James Balfour, 1st Baron Balfour of Glenawley facts for kids

James Balfour, 1st Baron Balfour of Glenawley (born around 1567 – died 18 October 1634), was an important Scottish nobleman and a close friend of the King. He played a big part in a historical event called the Plantation of Ulster, where many Scottish and English people moved to live in Ireland.

Early Life and Family Connections

James Balfour was the second son of Sir James Balfour, Lord Pittendreich, who was a judge. His mother was Margaret Balfour. James had an older brother named Michael, who became Lord Balfour of Burleigh in 1609.

In 1573, James Balfour received land in a place called Costertoun. By 1599, he was known as the owner of Pitcullo. James Balfour was a favorite of King James VI of Scotland (who later became King James I of England). The King made him a knight. By 1617, he was known as Sir James Balfour of Pitcullo.

Role in the Plantation of Ulster

Sir James Balfour was one of the most important "undertakers" in the Plantation of Ulster. Undertakers were English and Scottish people who were given large areas of land in Ireland. Their job was to settle these lands with new people from Scotland and England.

Balfour received a lot of land from the King in Fermanagh. He also bought more land from his older brother, Michael, who was also an undertaker. By 1641, his lands in Fermanagh covered over 8,275 acres.

Around 1620, Sir James began building a castle called Castle Balfour in Lisnaskea, on land he bought from his brother.

Becoming a Baron

On 8 November 1619, James Balfour was given the title Baron Balfour of Glenawley. This title was part of the Peerage of Ireland, which is a system of noble titles in Ireland. The name Glenawley comes from a place called Clanawley.

The title of Baron Balfour of Glenawley ended when his younger son, the third Baron, died in 1636. However, the title of Glenawley was later given to another relative, Hugh Hamilton, in 1661.

Family and Marriages

Lord Balfour was married three times. His first wife was his cousin, Grizel Balfour. They had three sons and three daughters together.

His children from his first marriage included:

• James Balfour, who became the 2nd Lord Balfour. He died in 1635 without having children.
• Alexander Balfour, who became the 3rd Lord Balfour after his brother. He died in 1636 without having children, and that's when the title ended.
• Anne Balfour, who married Sir John Wemyss. After Sir John died, she married Archibald Hamilton, who was an Archbishop.

Lord Balfour's third wife was Anne Blayney. She was the daughter of Edward Blayney, 1st Baron Blayney. Lord Balfour was much older than Anne when they married in the 1620s. Anne brought a dowry of £1,200, and it was agreed that she would receive lands worth £300 if Lord Balfour died before her.

Later Life and Financial Troubles

Lord Balfour had a disagreement with Anne Blayney's family. He complained to the King, saying that the Blayneys were being treated unfairly. This led to a big feud with James Spottiswood, who was the Bishop of Clogher.

This feud became very serious in 1626 when Lord Balfour's son-in-law, Sir John Wemyss, was killed by the bishop's men. These disputes were very expensive for Lord Balfour. Even though he owned a lot of land, he ended up losing most of his money. In June 1634, he sold his estate for a little over £3,000 to Sir William Balfour, who was probably his cousin.

Lord Balfour died in London in October 1634. He was buried at St Ann Blackfriars. There were some legal issues about his will after his death.