Walter Fitzalan, a Breton-Norman knight, was one of the most influential figures in medieval Scotland. As the first High Steward of Scotland, he helped establish feudal governance, secured the kingdom’s western frontier, and laid the foundations for a royal dynasty—the House of Stewart—that would go on to rule Scotland and later, all of Great Britain.
From Brittany to Britain: Noble Origins
Born around 1106, Walter was the son of Alan fitz Flaad, a Breton knight rewarded with estates in Shropshire by King Henry I of England. From this lineage emerged two powerful branches:
The Earls of Arundel in England
The Stewarts of Scotland
Raised in a culture of military command and administrative reform, Walter was ideally suited to serve a modernising monarch like David I of Scotland.
Service to the Scottish Crown
David I’s Feudal Revolution
In the 1130s, Walter arrived in Scotland and entered the service of King David I, who was transforming Scottish governance along feudal lines. By 1142, Walter had been granted lands in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire—key regions near the western frontier.
Around 1150, he was appointed High Steward of Scotland, a role confirmed as hereditary in 1157 by King Malcolm IV. This would become one of the most powerful hereditary offices in the realm.
Defending the Frontier
Walter's responsibilities included securing Scotland’s western border against Norse-Gaelic threats. He likely commissioned or expanded:
Renfrew Castle
Dundonald Castle
In 1164, he played a role in the Battle of Renfrew, where the invading army of Somerled, Lord of the Isles, was repelled. Somerled’s death marked a turning point in the decline of Norse influence in the west.
Founding of Paisley Abbey
In 1163, Walter founded Paisley Priory, later Paisley Abbey, inviting Cluniac monks from Wenlock Priory in England. This was an act of religious devotion, but also a strategic display of loyalty to the Scottish Crown.
Following the 1138 Battle of the Standard, in which many Norman nobles sided against King David I, Fitzalan’s unwavering support stood out. The abbey became a symbol of his allegiance.
Walter’s marriage to Eschina, possibly linked to the royal House of Dunkeld, further integrated him into Scotland’s elite.
Paisley Abbey soon became:
A centre of worship and learning
A burial site for Fitzalan and early Stewarts
A cultural and architectural landmark
The Birth of a Dynasty
Walter’s son, Alan Fitzwalter, inherited the stewardship and expanded the family's influence. In 1315, Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward, married Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert the Bruce.
Their son, Robert II, was born in 1316 and crowned the first Stewart king of Scotland in 1371.
The House of Stewart would go on to:
Rule Scotland from 1371 to 1714
Unite the crowns of Scotland and England under James VI/I
Include iconic monarchs such as Mary, Queen of Scots and James IV
Conclusion
Walter Fitzalan was more than a knight—he was a statesman, military leader, and dynasty founder. Through loyalty to the Scottish Crown, administrative foresight, and ecclesiastical patronage, he helped shape the course of Scotland’s history.
From his Norman roots came a distinctly Scottish legacy—one that would define the nation's monarchy and identity for centuries.
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