'Sinclair01'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Sinclair of Caithness, Sinclair of Orkney, Sinclair of Roslin

                               
BP1934 (Sinclair) reports that "Two important families bearing the name of Sinclair (or St. Clair) co-existed in the 12th century, distinguished as of Rosslyn, in Midlothian, and of Herdmanstoun, in East Lothian. Though no relationship can be traced between them, the earlier bearers of the title of Lord Sinclair belonged to the former, while the later belonged to the last named family."
Robert de St. Clair (in Normandy)
m. Eleanor de Dreux (b 1186, d after 04.1248, dau of Robert II, Count of Dreux)
1. Sir William Sinclair of Roslin (a 1264, Sheriff of Edinburgh)
  m. Amicia
  A. Sir Henry Sinclair of Roslin (d before 28.01.1335-6)§D
  m. Alice de Fenton
  i. Sir William Sinclair of Roslin (d 25.08.1330)
a. William Sinclair of Roslin (d after 13.09.1358)
  m. Isabella of Strathearn (dau of Malise, 8th Earl of Strathearn, Earl of Orkney and Caithness)
  (1) Henry Sinclair, 1st Earl of Orkney (d 1404)
  m1. (?) Florentia of Denmark
m2. Jean Halyburton (dau of John Halyburton of Dirleton)
  (A) Henry Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Orkney (b c1375, d 1422)
  m. (c1407) Egidia Douglas (dau of William Douglas, Lord of Nithsdale)
  (i) William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney, Earl of Caithness, 1st Lord Sinclair, Chancellor (d 1480)
  The earldom of Caithness continued through his son below. William is the first mentoned by 'Caithness Family History' (John Henderson, 1884, p1+), which provides some support for the following albeit naming his 1st wife Margaret.
  m1. Elizabeth Douglas (d c1451, dau of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, Duke of Tourraine)
  (a) William Sinclair 'The Waster', 2nd Lord (d 1487)
  William was disinherited by his father.
  m. (c1458) Christian Leslie (a 02.1492-3, dau of George Leslie, 1st Earl of Rothes)
((1)) Henry Sinclair, 3rd Lord (d Flodden 09.09.1513)
  m. (before 04.12.1488) Margaret Hepburn (d 1542, dau of Adam Hepburn, Master of Hailes)
  ((2)) Sir William Sinclair of Warsetter (d before 13.05.1527)
  m. Helen Gordon
  ((3)) Magnus Sinclair (a 09.1487)
((4)) Elizabeth Sinclair
  m. John Glendonwyn of Glendonwyn and Parton (d c1510)
  ((5)) Marion or Marjorie Sinclair probably of this generation
  m. Alexander McCulloch of Myretoun (d 1530)
  (b) Catherine Sinclair
  m. (div 1478) Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany (d 1485)
  m2. (before 15.11.1456) Marjory Sutherland (dau of Alexander Sutherland of Dunbeath)
  (c) Sir Oliver Sinclair of Roslin (d after 1509)
  m. Margaret Borthwick (dau of William Borthwick, 3rd Lord)
(d) William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness (d Flodden 09.09.1513)
  m. Mary Keith (dau of Sir William Keith of Inverugie)
  ((1)) John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness (d Somersdale 18.05.1529)
  m. Elizabeth Sutherland (dau of William Sutherland of Duffus)
  ((2)) Alexander Sinclair of Stamster, Dunbeath, etc. (d before 1541)
  m. Elizabeth Innes
partner unknown
  ((3)) William Sinclair
  (e) Eleanor Sinclair --
  m. (before 1475) Sir John Stewart of Balveny, 1st Earl of Atholl (b c1440, d 19.09.1512) --
  (f) Elizabeth Sinclair
  m. laird of Houston
  (g) Margaret Sinclair
  m. (1480) David Boswell of Glassmont, 2nd of Balmuto (d 1493)
  (h) Marjory Sinclair --
  m. Andrew Leslie, Master of Rothes (dvp before 01.1477-8) --
  (i)+ other issue - Alexander (a 02.1508-9), George, Robert (a 02.1506-7), Arthur, Katherine, Susan, Mariot
m3. Jonet Yeman
  partner unknown
  (p) Sir David Sinclair, Lord of Shetland (d before 14.08.1507)
  Henderson mentions a Sir David of Swingburgh, indicating that he was legitimate. However, TSP reports that Sir David "was undoubtedly illegitimate". We speculate that Sir David, who is shown in the source used for the continuation as 'of Sumburgh', was father of the following William (probably illegitimate, given the difference in family name) because that source reports that Sir David bequeathed land to William in his will. It is, of course, possible that William was a nephew, godson, or just a friend of Sir David.
  ((1)) William Spence or Spens
  (ii) Beatrix Sinclair --
  m. (before 07.03.1425-6) James Douglas, Earl of Avondale, 7th Earl of Douglas (d 24.03.1443) --
(B) John Sinclair of Kirkton, lord of Shetland (a 1418)
  m. Ingeborg (dau of Waldemar, King of Denmark)
  (C) William Sinclair (a 09.1405)
  (D) Elizabeth Sinclair --
  TSP reports Elizabeth's marriage to Sir John Drummond but it appears that she was probably first married to ...
  m1. Sir John Edmondston of Ednam (a 1379)
  m2. Sir John Drummond of Cargill and Stobhall, Justiciar of Scotland (d 1428) --
  (E) Margaret Sinclair
  m. James of Cragy of Hupe
  (F) Jean Sinclair --
  m. Sir John Forrester, 2nd of Corstorphine, Liberton etc (d 1448, Chamberlain) --
(G) daughter
  m. _ Cockburn of Skirling ## see here ##
  (H) daughter
  m. Heron of Marieton
  (I) Mary Sinclair
  m. Thomas Somerville of Carnwath
  (J) Marjory Sinclair --
  m. (c1409) Sir David Menzies of Weem (b 1377, d 1449) --
  BP2002 (Ross of Balnagowan) reports that an Earl of Orkney had the following daughter (legitimate?) ...
  (K) Janet Sinclair
  p. Earl of Sutherland
(2) David Sinclair
  b. Margaret Sinclair --
  BE1883 (Orkney) shows that Margaret was daughter of the William who married Isabella of Strathearn. We follow TSP.
  m1. (c1353) Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus (d 1361) --
  m2. Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston (a 1377) --
  c. Thomas Sinclair (d before 01.11.1371, Bailie of Orkney)
  (1) Alexander Sinclair
  d. John Sinclair
  ii. John Sinclair (d 25.08.1330)
  B. William Sinclair, Bishop of Dunkeld (d 27.06.1357)
  C. William Sinclair of Longformacus (d temp King David who r. 1329-1371)
  D. Annabel Sinclair (d before 1304) --
  m1. Sir Robert Bisset
  m2. Sir David Wemyss of Wemyss (d c1330) --

Main source(s): TSP (Orkney), BE1883 (Orkney), TSP (Caithness), BP1934 (Caithness), TSP (Sinclair), BP1934 (Sinclair)
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