THE O'BEOLAN EARLS OF ROSS

TIME CAPSULE FOR THE O'BEOLAN EARLS
1214	King Alexander II, the successor to William the Lion, was crowned at Scone. (d. 1249 on Isle of Kerrara, Oban Bay)
1215	Fearchar Mac an t'Sagairt was made a Norman knight for his services during further trouble in the north with rebels led by Donald Bane MacWilliam, another son of Donald MacWilliam.
1226	By 1226 Fearchar Mac an t'Sagairt inherited the title, Earl of Ross, from Malcolm Macbeth through the female line to the O'Beolan hereditary Abbott of Applecross. [The Scottish Clans and Their Tartans] There is no general agreement among historians about this date. Some suggest formal confirmation of the title by the king a few years later. Earl Farquhar was given lordship rights over Ross, Skye, Lewis and Moray.
1230	In this year, Earl Fearchar/Farquhar founded the Abbey of Fearn to promote Christianity and civilization within the land of Ross. [Donald MacKinnon, op. cit.] In the year 1230, he founded the Abbey of Ferne (Fearn) in the Parish of Edderton. The Abbey, not long after its foundation, was removed to a site several miles distant, and in subsequent years it was known as the "Abbacia de Nova Farina." [Alexander Ross, op. cit.] There was another final, brief uprising led by Gillescop MacWilliam against the Royal line.
1234	During the Galloway Campaign to bring the independent region under Scottish control, the second Earl of Ross received a grant of land in Galloway for his services.
1249	King Alexander III was crowned at Scone.
1251	Fearchar, second Earl of Ross, died in his Castle of Delney and was buried in the Abbey of Fearn which he had built.
1251	William the eldest son of Farquhar (and Margaret, the daughter of MacGillvray of the family of Somerled), became the third Earl of Ross (second of the O'Beolan line). He married Jean, the daughter of William Comyn, the Earl of Buchan.
1263	Battle of Largs - Scots defeated the Vikings who were attempting to invade. In December, King Haakon of Norway (which at that time included Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles) died on Orkney. Earl William was given the title "Lord of Skye and Lewis" for his distinguished services.
1266	By theTreaty of Perth on July 2, Norway renounced its claim on the Hebrides.
1274	Robert the Bruce born on July 11. During this year William, the third Earl of Ross (2nd of the O'Beolan line), died at Erles-Allane. The fourth Earl of Ross was William, third of the O'Beolan line. His wife Euphemia became Countess of Ross.
1283	William, Earl of Ross, spoke in Parliament in support of settling the succession to the throne of the infant Princess Margaret, the Maid of Norway.
1286	King Alexander III died on March 19 crossing the river Forth to Fife at Queensferry. Queen Margaret, Maid of Norway (daughter of King Erik II) ascended the throne.
1290	On September 26, Queen Margaret ("Eiriksdotter") died, en route from Norway to Scotland, 1290. On May 30, 1291, claimants to the Scottish throne met King Edward I of England at Norham on Tweed to resolve succession.
1292	November 17, John Balliol acceded to Scottish throne, and on November 30, he ("Toom Tabard" or "Turncoat") was crowned.
1295	Robert Bruce, "The Great Competitor" and grandfather of King Robert the Bruce, died.
1296	King Edward I of England over-ran Berwick-upon-Tweed. Scots were defeated by the English defenders of Dunbar Castle at Battle of Dunbar. On August 28, 1296, Edward I of England held a parliament at Berwick to which he summoned all Scottish landholders to sign the "Ragman Roll". As a further attempt to emasculate the barbaric Scots north of the border, King Edward stole the Stone of Destiny and eventually it was placed in Westminster Abbey. William, Earl of Ross, who had sworn fealty to Edward I of England, was captured at the Battle of Dunbar and imprisoned in London.
1297	September 11, at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, William Wallace defeated Edward I. He routed the English at the Battle of Black Ironside on June 12, 1298, but was defeated by King Edward I at the Battle of Falkirk on July 22. After many skirmishes, including the capture of Stirling Castle by Edward I on July 20, 1304, William Wallace was betrayed and captured by the English on August 5, 1305 and executed.
