Talk:Mary Stewart, Countess of Arran

Possible confusion over the "Seigneur d'Aubigny" title
A while back, I added the addition of "Robert Hamilton, Seigneur d'Aubigny" as a documented son of Mary Stewart, Countess of Arran and James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton. According to Darryl Lundy's Peerage, Hon. Robert Hamilton, Seigneur d'Aubigny, was the son of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton and Mary Stewart, Princess of Scotland. He died in 1543, and had gained the title of "Seigneur d'Aubigny". Lundy's account cites Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy by Alison Weir (The Bodley Head, London, 1999), p. 234.

However, later on, I discovered that the "Seigneur d'Aubigny" title is contested, as Robert Hamilton may have been confused with his cousin Robert Stewart, 5th Lord of Aubigny, as both died in the same year (1543). However, the two cousins are distinctly different people, with Robert Hamilton having been born on 21 March 1476, and Robert Stewart having been born in 1470, six years before Robert Hamilton.

According to Robert Stewart's current Wikipedia page, Robert was the fourth son of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox, and Margaret Montgomerie. He inherited the Lordship of Aubigny through his marriage to his cousin Anne Stewart, daughter of Bernard Stewart, 4th Lord of Aubigny (died 1508).

The point of contention is descent and inheritance from John Stewart of Darnley, 1st Seigneur d'Aubigny (c. 1380 – 1429). Darnley fought at the Dauphin's first victory against the English at the Battle of Baugé in 1421. He was made Seigneur of Concressault in 1421. When the Dauphin became Charles VII King of France, Darnley entered his service, and Charles rewarded him with the seigneurie (lordship) of Aubigny-sur-Nère in 1422. Hence, "Seigneur d'Aubigny", later Duke of Aubigny.

John Stewart of Darnley was a fourth cousin of King James I of Scotland (reigned 1406 to 1437), the great-grandfather of Mary Stewart, Countess of Arran, the mother of Robert Hamilton. Robert Hamilton is marked as the third son of Mary, which makes it unlikely that he would be awarded the title of "Seigneur d'Aubigny", especially since Bernard Stewart reportedly held the title until his death in 1508.

It is possible that Robert Hamilton may have claimed the title "Seigneur d'Aubigny" after the death of Bernard Stewart in 1508, but was unsuccessful in a legal dispute with Robert Stewart over the claim. Robert Stewart was able to successfully petition for the title to be passed to him per jure uxoris.

It is also unclear whether or not the "Seigneur d'Aubigny" title passed strictly through French salic law, or through the Scottish laws of inheritance. Obversa (talk) 19:01, 25 December 2022 (UTC)