James Murray (Jacobite Earl of Dunbar) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Murray
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
James Murray, Earl of Dunbar
|
|
| Jacobite Secretary of State | |
| In office 1727–1747 |
|
| Monarch | James III & VIII |
| Preceded by | John Hay, Duke of Inverness |
| Succeeded by | Daniel O'Brien, Earl of Lismore |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1690 |
| Died | 1770 Avignon, France |
| Parents |
|
| Profession | Politician and courtier |
James Murray, Earl of Dunbar (around 1690–1770) was a Scottish politician. He was part of the Tory political group. Later, he became a key supporter and agent for the Jacobites. The Jacobites were people who believed that James II and his family should be the rightful kings of Britain. James Murray served as the Jacobite Secretary of State while they were living in exile in Rome. He held this important job from 1727 to 1747.
Early Life and Family
James Murray was the second child born to David Murray, 5th Viscount of Stormont, and Marjory Scott. His brothers included David Murray, 6th Viscount of Stormont, and William Murray. Even though his family were Protestants, they supported the Jacobite cause. His father was even declared a rebel by the Scottish government in 1689. This happened because he did not answer a summons from the government. He was also put in prison several times for his beliefs.
Political Beginnings
In 1710, James Murray became a lawyer, but it seems he never actually worked as one. In the 1710 British general election, he ran for a seat in Parliament for Dumfriesshire. He was put forward as a Tory candidate. He lost that election. However, he was very popular among Scottish Tories. Because of this, he was confirmed as a Member of Parliament in February 1711.
Once in Parliament, Murray supported the government led by Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. He joined a group of MPs who cared about Scottish issues. They wanted to promote episcopalianism in Scotland. This was a form of Protestant church government. He quickly became known in Parliament for being ambitious. He also had a reputation for holding grudges.
In 1712, he strongly supported the Toleration Act. This law gave Scottish Episcopalians the right to worship freely. They just had to pray for the monarch and use the English Book of Common Prayer. In 1713, he briefly supported a plan to end the union between England and Scotland. But he quickly went back to supporting the government. This happened after the idea was defeated in the House of Lords.
In November 1713, Murray was chosen to help negotiate a trade agreement with France. This led him to meet Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke. Murray then changed his political loyalty to Bolingbroke. In the same year, he was chosen to represent Elgin Burghs in Parliament. He won this seat without anyone running against him. In January 1715, Murray tried to get a clause added to a message sent to King George I. This clause would have asked to cancel the Acts of Union 1707. But he failed to convince his fellow lawyers. He also failed to win a seat in the 1715 British general election.
Working for the Jacobite Cause
After not winning a seat in Parliament, Murray traveled to France. There, he joined the exiled Jacobite court. He became the private secretary to Viscount Bolingbroke. In September 1715, during the Jacobite rising of 1715, he was sent to Scotland. He carried official papers as the Old Pretender's Scottish Secretary of State. The Old Pretender was James Francis Edward Stuart, the Jacobite claimant to the throne.
Murray returned to France in November with news of the Battle of Sheriffmuir. He then traveled to Scotland a second time. But he was captured in Flanders and put in Newgate Prison by the British. He was held there from April to July 1716. After his release, he spent two years working as a Jacobite agent in London and Scotland. In 1718, he returned to Europe and the Jacobite court in Rome.
In 1719, James Murray made the Jacobite court in Rome a place of much political activity. He helped arrange the marriage of Maria Clementina Sobieska to the Old Pretender in 1719. His enemy, the Earl of Mar, was imprisoned. During this time, Murray served as Secretary of State to the Old Pretender. But he made enemies at the Jacobite court. So, he was sent away from Rome in 1720.
However, he never completely lost the Pretender's favor. The Pretender gave him the titles of Earl of Dunbar, Viscount of Drumcairn, and Lord Hadykes. These were titles in the Jacobite peerage (a special set of noble titles). This happened on February 2, 1721. In 1725, Murray was made a Knight of the Order of Thistle. This is a very important honor. Around 1726, he became the Governor and tutor to Prince Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. This role was confirmed in June 1727. At the same time, John Hay of Cromlix became Secretary of State. His wife Marjorie, who was James Murray's sister, became Charles's governess. However, the Hays resigned their positions in 1727.
Murray and Bishop Atterbury worked together to cause Mar's final loss of favor with the Jacobites in 1724. Although Murray and Atterbury had a disagreement between 1725 and 1728, they soon made up. From 1724, Murray served as the Old Pretender's main Secretary of State. But he was never officially given the title. In 1747, James Murray left the Jacobite court. Prince Charles blamed him for the decision of the Duke of York to become a priest.
Murray then moved to Avignon, France. Many Jacobites lived there. He stayed there until he died. In 1751, he joined the Roman Catholic Church and became a priest. He died in August 1770. He left most of his property to Henry Benedict Stuart. He also asked for 10,000 masses to be said for his own soul.
