John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie
Encyclopedia
John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie (c. 1577 – 5 August 1600) was a Scottish
nobleman, the second son of William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
and his wife Dorothea Stewart. He died while attempting to kidnap King James VI
in August of 1600, during an event later known as the Gowrie conspiracy.
. In 1592, he was elected as Provost
of Perth
.
A few months after his election, Ruthven joined with the Earl of Atholl and the Earl of Montrose
in offering to serve Queen Elizabeth; he also had close contacts with the Earl of Bothwell. However, he delayed these activities in August 1594, when he went to Italy
with his tutor, William Rhynd, to study at the University of Padua
. On his way home in 1599 he remained for some months at Geneva
with the reformer Theodore Beza
; and at Paris
he made acquaintance with the English ambassador, who reported him to Robert Cecil
as devoted to Elizabeth
's service. On his return to London he was received very favorably by Queen Elizabeth and her ministers.
, lured King James
(at that time king only of Scotland) to Gowrie House for the purpose of either murdering or kidnapping him, that James paid a surprise visit to Gowrie House with the intention of murdering the two Ruthvens, or that the events were the outcome of an unpremeditated brawl between the king and the earl or his brother.
Although all three theories have had historical proponents, most modern scholarship suggests that there was a genuine conspiracy by Gowrie and his brother to kidnap King James, and that the events unfolded as follows:
On 5 August 1600, the king rose early to hunt in the neighborhood of Falkland Palace
, about 14 miles from Perth. As he set out, accompanied by the Duke of Lennox
, the Earl of Mar
, Thomas Erskine
and others, he was approached by the twenty year old Alexander Ruthven
, a younger brother of John Ruthven. Alexander advised the king that he and his brother had detained a foreigner carrying a large quantity of money at Gowrie House in Perth, and urged James to interrogate the man himself. Although the king hesitated initially, he ultimately agreed to ride to Perth
after the hunt was over. Alexander Ruthven dispatched a servant, Henderson, to inform his brother that the king would be arriving at Gowrie House later in the day. Alexander Ruthven then urged the king to lose no time, demanding that he keep the matter secret from his courtiers, and that he bring to Gowrie House as small a retinue as possible.
James, in the company of ten to fifteen retainers, arrived at Gowrie House at about one o'clock in the afternoon. Despite having received word earlier that the king would be arriving, John Ruthven had made no preparations, thus giving the impression of having been taken by surprise. After a meagre repast, for which he was kept waiting an hour, King James, forbidding most of his retainers to follow him, went with Alexander Ruthven up the main staircase and passed through two chambers and two doors, both of which Ruthven locked behind them, into a turret-room at the angle of the house, with windows looking on the courtyard and the street. Here James expected to find the mysterious prisoner with the foreign gold, but was instead was threatened with bodily harm. Here there are two potential versions; firstly the confrontation was by the armed servant Henderson; secondly the confrontation was by Alexander himself, and Henderson (who was definitely present) had had no forewarning. The latter theory holds more credance, as it may well be typical of the period that a master did not tell his servant of a plan to kidnap or kill the king yet expected his support when such event arose. In this second version Henderson decides support of the king is more morally correct and comes to the king's defence.
Alexander Ruthven immediately threatened the king with bodily harm if he resisted or attempted to call for help. His stated grievance was his fathers execution for treason, 16 years earlier. Then he left the king in the care of the servant, and left the room to confer with his brother. He returned shortly after, discovering that Henderson had, at the request of the king, opened the windows of the room.
Whether or not Alexander had seen his brother is uncertain. Nonetheless, John Ruthven had spread a report to the king's retinue below that the king had ridden away, and they were gathering their horses to follow him. Alexander, on re-entering the turret, attempted to bind James's hands; a struggle ensued, in the course of which the king was seen at the window by some of his followers below in the street, who also heard him cry "treason" and call for help to the Earl of Mar. Gowrie affected not to hear these cries, but kept asking what was the matter. Lennox, Mar and most of the other lords and gentlemen ran up the main staircase to the king's help, but were stopped by the locked door.
