John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl
Encyclopedia
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (c. 1440 – 19 September 1512), also known as Sir John Stewart of Balveny, was a Scottish
nobleman and ambassador to England (in 1484).
, widowed Queen of James I of Scotland
, and her second husband Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn.
He was created Earl of Atholl
in around 1457, the first Earl of the eighth creation of the title. He is believed to have had a hand in suppressing the rebellion of John Macdonald, 11th Earl of Ross, the last of the Lords of the Isles
. According to legend, the Earl of Atholl had whisky, honey and oats added to Macdonald's water well
, which so entranced or intoxicated him that Macdonald was easily captured. The mixture became a drink named Atholl Brose.
Stewart was buried in Dunkeld Cathedral
in Perthshire
.
, daughter of Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas
. Margaret had been married already to the 8th Earl
and possibly the 9th Earl
of Douglas. She died between 1473 and 1475. They had two daughters:
He married second, before April 1475, Eleanor (d. 21 March 1518), daughter of William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. At least nine children were born:
There is also a Jean who married John Gordon of Pitlurg, a Margaret who married Robert Robertson of Strowan, and a Christian who died on 30 May 1538 and married Neil Stewart of Garth attributed as daughters of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl.
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 and ambassador to England (in 1484).
Life
He was the oldest child of Joan BeaufortJoan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland
Joan Beaufort was the Queen Consort of Scotland from 1424 to 1437 as the spouse of King James I of Scotland. During part of the minority of her son James II , she served as the Regent of Scotland....
, widowed Queen of James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
, and her second husband Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn.
He was created Earl of Atholl
Earl of Atholl
The Mormaer of Earl of Atholl refers to a medieval comital lordship straddling the highland province of Atholl , now in northern Perthshire. Atholl is a special Mormaerdom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from...
in around 1457, the first Earl of the eighth creation of the title. He is believed to have had a hand in suppressing the rebellion of John Macdonald, 11th Earl of Ross, the last of the Lords of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
. According to legend, the Earl of Atholl had whisky, honey and oats added to Macdonald's water well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
, which so entranced or intoxicated him that Macdonald was easily captured. The mixture became a drink named Atholl Brose.
Stewart was buried in Dunkeld Cathedral
Dunkeld Cathedral
Dunkeld Cathedral stands on the north bank of the River Tay in Dunkeld, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Built in square-stone style of predominantly grey sandstone, the cathedral proper was begun in 1260 and completed in 1501...
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...
.
Marriage and children
John Stewart married twice and had several children. However, the exact number, names and the attribution of his children to their mothers is unclear. He married first, in 1459-1460, Margaret Douglas, Fair Maid of GallowayMargaret Douglas, Fair Maid of Galloway
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Douglas known as the Fair Maid of Galloway was a Scottish noblewoman, a member of the Black Douglas family towards the end of the family's position as a major force in Scotland....
, daughter of Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas
Archibald Douglas was a Scottish nobleman and General, son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, eldest daughter of Robert III...
. Margaret had been married already to the 8th Earl
William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, 2nd Earl of Avondale was a Scottish nobleman. He was the eldest son of James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas and Beatrice Sinclair....
and possibly the 9th Earl
James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas, 3rd Earl of Avondale KG was a Scottish nobleman, last of the 'Black' earls of Douglas. He was a twin, the older by a few minutes, the younger was Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray....
of Douglas. She died between 1473 and 1475. They had two daughters:
- Janet Stewart- married Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of HuntlyAlexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of HuntlyAlexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman and the 3rd Earl of Huntly. He was granted Strathavon in Banffshire and the Brae of Lochaber. He was a member of the Privy Council of Scotland.-Biography:...
- Elizabeth Stewart- married Andrew Gray, 2nd lord Gray.
He married second, before April 1475, Eleanor (d. 21 March 1518), daughter of William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. At least nine children were born:
- John Stewart, 2nd Earl of AthollJohn Stewart, 2nd Earl of AthollJohn Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl was the second Earl of Atholl. He fought in the Battle of Flodden Field on 9 September 1513.-Biography:He was born after 1475 to John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl and Eleanor Sinclair. He married Lady Janet Campbell, daughter of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll...
- married Janet Campbell d.1545/6, daughter of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Arygll, and Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of John Stewart, 1st Earl of LennoxJohn Stewart, 1st Earl of LennoxJohn Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox. was known as Lord Darnley and the Earl of Lennox. Stewart was the son of Catherine Seton and Sir Alan Stuart, a great-great-great-grandson of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland....
. - Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Caithness
- Jean Stewart, married by contract dated 31 August 1507, James Arbuthnott of Arbuthnott, who had a Crown Charter of the feudal barony of Arbuthnott on 29 January 1507.
- Catherine Stewart- married Sir John Forbes, 6th lord Forbes
- Elspeth Stewart- married Sir Robert Innes 2nd of Innermarky
- Marjory Stewart- D.26 jul 1524. married Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
- Margaret Stewart- married Sir William Murray of Castleton
- Isabel Stewart- married Alexander Robertson of Strowan
- Elizabeth Stewart- married John Stewart, 3rd Earl of LennoxJohn Stewart, 3rd Earl of LennoxJohn Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox was a prominent Scottish magnate. He was the son of Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox, and Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton and Mary Stewart, Princess of Scotland, daughter of King James II of Scotland.The Earl of Lennox had led...
There is also a Jean who married John Gordon of Pitlurg, a Margaret who married Robert Robertson of Strowan, and a Christian who died on 30 May 1538 and married Neil Stewart of Garth attributed as daughters of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl.