, John 12th Earl of Orkney and Caithness ¹

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  General Notes:

"XII. John, who became sole Earl of Orkney and Caithness, and was Earl, 1222, when Adam, Bishop of Caithness, was assaulted in his episcopal residence at Halkirk, and burned to death in his presence, but apparently without his consent. A dispute about tithes was the cause of this occurrence. Earl John had declined interference. King Alexander II. afterwards deprived John of the earldom of Caithness, but eventually allowed him to redeem it. The Earl was murdered at Thorsa by Hanef, the quaestor of the King of Norway, and others, who set fire to his house, and dragging him from a cellar in which he had taken refuge, slew him with nine wounds. This happened in 1231, and by his death it is said the line of Paul came to an end. Mr. Skene suggests that Johanna, Lady of Strathnaver, the wife of Freskin de Moravia, and who was dead in 1269, was the daughter of Earl John. It is certain that after this date the original earldom appears as divided into two parts, the two daughters of Joanna having a fourth part each, making one-half of the whole, while the other half was apparently given in 1232, with the title of Earl, to Magnus, who is usually designed 'son of Gillebride, Earl of Angus, called Earl of Caithness,' 1232."

from Scots Peerage ¹

John married.