John Stewart of Darnley

Sir John Stewart of Darnley, 1st Lord of Concressault and 1st Lord of Aubigny, Count of Évreux (c. 1380 – 1429) was a Scottish nobleman and prominent soldier during the Hundred Years War.

Life

The son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley and Janet Keith, he was a distant cousin of the Stewart Kings of Scotland, being descended from the second son of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland, Sir John Stewart of Bonkyll.

Darnley inherited his father's estates in 1404, and was knighted c.1418. In 1419, Darnley was part of the Scottish expeditionary force which under the Earls of Buchan (Darnley's cousin) and Wigtown, set out to France. By 1420 Darnley was referred to as Constable of the Scottish Army there.

Darnley was present at the major Scots victory at the Battle of Baugé in 1421, and for his part in the fight was granted the lordships of Concressault in 1421, and Aubigny-sur-Nère in 1422, by a grateful Dauphin.

Darnley was present, and a commander, at the defeat at Cravant, where he was captured and suffered the loss of an eye.

During his captivity, Darnley could not participate at the Battle of Verneuil, at which the Franco-Scottish army was heavily defeated. His ransom having been paid by the Dauphin Charles, Darnley once again entered French service, taking command of the remaining Scots forces in the country. Following a victory over the English at Mont Saint-Michel, Darnley was made Count of Évreux, and allowed to append the Fleur-de-Lis to his coat of arms.

In 1428, he along with Renaud of Chartres, the Archbishop of Rheims, returned to Scotland to raise further troops, and to negotiate the future marriage between Princess Margaret of Scotland, and the Dauphin's son Louis. He returned again to France in 1429, where he took part in the Siege of Orléans where he arrived with 1000 men. Four days later, he commanded the Scottish contingent at the Battle of the Herrings, where he was killed.

John Stewart of Darnley was buried in the Sainte-Croix Cathedral, Orléans.

Marriage and Issue

Darnley married Elizabeth, a daughter of Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox c.1408, she accompanied Darnley to France, where she died 10 months after him and is buried beside him at Orléans. They had issue:

• Sir Alan Stewart of Darnley, from whom descend the Stewart Earls of Lennox, and all Monarchs of Scotland, England and Great Britain from James VI of Scotland onwards.
• Sir John Stewart, 2nd Lord of Aubigny
• Alexander Stewart of Darnley

• Balfour Paul, vol V, pp346-348