Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney
Encyclopedia
Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney and Lord of Shetland (c. 1566 – 6 February 1615) was the son of Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney
.
On the death of his uncle, Lord Robert Stewart, junior, in 1581 Patrick was given the gift of the Priory of Whithorn
. In his youth Patrick Stewart was a good friend of his relative James VI
; however, their relations became strained in the 1590s after Patrick succeeded his father as Earl of Orkney. In 1599 Earl Patrick began to build Scalloway Castle
at Scalloway in the Shetland Islands
partly to strengthen his power there against Laurence Bruce
, who had been appointed Sheriff of Shetland by his half brother, the deceased Earl Robert. In 1607 Earl Patrick began the construction of the Earl's Palace
in Kirkwall
, the capital of the Orkney Islands
.
Earl Patrick's financial mismanagement and his brutality against the local population led to opposition from Laurence Bruce and others. According to tradition a force was sent against him in Scalloway and took him prisoner back to Edinburgh
. There he was convicted on a charge of treason and beheaded in 1615. While he was in prison, Earl Patrick's son Robert had led an armed rebellion in Kirkwall. Robert was defeated and hanged. After Patrick's death the earldom was annexed to the crown, but was recreated in 1696 for George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney
, the husband of Elizabeth Villiers, recently discarded mistress of King William III
.
Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney
Robert Stewart, Knt., 1st Earl of Orkney and Lord of Zetland was a recognized illegitimate son of James V, King of Scotland, and his mistress Eupheme Elphinstone....
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On the death of his uncle, Lord Robert Stewart, junior, in 1581 Patrick was given the gift of the Priory of Whithorn
Whithorn
Whithorn is a former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, about ten miles south of Wigtown. The town was the location of the first recorded Christian church in Scotland, Candida Casa : the 'White [or 'Shining'] House', built by Saint Ninian about 397.-Eighth and twelfth centuries:A...
. In his youth Patrick Stewart was a good friend of his relative 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...
; however, their relations became strained in the 1590s after Patrick succeeded his father as Earl of Orkney. In 1599 Earl Patrick began to build Scalloway Castle
Scalloway Castle
Scalloway Castle was built from 1599 by Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney to tighten his grip on Shetland, Scotland. Its site in Shetland's then capital, Scalloway, was surrounded by the sea on three sides.-History:...
at Scalloway in the Shetland Islands
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
partly to strengthen his power there against Laurence Bruce
Laurence Bruce
Laurence Bruce of Cultmalindie was the son of John Bruce of Cultmalindie and Eupheme Elphinstone. Easter Cultmalindie is a small hamlet or "fermtoun" in Tibbermore parish, Perthshire, Scotland....
, who had been appointed Sheriff of Shetland by his half brother, the deceased Earl Robert. In 1607 Earl Patrick began the construction of the Earl's Palace
Earl's Palace, Kirkwall
The ruins of the Earl's Palace, Kirkwall lie near St Magnus Cathedral in the centre of Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland. Built by Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney. It was begun in 1607 and built largely by forced labour...
in Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
, the capital of the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
.
Earl Patrick's financial mismanagement and his brutality against the local population led to opposition from Laurence Bruce and others. According to tradition a force was sent against him in Scalloway and took him prisoner back to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. There he was convicted on a charge of treason and beheaded in 1615. While he was in prison, Earl Patrick's son Robert had led an armed rebellion in Kirkwall. Robert was defeated and hanged. After Patrick's death the earldom was annexed to the crown, but was recreated in 1696 for George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney
George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney
Field Marshal George Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney KT was a British soldier and Scottish nobleman and the first British Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. The son of the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, he fought for William of Orange in Ireland and the Low Countries...
, the husband of Elizabeth Villiers, recently discarded mistress of King William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
.