The Tomb of the Wolf of Badenoch (or Tomb of Alexander Stewart) consists of a 15th-century tomb effigy and altar (or "chest") tomb, both of which are carved from marble. It is located in Dunkeld Cathedral, Perthshire, Scotland, and was built for Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan (1343 – c. 1394), who is buried underneath.[1]
The effigy is placed on top of the altar tomb and shows Stuart in full and highly detailed knightly armour, with a lion (or dog) resting at his feet. It is in poor condition having been broken apart and defaced in the 16th century during the Scottish Reformation. The effigy is placed on top of an altar tomb lined with 22 pleurants (or "weepers"), who are also dressed in armour.
Alexander Stewart, the Wolf of Badenoch
Stuart was the third surviving son of King Robert II of Scotland (1316 – 1390). He is known to history as the deeply unpopular "Wolf of Badenoch", a name given due to his notorious cruelty, in particular for his destruction of the royal burgh of Elgin and its 13th-century cathedral in May 1370, for which he earned a reputation as "an enemy of the Church",[2][3] and was described in 2017 as "Scotland's vilest man".[4]
The monument remains in its original position behind the choir screen at the east end of the cathedral,[1] while Stuart's grave is underneath.
Effigy
The effigy is made from grey-green marble and measures 7 ft (2.1 m) in length.[5] Stewart lies on a cloak and is dressed in full armour with his sword by his left slide. His head is protected by a bascinet (an open-faced combat helmet) and visor and wears a pauldron—a type of spaulder covering the shoulders. He has a breastplate over his torso, above a plate skirt at his hips.[1] He has a hip belt of a type worn in Scotland until the end of the 15th century.[6] The animal resting at his feet may be a lion or (less likely) a dog.
The effigy is in poor condition, having been damaged c. 1560 during the Scottish Reformation. It now consists of four pieces broken apart at the neck, waist, knees and ankles. His right foot is missing and his face and left foot are severely damaged.[5] However, it remains one of the best preserved pieces of royal medieval Scottish sculpture.
Detail of the head. Note the missing (damaged) facial features.
Detail of the armour with hip-belt
Detail with resting lion (?) in view
Altar tomb
Detail of the inscription and weepers, right-hand view
The altar (or "chest") tomb contains 22 pleurants (or "weepers", that is, sculpted figures representing mourners) dressed in armour; eight on each long side and three at each end. These figures are positioned under three-arch canopies and separated by small buttresses.[7]
The Latin inscription is placed on the edge of the stone slab below the effigy. It reads, "His Jacet Domninus Alexander Senescallus, Dominus De Badenoch, Bonæ Memorle, Qui Obit 24 Die Mensis Julii, Anno Domini 1394".[3]
Boardman, Stephen I. The Early Stewart Kings: Robert II and Robert III, 1371–1406. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, 1996. ISBN978-1-9046-0768-7
Norman, A. "The Effigy of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan and Lord of Badenoch (?1343 - ?1405)". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, volume 92, 1961
Steer, Kenneth. Late Medieval Monumental Sculpture in the West Highlands. Edinburgh: Stationery Office Books, 1977. ISBN978-0-1149-1383-0
Stewart, Charles Poyntz. Historic memorials of the Stewarts of Forthergill Perthshire, and their male descendants. Edinburgh: W & A. K. Johnston, now in the National Library of Scotland, 1879
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