William Keith of Galston

Sir William Keith of Galston (d.1336) was a Scottish Knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Life

Keith was the son of Robert de Keith, and grandson of John de Keith King's Marischal.

Keith was in command of troops under Sir James Douglas at the Capture of Berwick in 1318.

Upon the death of Robert I of Scotland in 1329 he accompanied Sir James Douglas on crusade in Spain, with the King's embalmed heart. He was one of the few survivors of Douglas's party of knights and men-at-arms who survived the Battle of Teba. He was responsible for returning the King's heart and Douglas' bones and heart to Scotland, where the King's heart was buried at Melrose, and Douglas's remains solemnly interred in the kirk of St Bride in Douglas.

He was in command at Berwick again in 1333 when the disastrous English victory at Halidon Hill took place.

In 1335 Keith was an ambassador to England, and in 1336 he was fighting at the Siege of Stirling Castle, where he was killed.

Issue

William Keith had a daughter:

• Janet Keith, married 1st David Hamilton of Cadzow; married 2nd Alexander Stewart of Darnley.

References

Sources

• Balfour Paul, Sir James, Scots Peerage IX vols. London 1909.[1]
• Burke, Sir Bernard,Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, 31st ed. London 1869. [2]