12. Sir Robert ERSKINE (William , John , John de , John , Henry de ) died in 1385. Robert was employed as Ambassador to the Court of France.
In 1343 Robert witnessed a charter by John Maxwell to the monks of Dryburgh.
Sir Robert was appointed constable, keeper and captain of Stirling castle by King David II.
Prominent supporter of David II against the Balliol faction, he was one of the ambassadors to England to negotiate the ransom of the King after his capture in the battle of Durham in 1346. In 1350 he was appointed Great Chamberlain of Scotland by David II while still a prisoner. In 1357 he was one of the people who negotiated for the release of the King and his son Thomas was one of the hostages for the payment of the King's ransom.
Upon his return David appointed Sir Robert justiciary north of the Forth and constable and keeper of the castles of Edinburgh and Dumbarton.
In 1358 he was ambassador to France and was ambassador to England between 1360 and 1366 receiving a gift of a gold cup valued at £9/18/6 in 1363.
In 1359 he applied to the Papal See for a dispensation and release from a vow he had made to bear arms against the Saracens in the Holy Land and to visit Mount Sinai as he was unable to go due to the King's business and the frequent wars. The reply on 11 Aug. 1359 said that if a date for his going was fixed it might be postponed for a year.
In 1367 he was warden of the marches and heritable sheriff of Stirlingshire. In 1371 he was one of the great barons who ratified the succession of Robert II to the crown.
In 1373 he exchanged the lands of Ednam for an annual rent of £100 from the custom's duties of Aberdeen. He also received 500 marks as compensation for giving up the keepership of Stirling castle. The Barony of Alloa was added to his other property in exchange for the hunting district of Strathgartney (a Menteith possession) in the Highlands in 1368. In 1358 he had a charter of the lands of Garioch from Thomas, Earl of Mar.No child with Christian Menteith.
Robert married (1) Beatrice LINDSAY, daughter of Alexander LINDSAY. Beatrice died ante 1352.
daughter of Alexander LINDSAY, (Earl?) of Crawford
widow of Sir Archibald DOUGLAS, Regent of Scotland (d. 1333)
Robert and Beatrice had the following children:
+ 16 M i Sir Thomas ERSKINE of ALLOA and DUN died circa 1404. 17 M ii Nicholas ERSKINE of KINNALL.
Married 1st Jean Cameron of Balegarno (d. before Mar. 1382/3),
2nd. after 1402, Elizabeth Keith (m.1. Adam Gordon),
d. before Dec. 140618 F iii Marion ERSKINE.
m. before 1362 Maurice Drummond of Concraig
Robert also married (2) Christian MENTEITH, daughter of Sir John MENTEITH Lord of Arran and Ellen/Elyne, circa 1352. Christian was born before 1314. She died circa 1387.
Only daughter (from the Earls of Mar pedigree)
married 1. Edward Keith of Sinton, d.c.1387
married 2. Robert Erskine, father of her son in law Thomas...