Ela (Ada), Countess of Fife

Parentage as given here is highly speculative and unverified.

ELA, daughter of ---. Malcolm IV King of Scotland granted "Scradimigglock et Falecklen et Radhulit et Strathbranen et totam firmam meam de Cattel…in maritagium" to "Duncano comiti et heredi suo qui de uxore sua Ada nepte mea nasceretur" by charter dated 1160 ("anno septimo regni regis")[288]. King Malcolm was too young to have had a niece who married around the date of this charter. However, it is possible that "nepte" should be interpreted more loosely in this document and that the bride was a more remote relative of the king, maybe his first cousin, daughter of an otherwise unrecorded paternal uncle or aunt. The following charters demonstrate that the wife of Earl Duncan was named Ela not Ada, presumably indicating a mistranscription in the reproduction of the 1160 charter. "Dunecanus comes de Fif" donated "ecclesiam de Cupre" to St Andrew´s priory by undated charter witnessed by "Hela comitissa, Adam fratre comitis…"[289]. "Ada comitissa mater regis Scottorum" donated "toftum in burgo meo de Hadintuna" to St Andrew´s priory, for the soul of "Henrici comitis sponsi mei", by undated charter, witnessed by "…Hela comitissa de Fif…"[290]. "Morgrundus comes de Mar" donated "ecclesiam Miggehwith" to St Andrew´s priory, confirmed by "Agnetis comitisse sponse mee", by undated charter witnessed by "Ada comitissa, Hela comitissa, Alexandro de sco Martino, Hugone Giffard, Willo Giffard…Willo filio Hugonis Giffard…"[291].

Duncan & his wife had four children:

- Malcolm

- Duncan
- David
- daughter