Hugh, Earl of Ross

Hugh [probably Gaelic: Aodh], was the third successor of Ferchar mac in tSagairt as Mormaer of Ross (1323–1333).

Hugh was a favorite of King Robert I of Scotland, who endowed him with many lands. Aodh even married Robert's sister, Matilda. Aodh's young brother, Iain, was given marriage to the Margaret Comyn, heiress of Buchan (although he died childless).

Hugh was married twice: (1) Matilda, sister of Robert I "the Bruce", King of Scots, and (2) Margaret de Graham, daughter of Sir David de Graham of Montrose. With Matilda, Hugh had several children, including his son and successor William. By Margaret, Hugh had at least one daughter Euphemia de Ross, who married (1) John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray and (2) by dispensation (due to affinity) Robert Stewart, Earl of Strathearn, subsequently Robert II, King of Scots (1371–1390) as his second wife. Euphemia is sometimes incorrectly assigned as a daughter of Matilda, but this would have involved consanguinity in the 2nd and 3rd degrees which was not stated in the dispensation for her marriage to Robert Stewart [3rd degree of affinity, and 4th degree of consanguinity: Andrew Stuart, Genealogical History of the Stewarts, pp. 420–421]. Hugh and Margaret Graham are usually also assigned a daughter Janet, wife of Sir John de Monymusk [Scots Peerage VII:237, cites Anderson's Dip. Scot., p. lix, and Earldom of Strathern, Nicolas]. This has been found to be erroneous, as Janet was actually Janet de Barclay, daughter of Margaret de Graham by her 2nd husband, John de Barclay of Gartley [see John Ravilious, "The Ancestry of Euphemia, Countess of Ross: Heraldry as Genealogical Evidence", in The Scottish Genealogist Vol. LV, No. 1 (March 2008)]. All received prestigious marriage partners (including to the earls of Buchan and Moray, to Maol Íosa IV, Earl of Strathearn and the future king Robert II.

He was killed along many other Scottish nobles at the Battle of Halidon Hill on 19 July 1333, and was succeeded by his son and successor, Uilleam.