Stuart, Alexander, earl of Buchan

Stuart or Stewart, Alexander, earl of Buchan bŭkh´an, bŭk´– [key], 1343?–1405?, Scottish nobleman fourth son of Robert II. He held various offices under the crown and was made lord of Badenoch in 1371 and earl of Buchan in 1382. In 1389 he was censured by the church for repudiating his wife. In his rage against the bishops he burned the town of Forres and the cathedral at Elgin (1390). For this violence he was excommunicated (but later absolved) and popularly called the Wolf of Badenoch.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: British and Irish History: Biographies