John Maxwell, 4th Lord Maxwell
Encyclopedia
John Maxwell, 4th Lord Maxwell (died 9 September 1513) was a Scottish nobleman and head of the Border
family or clan of Maxwell.
. The Maxwells were an ancient family from the Scottish Borders, whose chief seat was at Caerlaverock Castle
.
in his grandfather's lands at Carnsalloch on 8 May 1485 and was served heir to his father in the lands of Maxwell on 29 April 1486. In 1486 he was also appointed Warden
of the West Marches
. In October 1488 he attended the first Parliament
of James IV
.
The most notorious incident of Maxwell's career was his violent assault on 30 July 1508 on Robert Crichton, 2nd Lord Crichton of Sanquhar outside the court-house in Dumfries
, where Crichton was holding assizes. The Maxwells and Crichtons had long competed for influence in Nithsdale
and, accompanied by William Douglas of Drumlanrig, Maxwell led a considerable force into the town from the south. Bishop Lesley
provided the following summary of subsequent events: "Lord Creychton was chaissit with his company frae Drumfries, and the Laird of Dalyell
and the young laird of Cranchlay slain, with divers uthers, quhairof thair appeared greit deidly feid
and bludshed." It appears that Maxwell went largely unpunished for his part in this episode.
Maxwell was one of the many Scottish nobles killed in the Battle of Flodden Field
on 9 September 1513.
and the dowager Queen Joan Beaufort
, thereby forging a link to a branch of the royal House of Stuart
. She was still living on 25 July 1530. They had at least eight children:
Maxwell is also known to have had two illegitimate sons, Henry and John.
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
family or clan of Maxwell.
Origins
Maxwell was the eldest son and heir of John Maxwell, 3rd Lord Maxwell (died 1484) and Janet, the daughter of George Crichton, 1st Earl of CaithnessGeorge Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness
George Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness , was a Scottish peer.Succeeding his father as sheriff of Linlithgowshire, he was knighted before 1438. In 1441 he was ambassador to the Brittany to negotiate the marriage of James II's sister Isabella...
. The Maxwells were an ancient family from the Scottish Borders, whose chief seat was at Caerlaverock Castle
Caerlaverock Castle
Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle, built in the 13th century, in the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve area at the Solway Firth, south of Dumfries in the southwest of Scotland. In the Middle Ages it was owned by the Maxwell family. Today, the castle is in the care of Historic...
.
Career
Maxwell was infeftedEnfeoffment
Under the European feudal system, enfeoffment was the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service. This mechanism was later used to avoid restrictions on the passage of title in land by a system in which a landowner would give land to one person for the use of another...
in his grandfather's lands at Carnsalloch on 8 May 1485 and was served heir to his father in the lands of Maxwell on 29 April 1486. In 1486 he was also appointed Warden
Lord Warden of the Marches
The Lord Warden of the Marches was an office in the governments of Scotland and England. The holders were responsible for the security of the border between the two nations, and often took part in military action....
of the West Marches
Scottish Marches
Scottish Marches was the term used for the Anglo-Scottish border during the late medieval and early modern eras—from the late 13th century, with the creation by Edward I of England of the first Lord Warden of the Marches to the early 17th century and the creation of the Middle Shires, promulgated...
. In October 1488 he attended the first 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...
of James IV
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...
.
The most notorious incident of Maxwell's career was his violent assault on 30 July 1508 on Robert Crichton, 2nd Lord Crichton of Sanquhar outside the court-house in Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, where Crichton was holding assizes. The Maxwells and Crichtons had long competed for influence in Nithsdale
Nithsdale
Nithsdale , also known by its anglicised gaelic name Strathnith or Stranit, is the valley of the River Nith in Scotland, and the name of the region...
and, accompanied by William Douglas of Drumlanrig, Maxwell led a considerable force into the town from the south. Bishop Lesley
John Lesley
John Lesley was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop and historian. His father was Gavin Lesley, rector of Kingussie, Badenoch.-Early career:...
provided the following summary of subsequent events: "Lord Creychton was chaissit with his company frae Drumfries, and the Laird of Dalyell
Dalzell House
Dalzell House is a historic house in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located to the south of the town, on the north bank of the River Clyde. At its core is a 15th-century tower house, with extensive additions built during the 17th and 19th centuries...
and the young laird of Cranchlay slain, with divers uthers, quhairof thair appeared greit deidly feid
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
and bludshed." It appears that Maxwell went largely unpunished for his part in this episode.
Maxwell was one of the many Scottish nobles killed in the Battle of Flodden Field
Battle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
on 9 September 1513.
Family
Maxwell married (in 1491 or 1492) Agnes, the daughter of James Stewart, 1st Earl of BuchanJames Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan , was the second son of Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne, and Joan Beaufort, the widow of James I of Scotland...
and the dowager Queen Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland
Joan Beaufort was the Queen Consort of Scotland from 1424 to 1437 as the spouse of King James I of Scotland. During part of the minority of her son James II , she served as the Regent of Scotland....
, thereby forging a link to a branch of the royal House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. She was still living on 25 July 1530. They had at least eight children:
- Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord MaxwellRobert Maxwell, 5th Lord MaxwellRobert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell , A member of the council of Regency of the Kingdom of Scotland. Regent of the Isle of Arran and like his father before head of the clan Maxwell. A distinguished Scottish nobleman, politician, soldier and in 1513 Lord High Admiral...
Regent of the Isle of ArranIsle of ArranArran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
, Warden of the West Marches. Lord High AdmiralLord High Admiral of ScotlandThe Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Offices of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707.The office was one of considerable power, also known as Royal Scottish Admiralty, including command of the King's ships and sailors and inspection of all sea...
, Lord ProvostLord ProvostA Lord Provost is the figurative and ceremonial head of one of the principal cities of Scotland. Four cities, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have the right to appoint a Lord Provost instead of a provost...
of Edinburgh, Extraordinary Lord of SessionExtraordinary Lord of SessionExtraordinary Lords of Session were lay members of the Court of Session in Scotland from 1532 to 1762.When the Court of Session was founded in 1532, it consisted of the Lord President, 14 Ordinary Lords and three or four Extraordinary Lords. The Extraordinary Lords were nominees of the King, not...
and one of the members of the council of Regency - Herbert Maxwell, ancestor of the Maxwells of Clowden
- John Maxwell, who was Abbot of DundrennanDundrennan AbbeyDundrennan Abbey, in Dundrennan, Scotland, near to Kirkcudbright, was a Cistercian monastery in the Romanesque architectural style, established in 1142 by Fergus of Galloway, King David I of Scotland , and monks from Rievaulx Abbey....
in 1524 - Edward Maxwell, who was still living on 6 June 1540
- Mary Maxwell, who married James Johnstone of that IlkClan Johnstone-Origin of the name:Clan Johnstone is a Lowland Scottish clan. They were involved in many battles on the Scottish borders.Johnstone comes from "John's toun", not "John's stone" or "John's son." Historically, "Johnston" has been an alternate spelling of the surname...
- Agnes Maxwell, who married Robert Charteris of Amisfield
- Isobel Maxwell, who married Laird Robert Porterfield
- Katherine Maxwell, who married Ninian Glendoning of Parton.
Maxwell is also known to have had two illegitimate sons, Henry and John.