George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
Encyclopedia
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes (died 1558) 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. On 1 April 1517 he and his wife redeemed by purchase family lands which James IV of Scotland
had sold to Andrew Barton
.
He was Sheriff
of Fife from 1529 to 1540 and a Lord of Session
from 1541 and a Lord of the Articles from 1544.
George accompanied James V of Scotland
on his wedding trip to France in 1536. He was tried for the murder of Cardinal Beaton
and acquitted. He was ambassador to Denmark
in 1550, and died at Dieppe, France in 1558.
George died while returning from the solemnization of the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots. Several of the other Scottish commissioners died, Lord Fleming at Paris, and the Bishop of Orkney
and Earl of Cassillis at Dieppe on the same night as George, 24 November 1558. It was rumoured that they were murdered because of their stance of the issue of giving the Crown-Matrimonial of Scotland to the Dauphin
.
. Their eldest son was Norman Leslie
who was involved in the murder of Cardinal Beaton and the siege of St Andrews Castle
. Norman pre-deceased his father, and the next Earl was Andrew Leslie
, a son of George's third marriage to Agnes Somerville.
George divorced Margaret Crichton and married Elizabeth Gray, daughter of Andrew, 3rd Lord Gray. She was the widow of John Lyon, 4th Lord Glamis. They had no children. George subsequently married Agnes Somerville, a daughter of John Somerville of Cambusnethan, who was the widow of John, 2nd Lord Fleming. After Agnes's death, in 1542, George was re-united with Margaret Crichton. He then married Isobel Lundy widow of the 7th Earl of Crawford, they had no children.
Children of George and Margaret include;
Children of George and Agnes Somerville;
George became Earl of Rothes
Earl of Rothes
Earl of Rothes is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1458 for George Leslie, 1st Lord Leslie. He had already been created Lord Leslie in 1445, also in the Peerage of Scotland. His grandson, the third Earl, having only succeeded his elder brother in March 1513, was killed at the...
after his father's death at the Battle of Flodden. The title had previously been possesed by his uncle, William Leslie, the 2nd Earl. On 1 April 1517 he and his wife redeemed by purchase family lands which James IV of Scotland
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
had sold to Andrew Barton
Andrew Barton
Sir Andrew Barton served as High Admiral of the Kingdom of Scotland. Notorious in England and Portugal as a 'pirate', Barton was a seaman who operated under the aegis of a letter of marque on behalf of the Scottish crown, and is therefore more widely described as a privateer...
.
He was Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Fife from 1529 to 1540 and a Lord of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
from 1541 and a Lord of the Articles from 1544.
George accompanied 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...
on his wedding trip to France in 1536. He was tried for the murder of Cardinal Beaton
David Beaton
The Most Rev. Dr. David Cardinal Beaton was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish Cardinal prior to the Reformation.-Career:...
and acquitted. He was ambassador to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1550, and died at Dieppe, France in 1558.
George died while returning from the solemnization of the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots. Several of the other Scottish commissioners died, Lord Fleming at Paris, and the Bishop of Orkney
Bishop of Orkney
The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics within the territory of modern Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St...
and Earl of Cassillis at Dieppe on the same night as George, 24 November 1558. It was rumoured that they were murdered because of their stance of the issue of giving the Crown-Matrimonial of Scotland to the Dauphin
Francis II of France
Francis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
.
Family
He married Margaret Crichton, daughter of William Crichton, 3rd Lord Crichton and Princess Margaret StewartPrincess 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...
. Their eldest son was Norman Leslie
Norman Leslie (soldier)
Norman Leslie , was a 16th-century Scottish nobleman. The leader of the party who assassinated Cardinal Beaton, he was forced to flee Scotland, serving the monarchs of England and France...
who was involved in the murder of Cardinal Beaton and the siege of St Andrews Castle
St Andrews Castle
St Andrew's Castle is a picturesque ruin located in the coastal Royal Burgh of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The castle sits on a rocky promontory overlooking a small beach called Castle Sands and the adjoining North Sea. There has been a castle standing at the site since the times of Bishop Roger...
. Norman pre-deceased his father, and the next Earl was Andrew Leslie
Andrew Leslie, 5th Earl of Rothes
Andrew Leslie, 5th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes, and his third wife Agnes Somerville, daughter of Sir John Somerville of Cambusnethan and Elizabeth Carmichael. He succeeded his father as 5th Earl in 1558...
, a son of George's third marriage to Agnes Somerville.
George divorced Margaret Crichton and married Elizabeth Gray, daughter of Andrew, 3rd Lord Gray. She was the widow of John Lyon, 4th Lord Glamis. They had no children. George subsequently married Agnes Somerville, a daughter of John Somerville of Cambusnethan, who was the widow of John, 2nd Lord Fleming. After Agnes's death, in 1542, George was re-united with Margaret Crichton. He then married Isobel Lundy widow of the 7th Earl of Crawford, they had no children.
Children of George and Margaret include;
- Norman Leslie, Master of Rothes
- William Leslie of Cairnie, forfeted for the Cardinal's murder
- Elizabeth Leslie of Kinninmont
- Robert Leslie, (born after 1542)
- Agnes LeslieAgnes Leslie, Countess of MortonAgnes 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...
, (born after 1542), married William Douglas of LochlevenWilliam Douglas, 6th Earl of MortonWilliam 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...
, later Earl of MortonEarl of MortonThe 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.... - Beatrix Leslie
- Euphemia Leslie
- Margaret Leslie, married Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 8th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus and 5th Earl of Morton was the son of David, 7th earl. He succeeded to the title and estates in 1558, being brought up by his uncle, James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, a Presbyterian....
Children of George and Agnes Somerville;
- Andrew, the heir.
- Peter Leslie
- James Leslie
- Janet Leslie
- Helen Leslie, married Mark Kerr, Commendator of NewbattleAbbot of NewbattleThe Abbot of Newbattle was the head of the Cistercian monastic community of Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian. It was founded by David I of Scotland in 1140.-List of abbots:* Radulf, 1140-1147x1150* Amfrid, 1159-1179...
.