John Comyn III of Badenoch

John Comyn Lord of Badenoch
Born	c. 1274[1]
Died	10 February 1306 Greyfriars, Dumfries, Scotland
Cause of death	Stabbing
Other names	Red Comyn
Years active	1296–1306
Office	Guardian of Scotland
Spouse	Joan de Valence
Children	John Comyn IV Elizabeth, Baroness Talbot Joan, Countess of Atholl[2]
Parent(s)	John Comyn II Eleanor Balliol
Relatives	King John Balliol (uncle) John Comyn, Earl of Buchan (cousin)
Family	Clan Comyn of Badenoch
Guardian of Scotland
In office 1298–1304 Serving with Robert Bruce (1298–1300) William Lamberton (1299–1301) Ingram de Umfraville (1300–1301) John de Soules (1301–1302)
Preceded by	William Wallace
Succeeded by	John of Brittany (appointed by Edward I of England)
Military service
Battles/wars	Scottish Independence War • Battle of Dunbar (1296) • Battle of Roslin (1303) Edward I's Flemish campaign

John Comyn III of Badenoch, nicknamed the Red (c. 1274 – 10 February 1306), was a leading Scottish baron and magnate who played an important role in the First War of Scottish Independence. He served as Guardian of Scotland after the forced abdication of his uncle, King John Balliol (r. 1292–1296), in 1296, and for a time commanded the defence of Scotland against English attacks. Comyn was stabbed to death by Robert the Bruce before the altar at the church of the Greyfriars at Dumfries, once it had been declared that Comyn had more connection to King David of Scotland and therefore should be the next King of Scotland, not Robert.

His father, John Comyn II, known as the Black Comyn, had been one of the competitors for the Crown of Scotland, claiming his descent from King Donald III. His mother was Eleanor Balliol, sister of King John Balliol. He had, moreover, links with the royal house of England: in the early 1290s, he married Joan de Valence, cousin of King Edward I.