John Ramsay
, noticing a small dark stairway leading directly to the inner chamber adjoining the turret, ran up it and the door was then unlocked by the servant. There he found the king struggling with Ruthven. Drawing his dagger, Ramsay wounded Ruthven, who was then pushed down the stairway past the king. Thomas Erskine
, summoned by Ramsay, now followed up the small stairs with Dr Hugh Herries, and these two killed Ruthven with their swords. John Ruthven, entering the courtyard with his stabler Thomas Cranstoun and seeing his brother's body, rushed up the staircase after Erskine and Herries, followed by Cranstoun; in the melée he was also killed.
The Ruthven side or account of this story is very different.
Gowrie's two younger brothers, William and Patrick Ruthven, fled to England. After the accession of James to the English throne, William allegedly escaped to Virginia and changed his name to Ruffin. However, William Ruffin of Virginia arrived in 1635 at age 18. Having not been born when William Ruthven fled, he could not be the same person. If there is any connection between William Ruffin and the Ruthvins of Gowrie, that Ruffin was one of their sons. Patrick was captured and imprisoned for nineteen years in the Tower of London
.
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...
nobleman, the second son of 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:...
and his wife Dorothea Stewart. He died while attempting to kidnap King James VI
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in August of 1600, during an event later known as the Gowrie conspiracy.
Early life
He succeeded to the earldom while still a child, following the death of his older brother, James, in 1586. He was educated at the grammar school of Perth and the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. In 1592, he was elected as Provost
Provost (civil)
A provost is the ceremonial head of many Scottish local authorities, and under the name prévôt was a governmental position of varying importance in Ancien Regime France.-History:...
of Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
.
A few months after his election, Ruthven joined with the Earl of Atholl and the Earl of Montrose
John Graham, 3rd Earl of Montrose
John Graham, 3rd Earl of Montrose was a Scottish peer and Chancellor of the University of St Andrews from 1599 to 1604. He was Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland, from 1605 to 1607....
in offering to serve Queen Elizabeth; he also had close contacts with the Earl of Bothwell. However, he delayed these activities in August 1594, when he went to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with his tutor, William Rhynd, to study at the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
. On his way home in 1599 he remained for some months at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
with the reformer Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the Reformation...
; and at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
he made acquaintance with the English ambassador, who reported him to Robert Cecil
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke...
as devoted to Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
's service. On his return to London he was received very favorably by Queen Elizabeth and her ministers.
Gowrie conspiracy
Although the Gowrie conspiracy is shrouded in mystery, three scenarios have been proposed. Firstly, that Gowrie and his brother, Alexander RuthvenAlexander Ruthven
Alexander Ruthven was a Scottish nobleman. He is most notable for his participation in the Gowrie conspiracy of 1600.-Early life:...
, lured King James
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
(at that time king only of Scotland) to Gowrie House for the purpose of either murdering or kidnapping him, that James paid a surprise visit to Gowrie House with the intention of murdering the two Ruthvens, or that the events were the outcome of an unpremeditated brawl between the king and the earl or his brother.
Although all three theories have had historical proponents, most modern scholarship suggests that there was a genuine conspiracy by Gowrie and his brother to kidnap King James, and that the events unfolded as follows:
On 5 August 1600, the king rose early to hunt in the neighborhood of Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a former royal palace of the Scottish Kings. Today it is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, and serves as a tourist attraction.-Early years:...
, about 14 miles from Perth. As he set out, accompanied by the Duke of Lennox
Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox
Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox and 1st Duke of Richmond was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was the son of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox and his wife Catherine de Balsac. Stewart was involved in the Plantation of Ulster in Ireland and the colonization of Maine in New England...
, the Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 18th Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar was a Scottish politician, the only son of John Erskine, 1st Earl of Mar. Together with King James VI of Scotland he was educated by George Buchanan...
, Thomas Erskine
Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie
Sir Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie KG was a Scottish peer.-Biography:Thomas Erskine was the eldest surviving son of Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar and Margaret Home....
and others, he was approached by the twenty year old Alexander Ruthven
Alexander Ruthven
Alexander Ruthven was a Scottish nobleman. He is most notable for his participation in the Gowrie conspiracy of 1600.-Early life:...
