Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colin Lindsay
3rd Earl of Balcarres
A portrait of Lord Balcarres by John Riley
Born	1652
Died	1722
Spouse(s)	Mademoiselle Mauritiade Nassau Lady Jean Carnegie Lady Jean Ker Lady Margaret Campbell
Father	Alexander Lindsay
Mother	Lady Anna Mackenzie

Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres (1652–1722) was an important Scottish nobleman and politician. He was one of the strongest supporters of James II of England, who was the king at the time. Colin Lindsay played a big role in Scottish politics during a very changing period in history.

Life of Colin Lindsay

Becoming an Earl

Colin Lindsay was born in 1652. He was the second son of Alexander Lindsay, 1st Earl of Balcarres, who was the first Earl of Balcarres. His mother was Lady Anna Mackenzie.

When Colin was just ten years old, his older brother Charles, who was the 2nd Earl, passed away. This meant that Colin inherited the title and became the 3rd Earl of Balcarres in 1662.

Early Career and First Marriage

In 1670, at age sixteen, Colin was introduced at court to King Charles II. The King liked him and gave him command of a special cavalry troop. This troop was made up of gentlemen who had lost their wealth.

Around this time, he married Mademoiselle Mauritiade Nassau. She was related to the Prince of Orange, who later became King William III of England. Sadly, his first wife died within a year of their marriage.

After her death, Colin joined the Duke of York (who later became King James II of England) at sea. He showed great bravery in a naval battle called the battle of Solebay in 1672.

Second Marriage and Public Roles

In 1673, Colin married Lady Jean Carnegie. This marriage upset the King, and Colin was not allowed to come to court for a while. He spent this time studying in the countryside.

Six years later, his wife passed away. He was then allowed to return to court. In 1680, he became a privy-councillor, which meant he advised the King. In 1682, he was made the sheriff of Fife, a region in Scotland.

He worked with another important figure, Claverhouse, to deal with a group called the covenanters in Fife. In 1686, he was given power to hold special courts to try them.

Supporting King James II

When James II of England became king, Colin Lindsay was given more important jobs. In 1686, he became a commissioner of the treasury, helping to manage the country's money. In 1688, he was made Lord Lieutenant of Fife, responsible for the county.

King James II trusted Colin very much. When news spread that the Prince of Orange (William) planned to invade England, King James asked Colin for advice on defending Scotland. However, another official, Lord Melfort, disagreed with Colin's plans. Instead of defending Scotland, the Scottish forces were sent south to England.

Colin went to London to get more instructions from the King. After King James returned from a short absence, Colin and another supporter, Dundee, met with him. The King told them he planned to leave the country. He promised to send Colin a special role to manage his civil affairs in Scotland from France.

After the King's Flight

After King James fled, Colin met with the Prince of Orange. Colin respected the Prince but refused to act against King James. The Prince warned him about breaking the law.

Colin and Dundee were allowed to return to Edinburgh, Scotland, in early 1689. At this time, the Duke of Gordon was about to surrender Edinburgh Castle. Colin and Dundee convinced him to hold out longer to see what the Scottish Parliament (called the Convention of Estates) would decide.

Soon after, letters from King James were found that were meant for Colin. This led to Colin being arrested and held in his own home. He asked to live in England, but this was refused. More letters from King James's secretary, Melfort, caused him to be put in Edinburgh's main prison for four months.

After his release, he became involved in a plan to bring King James back to power, known as the Montgomery plot. When this plan was discovered in 1690, Colin had to leave Scotland.

Life in Exile

Colin traveled to Hamburg and then through Flanders. On his journey, he was captured by a group of bandits. They agreed to release him if he paid 100 pistoles (a type of gold coin). He managed to get the money from a Catholic college in Douay.

He then went to St. Germains, where King James was living in exile. King James welcomed him, and Colin presented his Memoirs touching the Revolution, which was his account of the events. However, due to misunderstandings and jealousy from others, Colin had to leave the court after six months.

He moved to the south of France and sent a letter to King James explaining his situation. Eventually, King James invited him back, but Colin felt it was not a good idea while his old rivals were still powerful. After a year in France, he settled with his family in Utrecht, a city in the Dutch Republic. There, he met many famous scholars.

Returning to Scotland

Around 1700, Colin was finally allowed to return to Scotland. This happened thanks to the help of friends like William Carstares and the Duke of Queensberry.

By this time, Colin was very poor. Although the Duke of Marlborough, an old friend, helped him get a yearly payment of £500 from the crown lands of Orkney, he had to sell these rights before the ten years were up because he needed money so badly.

He wrote to Queen Anne, asking for his old pension of £1000 a year back. It is likely he received some money from her.

In 1706, he was again made a privy councillor. He supported the union of Scotland with England in 1707, which created Great Britain.

However, in 1715, he could not resist joining the Jacobite uprising, which aimed to bring King James's son back to the throne. He was a very strong supporter of this cause. When the rebellion failed, his friends, the Duke of Argyll and Marlborough, helped him. He was allowed to surrender and return to his home at Balcarres House. He stayed there as a prisoner, guarded by one soldier, until a general pardon was given.

Colin spent the rest of his life quietly at Balcarres. He found comfort in his love for art and books. He managed to improve his financial situation later in life. He bought several good paintings by Dutch artists, added many books to his library, and even founded a village, which he named Colinsburgh after himself. He passed away at Balcarres in 1722 and was buried in the family's private chapel there.

His Character and Writings

John Macky described Colin Lindsay in 1700 as a "gentleman of very good natural parts." He was seen as handsome, fair, and about fifty years old. He had great abilities, but the difficult political times and the mistakes of King James II made it hard for him to use his talents fully.

His book, Memoirs touching the Revolution in Scotland, first published in 1714, is a very important record. It tells the story of what happened with King James's supporters between 1688 and 1690.

Family and Children

Colin Lindsay had several marriages and children:

• By his second wife, Lady Jean Carnegie, he had a daughter named Anne. She married Alexander, Earl of Kellie, and later James Seton, 3rd Viscount of Kingston.
• By his third wife, Lady Jean Ker, he had a son named Colin, who was known as Lord Cumberland. He died unmarried in 1708. He also had a daughter named Margaret, who married John, Earl of Wigton.
• By his fourth wife, Lady Margaret Campbell, he had seven children. Four of them lived longer than him: two sons, Alexander and James, and two daughters, Eleanor and Elizabeth. Eleanor married the Hon. James Fraser. Elizabeth died unmarried.

His Published Work

• An account of the affairs of Scotland, relating to the revolution of 1688, published in 1714. It was reprinted in 1754 and again in 1841 as Memoirs touching the revolution in Scotland.