Sir Nichols de Soulis Knight

   Another name for Nichols was Sir Nicholas de Soules Knight.

  General Notes:

Sir John de Soulis ambassador and soldier, second son of Nicholas de Soulis who died in 1264.

~The Dictionary of National Biography, XVIII, p. 280 ¹¹⁷⁷

  Information about this person:

• Web Reference: Lord Nicholas de Soules & Annora de Normanville.
1237, Nicholas appointed as sheriff of Roxburgh.
1240-2, Nicholas started the construction of Hermitage Castle on the then border with England.
1264, Nicholaio de Sullis, knight, hereditary butler of Scotland and lord of Liddesdale, described in a Scottish chronicle as "the wisest and most eloquent man in the whole kingdom", died at Rouen, Normandy.

• Background Information. ¹²¹⁷
Earl David was the sovereign lord of Liddesdale, Roxburghshire around the twelfth century while Henry I reigned in England and Alexander I ruled in Scotland. Among the many English families who followed the fortunes of David, Ranulph de Soulis, A Northampton Baron, came with that beneficent prince into Scotland. David gave Ralph de Soulis Liddesdale and Soulis erected the fortalice, which afterwards gave rise to the village. Ranulph de Soulis had a brother William, who followed him into Scotland, but died before him, leaving issue Ranulph and Richard. Ranulph succeeded his uncle, and inherited Liddesdale with his various lands. The second Ranulph de Soulis now reigned lord of Linddesdale until 1207, when he was assassinated within his own castle by his own domestics. Ranuph de Soulis was succeeded in the territory of Liddesdale by Fulco de Soulis, who was undoubted the heir of the estate, though it is not certain that he was the son of the assassinated Ranulph. Fulco was succeeded by his son Nicolas de Soulis.

~Caledonia: or An Account, Historical and Topographic of North Britain, Vol. II, pp. 115-116

• Background Information. ¹²¹⁸
Nicolas de Soulis had been a competitor for the crown as the grandson of Majory, daughter of Alexander the second, and wife of Alan Durward; an undeniable claim, had is ancestress be legitimate.

~Sir Walter Scott's, History of Scotland, Vol, I p.143

Nichols married Annora de Normanville, daughter of Sir John de Normanville Knight and Unknown. (Annora de Normanville was born about 1220 in Scotland.)