Raid of Ruthven
Encyclopedia
The Raid of Ruthven was a political conspiracy
in Scotland
which took place on 22 August 1582. It was composed of several Presbyterian nobles, led by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
, who abducted King James VI of Scotland. He was seized while staying at the castle of Ruthven (today known as Huntingtower Castle
in Perthshire
), and kept under restraint for almost a year. The earl of Gowrie remained at the head of the government assisted by figures like the Master of Glamis
. The king's favourite Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox
was forced into exile in France and died in May 1583. Another prominent noble James Stewart, earl of Arran
, was confined at Kinneil House
.
The resultant Gowrie regime favoured what has been described as an ultra-Protestant regime and was approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
as the 'late act of the Scottish reformation
'. It was also prompted by an urge to curb excessive spending at court. Because of Lennox's extravagance, the Earl of Gowrie, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, was owed £33,000 Scots. A number of cost saving measures for the royal household were proposed by Gowrie and his exchequer colleagues. These were described as "havand respect to the order of the hous of your hieness goudsire King James the fifth of worthie memorie and to the possibilitie of your majesties present rents," a reference to the thriftiness of James V. Colonel William Stewart was sent as ambassador to England in April 1583 to ask for £10,000 and yearly £5000 as an income from the English lands of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox
, and for the ratification and renewal of the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh
. The Colonel was to enquire discreetly after the succession to the English throne. Gowrie was also courted by France, receiving in February 1583 an offer of a yearly pension of 100,000 crowns for the state, 2000 crowns personally, and a lump sum of 10,000 crowns. The French ambassadors, La Mothe and Maineville, hoped to secure French influence over James's choice of bride.
Gowrie's regime was ineffectually supported by Queen Elizabeth I and her minister Francis Walsingham
. After ten months, the king gained his freedom at St Andrews
in July 1583. James Stewart
, earl of Arran
gained a brief ascendancy over Scottish affairs
. The earl of Gowrie was pardoned in 1583, but kept plotting and was later beheaded for high treason
.
Two of the people implicated in the Raid of Ruthven - the eldest son of the Chief of Clan Oliphant
and Master of Morton - were exiled in 1582. The ship in which they sailed in was lost at sea. It was rumoured that they had been caught by a Dutch ship and the last report was that they were slaves on a Turkish ship in the Mediterranean. A plaque to their memory was raised in the church in Algiers.
Conspiracy (political)
In a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
in Scotland
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...
which took place on 22 August 1582. It was composed of several Presbyterian nobles, led by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie , known as The Lord Ruthven between 1566 and 1581, was a son of Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven.-Life account:...
, who abducted King James VI of Scotland. He was seized while staying at the castle of Ruthven (today known as Huntingtower Castle
Huntingtower Castle
Huntingtower Castle once known as Ruthven Castle or the Place [Palace] of Ruthven is located near the village of Huntingtower beside the A85 and near the A9, about 5km NW of the centre of Perth, Perth and Kinross, in central Scotland, on the main road to Crieff.- History :Huntingtower Castle was...
in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
), and kept under restraint for almost a year. The earl of Gowrie remained at the head of the government assisted by figures like the Master of Glamis
Thomas Lyon (of Auldbar)
Sir Thomas Lyon, Master of Glammis was a Scottish nobleman and official, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.-Master of Glamis:...
. The king's favourite Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox
Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox
Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Earl of Lennox was the son of John Stewart, 5th Lord of Aubigny who was the younger brother of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox...
was forced into exile in France and died in May 1583. Another prominent noble James Stewart, earl of Arran
Earl of Arran
Earl of Arran is a title in both the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. The two titles refer to different places, the Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the Aran Islands in Ireland...
, was confined at Kinneil House
Kinneil House
Kinneil House is a historic house to the west of Bo'ness in east-central Scotland. It was once the principal seat of the Hamilton family in the east of Scotland. The house was saved from demolition in 1936 when 16th-century mural paintings were discovered, and it is now in the care of Historic...
.
The resultant Gowrie regime favoured what has been described as an ultra-Protestant regime and was approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
as the 'late act of the Scottish reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
'. It was also prompted by an urge to curb excessive spending at court. Because of Lennox's extravagance, the Earl of Gowrie, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, was owed £33,000 Scots. A number of cost saving measures for the royal household were proposed by Gowrie and his exchequer colleagues. These were described as "havand respect to the order of the hous of your hieness goudsire King James the fifth of worthie memorie and to the possibilitie of your majesties present rents," a reference to the thriftiness of James V. Colonel William Stewart was sent as ambassador to England in April 1583 to ask for £10,000 and yearly £5000 as an income from the English lands of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox
Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox
Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox was the 4th Earl of Lennox, and leader of the Catholic nobility in Scotland. He was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox. His grandson was James VI of Scotland....
, and for the ratification and renewal of the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh
Treaty of Edinburgh
The Treaty of Edinburgh was a treaty drawn up on 5 July 1560 between the Commissioners of Queen Elizabeth I with the assent of the Scottish Lords of the Congregation, and French representatives in Scotland to formally conclude the Siege of Leith and replace the Auld Alliance with France with a new...
. The Colonel was to enquire discreetly after the succession to the English throne. Gowrie was also courted by France, receiving in February 1583 an offer of a yearly pension of 100,000 crowns for the state, 2000 crowns personally, and a lump sum of 10,000 crowns. The French ambassadors, La Mothe and Maineville, hoped to secure French influence over James's choice of bride.
Gowrie's regime was ineffectually supported by Queen Elizabeth I and her minister Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
. After ten months, the king gained his freedom at St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
in July 1583. James Stewart
James Stewart, Earl of Arran
Captain James Stewart, Earl of Arran was created Earl of Arran by the young King James VI, who wrested the title from James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran...
, earl of Arran
Earl of Arran
Earl of Arran is a title in both the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. The two titles refer to different places, the Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the Aran Islands in Ireland...
gained a brief ascendancy over Scottish affairs
Scottish Affairs
Scottish Affairs is an academic journal covering Scottish politics....
. The earl of Gowrie was pardoned in 1583, but kept plotting and was later beheaded for high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
.
Two of the people implicated in the Raid of Ruthven - the eldest son of the Chief of Clan Oliphant
Clan Oliphant
-Origins of the clan:The earliest record of the name was Osbernus Olifardus circa 1046 in Normandy.The first known Oliphant landholding was in England at Lilleford in Northampton by the family of David Olifard, who is commonly held to be the progenitor of the clan...
and Master of Morton - were exiled in 1582. The ship in which they sailed in was lost at sea. It was rumoured that they had been caught by a Dutch ship and the last report was that they were slaves on a Turkish ship in the Mediterranean. A plaque to their memory was raised in the church in Algiers.