Person:William Sinclair (62)

William 'the Seemly' was fighting against William 'the Conqueror' who was annoyed that Malcolm III (Canmore) of Scotland had given refuge to the Saxon Princess, Margaret and to Edgar 'the Atheling' who was the rightful heir (in some eyes) to the English throne.William 'the Conqueror' sent a great army under the command of the Duke of Gloucester to invade Scotland.William 'the Seemly' St Clair had been given the task of defending the border against the possibility of an English attack. When the attack came, Malcolm reinforced the Sinclair forces with those commanded by the Earls of March and Monteith. During the ensuing battle William Sinclair dashed forward with his forces 'to put the enemy out of order' . The report goes on to say: "He was slain by a multitude of his enimnes but not before he made fall many in heaps down by his feet".The news of his death coming to the two other chietains, March and Monteith, they fell 'so boldly upon the enimie that they scarce left any alive'.The King and the Queen lamented this misfortune and gave William's son, Henry Sinclair, the lands of Rosslyn 'in free heritage' (his father had held it in 'life rent'); made him a knight and a captain of 600 men.Henry outlived King Malcolm but was equally respected by King David I of Scotland who gave him the lands of Cardain and the command of 8,000 men. He routed the English army at the Battle of Allerton (now in Yorkshire) thereby avenging the death of his father.