George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Sinclair
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| Earl of Caithness | |
Earl of Caithness Coat of Arms
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| Predecessor | John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness |
| Successor | George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness |
| Died | 9 September 1582 |
| Noble family | Clan Sinclair |
| Father | John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness |
| Mother | Elizabeth Sutherland |
George Sinclair (died 1582) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was the 4th Earl of Caithness and the leader of the Clan Sinclair. This was a powerful Scottish clan from the Scottish Highlands.
Contents
Early Life and Family
George Sinclair was the son of John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness. His mother was Elizabeth, who was the daughter of William Sutherland, 5th of Duffus.
Becoming Earl of Caithness
George Sinclair became the 4th Earl of Caithness. He once gave up his earldom to Mary, Queen of Scots. She then gave a special document to his son, John Sinclair, in 1545. This meant John would inherit the title, but George still held the power during his lifetime.
Working with the Government
George Sinclair was a member of the Privy Council of Scotland. This was an important group that advised the monarch. Records show that for many years, there were arguments between the Earl of Caithness and the Clan Mackay. In 1553, the Council told the Earl of Caithness to meet with the Earl of Huntly and the Bishop of Ross to sort things out.
Meeting Queen Mary
In 1555, George Sinclair met with Mary, Queen of Scots, in Inverness. They wanted to fix problems in that part of the country. The Earl was supposed to bring his people with him. But he didn't, or he chose not to. Because of this, he was put in prison in Inverness, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh. He was only let go after paying a lot of money. In 1556, he received a special pardon for treating people unfairly. He also got two special documents that gave him an important legal role in the north of Scotland.
Royal Events
In 1566, the Earl of Caithness was with a group trying to help Queen Mary. Later that year, his legal role was made even stronger. In 1567, he was the main person in charge of the trial of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell.
Conflicts and Family Troubles
In 1570, a battle called the Battle of Torran-Roy happened. It was between George Sinclair's forces and those of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland. Caithness was first defeated by the Murrays of Aberscross. But he came back and surrounded them at Dornoch. After this, some of the Murrays were executed.
The Earl of Caithness later kept his own son, the Master of Caithness, imprisoned. This was because his son tried to make peace with the Murrays. The Master of Caithness died in 1576 at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe. George also received permission to imprison his younger brother, David Sinclair, in the same castle.
Death and Burial
George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness, died in Edinburgh on September 9, 1582. He was buried in Rosslyn Chapel. His grave is at the west end of the north aisle.
He asked that his heart be removed and placed in a lead box. This box was then sent to Caithness and put in the church in Wick. There is an old carving of George Sinclair's family crest at Barrogill Castle (now known as Castle of Mey).
Family Life
George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness, married Lady Elizabeth Graham. She was the daughter of William Graham, 2nd Earl of Montrose. They had several children:
- John Sinclair, Master of Caithness (died 1576). He married Jean, daughter of Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell. They had children, including George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness.
- William Sinclair, who was the first owner of Mey. He was an ancestor of the Sinclairs of Ulbster.
- George Sinclair of Mey, who was an important legal officer in Caithness.
- David Sinclair.
- Barbara Sinclair or Beatrix Sinclair. She married Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland but later divorced him.
- Elizabeth Sinclair. She married Alexander Sutherland first, and then Huistean Du Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver.
- Margaret Sinclair. She married William Sutherland, 9th of Duffus.
- Barbara Sinclair. She married Alexander Innes of Innes.
- Janet Sinclair. She married Robert Munro, 16th Baron of Foulis, but they had no children.
- Agnes Sinclair. She married Andrew Hay, 8th Earl of Erroll.
It is believed that General Arthur St. Clair from the American Revolutionary War was a descendant of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness.
Images for kids
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Barrogill Castle (Castle of Mey) where there is an ancient carving of the arms of George Sincalir, 4th Earl of Caithness.
See also
