Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Lord Balcarres and 1st Earl of Balcarres (6 July 1618 – 30 August 1659) was a Scottish nobleman.

The eldest son of David Lindsay, 1st Lord Balcarres

David Lindsay, 1st Lord Balcarres

Sir David Lindsay, 1st Lord Lindsay of Balcarres was a Scottish nobleman. He was born in Edinburgh, the son of John Lindsay of Balcarres, Lord Menmuir and Marion Guthrie....

, and grandson of John Lindsay, Lord Menmuir

John Lindsay of Balcarres, Lord Menmuir

-Life:He was second son of David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford, by his wife Catherine Campbell, daughter of Sir John Campbell of Lorn. Along with his brother David Lindsay, lord Edzell, he was sent under the care of James Lawson to complete his education on the continent...

.

He succeeded his father as Lord Balcarres in 1641. Originally a Covenanter

Covenanter

The 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...

, he was present at the Battle of Marston Moor

Battle of Marston Moor

The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...

 in 1644. However in 1648 h became an Engager seeking an alliance with Charles I

Charles I of England

Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...

, leading to a break with the majority of the Covenanters. Admitted to parliament

Parliament of Scotland

The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...

 in 1649 he was appointed a commissioner of the Exchequer

Treasurer of Scotland

The Treasurer was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland.The full title of the post was Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation, formed as it was from the amalgamation of four earlier offices...

 in 1650.

He was created Earl of Balcarres

Earl of Balcarres

The title Earl of Balcarres was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1651 for Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Lord Balcarres. The title has descended since in the Lindsay family....

 on Jan 9, 1651 , with the subsidiary title Lord Lindsay and Balneil, and hereditary governor of Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...

 in 1651. He visited France to advise the king in 1653 and 1654 and finally resided at the court of Charles II

Charles II of England

Charles 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...

. He died at Breda

Breda

Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...

 and was succeeded by his son Charles.