He fought on the
Seventh Crusade under King
Louis IX of France, during which his younger brother John was killed at
Damietta in Egypt in 1249. He also seems to have made a pilgrimage to
Santiago de Compostela in Spain and in honour of
the saint baptised his eldest surviving son James, a name rare before then in Scotland. In 1255 he appears as one of the Regents of Scotland during the minority of King
Alexander III. He commanded the Scottish army at
Largs in October 1263, successfully defending Scotland against attempted invasion by King
Haakon IV of Norway. It appears to have been in his time that the Stewarts acquired the lordship of the
Cowal Peninsula, with their castle at
Dunoon. He is recorded as playing a prominent part in affairs during the reign of Alexander, being referred to as
senescallus Scotie (steward of Scotland) instead of the older
dapifer regis Scotie (steward of the king of Scotland), so indicating that he held a major office of state that was significant nationally rather than just being a courtier in the royal household. He died in 1282, and was succeeded by his son James. ==Family==