David Lindsay, 8th Earl of Crawford facts for kids

David Lindsay, 8th Earl of Crawford (died 27 November 1542) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was the son of Alexander Lindsay, 7th Earl of Crawford. David was a member of Clan Lindsay, a powerful Scottish family from the Lowlands. He married Elizabeth Hay, who was the daughter of William Hay, 3rd Earl of Erroll.

Who Was David Lindsay?

David Lindsay was the 8th Earl of Crawford, a title that meant he was a very important leader in Scotland. He was part of the Clan Lindsay, a large family group with a long history in Scotland. The Lindsays were known as a Lowland clan, meaning they lived in the southern, flatter parts of Scotland, not the Highlands.

Passing on the Title: A Tricky Story

David Lindsay's time as Earl of Crawford involved some complicated events about who would take over after him.

A Family Problem

David Lindsay had a son named Alexander Lindsay, Master of Crawford. This son was sometimes called the "Wicked Master" because he caused serious trouble for his father in 1537. Because of these problems, David Lindsay decided that his son Alexander would not inherit his title. Alexander died in 1542, the same year as his father.

Choosing a New Heir

Since his own son would not inherit, the 8th Earl David Lindsay had to choose someone else to become the next Earl of Crawford. He picked a distant cousin, David Lindsay of Edzell. This cousin was related to the 3rd Earl of Crawford.

King James V's Role

James V, who was the King of Scotland at the time, got involved in this decision. He set a large fee, or "penalty," of 100,000 merks for this change in who would inherit the earldom. A merk was a type of Scottish coin. The King wanted this money to go to the royal family, meaning the earldom would be more connected to the crown.

The Next Generation

Even though the 9th Earl, David Lindsay of Edzell, had his own sons, he made another surprising choice. He decided that the earldom should eventually go to the grandson of the 8th Earl David Lindsay. This grandson was the son of the "Wicked Master" Alexander. So, in 1546, this young David Lindsay became the Master of Crawford, meaning he was next in line for the earldom.

What Historians Think

Some historians, like Jamie Cameron, believe that King James V might have planned this outcome all along when he set the large penalty. They think he wanted to make sure that the family of the "Wicked Master" would not be completely left out of the earldom. Other writers have suggested that the King's actions and the large fee showed how much King James V and Regent Arran wanted to control noble families and gain money for the crown.