges of Haddington, amongst others in East Lothian. Previously theseat of a thanage Haddington is said to be the first Royal burgh inScotland, created by Countess Ada''s father-in-law, David I of Scotland,who held it along with the church and a mill.[3]
In close succession both her husband and King David died, in 1152 and1153 respectively. Following the death of Henry, who was buried at KelsoAbbey, King David arranged for his grandson to succeed him, and at Sconeon 27 May 1153, the twelve-year-old was declared Malcolm IV, King ofScots. Following his coronation, Malcolm installed his brother William asEarl of Northumbria (although this county was "restored" to King Henry IIof England by Malcolm in 1157[4]), and the young dowager-Countess retiredto her lands at Haddington.
On Thursday 9 December 1165[5] King Malcolm died at the age of 25 withoutissue. His mother had at that time been attempting to arrange a marriagebetween him and Constance, daughter of Conan III, Duke of Brittany, butMalcolm died before the wedding could be celebrated.[6]

Following his brother''s death Ada''s younger son William became King ofScots at the age of twenty two. William the Lion was to become thelongest serving King of Scots until the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

Religious houses were established in Haddington at an early date. Theycame to include the Blackfriars (who came into Scotland in 1219) and mostnotably the Church of the Greyfriars, or Minorites (came into Scotland inthe reign of Alexander II), which would become famous as "LucernaLaudoniae"- The Lamp of Lothian, the toft of land upon which it standsbeing granted by King David I of Scotland to the Prior of St. Andrews (towhom the patronage of the church of Haddington belonged). David I alsogranted to the monks of Dunfermline "unam mansuram" in Haddington, aswell as to the monks of Haddington a full toft "in burgo meo de Hadintun,free of all custom and service."[7]
Ada devoted her time to good works, improving the lot of the Church atHaddington, where she resided. Countess Ada gave lands to the south andwest of the River Tyne near to the only crossing of the river for miles,to found a Convent of Cistercian Nuns ("white nuns"[8]) dedicated to St.Mary, in what was to become the separate Burgh of Nungate, the extantremains are still to be seen in the ruined parish church of St. Martin.The nunnery she endowed with the lands of Begbie, at Garvald and KeithMarischal amongst other temporal lands. Miller, however, states that sheonly "founded and richly endowed a nunnery at the Abbey of Haddington"and that "Haddington, as demesne of the Crown, reverted to her sonWilliam the Lion upon her death".[3]

According to inscriptions within the town of Haddington, Countess Ada''sresidence was located near the present day County buildings and SheriffCourt. Countess Ada died in 1178[9] and is thought to be buried locally.Her remaining dower-lands were brought back into the Royal desmesne andWilliam the Lion''s wife, Ermengarde de Beaumont, is said to have taken toher bed in Countess Ada''s house to bear the future Alexander II. Millerstates that when the future King was born in Haddington in 1198 it tookplace "in the palace of Haddington".[10]
Facts
  • ABT 1120 - Birth -
  • 1178 - Death -
Ancestors
   
William I de Warenne , 1st Earl of Surrey
- 1088
 
 
William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey
- 1138
  
  
  
Gundred
-
 
Ada de Warenne
ABT 1120 - 1178
  
 
  
Hugh I "Magnus"
1057 - 18 OCT 1101
 
 
Elizabeth of Vermandois, Countess of Leicester
1085 - 1131
  
  
  
Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois
1062 - 1122
 
Family Group Sheet - Child
PARENT (M) William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey
Birth
Death1138
Marriageto Elizabeth of Vermandois, Countess of Leicester
FatherWilliam I de Warenne , 1st Earl of Surrey
MotherGundred
PARENT (F) Elizabeth of Vermandois, Countess of Leicester
Birth1085
Death1131
Marriageto William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey
Marriageto Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester
FatherHugh I "Magnus"
MotherAdelaide, Countess of Vermandois
CHILDREN
FGundred de Warenne
Birth
Death
Marriageto Roger de Newburgh , 2nd Earl of Warwick
Marriageto William de Lancaster
FAda de Warenne
BirthABT 1120
Death1178
Marriage1139to Henry of Scotland at England
MWilliam de Warenne , 3rd Earl of Surrey
Birth
Death1148
Marriageto Adela of Ponthieu
Family Group Sheet - Spouse
PARENT (M) Henry of Scotland
Birth1114
Death1152
Marriage1139to Ada de Warenne at England
FatherDabíd mac Maíl Choluim
MotherMaud, Countess of Huntingdon
PARENT (F) Ada de Warenne
BirthABT 1120
Death1178
Marriage1139to Henry of Scotland at England
FatherWilliam de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey
MotherElizabeth of Vermandois, Countess of Leicester
CHILDREN
FAda of Huntingdon
BirthABT 1146Scotland
DeathAFT 1206
Marriage28 AUG 1162to Floris III, Count of Holland
FMargaret of Huntingdon, Duchess of Brittany
Birth
Death
Marriageto Humphrey III de Bohun
Marriageto Conan IV, Duke of Brittany
Descendancy Chart
1 Ada de Warenne b: ABT 1120 d: 1178
+ Henry of Scotland b: 1114 d: 1152
2 Ada of Huntingdon b: ABT 1146 d: AFT 1206
+ Floris III, Count of Holland
3 William I, Count of Holland
+ Adelaide of Guelders b: ABT 1182 d: 1218
4 Floris IV, Count of Holland
+ Matilda of Brabant, Countess of Holland
5 Adelaide of Holland, Countess of Hainaut b: ABT 1230
+ John of Avesnes
6 John II, Count of Holland
+ Philippa of Luxembourg
7 William I, Count of Hainaut
+ Joan of Valois, Countess of Hainaut
8 Philippa of Hainault
+ Edward III b: 13 NOV 1312 d: 21 JUN 1377
9 John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster b: 6 MAR 1340 d: 3 FEB 1399
+ Blanche
+ Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster
+ Katherine Swynford
10 Henry Beaufort b: ABT 1375 d: 11 APR 1447
+ Alice Arundel
2 Margaret of Huntingdon, Duchess of Brittany
+ Humphrey III de Bohun
3 Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford
+ Maud de Mandeville
4 Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford
+ Maud de Lusignan
5 Humphrey de Bohun
+ Eleanor de Braose
6 Alianore de Bohun
+ Robert de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby
7 John de Ferrers, 1st Baron Ferrers of Chartley
+ Hawise (Hawyse) de Muscegros
8 Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Baron Ferrers of Chartley
+ Margaret
9 John de Ferrers, 3rd Baron Ferrers of Chartley
+ Elizabeth de Stafford
10 Robert de Ferrers, 4th Baron Ferrers of Chartley
+ Margaret Le Despenser
+ Joan de la Mote
+ Conan IV, Duke of Brittany

Primary Sidebar

Top Surnames

Gooding (470)
Reed (330)
Champion (258)
Bryars (228)
Mabry (218)
Roden (181)
Fisher (151)
Littler (142)
Warner (125)
Whiteside (106)

Copyright © 2006–2022 Eric Leuthardt · All Rights Reserved
Built and designed by 7th Circle Designs

SItemap | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement | Affiliate Disclosure