Agnes Douglas, Countess of Argyll
Encyclopedia
Agnes Douglas, Countess of Argyll (1574 – 3 May 1607) was a Scottish noblewoman and the first wife of Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll
. She was the mother of three of his children, including his heir, Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
, the de facto
head of the government in Scotland throughout most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
. Lady Agnes was considered so beautiful that she was described as a "pearl of Lochleven".
and Agnes Leslie
. She had four brothers and six sisters. Lady Agnes and her sisters were so famed for their beauty throughout Scotland that they were known as the "pearls of Lochleven".
Her paternal grandparents were Sir Robert Douglas and Margaret Erskine
, a former mistress of King James V of Scotland
, and her maternal grandparents were George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
and Margaret Crichton, an illegitimate daughter of Princess Margaret
, the youngest sister of King James III
. Her half-uncle was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent
of Scotland, and the illegitimate son of her grandmother, Margaret from the latter's liaison with King James V. He was assassinated in 1570.
Before Agnes's birth, from June 1567 until her escape in May 1568, Mary, Queen of Scots was a prisoner at Lochleven Castle, where her father served in the capacity as custodian and her mother was the queen's closest female companion. The queen escaped from Lochleven with the aid of George Douglas, Agnes's uncle and Willy Douglas, a cousin who was resident at the castle.
Her father succeeded to the Earldom of Morton
in 1588 as the 6th earl upon the death of his kinsman, Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Morton. The title had been forfeited in 1581 when James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
, regent of Scotland was executed and attainted for his part in the murder of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley in 1567. It was restored to the Douglas family in 1586.
, the son of Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll
and Agnes Keith
. Agnes, who was a Roman Catholic, was instrumental in her husband's later decision to convert to the Catholic faith in 1618, eleven years after her death. Despite Agnes's religion, he commanded the royal troops which fought against the Catholic rebels led by George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
in the Battle of Glenlivet
on 3 October 1594. Argyll's forces were defeated by the numerically smaller forces of Huntly.
The marriage produced three children:
Agnes died on 3 May 1607, a month after the birth of her only son, Archibald. Her husband married secondly on 30 November 1610, Anne Cornwallis, by whom he had three more children.
. It is displayed in the National Gallery of Scotland.
Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll , also called "Gillesbuig Grumach", was a Scottish politician and military leader.-Biography:...
. She was the mother of three of his children, including his heir, Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, 8th Earl of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell, was the de facto head of government in Scotland during most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, also known as the British Civil War...
, the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
head of the government in Scotland throughout most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
. Lady Agnes was considered so beautiful that she was described as a "pearl of Lochleven".
Family
Lady Agnes Douglas was born at Lochleven Castle, Scotland in 1574, one of the eleven children of Sir William Douglas, 6th Earl of MortonWilliam Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton was the son of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven and Margaret Erskine, a former mistress of James V of Scotland. Sir William's half-brother from his mother's liaison with the king was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland from 1567 until his...
and Agnes Leslie
Agnes Leslie, Countess of Morton
Agnes Leslie, Countess of Morton was a Scottish noblewoman, being the daughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes as well as a direct descendant of King James II in her maternal line...
. She had four brothers and six sisters. Lady Agnes and her sisters were so famed for their beauty throughout Scotland that they were known as the "pearls of Lochleven".
Her paternal grandparents were Sir Robert Douglas and Margaret Erskine
Margaret Erskine
Lady Margaret Erskine was a mistress of King James V of Scotland.She was a daughter of John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine and Margaret Campbell.James V had a number of mistresses in his time, but some accounts describe her as his favourite...
, a former mistress of King James V of Scotland
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
, and her maternal grandparents were George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat.George became Earl of Rothes after his father's death at the Battle of Flodden. The title had previously been possesed by his uncle, William Leslie, the 2nd Earl...
and Margaret Crichton, an illegitimate daughter of Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret Stewart of Scotland
Margaret Stewart, Princess of Scotland was a Scottish princess of the House of Stewart. She was the younger daughter of King James II and Queen Mary of Guelders, a Dutch princess by birth...
, the youngest sister of King James III
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
. Her half-uncle was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Scotland, and the illegitimate son of her grandmother, Margaret from the latter's liaison with King James V. He was assassinated in 1570.
