Malise III of Strathearn was a Scottish nobleman, the ruler of the region of Strathearn.
Background
He was the son of Malise II and his second wife Matilda, daughter of Gilbert, Earl of Orkney and Caithness. He succeeded his father on the latter"s death in 1271, though for some reason he does not refer to himself as Earl until 1283, perhaps because he had not been formally infeft in the earldom.
Career
Malise helped to keep the Kingdom of Scotland stable after the death of King Alexander, and in an example of his behaviour, he is recorded as levying the tenants of the land belonging to Inchaffray Abbey to help preserve the peace. In 1284 he had joined with other Scottish noblemen who acknowledged Margaret, Maid of Norway as the heir to Alexander. In the interregnum following Margaret"s death, Malise took a prominent part in state affairs, and was involved in most of the political events of the time.
In 1306 he was ordered to take the sons of the Steward of Scotland and the Earl of Atholl as hostages, but before he could complete this task, he was imprisoned in Rochester Castle because of his alleged surrender to King Robert Bruce.
According to Malise, King Robert and the Earl of Atholl had marched into Strathearn and deceived and coerced him into paying Robert homage. Notwithstanding this explanation, he remained imprisoned.
After having been transferred to York in 1307, he was finally acquitted and set free in 1310. Malise was present on the English side when King Robert stormed Perth Castle in 1312.
He died later the same year, and was entombed in Inchaffray Abbey, to the right of the high altar.