If you have found this page useful, why not make a donation to The Peerage Research Trust so that we can continue to maintain and develop Cracroft's Peerage?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bothwell, Earl of (S, 1581 - forfeited 1592)

Creation: let.pat. 16 Jun 1581

Forfeited: 12 Jul 1592

Family name: Stewart

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Arms:

The Arms of Scotland debruised by a Baton sinister Sable

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Francis [Stewart], 2nd Lord Darnley later 1st Earl of Bothwell

only son and heir of John [Stewart], 1st Lord Darnley (by his wife Lady Jean Hepburn, sister and hrss. of James [Hepburn], 4th Earl of Bothwell and 1st Duke of Orkney, and only dau. by his first wife of Patrick [Hepburn], 3rd Earl of Bothwell), illegitimate son of James V, King of Scotland, by his mistress Catherine Carmichael, dau. of Sir John Carmichael

born

1563

mar.

bef 1 Jul 1592 Lady Margaret Scott (widow of Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch;  d. 1640;  bur. at Eckford), 1st dau. of David [Douglas], 7th Earl of Angus, by his wife Margaret Hamilton, dau. of Sir John Hamilton of Clydesdale (by his wife Hon Janet Home, only surv dau. and hrss. of Alexander [Home], 3rd Lord Home), illegitimate son of James [Hamilton], 1st Earl of Arran

children

1. Hon Francis Stewart, Master of Bothwell, rehabilitated under the Great Seal 1614 (b. 1584; d. 1639), mar. c 1614 his third cousin Lady Isobel Drummond (b. 30 Nov 1593), widow of James [Drummond], 1st Earl of Perth, and only dau. of Robert [Seton], 1st Earl of Winton, by his wife Lady Margaret Montgomerie, 1st dau. of Hugh [Montgomerie], 3rd Earl of Eglinton, by his second wife Agnes Campbell, widow of Sir Hugh Campbell of Loudoun and dau. and cohrss. of Sir William Drummond of Innerpeffry, by his wife Lady Margaret Stewart, illegit. dau. of James IV, King of Scotland, and had issue:

1a. Charles Stewart, fought in the Civil war (bapt. 7 Feb 1618 ; d. unm.)

2a. Robert Stewart (d. unm.)

1a. Margaret Stewart (bapt. 1 Apr 1619; d. unm.)

2a. Elizabeth Stewart (bapt. 20 Aug 1632 ; d. unm.)

2. Hon John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham, mar. Margaret Home, and had issue:

1a. Francis Stewart, an officer in the Horse Guards (d. unm. after 1679)

2a. Margaret Stewart, mar. Sir John Home of Renton, and had issue

3. Hon Harry Stewart (d. unm. after 1627)

4. Hon Frederick Stewart (d. unm.)

1. Lady Elizabeth Stewart (b. 1590), mar. as his second wife Hon James Cranstoun, 2nd son of William [Cranstoun], 1st Lord Cranstoun, by his wife Sarah Cranstoun, 1st dau. and cohrss. of Sir John Cranstoun of that Ilk,and had issue

2. Lady Margaret Stewart (dsps.), mar. after 1621 as his first wife Alan [Cathcart], 5th Lord Cathcart, and had issue

3. Lady Helen Stewart, mar. John Macfarlane of that Ilk

4. Lady Jean Stewart, mar. betw. 1612 and 1622 as his second wife Robert Elliot of Redheugh

died

betw. 1612 and 30 Jul 1614

created

16 Jun 1581 Lord Hailes and Earl of Bothwell

note

granted the Lordship of Badenoch 1564 until 1566 when he was granted the Commendatorship of Culross; Commendator of Kelso 1567; Lord Admiral of Scotland 1583-91;  one of the Commissioners to treat with England 1586;  Joint Governor of the Realm with the Duke of Lennox 1589;  accused of witchcraft and imprisoned 1591;  he tried to seize his nephew, King James VI, at Holyrood House, for which he was attainted by an Act of Parliament 12 Jul 1592 and all his titles forfeited; he unsuccessfully tried to seize the King at Falkland Palace 1592 and in 1593 at Stirling Castle;  in 1594 he fled to England, and from there to France, Spain and Italy ; he spent the rest of his life living in poverty in Naples "casting horoscopes, and doing conjuring tricks for a livelihood".

 First written 15 Oct 2011

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________