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Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan (Born c.1285 – Died likely c.1313–14)
Claim to Fame: A Scottish patriot, she defied her husband, crowned the Scottish king and spent four years in a cage hanging from Berwick castle
Isabella (or Isabel) was a significant figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence. Born into an important family she was married to John Comyn, Earl of Buchan.
After his cousin was murdered by Robert the Bruce, Isabella’s husband turned against Bruce and joined the English side. Isabella defied her husband and raced to Scone, re-crowning the Bruce as tradition dictated that legitimate Scottish monarchs must be crowned by a MacDuff.
Isabella was captured along with Mary Bruce (a sister of Robert), Christina Bruce (a sister of Robert), Marjorie Bruce (the daughter of Robert), Elizabeth de Burgh (the second wife of Robert) by the English in 1306. Edward threatened to hang Robert’s 9 year old daughter, Marjorie, in a cage outside the Tower of London, but relented because of her age. She was sent to Watton Priory. He saved the cage for Robert’s sister, Mary, and Isabel. Because Isabel was a rebellious wife and legitimized Robert’s coronation, she was forced to live in a cage hung outside Berwick Castle. Edward I of England ordered Isabella to be “closely confined in an abode of stone and iron… and let her be hung up out of doors in the open air at Berwick, that both in life and after her death, she may be a spectacle and eternal reproach to travellers.”
It was a cage made of lattice wood and iron hinges, and she was completely exposed to the elements where she could be seen in pain if not penitence by those approaching from miles around.. There was a toilet bucket for the lady to relieve herself so shedind't have to defecate on her own feet. However, she was forced to be out in all weathers and on display for all to see, but not allowed to speak to anyone except the two women that fed her., if she tried to speak to anyone one else she would be beaten. Mary was hung in a similar cage outside Roxburgh Castle.
Isabella, Christina Bruce, and Elizabeth de Burgh had been reduced to an exhibit half-starved and in rags to be gawped at and jeered by passers-by.
As ordered, Isabella was suspended from Berwick Castle in a cage for at least four years, exposed to the Scottish elements and forbidden to speak to anyone. Much to everyone’s surprise exposed as she was to the elements and the extremes of heat and cold Isabella survived her ordeal and in 1310 was removed from her cage and held in a Carmelite Convent before being taken to London where Edward II (the old King had died in July 1307) despite being impressed by her fortitude ignored pleas to release her from captivity.
She was moved to a friary in 1310 to prevent her from dying so she could be used as a hostage in exchange for captured English nobleman. Another transfer is mentioned in 1313 but as she is not mentioned in the post-Bannockburn trade of prisoners in 1314 it is believed that she died before that date.
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