John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl
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John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl, KT
(2 May 1631 – 6 May 1703) was a leading Scottish
royalist and defender of the Stuarts
during the English Civil War
of the 1640s, until after the rise to power of William
and Mary
in 1689. He succeeded as 2nd Earl of Atholl
on his father's demise in June 1642 and as 3rd Earl of Tullibardine after the death of his first cousin the 2nd Earl in 1670.
's rising to power in opposition to English
plans to incorporate Scotland into the Commonwealth
and devoted 2000 men to the battle. He was eventually obliged to surrender the following year to George Monck
, the victorious Commonwealth commander.
, obtained a charter of the hereditary office of sheriff of Fife
and in 1663 was appointed Lord President of the Court of Session
. Murray became the first captain-general of the Royal Company of Archers
in 1670. In 1672 he became Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
and on 14 January 1673 became an Extraordinary Lord of Session
.
In 1670 he succeeded to the earldom of Tullibardine on the death of his cousin, the 4th Earl and was created Marquess of Atholl and Viscount Glenalmond on 7 February 1676.
Glorious Revolution
In 1678, Murray temporarily lost royal favour by counselling moderation concerning the measures taken against the Covenanter
s, but fought vigorously against the 8th Earl of Argyll in the Monmouth Rebellion
of 1685 and was instrumental in defeating him. Murray showed to be lukewarm to the accession of William III
, though allowed his troops to be used at the Battle of Killiecrankie
against the supporters of the new king and was knighted
in 1687. Ironically, given Murray's rumoured Jacobite leanings but public opposition to the group, his grandson, Lord George Murray
became a famed general of the Jacobites and was responsible for their success throughout the greater part of the 1745 uprising.
Murray was described by Lord Macaulay as "the falsest, the most fickle, the most pusillanimous of mankind."
and Charlotte de La Tremoille
. They had twelve children, but the youngest four died young:
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
(2 May 1631 – 6 May 1703) was a leading Scottish
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...
royalist and defender of the Stuarts
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...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
of the 1640s, until after the rise to power of William
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
in 1689. He succeeded as 2nd 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...
on his father's demise in June 1642 and as 3rd Earl of Tullibardine after the death of his first cousin the 2nd Earl in 1670.
Early life
The son of John Murray, 1st Earl of Atholl (cr.1629) by his wife Jane, daughter of Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy, he was, in 1653, a chief supporter of the 8th Earl of GlencairnWilliam Cunningham, 8th Earl of Glencairn
William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn , was a Scottish nobleman, Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and a cavalier. He was also the chief of Clan Cunningham....
's rising to power in opposition to English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
plans to incorporate Scotland into the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
and devoted 2000 men to the battle. He was eventually obliged to surrender the following year to George Monck
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
, the victorious Commonwealth commander.
Appointments
In 1660, Murray became a privy councillorPrivy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, obtained a charter of the hereditary office of sheriff of 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...
and in 1663 was appointed Lord President of the Court of Session
Lord President of the Court of Session
The Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland, and presiding judge of the College of Justice and Court of Session, as well as being Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the High Court of Justiciary, the offices having been combined in 1836...
. Murray became the first captain-general of the Royal Company of Archers
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. It is currently known as the Queen's...
in 1670. In 1672 he became Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
The office of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, one of the Great Officers of State, first appears in the reign of David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal...
and on 14 January 1673 became an Extraordinary Lord of Session
Extraordinary Lord of Session
Extraordinary 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...
.
In 1670 he succeeded to the earldom of Tullibardine on the death of his cousin, the 4th Earl and was created Marquess of Atholl and Viscount Glenalmond on 7 February 1676.
