Andrew Keith, Lord Dingwall facts for kids
Andrew Keith, Lord Dingwall (died 1606) was an important Scottish landowner, soldier, and diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in talks with other countries.
Andrew Keith was the grandson of William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal. His father was Robert Keith, who was a leader at Deer Abbey. Andrew started his career as a soldier in Sweden. He supported and later worked for John III of Sweden. He was even given the title Baron Forsholm there.
Andrew Keith in Sweden
In October 1571, Regent Mar, who ruled Scotland for the young King James VI, wrote a letter for Andrew Keith. This letter recommended Keith to King Frederick II of Denmark as a brave soldier.
In 1574, Andrew Keith married Elisabeth Birgersdotter of Grip. She was a cousin of King John III of Sweden. In 1584, she thanked George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal for his help. Andrew and Elisabeth lived in Stockholm. They also ran a secret network that gathered information in Sweden. In 1583, Andrew was sent to England as Sweden's ambassador. His job was to solve a problem about Sweden's relationship with Russia.
In 1584, Andrew Keith came back to Scotland. James VI of Scotland made him a knight. Then, King James made him a Lord, giving him the title Lord Dingwall. He was also put in charge of Dingwall Castle. Andrew Keith was trusted by James Stewart, Earl of Arran, who was gaining power in Scotland. Arran liked Keith's work as a diplomat in Sweden and England. Arran helped Keith become a Lord. He also sent him as an ambassador to England in March 1584. The English ambassador in Scotland, Robert Bowes, understood that Arran and Dingwall wanted King James VI to marry the King of Sweden's daughter.
In March 1586, Andrew Keith wrote a letter from Västerås to James Stewart, Earl of Arran. He sent the letter with John Anstruther. Keith talked about their "secret purpose." This was a plan for James VI to marry a Swedish princess named Anna Vasa of Sweden. She was the daughter of John III of Sweden. This plan was likely to fail. This was because her mother's sister, Anna Jagiellon, who was the Queen of Poland, was Catholic and would object. Dingwall thought their plan should be forgotten. Anna Vasa never married.
Helping with the King's Marriage
In June 1589, Andrew Keith went to Denmark with the Earl Marischal. Their job was to talk about King James VI marrying Anne of Denmark. Keith was paid a lot of money to get two ships ready for his trip. The Chancellor of Scotland, John Maitland, doubted if they were good enough for this important job. He said, "Marischal and the lord Dingwall ... will not both make a wise man." This meant he didn't think they were very smart together.
In July, Dingwall and other ambassadors, George Young and John Skene, came back to Scotland. At Boyne Castle in Banffshire, they told James VI how the marriage talks were going. However, in Denmark, Andrew Keith's presence had caused problems. This was because he had worked for Sweden. John Colville heard that the ambassadors had not even seen Anne of Denmark in person. Thomas Fowler heard a rumor that the trip had caused confusion in Denmark. People there thought the marriage was already decided. They had made expensive preparations, like getting ships, jewels, clothes, and a silver coach for the bride. If the marriage didn't happen, it could bring shame to the princess and the Danish leaders.
James VI decided to send Dingwall back to Denmark. He was told to accept any offer from Denmark to finish the marriage. James wrote to the Earl Marischal. He congratulated him and asked him to help Dingwall buy a jewel for Anne of Denmark.
King James was married on August 20, 1589. The Earl Marischal was his stand-in at the ceremony in Anne's room at Kronborg palace. Dingwall returned from Denmark on September 12, 1589. He reported that he had seen Anne of Denmark and her ships. Her fleet was at Skagen, the northern tip of Denmark. The English ambassador William Ashby heard that the queen would arrive soon. Some stories say that Dingwall brought news of a storm. On October 10, Steen Bille and Andrew Sinclair brought Anne of Denmark's letters to Leith. She had decided to stay in Norway for the winter.
Dingwall was chosen to travel to Norway to bring the queen. Then he joined the king's group in Norway and Denmark. In January, they traveled through a part of Sweden by land. Anne of Denmark and James VI rode in sledges sent by Anne's mother, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. King John III of Sweden had given special orders. He said that Andrew Keith and Axel Gyldenstierne should not be allowed into the Älvsborg fortress at the mouth of the Göta älv river.
There was a disagreement about the queen's dowry money. A dowry is money or property a bride brings to a marriage. Some people thought the money should be brought to Scotland untouched. Others thought the Earl Marischal, Dingwall, and William Keith of Delny should be paid from it right away. Delny was criticized for his fancy clothes. He was removed from his job as Master of Wardrobe. Sir George Home took his place. Some of the Earl Marischal's and Delny's expenses for the king's clothes were paid from the dowry.
Back to Sweden
Keith went back to Sweden in 1592. He gave up his lands in Scotland to William Keith of Delny. In January 1598, he came to Scotland on a diplomatic trip from the King of Poland. James VI gave him a gold chain worth 300 crowns. He wanted to find men to serve in Sweden. But, according to the English courtier Roger Aston, he had no money to pay them. People were also discouraged because earlier recruits had been "cruelly slain."
Keith went with Sigismund III Vasa when he was forced to leave his country in 1598. Andrew Keith died in Paris in 1606.
See Also
- List of Scottish ambassadors to Denmark
