William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale
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William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale
(1676 – 2 March 1744) was a Catholic nobleman, who took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1715
.
He was the eldest son of Robert, fourth Earl of Nithsdale
(1627/8–1683), and Lady Lucie Douglas (d. 1713), daughter of William, eleventh earl of Angus and first Marquess of Douglas
. He was probably born at Terregles Castle
, near Dumfries
. The early death of his father ensured that he was raised by his mother, the Dowager Countess, who educated him to be a faithful and conventionally devout Roman Catholic and a partisan of the Stuart
cause.
On reaching the age of twenty-one, in 1697, he visited the Jacobite Court at Saint-Germain
to give his allegiance to the exiled King James II & VII
, where he met his future wife Lady Winifred Herbert
, daughter of the Duke of Powis
. After their marriage at Saint-Germain in 1699, they settled at his family seat at Terregles
. As a prominent Catholic in the predominantly covenanting Lowlands
, he was on a number of occasions the object of Presbyterian assaults on his estate, on suspicion of harbouring Jesuits.
Despite his discretion, he was long suspected of Jacobite
sympathies. In the Jacobite rising of 1715, after some hesitation, he proclaimed James III and VIII
at Dumfries
and Jedburgh
, before joining the main Jacobite forces at Hexham
under General Thomas Forster
. Nithsdale was captured at Preston together with other Jacobite leaders, found guilty of treason
, and sentenced to death. The night before the day appointed for his execution (24 February 1716), he effected an escape from the Tower of London
meticulously planned by his daring and devoted Countess
, who had been admitted to his room. By exchanging clothes with his wife's maid, he escaped the attention of his guards. He fled to Rome
, where he lived in poverty and happiness with his wife until his death.
Earl of Nithsdale
Earl of Nithsdale was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1620 for Robert Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell, with remainder to heirs male. He was made Lord Maxwell, Eskdale and Carlyle at the same time...
(1676 – 2 March 1744) was a Catholic nobleman, who took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1715
Jacobite Rising of 1715
The Jacobite rising of 1715, often referred to as The 'Fifteen, was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart.-Background:...
.
He was the eldest son of Robert, fourth Earl of Nithsdale
Earl of Nithsdale
Earl of Nithsdale was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1620 for Robert Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell, with remainder to heirs male. He was made Lord Maxwell, Eskdale and Carlyle at the same time...
(1627/8–1683), and Lady Lucie Douglas (d. 1713), daughter of William, eleventh earl of Angus and first Marquess of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and 11th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman.-Master of Angus:William Douglas, Master of Angus was the eldest son of William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus and his Countess, Elizabeth Oliphant, eldest daughter of Laurence Oliphant, 4th Lord Oliphant...
. He was probably born at Terregles Castle
Terregles House
Terregles House was a late 18th-century country house, located near Terregles, around west of Dumfries in south-west Scotland. It replaced an earlier tower house, which had served as the seat of the Lords Herries, and later the Earls of Nithsdale, until William Maxwell, the 5th Earl, forfeited his...
, near 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...
. The early death of his father ensured that he was raised by his mother, the Dowager Countess, who educated him to be a faithful and conventionally devout Roman Catholic and a partisan of the 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...
cause.
On reaching the age of twenty-one, in 1697, he visited the Jacobite Court at Saint-Germain
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
to give his allegiance to the exiled King James II & VII
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, where he met his future wife Lady Winifred Herbert
Winifred Herbert
Winifred Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdale , formerly Lady Winifred Herbert, is best known for arranging the daring escape of her husband from the Tower of London in 1716....
, daughter of the Duke of Powis
William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis
William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis, PC was an English nobleman.He succeeded his father, the 2nd Baron Powis, as 3rd Baron Powis in 1667, and was created Earl of Powis in 1674 by King Charles II and Viscount Montgomery, of the Town of Montgomery, and Marquess of Powis in 1687 by King James II,...
. After their marriage at Saint-Germain in 1699, they settled at his family seat at Terregles
Terregles
Terregles is a village and parish near Dumfries, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies in the former county of Kirkcudbrightshire.The name Terregles is said to be a corruption of Brythonic Tir-eglwys...
. As a prominent Catholic in the predominantly covenanting Lowlands
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
, he was on a number of occasions the object of Presbyterian assaults on his estate, on suspicion of harbouring Jesuits.
Despite his discretion, he was long suspected of Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
sympathies. In the Jacobite rising of 1715, after some hesitation, he proclaimed James III and VIII
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
at 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...
and Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
, before joining the main Jacobite forces at Hexham
Hexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
under General Thomas Forster
Thomas Forster
Thomas Forster was a Northumbrian politician and landowner, who served as general of the Jacobite army in the 1715 Uprising.-Life:...
. Nithsdale was captured at Preston together with other Jacobite leaders, found guilty of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, and sentenced to death. The night before the day appointed for his execution (24 February 1716), he effected an escape from the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
meticulously planned by his daring and devoted Countess
Winifred Herbert
Winifred Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdale , formerly Lady Winifred Herbert, is best known for arranging the daring escape of her husband from the Tower of London in 1716....
, who had been admitted to his room. By exchanging clothes with his wife's maid, he escaped the attention of his guards. He fled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he lived in poverty and happiness with his wife until his death.