Glorious RevolutionGlorious RevolutionThe Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
In 1678, Murray temporarily lost royal favour by counselling moderation concerning the measures taken against the CovenanterCovenanter
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...
s, but fought vigorously against the 8th Earl of Argyll in the Monmouth Rebellion
Monmouth Rebellion
The Monmouth Rebellion,The Revolt of the West or The West Country rebellion of 1685, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England, King of Scots and King of Ireland at the death of his elder brother Charles II on 6 February 1685. James II was a Roman Catholic, and some...
of 1685 and was instrumental in defeating him. Murray showed to be lukewarm to the accession of William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, though allowed his troops to be used at the Battle of Killiecrankie
Battle of Killiecrankie
-References:*Reid, Stuart, The Battle of Kiellliecrankkie -External links:* *...
against the supporters of the new king and was knighted
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
in 1687. Ironically, given Murray's rumoured Jacobite leanings but public opposition to the group, his grandson, Lord George Murray
Lord George Murray (general)
Lord George Murray was a Scottish Jacobite general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie into England...
became a famed general of the Jacobites and was responsible for their success throughout the greater part of the 1745 uprising.
Murray was described by Lord Macaulay as "the falsest, the most fickle, the most pusillanimous of mankind."
Marriage
On 5 May 1659, Lord Atholl married Lady Amelia Ann Sophia Stanley (1633-22 February 1702/1703), daughter of the James Stanley, 7th Earl of DerbyJames Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby KG was a supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.Born at Knowsley, he is sometimes styled the Great Earl of Derby, eldest son of William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby and Lady Elizabeth de Vere. During his father's life he was known as Lord Strange...
and Charlotte de La Tremoille
Charlotte Stanley, Countess of Derby
Charlotte Stanley, Countess of Derby , born Charlotte de La Trémoille, was the daughter of the French nobleman Claude de La Trémoille, Duke of Thouars, and his wife Charlotte Brabantina of Nassau...
. They had twelve children, but the youngest four died young:
- John Murray, 1st Duke of AthollJohn Murray, 1st Duke of AthollJohn Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl, KT, PC was a Scottish nobleman, politician, and soldier. He served in numerous positions during his life, and fought in the Glorious Revolution for William III and Mary II....
(24 February 1660–14 November 1724), eldest son and heir, married (1) Lady Katherine Douglas-Hamilton, (2) Lady Mary Ross. - Charles Murray, 1st Earl of DunmoreCharles Murray, 1st Earl of DunmoreCharles Murray, 1st Earl of Dunmore was a British peer, previously Lord Charles Murray.The second son of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl, he rose to become a general in the British Army and was created Earl of Dunmore, Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin and Tillimet and Viscount of Fincastle, all...
(24 February 1661-19 April 1710), married Catherine Watts. - Lord James MurrayLord James MurrayLord James Murray , was a Scottish Member of Parliament.Murray was the third son of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl, by Lady Amelia Anne Sophia, daughter of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, and was born at Knowsley Hall, Lancashire, the seat of the Stanley family...
(8 May 1663-30 December 1719), married Anne Murray of Glenmuir. - William Murray, 2nd Lord Nairne (1664-3 February 1726), married Margaret Nairne. Their daughter Margaret Murray (d. 28 May 1773) married in 1712 William Drummond, 4th Viscount StrathallanWilliam Drummond, 4th Viscount StrathallanWilliam Drummond, 4th Viscount Strathallan was a Jacobite army officer and fourth son of Sir John Drummond of Machany and Margaret, daughter of Sir William Stewart of Innernytie.- Life :...
. - Lady Charlotte Murray (1663-1735), married Thomas Cooper. No issue.
- Lady Amelia Murray (1666-1743), married 1. Hugh Fraser, 9th Lord Lovat; 2. Simon Fraser of Beaufort.
- Sir Mungo Murray (1668-1700), married Rachel Beaverich 2-25-1695, Fife, Scotland.
- Lord Edward Murray (1669-1743), married Katherine Skene.
- Lord Henry Murray (b. 1670), died young.
- Lady Jane Murray, died young.
- Lady Katherine Murray (1672-1689), died young.
- Lord George Murray (1673-1691), died young.