Before Agnes's birth, from June 1567 until her escape in May 1568, Mary, Queen of Scots was a prisoner at Lochleven Castle, where her father served in the capacity as custodian and her mother was the queen's closest female companion. The queen escaped from Lochleven with the aid of George Douglas, Agnes's uncle and Willy Douglas, a cousin who was resident at the castle.
Earl of Morton
The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton....
in 1588 as the 6th earl upon the death of his kinsman, Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Morton. The title had been forfeited in 1581 when James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, jure uxoris 4th Earl of Morton was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he did manage to win the civil war which had been dragging on with the supporters of the exiled Mary, Queen of...
, regent of Scotland was executed and attainted for his part in the murder of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley in 1567. It was restored to the Douglas family in 1586.
Marriage and issue
On 24 July 1592, she married as his first wife, Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of ArgyllArchibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll , also called "Gillesbuig Grumach", was a Scottish politician and military leader.-Biography:...
, the son of Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll
Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll
Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was appointed to the Lord Chancellorship of Scotland.-Biography:...
and Agnes Keith
Agnes Keith, Countess of Moray
Agnes Keith, Countess of Moray was a Scottish noblewoman having been the eldest daughter of William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal. She was the wife of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland and the illegitimate half-brother of Mary, Queen of Scots, making her a sister-in-law of the...
. Agnes, who was a Roman Catholic, was instrumental in her husband's later decision to convert to the Catholic faith in 1618, eleven years after her death. Despite Agnes's religion, he commanded the royal troops which fought against the Catholic rebels led by George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman who took a leading role in the political and military life of Scotland in the late 16th century and around the time of the Union of the Crowns.-Biography:...
in the Battle of Glenlivet
Battle of Glenlivet
The Battle of Glenlivet was fought on 3 October 1594 near Allanreid and Morinsh in Scotland.-Background:This battle is often seen as a religious conflict, and was fought by the Catholic forces of the George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly and Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, who were victorious over...
on 3 October 1594. Argyll's forces were defeated by the numerically smaller forces of Huntly.
The marriage produced three children:
- Lady Annabel Campbell (died 1652), married Robert Kerr, 2nd Earl of Lothian, by whom she had two daughters.
- Lady Anne Campbell (died 14 June 1638), married George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 2nd Marquess of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly , styled Earl of Enzie from 1599 to 1636, eldest son of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly by Lady Henrietta Stewart, daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, was brought up in England as a Protestant, and later created Viscount Aboyne by Charles I.On...
, by whom she had seven children. - Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of ArgyllArchibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of ArgyllArchibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, 8th Earl of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell, was the de facto head of government in Scotland during most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, also known as the British Civil War...
(April 1607- 27 May 1661), de facto head of government in Scotland during most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and the most influential member of the CovenanterCovenanterThe Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
movement during the English Civil WarEnglish Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. In 1626 married Lady Margaret Douglas (1610–1678), by whom he had four children, including his heir, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of ArgyllArchibald Campbell, 9th Earl of ArgyllArchibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll was a Scottish peer.He was born in 1629 in Dalkeith, Scotland, the son of Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll....
. He was executed in 1661 by the orders of King Charles II of EnglandCharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
on charges of High Treason. His head was exposed on top of the TolboothTolboothTolbooth or tollbooth may refer to:* Tolbooth, a traditional Scottish 'town hall' for the administration of burghs, usually providing a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail.* Toll house, a place where road usage tolls are collected...
.
Agnes died on 3 May 1607, a month after the birth of her only son, Archibald. Her husband married secondly on 30 November 1610, Anne Cornwallis, by whom he had three more children.
Agnes Douglas in art
In 1599, when she was twenty-five years old, Agnes's portrait was painted by Flemish artist Adrian VansonAdrian Vanson
Adrian Vanson was court portrait painter to James VI of Scotland.Adrian succeeded Arnold Bronckorst as court painter in Scotland in May 1584, and his appointment was subsequently confirmed by royal letter on 20 August 1584. Adrian Vanson was paid £8-10s in June 1581 for two pictures sent to...
. It is displayed in the National Gallery of Scotland.