Thomas Steward

Alan Ray-Jones writes:

Although Pio Burlamacchi has sent me a great deal of information on the Steward line I will not add names to the family tree further back in time than Thomas Steward, since the Stewards are not directly related. Also the information is partly in Italian, and I may unwittingly introduce errors.

From the family tree it seems that Thomas Steward of Birmingham, was born in 1714, and his wife, born Sarah Stewart or Stuart, was a daughter of Samuel [Stewart] of Codsall, Staffs. Thomas and Sarah were cousins, both being descended from Nicholas Steward, of Wells and the Middle Temple, who married, about 1490, Cicely, daughter of John Baskerville (his will is dated 1498). They had six sons and one daughter. Nicholas Steward's grandson William Steward of Ely (ancestor of Thomas Steward of Birmingham) married as his second wife Katherine Payne, who had a daughter Elizabeth, born 1565, who married Robert Cromwell in 1591. She was the mother of Oliver Cromwell, born in 1599. Put another way, Elizabeth, mother of Oliver Cromwell, was the great great great grand-aunt of Thomas Steward of Birmingham!

Nicholas Steward was a descendant of Alexander the Steward of Dundervale, Baron of Garlies, the fourth hereditary Lord High Steward of Scotland, born 1214, died 1283. Alexander's father was Walter the Stewart, who was the third son of Alan Fitz-Flaald and his wife Adeliza of Hesdin in Picardy, who, having succeeded his uncle as Seneschal of Dol in Brittany was made Sheriff of Shropshire by King Henry I in 1101.

Alexander's children included his first son James the Steward, who succeeded his father as Steward of Scotland; his second son was John of Bonkyl who died in 1298, from whom descended Henry Stewart, Count of Darnley, second husband to Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland and France he is [described unflatteringly in the Encyclopaedia Brittanica as 'weak, vicious and ambitious']; and Andrew Stywart, born 1273, died 1354, the ancestor of Nicholas Steward.

James the Steward, Alexander's first son, born 1243, died 1309, was the progenitor of a royal line, as follows:
Walter the Steward, born 1293, died 1326, married Margery, daughter of Robert Bruce in 1314 after the Battle of Bannockburn; their son
Robert II, King of Scotland, born 1316, died 1390; father of
Robert III, King of Scotland, born 1336, died 1406; father of
James I, King of Scotland, born 1391, died 1437; father of
James II, King of Scotland, born 1430, died 1460; father of
James III, King of Scotland, born 1453, died 1488; father of
James IV, King of Scotland, born 1472, died 1513; father of
James V, King of Scotland, born 1512, died 1542; father of
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland and France, born 1542, beheaded 1587, who married first Francis II, King of France, and secondly Henry Stewart, Count of Darnley (a cousin, eventually murdered), by whom she had a son, James VI, father of
Charles I, King of England, beheaded by Oliver Cromwell in 1649.

Thus the Steward family produced both King Charles who was beheaded, and also Oliver Cromwell, who was responsible for his death.
"The Story of the Stewarts" was published in 1902 for the Stewart Society.

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