Murray, Thomas Randolph, 1st earl of

Murray or Moray, Thomas Randolph, 1st earl of both: mûrˈē [key], d. 1332, Scottish nobleman; nephew of Robert I. He joined Robert's revolt against Edward I of England in 1306 but was captured at the battle of Methven and forced to swear fealty to the English king. Recaptured (1308) by Sir James de Douglas, he became one of Robert's strongest warriors and was created earl of Murray. In 1314 he captured Edinburgh Castle by a daring scaling operation and led a division at Bannockburn. He accompanied Edward Bruce on his invasion of Ireland in 1315 and, with Douglas, led many raids into England, including the one in 1327 in which the young Edward III was nearly captured. He was a principal party in the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Northampton (1328), by which Edward recognized Robert I. He was regent (1331–32) of Scotland for the young David II.

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