The Illegitimate Son Who Ruled Orkney with an Iron Fist
A Bastard’s Rise to Power
In the annals of Scottish history, few figures embody the ruthless ambition and unchecked power of feudal lordship more than Lord Robert Stewart, the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. As a royal bastard, Robert was never destined for the throne, but through political cunning and sheer force, he carved out his own dominion over Orkney and Shetland, ruling them with an iron fist.
Though he never carried the title of “Earl,” Lord Robert wielded the power of a king in his northern fiefdom. His rule was marked by oppression, heavy taxation, and brutal enforcement of authority, turning Orkney and Shetland into his personal fief. His actions laid the foundation for a dynasty of tyranny that culminated in the even more notorious rule of his son, Earl Patrick Stewart, whose misdeeds ultimately led to the downfall of their family’s reign.
This is the story of a man born outside the bounds of legitimacy, who nonetheless seized power in one of Scotland’s most remote and rugged territories—and ruled it like a medieval warlord.
A Royal Bastard’s Ambition
Born around 1533, Robert Stewart was the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland and his mistress Euphemia Elphinstone. Unlike many royal bastards who were cast aside, Robert was given significant privileges, reflecting the king’s favoritism. In 1539, while still a child, he was granted vast lands in the north of Scotland, signaling his future importance.
Despite his status as a royal son, Robert had no direct path to power. His half-sister, Mary, Queen of Scots, ruled Scotland, and his legitimate relatives held the highest positions of influence. But Robert was determined to carve out his own domain, and he saw an opportunity in the far northern reaches of the kingdom—the Orkney and Shetland islands.
In 1564, Mary, Queen of Scots, appointed him as the sheriff and justiciar of Orkney and Shetland, giving him sweeping authority over the islands. Just five years later, in 1569, he was formally made Lord of Shetland and Orkney, effectively becoming the ruler of the northern isles.
From that moment forward, Robert Stewart ruled like a feudal king—one whose power was unchecked by royal oversight.
Tyranny in the North
Once in control, Lord Robert transformed Orkney and Shetland into his personal domain. His rule was defined by:
1. Crushing Taxes and Forced Labor
Robert imposed harsh taxation on the local population, extracting wealth from the already poor islanders. He demanded food, money, and services from the peasantry, often forcing them into unpaid labor for his own benefit. One particularly hated tax was the “ox and sheep money”, which continued long after his rule ended.
2. Confiscation of Land
He systematically seized land from the local Udallers (freeholding farmers), redistributing it to his own allies and supporters. The Udallers, who had once enjoyed a measure of autonomy under Norse rule, found themselves at the mercy of a tyrannical overlord who treated them as serfs.
3. The Use of Private Armies
To enforce his will, Robert maintained a private militia, a gang of enforcers who terrorized the islands. Those who resisted him were met with imprisonment, torture, or worse. His rule was characterized by unchecked violence, with no appeals to higher authority possible—the northern isles were simply too far from the reach of Edinburgh’s justice.
4. The Castle of Birsay: A Monument to Power
Robert built his grand stronghold, the Palace of Birsay in Orkney, as a symbol of his dominance. The inscription above the entrance boldly declared his royal blood:
"Dominus Robertus Stewartus, filius Jacobi Quinti, Rex Scotorum, hoc opus instruxit."
The use of the word “Rex” (King) of Scotland was a dangerous assertion, nearly bringing him under suspicion of treason. The palace became a seat of oppression, where local farmers were forced to work under Robert’s orders while he enjoyed a life of feasting and power.
Betrayal and Political Games
Despite his brutal rule, Lord Robert was a shrewd political operator. As Scotland descended into political chaos during the Regency of Mary’s son, James VI, Robert played a careful game, aligning himself with the ruling factions while maintaining near-total independence in Orkney.
However, his enemies eventually caught up with him. In 1585, amid growing complaints from the people of Orkney and Shetland about his misrule, the Scottish Crown stripped him of his lands and offices. But Robert was not so easily defeated. He managed to regain his titles and power just a few years later, demonstrating his ability to survive the ever-changing political tides.
By the time of his death in 1593, Robert Stewart had cemented his legacy as one of the most ruthless rulers in Orkney and Shetland’s history. But his son, Patrick Stewart, would take things even further—pushing the islands to the brink of revolt and ultimately sealing the downfall of the Stewart dynasty in the north.
Legacy: The Stewart Tyranny Lives On
Though Lord Robert Stewart died in power, his legacy did not end with him. His son, Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney, inherited his father’s lands, titles, and brutal approach to rule. If anything, Patrick was even worse—where Robert had been calculating and politically astute, Patrick was arrogant and reckless.
Patrick built the Earl’s Palace in Kirkwall, an even grander fortress than his father’s, but he also alienated nearly everyone in Orkney. His cruelty and mismanagement eventually led to an armed rebellion, which ended with Patrick’s execution in 1615.
After Patrick’s fall, the Stewart family lost its grip on Orkney and Shetland forever. The islands were taken under direct Scottish Crown control, ending a period of unchecked tyranny.
Final Thoughts: A Man Who Ruled Like a King
Lord Robert Stewart is a reminder of the chaotic nature of Scottish noble rule in the 16th century—a time when personal ambition often triumphed over the rule of law. As the illegitimate son of a king, he was never meant to hold power, but through sheer force and cunning, he built his own fiefdom in the north, ruling it with an iron fist.
His name is still remembered in Orkney and Shetland today, not as a benevolent lord, but as a tyrant who drained the land of its wealth and crushed its people under his rule. His story is one of ambition, power, and the dark side of feudal rule in Scotland’s remote north.
The ruins of his palaces still stand, silent reminders of an age when one man’s will was law in the northern isles.
Adapted From: Cowie, R. (1874). Shetland: Descriptive and historical; being a graduation thesis on the inhabitants of the Shetland Islands; and a topographical description of that country. Edinburgh: John Menzies & Co.