1306	King Robert I ("The Bruce") was crowned at Scone on March 27. William, Earl of Ross, surrendered Bruce's wife and daughter to the English after they had taken sanctuary at the shrine of St. Duthac. William sued for a pardon and received it in 1307; his son Hugh married Princess Maud, the king's sister.
1307	Battle of Loudon Hill in May, near Darvel. King Robert I defeated English forces under de Valence. On July 7, King Edward I of England died. On December 24,1307, Robert the Bruce defeated the troops of John Comyn at the Battle of Inverurie (The date for this battle is disputed by historians).
1308	In August, John MacDougall of Lorne, who was supporting King Edward II, was defeated by King Robert I at the Battle of the Pass of Brander.
1309	On March 16, King Robert the Bruce convened his first parliament, at St. Andrews. The Earl of Ross and the Earl of Sutherland were in attendance.
1312	Treaty of Inverness with Norway on October 29.
1313	February 7, Robert the Bruce captured Dumfries. May 18, Robert the Bruce invaded Isle of Man.
1314	On June 24, Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II at Battle of Bannockburn. Earl William led the men of Ross, Sutherland and Caithness at the battle.
1316	March 2, King Robert II born in Paisley. On May 2, Edward Bruce, brother of King Robert the Bruce, crowned High King of All Ireland.
1318	March 28, King Robert the Bruce captured Berwick on Tweed. On October 14, 1318, Edward Bruce, brother of Robert the Bruce, was killed in a battle near Dundalk, Ireland.
1320	April 6 Declaration of Arbroath - "For we fight not for glory nor for riches nor for honour, but only and alone for freedom, which no good man surrenders but with his life". William, 4th Earl of Ross (3rd of O'Beolan), affixed his seal to this great document.
1322	The "Kalendar of Fearn" bears the record of Earl William's death on January 28 at his Castle of Delny. He was succeeded by his son, Hugh, as the 5th Earl of Ross (4th of the O'Beolan line).
1324	King David II was born on march 5.
1327	On September 21, King Edward II of England died , succeeded by Edward III.
1328	On March 17, the Treaty of Edinburgh between King Robert I and Edward III recognised Scotland's independence, ending the 30 years of Wars of Independence.
1329	On June 7, Robert the Bruce died at Cardross Castle.
1331	David II (aged 7) was crowned at Scone.
1332	Edward Balliol defeated the Regent, Earl of Mar, on August 11 at the Battle of Dupplin near Perth. On September 24, Edward Balliol, son of John Balliol, was crowned at Scone. He was deposed by supporters of David II in December of 1332, restored in 1333, deposed again in 1334, restored in 1335 and finally deposed in 1341.
1333	On July 19, at the Battle of Halidon Hill, the Scottish army led by Archibald, lord of Douglas, attacked the army of King Edward III, beseiging Berwick Castle and were routed. Hugh, the brother-in-law of the late Robert the Bruce, fell in battle while wearing the sacred shirt of St. Duthac. William, Hugh's eldest son by his first wife Lady Maud of Bruce, became the 6th Earl of Ross (5th of the O'Beolan line). On June 8, King Edward III ordered the capture of the Isle of Man from the Scots.
1337	King Robert III was born at Scone on August 14.
1341	On April 17, Edinburgh Castle was captured from the English.
1346	On October 7, at the Battle of Neville's Cross, King David II was captured by the English King Edward III.
1354	The Treaty of Berwick on October 3 freed David II from imprisonment by the English.
1366	May 31, King Robert II married Annabel Drummond.
1371	King David II died at Edinburgh Castle on February 22. On March 27, 1371, King Robert II, nephew of King David II, was crowned at Scone, aged 55. The October 28 Treaty of Vincennes created a Franco-Scottish alliance.
1372	William, 6th Earl of Ross (5th in the O'Beolan Line) and Lord of Skye died. The earldom passed to his daughter Countess Euphemia, and the chiefship devolved on his younger half-brother Hugh Ross, 1st of Balnagowan and Chief of Clan Ross.
1373	On April 4, the Parliament held by King Robert II at Scone resolved that his son, the Earl of Carrick should succeed his father as King (as Robert III although he was baptized John).