Gideon Murray facts for kids
Gideon Murray of Elibank was an important Scottish courtier and landowner. He lived during the late 1500s and early 1600s. He was known for his work helping the king manage Scotland's money and royal properties.
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Gideon Murray's Family Life
Gideon Murray was the third son of Sir Andrew Murray. His mother was Grisel Beaton. Her family received money when she married.
In 1595, Gideon's sister Margaret married Robert Halkett. The Queen of Scotland, Anne of Denmark, even attended their wedding party. Margaret's son, James, later married a famous writer named Anne Murray.
Gideon Murray's Career and Public Service
Gideon Murray studied at the University of Glasgow. This was a big achievement for his time.
In 1585, he was held in Edinburgh Castle for a short time. He was released after his brother promised he would stay in Edinburgh.
Working for the King
In 1603, Gideon became an official who helped manage the Scottish borders. These were the areas near England. In 1610, he joined the Privy Council. This was a group of important advisors to the king.
Around this time, his son was challenged to a duel. The Privy Council worked to stop the fight. Gideon's son and the other young man were both held in Edinburgh Castle.
Becoming a Judge
In 1612, Gideon Murray became a high-ranking judge. He was known as Lord Elibank.
Gideon Murray was also the uncle of Sir Robert Kerr. Sir Robert was a close friend and advisor to King James. Because of this connection, Gideon was chosen for a very important job. He became the Treasurer Depute of Scotland. This meant he was like the chief financial officer for the king in Scotland.
His job included managing repairs for royal castles and palaces. He also oversaw work on Glasgow Cathedral in 1620.
Managing Royal Treasures
In 1615, Gideon was put in charge of Scotland's crown jewels. These are known as the Honours of Scotland. He received them from John Arnot of Birswick. Gideon carefully recorded the condition of the crown and sword.
Helping with the King's Visit
King James visited Scotland in 1617. Gideon Murray helped pay for this big event. He borrowed a large sum of Scottish money from wealthy merchants. He repaid them using tax money. More money was also sent from England.
Preparations for the visit included many repairs. They fixed up Linlithgow Palace and Edinburgh Castle. Work was also done at Stirling Castle. There were special performances and fireworks for the king's birthday. King James even asked Gideon to hire a famous stonemason from London. This person was Nicholas Stone. He helped design decorations for the chapel at Holyrood Palace.
In 1618, King James gave Gideon Murray some valuable gifts. These included a gold basin and two gilt cups. One cup was shaped like a salmon. He also received some valuable perfumes and an old iron chest.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1620, Gideon explained how banning foreign coins hurt the Scottish economy.
In 1621, another lord accused Gideon of misusing public money. These accusations caused him great stress. He suffered a nervous breakdown and passed away on June 28, 1621.
He was buried at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh.
Gideon Murray's Homes and Castles
Gideon Murray lived in several interesting places. Elibank Tower was one of his homes. It was an L-shaped building with two towers. It also had two terraced gardens. These gardens were designed in an Italian style.
He also had a home in Edinburgh. Another home was at Langshaw, which also had a terraced garden. At Ballencrieff Castle in East Lothian, his hall ceiling had special plaster decorations. These showed his initials, "SGM," and his wife's initials, "DMP." They also featured symbols from his family's coat of arms.
Gideon Murray's Children
Gideon Murray and his wife, Margaret Pentland, had several children:
- Patrick Murray: He became the first Lord Elibank. He married Elizabeth Dundas in 1617.
- Agnes Murray: She married Sir Walter Scott of Harden in 1611. She became known by the nickname "Muckle Mouthed Meg."
- Walter Murray: He lived in Livingstone and passed away in 1659. He married Elizabeth Pringle.
- William Murray: He was put in charge of customs in Scotland in 1618. This meant he managed taxes on goods coming into the country.
