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Dervorguilla

Dervorguilla of Galloway
Dervorguilla of Galloway (d.1290), Lady of Balliol.jpg
Late 17th-century portrait of Dervorguilla
Born c. 1210
Died 28 January 1290
Burial Sweetheart Abbey
Spouse John, 5th Baron de Balliol
Issue Hugh, Lord of Bywell
Alexander, Lord of Bywell
Alan
John, King of Scotland
Ada de Lindsay of Lamberton
Cecily de Burgh of Wakerley
Margaret
Eleanor, Lady of Badenoch
Maud, Lady FitzAlan
Father Alan, Lord of Galloway
Mother Margaret of Huntingdon

Dervorguilla of Galloway (c. 1210 – 28 January 1290) was a 'lady of substance' in 13th century Scotland, the wife from 1223 of John, 5th Baron de Balliol, and mother of John I, a future king of Scotland.

The name Dervorguilla or Devorgilla was a Latinization of the Gaelic Dearbhfhorghaill (alternative spellings, Derborgaill or Dearbhorghil).

Dervorguilla was one of the three daughters and heiresses of the Gaelic prince Alan, Lord of Galloway. She was born to Alan's second wife Margaret of Huntingdon, who was the eldest daughter of David of Scotland, 8th Earl of Huntingdon and Matilda (or Maud) of Chester. David in turn was the youngest brother to two Kings of Scotland, Malcolm IV and William the Lion. Thus, through her mother, Dervorguilla was descended from the Kings of Scotland, including David I.

Dervorguilla's father died in 1234 without a legitimate son (he had an illegitimate son Thomas). According to both Anglo-Norman feudal laws and to ancient Gaelic customs, Dervorguilla was one of his heiresses, her two sisters Helen and Christina being older and therefore senior. This might be considered an unusual practice in England, but it was more common in Scotland and in Western feudal tradition. Because of this, Dervorguilla bequeathed lands in Galloway to her descendants, the Balliol and the Comyns. Dervorguilla's son John of Scotland was briefly a King of Scots too, known as Toom Tabard (Scots: 'puppet king' literally "empty coat").


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