, a younger brother of John Ruthven. Alexander advised the king that he and his brother had detained a foreigner carrying a large quantity of money at Gowrie House in Perth, and urged James to interrogate the man himself. Although the king hesitated initially, he ultimately agreed to ride to Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
after the hunt was over. Alexander Ruthven dispatched a servant, Henderson, to inform his brother that the king would be arriving at Gowrie House later in the day. Alexander Ruthven then urged the king to lose no time, demanding that he keep the matter secret from his courtiers, and that he bring to Gowrie House as small a retinue as possible.
James, in the company of ten to fifteen retainers, arrived at Gowrie House at about one o'clock in the afternoon. Despite having received word earlier that the king would be arriving, John Ruthven had made no preparations, thus giving the impression of having been taken by surprise. After a meagre repast, for which he was kept waiting an hour, King James, forbidding most of his retainers to follow him, went with Alexander Ruthven up the main staircase and passed through two chambers and two doors, both of which Ruthven locked behind them, into a turret-room at the angle of the house, with windows looking on the courtyard and the street. Here James expected to find the mysterious prisoner with the foreign gold, but was instead was threatened with bodily harm. Here there are two potential versions; firstly the confrontation was by the armed servant Henderson; secondly the confrontation was by Alexander himself, and Henderson (who was definitely present) had had no forewarning. The latter theory holds more credance, as it may well be typical of the period that a master did not tell his servant of a plan to kidnap or kill the king yet expected his support when such event arose. In this second version Henderson decides support of the king is more morally correct and comes to the king's defence.
Alexander Ruthven immediately threatened the king with bodily harm if he resisted or attempted to call for help. His stated grievance was his fathers execution for treason, 16 years earlier. Then he left the king in the care of the servant, and left the room to confer with his brother. He returned shortly after, discovering that Henderson had, at the request of the king, opened the windows of the room.
Whether or not Alexander had seen his brother is uncertain. Nonetheless, John Ruthven had spread a report to the king's retinue below that the king had ridden away, and they were gathering their horses to follow him. Alexander, on re-entering the turret, attempted to bind James's hands; a struggle ensued, in the course of which the king was seen at the window by some of his followers below in the street, who also heard him cry "treason" and call for help to the Earl of Mar. Gowrie affected not to hear these cries, but kept asking what was the matter. Lennox, Mar and most of the other lords and gentlemen ran up the main staircase to the king's help, but were stopped by the locked door.
John Ramsay
John Ramsay, 1st Earl of Holderness
John Ramsay, 1st Earl of Holderness was an important Scottish aristocrat of the Jacobean era, best known in history as the first favourite of James I when he became king of England as well as Scotland in 1603....
, noticing a small dark stairway leading directly to the inner chamber adjoining the turret, ran up it and the door was then unlocked by the servant. There he found the king struggling with Ruthven. Drawing his dagger, Ramsay wounded Ruthven, who was then pushed down the stairway past the king. Thomas Erskine
Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie
Sir Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie KG was a Scottish peer.-Biography:Thomas Erskine was the eldest surviving son of Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar and Margaret Home....
, summoned by Ramsay, now followed up the small stairs with Dr Hugh Herries, and these two killed Ruthven with their swords. John Ruthven, entering the courtyard with his stabler Thomas Cranstoun and seeing his brother's body, rushed up the staircase after Erskine and Herries, followed by Cranstoun; in the melée he was also killed.
The Ruthven side or account of this story is very different.
Aftermath
In the immediate aftermath, there was considerable sentiment in Scotland that the king had invented the conspiracy in order to cover his own attempts to eradicate the Gowrie family whom he believed (correctly) to be disloyal. James fueled this belief with his pursuit of the two younger Gowrie brothers, who were unquestionably innocent of any involvement. It is also believed that James owed John Ruthven a considerable amount of money (perhaps as much as ₤80,000), and that this may have provided impetus for eliminating the Ruthven family.Gowrie's two younger brothers, William and Patrick Ruthven, fled to England. After the accession of James to the English throne, William allegedly escaped to Virginia and changed his name to Ruffin. However, William Ruffin of Virginia arrived in 1635 at age 18. Having not been born when William Ruthven fled, he could not be the same person. If there is any connection between William Ruffin and the Ruthvins of Gowrie, that Ruffin was one of their sons. Patrick was captured and imprisoned for nineteen years in 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...
.