Biography: Thomas 2nd Earl

8th chief - Thomas Fleming of Fulwood, 2nd Earl of Wigtown
(c1333 - after 1382)
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Some historians have portrayed the Fleming clan’s third chief, Thomas Fleming of Fulwood, as a weak and ineffectual leader because he sold off the earldom of Wigtown and most of the estates that his admired grandfather, Malcolm Fleming, had acquired. But closer analysis of the circumstances of his life suggests that this depiction may be unfair.

Hostage for the King

Thomas lived during tumultuous times when powerful families vied for the Scottish crown; others vied with each other for wealth and influence; and numerous wars were fought against England. Scotland was impoverished and this had an adverse effect on the Fleming family wealth.

In 1351 the English King allowed his prisoner, Scotland’s King David II, to visit Scotland after he provided several Scottish nobles as hostages. Thomas Fleming was one of those hostages, no doubt “volunteered” by his grandfather Malcolm as a means of advancing the family’s interests. (This indicates that Thomas’ father had probably died before this, otherwise he would have been the heir and therefore the hostage.) Eventually, the Scottish nobles agreed to pay the English King a ransom of 100,000 merks for the release of King David II. Thomas’ grandfather, Malcolm, sat in the Parliament that approved the treaty and ransom deal in 1357. So, Thomas was again held hostage in 1358 by the Sheriff of Northumberland pending payment of the ransom.

Passed over

In the normal course of events, Thomas would have succeeded his grandfather Malcolm as Sheriff of Dunbarton. It is unclear why this hereditary sinecure went instead to Thomas’ cousin and heir, Malcolm Fleming of Biggar, who held the role in 1364 and thereafter. It is probable that Thomas had his hands full with defending his earldom and could not therefore devote himself to the Dunbarton administration role.

Challenges

On his return after being released as hostage, Thomas faced a wide range of challenges. These included the premature death of his father; the cost burden of wars and the resultant huge ransoms; economic devastation caused by epidemics of plague; and navigating Scotland’s tricky politics. In fact, his grandfather Malcolm had also been set back by these challenges in his later years.

Another challenge that he faced was the pressing need to invest in maintaining and enhancing his estates. For example, the old Comyn castle at Cumbernauld was now decrepit, so there was an urgent need to build its replacement. In these circumstances it would make sense to sell some assets in order to retain and secure the core estates.

Solutions

It was no doubt clear to childless Thomas that the earldom and its estates would revert to the king upon his death while his other estates would be inherited by his powerful cousin, Malcolm Fleming of Biggar. They seem to have cooperated wisely in continuing his grandfather's policy of selling assets in order to raise the funds necessary to meet the challenges outlined above. 

In these circumstances, Thomas' 1371 decision to sell his title and its estates for 500 pounds looks more like a sound business decision than a failure of leadership. By this master stroke he had transformed an asset that was practically worthless to him and his heir into a considerable sum of useful money.

Sale of the earldom

The Earldom of Wigtown had been in suspension for some time after the death of Thomas's grandfather, Malcolm. This was probably because of agitation by Archibald “the Grim”, 3rd Earl of Douglas, who resented the erection of a new regality within the bounds of his territory. Nevertheless, the King reaffirmed Thomas Fleming’s charter as Earl of Wigtown in 1366.

Thomas divested himself of much of his inherited wealth, bit by bit. In 1371 he mortgaged his lands at Lenzie to William Boyd for 80 pounds and committed to repaying this loan at a rate of 12 merks annually. In the following year this debt was transferred to his cousin and heir, Malcolm Fleming of Biggar.

Also in 1372, in order to pacify Archibald the Grim, Thomas Fleming sold him the lands at Wigtown and, with them, the earldom for 500 pounds. He also sold land at Kirkintilloch to Gilbert Kennedy in 1375.

It seems likely that Malcolm’s 80 pounds and the 500 pounds raised through the sale of the earldom and its estates were invested in the construction of Cumbernauld Castle, which commenced at about this time.

Ten years later the handover plan was largely completed when, on 13 September 1382, Thomas resigned his interest in the Baronies of Lenzie and Cumbernauld (along with other estates) in favour of his cousin and heir, Malcolm. Thomas retained only his home at Fulwood, but this would eventually be sold into the Sempill (Semple) family (probably by his executor soon after Thomas’ death).

Legacy

Unlike his forebears and close relatives, Thomas Fleming never held high office; apparently never went into battle; and did not grow his family’s wealth. While he was not the family’s greatest leader, he dutifully represented it as a volunteer hostage for the king and competently consolidated and maintained the family’s portfolio in exceedingly difficult circumstances. In cooperation with his heir, he managed to smoothly transfer his inheritance within the extended family, thus providing a sound foundation for the clan’s future.