John Somerville, 3rd Lord Somerville
Encyclopedia
John Somerville, 3rd Lord Somerville (died 1491) was the son of William Somerville, 2nd Lord Somerville
and Janet Mowat. He was a member of the Scottish Parliament
. In 1449 he fought with the Scots who defeated the English at Sark
. He was also present at the siege of Roxburgh
in 1460 during which James II of Scotland
died.
, the son of William, Master of Somerville. Their daughter Elizabeth married Gillespic (Archibald) Campbell, Master of Campbell, and was the mother of Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll
.
After Helen's death, John married Mariota Baillie, daughter of Sir William Baillie of Lamington. John's son by Mariota Baillie, John Somerville of Cambusnethan, was called 'Red Bag' on account of the red satin satchel he carried while hawking. Red-Bag would later be involved in rivalry over the Somerville family estates. After Lord John died, Mariota married John, Lord Ross
.
, Adam Hepburn, Master of Hailes
, and Andrew Ker of Cessford, abducted James III of Scotland
who was hunting near Linlithgow Palace
to Edinburgh. The Boyds then attempted to gain control of the Scottish government for two years. Although John Somerville himself had assisted the Boyds at the abduction, in November 1469, Lord John attended the Parliament that condemned Sir Alexander Boyd to beheading for the abduction of James III in 1466.
visited Lord John at Cowthally Castle in September 1489, following the marriage of John's second son, John 'Red Bags' Somerville to Elizabeth Carmichael. (Elizabeth by her previous marriage was a sister-in-law of George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
's wife) However, there is no record of this visit in the King's financial accounts.
William, Master of Somerville, died sometime after 18 May 1491. Soon after Lord John died, and on 14 February 1492 Mariota Baillie, Lady Somerville, sued for 1000 marks to be given according to a marriage contract made for her deceased son William, Master of Somerville, to Jonet Douglas, daughter of William Douglas of Drumlanrig
.
William Somerville, 2nd Lord Somerville
William Somerville, 2nd Lord Somerville was a member of the Scottish Parliament in the mid-15th century. He is the first person to have clearly held the title Lord Somerville, having been created such in 1445, although other sources suggest that his father was the first Lord.William Somerville...
and Janet Mowat. He was a member of the Scottish Parliament
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
. In 1449 he fought with the Scots who defeated the English at Sark
Battle of Sark
The Battle of Sark was fought between England and Scotland in October 1448. A large battle, it was the first significant Scottish victory over the English in over half a century, following the Battle of Otterburn of 1388...
. He was also present at the siege of Roxburgh
Capture of Roxburgh (1460)
The capture of Roxburgh, was a siege that took place during the Anglo-Scottish Wars. James II of Scotland had started a campaign to capture back all Scotland's castles from England, for the English were presently involved in a civil war. Roxburgh Castle was one of the last remaining English...
in 1460 during which James II of Scotland
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
died.
Family
Somerville first married Helen Hepburn. He was succeeded by their grandson John Somerville, 4th Lord SomervilleJohn Somerville, 4th Lord Somerville
John Somerville, 4th Lord Somerville, , was a Lord of the Parliament of Scotland. John was the eldest son of William Somerville, Master of Somerville, who was the son of John Somerville, 3rd Lord Somerville and Marjory Montgomerie...
, the son of William, Master of Somerville. Their daughter Elizabeth married Gillespic (Archibald) Campbell, Master of Campbell, and was the mother of Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll
Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll
Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of Gillespic Campbell, Master of Campbell and Elizabeth Somerville. Elizabeth Somerville was the daughter of John Somerville, 3rd Lord Somerville and Helen Hepburn...
.
After Helen's death, John married Mariota Baillie, daughter of Sir William Baillie of Lamington. John's son by Mariota Baillie, John Somerville of Cambusnethan, was called 'Red Bag' on account of the red satin satchel he carried while hawking. Red-Bag would later be involved in rivalry over the Somerville family estates. After Lord John died, Mariota married John, Lord Ross
John Ross, 1st Lord Ross
-Origins:The Rosses of Halkhead were not, so far as is known, related to the Earls of Ross or the Highland family of Ross of Balnagown. Robert II of Scotland granted Halkhead, or Hawkhead, in Renfrewshire, to John Ross in 1367...
.
Alliance with the Boyds
On 9 July 1466, Lord John, with the BoydsClan Boyd
Clan Boyd is a Lowland Scottish clan from Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland.-Origins of the clan:The origin of the Boyd family name may be either from the Gaelic language or from the Normans, but in both cases translates as 'fair', 'blonde', 'yellow or fair,' etcetera...
, Adam Hepburn, Master of Hailes
Adam Hepburn, Master of Hailes
Adam Hepburn, Master of Hailes was Sheriff of Berwickshire in April 1467, and had a charter of confirmation of Dunsyre in the sheriffdom of Lanarkshire, dated 13 October 1475, being thereafter designated 'of Dunsyre'....
, and Andrew Ker of Cessford, abducted James III of Scotland
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
who was hunting near Linlithgow Palace
Linlithgow Palace
The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are situated in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although maintained after Scotland's monarchs left for England in 1603, the...
to Edinburgh. The Boyds then attempted to gain control of the Scottish government for two years. Although John Somerville himself had assisted the Boyds at the abduction, in November 1469, Lord John attended the Parliament that condemned Sir Alexander Boyd to beheading for the abduction of James III in 1466.
Marriages of William, Master of Somerville and John 'Red Bags' Somerville
According to the family history written by the 11th Lord Somerville, Lord John's heir, William, Master of Somerville, was born in 1453. He married firstly Marjorie Montgomery in June 1476. The 11th Lord wrote that James IV of ScotlandJames IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
visited Lord John at Cowthally Castle in September 1489, following the marriage of John's second son, John 'Red Bags' Somerville to Elizabeth Carmichael. (Elizabeth by her previous marriage was a sister-in-law of George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, Lord Douglas, Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest was a Scottish Nobleman. He was the son of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus and Margaret Hay of Yester. Known as the Great Earl of Angus, he succeeded to the Earldom following the death of his childless brother James...
's wife) However, there is no record of this visit in the King's financial accounts.
William, Master of Somerville, died sometime after 18 May 1491. Soon after Lord John died, and on 14 February 1492 Mariota Baillie, Lady Somerville, sued for 1000 marks to be given according to a marriage contract made for her deceased son William, Master of Somerville, to Jonet Douglas, daughter of William Douglas of Drumlanrig
Drumlanrig
Drumlanrig is a settlement in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, which is best known for nearby Drumlanrig Castle.-External links:***...
.
Sources
- G. E. C., ed. Geoffrey F. White. The Complete Peerage. (London: St. Catherine Press, 1953) Vol. XII, Part 1, p. 92-93.
- Scott, WalterWalter ScottSir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
, ed., The Memorie of the Somervilles by James, 11th Lord Somerville, vol. 1, Ballantyne, Edinburgh (1815) - Scott, Walter, ed., The Memorie of the Somervilles by James, 11th Lord Somerville, vol. 2, Ballantyne, Edinburgh (1815)
- MacDougall, Norman, James III: a political study, John Donald (1982)