The sovereigns of Scotland : post-competition

When Queen Margaret, the Maid of Norway, died in 1290 on her return to Scotland, there was no clear succession to her throne. She was the only child of her parents, her (Scots) mother’s siblings had died without issue, and there were no surviving legitimate issue from the generation before that or the generation before that. That left a number of ‘Competitors’, 13 (some say 14) in all, although some registered a claim without much expectation (such as Margaret’s father, King Eric of Norway, and the descendants of various illegitimate royal offspring).
Arguably, the strongest claims were by:
1. John Baliol – son of Devorgilla daughter of Margaret, 1st daughter of David (Earl of Huntingdon), younger brother of King William ‘the Lion’.
2. Robert Bruce – son of Robert son of Robert son of Isobel, 2nd daughter of David (Earl of Huntingdon).
3. John Hastings – son of Henry son of Ada, 3rd daughter of David (Earl of Huntingdon). His claim failed because he was a feudal subject of King Edward.
4. Floris, Count of Holland – son of William son of Floris son of William son of Ada, sister of David (Earl of Huntingdon). This claim was later withdrawn.
5. John ‘the Black’ Comyn – son of John son of Richard son of William son of Hextilda daughter of Bethoc dau of King Donald III ‘Bane’. [He married a sister of King John Baliol and had a son, John ‘the Red’.]

King Edward (I) of England was asked to adjudicate the Competition. He chose John Baliol who was crowned King in 1292. After Baliol’s fall from grace, Robert Bruce murdered John ‘the Red’ Comyn (whose father had died c1303) and so cleared his path to the succession.