Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Duke of Lennox
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Posthumous portrait of the Duke of Lennox, 1590
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| Born | Esmé Stewart c. 1542 |
| Died | 26 May 1583 (aged 40–41) Paris, France |
| Spouse(s) |
Catherine de Balsac
(after 1572) |
| Issue | Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox Gabrielle Stewart Henrietta Stewart Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar |
| Parents | John Stewart, 5th Seigneur d'Aubigny Anne de la Queuille |
Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox (born around 1542, died 26 May 1583) was a French nobleman. His family had Scottish roots. He lived at the Château d'Aubigny in France.
When he was 37, Esmé moved to Scotland. There, he became a close friend of the young King James VI. King James was only 13 years old at the time. Esmé was a cousin of King James's father, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley. Esmé was known for being "upright, just, and gentle." He also helped make the name Esmé popular in Britain.
Contents
Early Life and Family Home
Esmé Stewart was the son of John Stewart, 5th Seigneur d'Aubigny. His mother was Anne de la Queuille, a French noblewoman.
His father had inherited the title of Seigneur d'Aubigny. This meant he was the lord of the manor of Aubigny in France. The family also owned the Château d'Aubigny and the nearby Château de la Verrerie. These castles were their family homes in central France.
Becoming a Duke
Esmé Stewart spent most of his life in France. He became the 6th Seigneur d'Aubigny in 1567 after his father passed away.
In 1579, he came to Scotland. He met his young cousin, King James VI of Scotland. King James was very interested in Esmé. He began to give Esmé many important titles and gifts.
Esmé was made a member of the King's special council. On 5 March 1580, he became the Earl of Lennox. This title had belonged to King James's grandfather. Then, on 5 August 1581, Esmé was given an even higher title: Duke of Lennox. He also received other important titles like Lord Aubigny.
King James gave Esmé many valuable jewels. These jewels had belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots, James's mother. For example, in 1581, Esmé received a gold belt with pearls and diamonds. He also got a gold cross with diamonds and rubies.
Esmé also worked to be popular with the people. He helped the town of Aberdeen gain fishing rights. This was a valuable source of money for the town.
Challenges and Exile
Many people in Scotland were Presbyterian. They were worried about Esmé Stewart because he was Catholic. He decided to change his religion to Calvinism to show his loyalty to the King. However, some people in the Church of Scotland still did not trust him. They became even more concerned when a former leader, the Earl of Morton, was removed from power.
Some Scottish nobles decided to take action against Lennox. They tricked King James into visiting Ruthven Castle. There, they held the King prisoner for ten months. These nobles then forced King James to send Lennox away from Scotland.
They said Lennox was too powerful and that his religion was a problem. Lennox stayed for a while at Dumbarton Castle. He then traveled south towards England.
Return to France
Lennox eventually returned to France. He kept in touch with King James through secret letters. In France, some people were not happy with him because he had changed his religion.
Even though some Scottish nobles thought he would go back to being Catholic, he remained a Presbyterian.
Before he died, Lennox wrote a letter to a friend. He asked his friend to look after his son. He also asked him to help his son get back his family's lands in Scotland. After Lennox died, his heart was taken back to King James in Scotland. His wife and eldest son, Ludovic, followed later.
King James truly believed Lennox was sincere in his faith. He even wrote a poem about Lennox called "Ane Tragedie of the Phoenix." In the poem, he compared Lennox to a beautiful bird that was destroyed by jealousy. King James always cared deeply for Lennox's family. He told his son, King Charles I, to also treat them well. Charles I did this, and the Lennox family became very important in the Scottish and English courts for many years.
Family Life
Around 1572, Esmé Stewart married Catherine de Balsac. She was the ninth daughter of Guillaume de Balsac. Esmé and Catherine had five children:
- Lady Gabrielle Stewart, who became a nun in France.
- Lady Henrietta Stewart (born around 1573, died 1642). She married George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly.
- Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox (1574–1624). He was the oldest son and inherited his father's titles.
- Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox (1579–1624). He was the second son and later inherited the titles from his older brother.
- Lady Marie Stewart (1576–1644). She married John Erskine, Earl of Mar.
Lennox passed away in Paris on 26 May 1583. His oldest son, Ludovic, became the next Duke of Lennox. His wife, Catherine, lived many years longer. She spent her later life at the family home in Aubigny. She helped raise their grandchildren there. She died sometime after 1630.
Titles Held
- 31 May 1567: Seigneur d'Aubigny
- 5 March 1579/80: Earl of Lennox, Lord Darnley and Dalkeith
- 5 August 1581: Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnley, Lord Dalkeith, Torboltoun and Aberdour
