James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray
Encyclopedia
James Stewart 2nd Earl of Moray (c. 1565 – February 7, 1592) was a Scottish
nobleman, the son of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune. The 2nd Earl was murdered by George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
, as the culmination of a vendetta. Known as 'the bonny earl' for his good looks, he became the subject of a popular ballad, The Bonnie Earl of Moray.
through his second son the Duke of Albany. His father was created Lord Doune on 24 November 1581. From his distant relative James VI, he received in the year 1580 a gift of the ward and marriage of the two daughters of the regent Moray
, and a few days thereafter married Elizabeth
, the elder one, and soon after assumed, jure uxoris
, the title of the Earl of Moray.
Stewart was an extremely ambitious man who aimed to make himself the greatest lord in the north-east at the expense of his powerful neighbor, the Marquess of Huntly. On 1 August 1588 he was appointed a commissioner for executing the act against the Spanish armada
, and on 5 March 1590 was commissioned to execute the acts against the Jesuits. He then foolishly entered into an alliance with his wife's famous cousin Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell who was a notorious conspirator greatly feared by the king. In late 1590 he decided, along with the Earl of Atholl
, to assist the laird of Grant when his house was being besieged by Huntly; Huntly retreated to Edinburgh and on 23 January 1591 presented a supplication against Moray for his "having taken part with the malefactors in the north" , both earls were then commanded to proceed to Edinburgh and sign bands to keep the peace.
Huntly then obtained a special commission to pursue Bothwell and his associates, whom the King feared were planning a rebellion. To prevent Bothwell from obtaining shelter with the Earl of Moray, a distant cousin and ally, Moray was induced by Lord Ochiltree
, who was specially deputed by the King, to come south on the condition of receiving a pardon. It is claimed in the traditional ballad that James was jealous of Moray's favour with his Queen, Anne of Denmark
, on account of his good looks. Moray, in expectation of a summons to the court, had arrived at Donibristle
, a house of his mother on the Fife
coast, when on 7 February 1592 it was suddenly beset by the followers of Huntly, who called on him to surrender. He declined to do so, and Huntly set fire to the house. Moray stayed for a time inside, and, suddenly dashing out, he broke through the cordon surrounding the house, and made for the rocks on the seashore. The burning of the top of his headpiece, however, betrayed him, and he was followed and killed. The corpses of the earl and of Dunbar, Sheriff of Moray, who had also been killed by Huntly's followers, were brought over by the earl's mother to Leith
, to be placed in the tomb of the regent Moray in St. Giles's church; but for some months they remained in their coffins unburied, their friends refusing to bury them until the killing was punished. Captain Gordon, one of Huntly's followers, who being wounded was unable to escape to the north, was brought to Edinburgh and executed; but this was not enough to satisfy popular feeling, and the King deemed it prudent to retire from Edinburgh to Glasgow, until Huntly entered himself in ward in Blackness Castle
. This Huntly did on 12 March, but on the 20th he was released on giving surety that on six days' notice he would appear and stand his trial whenever called on to do so. This murder remains famous to this day as the earl was just 27 years old at the time of his death and his murderer's punishment was a mere week long house arrest.
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, the son of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune. The 2nd Earl was murdered 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:...
, as the culmination of a vendetta. Known as 'the bonny earl' for his good looks, he became the subject of a popular ballad, The Bonnie Earl of Moray.
Life
He was the eldest son of James Stewart, and was a direct male-line descendent of Robert IIRobert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
through his second son the Duke of Albany. His father was created Lord Doune on 24 November 1581. From his distant relative James VI, he received in the year 1580 a gift of the ward and marriage of the two daughters of the regent Moray
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray , a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V, was Regent of Scotland for his nephew, the infant King James VI of Scotland, from 1567 until his assassination in 1570...
, and a few days thereafter married Elizabeth
Elizabeth Stuart, 2nd Countess of Moray
Elizabeth Stuart, 2nd Countess of Moray suo jure , was the daughter of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray and Agnes Keith.On 23 January 1581, she married James Stewart, son of the first Lord Doune, and they had five children:...
, the elder one, and soon after assumed, jure uxoris
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
, the title of the Earl of Moray.
