Christina of the Isles

Christina of the Isles (fl. 1290–1318) was a fourteenth-century Scottish noblewoman.

Ruaidhrí and the Clann Ruaidhrí succession

The arms of the Earl of Mar depicted in the Balliol roll. Christina's husband, Donnchadh, was a member of the comital kindred of Mar, although his precise parentage is uncertain.

Whilst the sources outlining with Christina's career suggest that she was a consistent supporter of the Bruce cause, those that outline the careers of her half-brothers suggest that they may have been more ambitious and opportunistic. Lachlann last appears on record in 1307/1308 in correspondence between William II, Earl of Ross and Edward II, King of England, in which the earl complained about Lachlann's audacity and rebelliousness. After this date, Ruaidhrí appears to have succeeded Lachlann.

Although Christina seems to have been the sole legitimate offspring of their father, In fact, there was little distinction between legitimate and illegitimate offspring in Gaelic Scotland, as society tolerated temporary sexual unions amongst the elite as a means of furthering the continuation of the male line of the clan. As the leading male member of Clann Ruaidhrí at this stage, it is probable that Ruaidhrí himself possessed control of the kindred's wide-ranging territories. Nevertheless, Ruaidhrí seems to have only gained formal recognition of his rights to the lordship after Christina's resignation of her own claims, by way of a charter confirmed by Robert himself.

There is reason to suspect that Christina's stake in the lordship—and her close connections with Robert—posed a potential threat to Ruaidhrí and his descendants. Furthermore, Christina had a son, Ruaidhrí, who potentially could have sought royal assistance in pursuance of his mother's claims. The name that Christina bestowed upon this son could indicate that he was not only named after his maternal grandfather, but that he was intended to be a potential successor to the Clann Ruaidhrí lordship. Certainly, Christina resigned her claims with the condition that, if her brother died without a male heir, and her like-named son married one of her brother's daughters, Christina's son would secure the inheritance.

An early twentieth-century depiction of the Battle of the Pass of Brander, a conflict in which Robert I defeated Clann Dubhghaill in about 1308, probably with the aid of Clann Ruaidhrí and Clann Domhnaill. Warriors from the Clann Ruaidhrí lordship may have also played a major part in Robert I's victory at Loudoun Hill.

On one hand, it is possible that the king orchestrated Ruaidhrí's succession to the lordship as a means of securing the continued support from Clann Ruaidhrí, one of the most powerful families on the western coast. On the other hand, the fact that Christina—a close personal ally of Robert—had been superseded by Ruaidhrí—a man with a comparatively chequered political career—could indicate that the latter's consolidation of control more likely stemmed from internal family politics than from royal interference. Whilst the contract between Christina and Ruaidhrí concerned the understanding that the Clann Ruaidhrí lordship should remain (at least temporarily) in the possession of the male line of the kindred, it recognised Christina's rights to the heritage, and accepted the somewhat looser marriage customs in this region of the realm. Whilst it is possible that the father of Christina's son was Donnchadh, Ruaidhrí's provincial lordship encompassed the mainland territories of Moidart, Arisaig, Morar, and Knoydart; as well as the island territories of Rhum, Eigg, Barra, St Kilda, and Uist. This dominion, like the great lordships of Annandale and Galloway, was comparable to any of the kingdom's thirteen earldoms. Nevertheless, it was during this period that several western kindreds—such as Clann Domhnaill and the Caimbéalaigh (the Campbells)—were richly rewarded for their service to the Bruce cause with extensive grants of lands carved out of former Clann Dubhghaill territories forfeited by the king. The evidence of internal discord within Clann Ruaidhrí could account for the fact that the family failed to make similar gains in the wake of Clann Dubhghaill's downfall. The device shows a manned galley. Christina's resignations to Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí Although Ruaidhrí seems to have ensured the continuation of his kindred by formally coming to terms with Robert and campaigning in Ireland with the latter's brother, At the time of his death, Ruaidhrí's son, Raghnall, may well have been under age, Although she is recorded to have resigned her claimed rights to a certain Artúr Caimbéal at some point after Ruaidhrí's death, it is clear that Raghnall succeeded in securing the region, and was regarded as the chief of Clann Ruaidhrí by most of his kin. Robert is otherwise known to have granted the constableship of Dunstaffnage Castle, a former Clann Dubhghaill stronghold, to a certain Artúr Caimbéal. The precise identity of this officer is uncertain, however, as there was a father and son who bore this name. Whilst the constableship may have been awarded to the senior-most Artúr —the apparent founding ancestor of the Strachur branch of the Caimbéalaigh —Christina's transaction appears to have concerned the constable's son, a man who may have been intended to marry her. |group=note

The establishment of the constabulary of Dunstaffnage Castle in the 1320s appears to have been undertaken in the context of royally sanctioned encroachment into Clann Ruaidhrí territories. Christina attempted to transfer the Clann Ruaidhrí lordship into the hands of the constable's son.

In 1325, a certain "" suffered the forfeiture of his possessions by Robert. Although this record could refer to a member of Clann Domhnaill, another possibility is that the individual actually refers to a member of Clann Ruaidhrí. If this record indeed refers to a member of the latter kindred, the man in question may well have been Raghnall himself. If so, the forfeiture could have stemmed from resistance advanced by Raghnall to counter Christina's attempts to alienate the Clann Ruaidhrí estate from him and transfer it into the clutches of the Caimbéalaigh. Alternately, the forfeiture could have been ratified in response to undesirable Clann Ruaidhrí expansion into certain neighbouring territories, regions such as the former lands of the disinherited Clann Dubhghaill.

Although the now-ruinous Teampull na Trionaid is traditionally said to have been constructed by Christina's niece, Áine Nic Ruaidhrí, this church is recorded to have been in existence during Christina's floruit.

Although Christina's resignation charter to Artúr is undated, it could date to just before the forfeiture. and may be evidence that the charter had royal approval. The witnesses include: John Menteith, Domhnall Caimbéal, Alasdair Mac Neachdainn, Eóghan Mac Íomhair, Donnchadh Caimbéal (son of Tomás Caimbéal), Niall Mac Giolla Eáin, and (the latter's brother) Domhnall Mac Giolla Eáin. These men all seem to have been close adherents of Robert against Clann Dubhghaill, and all represented families of power along the western seaboard. An alliance of such men may well have been an intimidating prospect to the Clann Ruaidhrí leadership.

The forfeiture could have been personally reinforced by Robert, as he seems to have travelled to Tarbert Castle—an imposing royal stronghold in Kintyre—within the same year. There is reason to suspect that the establishment of the Caimbéalaigh constabulary of Dunstaffnage formed part of a plan to create a new western sheriffdom based at Tarbert. Although the king had previously allowed the succession of Raghnall's father in the first decade of the century, In fact, it may have been at the Scone parliament of 1323—perhaps at the same time that work on Tarbert Castle was authorised—that the constabulary was granted to the Caimbéalaigh, along with lands in Benderloch, Ardnastaffnage, Inverawe, and other places in Lorn. This royal grant may well have overturned previous grants of former Clann Dubhghaill possessions to members of Clann Ruaidhrí.

A papal confirmation dating to 1393 records that Christina granted the island of Davaar to Saddell Abbey. According to a twentieth-century Uist account of dubious authority, Christina was associated with a school at a local nunnery where girls were taught manual crafts.

Christina in fiction Christina is a significant character in The Path of the Hero King, the second part of Nigel Tranter's Bruce trilogy. In it, she has an affair with Bruce, while sheltering him during his time on the run.