Walter Fitz-Alan arrives in Scotland c.1136

The First Stewart, by some irreverently called 'Big Bang Walter'!

Walter Fitz-Alan, or Fitzalan, was descended from a powerful Breton family, the Seneschals of Dol, who were in turn descended from Froamidus, Count of Brittany, who lived in the middle of the eighth century. There is at present some dispute as to his exact genealogy and his relationship with others of the name of Fitzalan, but he is supposed to have been a brother of William Fitzalan, ancestor of the Fitzalan-Howards, Dukes of Norfolk. An article on this subject appears in the Stewart Society's magazine, The Stewarts, vol. 20, no. 2 (2001).

Walter came to Scotland just when he did because of the civil war which had broken out between Matilda, daughter of Henry I (d.1135), and Stephen of Blois, concerning the succession to the English throne. Walter had been some time in England where he befriended David I of Scotland who was frequently there, either at court or on business of his own. David was Matilda's uncle because Henry of England had married David's sister, Maude. When Walter saw the turn that events were taking he headed north and took up arms with David against Steven. His first battle under the Scottish flag was the Battle of the Standard at Northallerton in 1138, when he was second-in-command of the right wing of the army, under Prince Henry, David's eldest son.

David I bestowed great lands and possessions on Walter and declared him to be High Steward of Scotland, from which title the family name of Stewart afterwards derived. He was the first Stewart, hence why some have irreverently dubbed him "Big Bang Walter". From him almost all Stewarts are descended.