Arthur Elphinstone, 6th Lord Balmerinoch
Encyclopedia
Arthur Elphinstone, 6th Lord Balmerino (1688 – 18 August 1746) was a Scottish
nobleman and an officer in the Jacobite
army.
Elphinstone was the son of John Elphinstone, 4th Lord Balmerino and 3rd Lord Coupar, and of his second wife, Anne Ross. Following the accession of the House of Hanover
to the throne of Britain in 1714, he resigned his commission to join the Jacobite
cause in the uprising of 1715. Escaping after the Battle of Sheriffmuir
, he joined the French army. In 1733, his father obtained a pardon from the English crown, and Arthur returned to Scotland. In 1744, he joined with Charles Edward Stuart
. Succeeding meanwhile to the title of Lord Balmerinoch, he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Culloden
. He was tried before Parliament, along with William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock
and George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie
. Being found guilty, he was attainted and beheaded on the same day as the Earl Kilmarnock. Balmerinoch went to his execution unrepentant reading out a treasonable speech and adding "If I had a thousand lives, I would lay them all down in the same cause".
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
nobleman and an officer in the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
army.
Elphinstone was the son of John Elphinstone, 4th Lord Balmerino and 3rd Lord Coupar, and of his second wife, Anne Ross. Following the accession of the House of Hanover
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
to the throne of Britain in 1714, he resigned his commission to join the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
cause in the uprising of 1715. Escaping after the Battle of Sheriffmuir
Battle of Sheriffmuir
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...
, he joined the French army. In 1733, his father obtained a pardon from the English crown, and Arthur returned to Scotland. In 1744, he joined with Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
. Succeeding meanwhile to the title of Lord Balmerinoch, he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
. He was tried before Parliament, along with William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock
William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock
William Boyd , 4th Earl of Kilmarnock, was a Scottish nobleman.William Boyd was educated at Glasgow. Like his father in the rebellion of 1715, William initially supported the Government side, but in the rebellion of 1745, owing either to a personal affront or to the influence of his wife or to his...
and George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie
George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie
George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie succeeded his father John, the 2nd earl, in February 1731. In 1745, he joined Charles Edward Stuart and he served with the Jacobites until April 1746 when he was taken prisoner in Sutherland after the Battle of Littleferry...
. Being found guilty, he was attainted and beheaded on the same day as the Earl Kilmarnock. Balmerinoch went to his execution unrepentant reading out a treasonable speech and adding "If I had a thousand lives, I would lay them all down in the same cause".