Stewart was an extremely ambitious man who aimed to make himself the greatest lord in the north-east at the expense of his powerful neighbor, the Marquess of Huntly. On 1 August 1588 he was appointed a commissioner for executing the act against the Spanish armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
, and on 5 March 1590 was commissioned to execute the acts against the Jesuits. He then foolishly entered into an alliance with his wife's famous cousin Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell who was a notorious conspirator greatly feared by the king. In late 1590 he decided, along with the Earl of Atholl
Earl of Atholl
The Mormaer of Earl of Atholl refers to a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl , now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from...
, to assist the laird of Grant when his house was being besieged by Huntly; Huntly retreated to Edinburgh and on 23 January 1591 presented a supplication against Moray for his "having taken part with the malefactors in the north" , both earls were then commanded to proceed to Edinburgh and sign bands to keep the peace.
Huntly then obtained a special commission to pursue Bothwell and his associates, whom the King feared were planning a rebellion. To prevent Bothwell from obtaining shelter with the Earl of Moray, a distant cousin and ally, Moray was induced by Lord Ochiltree
Lord Ochiltree
Lord Ochiltree of Lord Stuart of Ochiltree was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. In 1542 Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Avondale exchanged the lordship of Avondale with Sir James Hamilton for the lordship of Ochiltrie and by Act of Parliament was ordained to be styled Lord Stuart of Ochiltrie...
, who was specially deputed by the King, to come south on the condition of receiving a pardon. It is claimed in the traditional ballad that James was jealous of Moray's favour with his Queen, Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
, on account of his good looks. Moray, in expectation of a summons to the court, had arrived at Donibristle
Donibristle
Donibristle was a house and estate in Fife, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth. Only the wings of the house remain, within the modern settlement of Dalgety Bay: they are now protected as a category A listed building...
, a house of his mother on the Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
coast, when on 7 February 1592 it was suddenly beset by the followers of Huntly, who called on him to surrender. He declined to do so, and Huntly set fire to the house. Moray stayed for a time inside, and, suddenly dashing out, he broke through the cordon surrounding the house, and made for the rocks on the seashore. The burning of the top of his headpiece, however, betrayed him, and he was followed and killed. The corpses of the earl and of Dunbar, Sheriff of Moray, who had also been killed by Huntly's followers, were brought over by the earl's mother to Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, to be placed in the tomb of the regent Moray in St. Giles's church; but for some months they remained in their coffins unburied, their friends refusing to bury them until the killing was punished. Captain Gordon, one of Huntly's followers, who being wounded was unable to escape to the north, was brought to Edinburgh and executed; but this was not enough to satisfy popular feeling, and the King deemed it prudent to retire from Edinburgh to Glasgow, until Huntly entered himself in ward in Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle is a 15th century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s. At this time, Blackness was the main port serving the Royal Burgh of...
. This Huntly did on 12 March, but on the 20th he was released on giving surety that on six days' notice he would appear and stand his trial whenever called on to do so. This murder remains famous to this day as the earl was just 27 years old at the time of his death and his murderer's punishment was a mere week long house arrest.
Family
By his wife, Elizabeth Stewart, who died three months before him, he had two sons and three daughters:- Grizel Stuart, married Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Innes, 1st Baronet Innes, by whom she had issue.
- Margaret Stuart (1591- 4 August 1639), married firstly as his second wife Charles Howard, 1st Earl of NottinghamCharles Howard, 1st Earl of NottinghamCharles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham , known as Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I...
, by whom she had issue; and secondly William Monson, Viscount Monson - James Stuart, 3rd Earl of MorayJames Stuart, 3rd Earl of MorayJames Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray was the son of James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray and Elizabeth Stuart, 2nd Countess of Moray. He married Anne Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly and Lady Henrietta Stuart, on 2 October 1607. He inherited the title Earl of Moray when his father...
(before 1591- 6 August 1638), married Lady Anne Gordon, by whom he had issue, including James Stuart, 4th Earl of MorayJames Stuart, 4th Earl of MorayJames Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray was the son of James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray and Anne Gordon. He married Margaret Home, daughter of Alexander Home, 1st Earl of Home and Mary Dudley, on 18 October 1627.-Notes:... - Elizabeth Stuart, married John Abernathy, 8th Lord Abernathy of Saltoun
- Sir Francis Stewart, knight of the Bath, who was well known in London literary society, and is said to have frequented the literary meetings at the Mermaid tavern