James Spens (diplomat) facts for kids
Sir James Spens (died 1632) was a brave Scottish adventurer, soldier, and diplomat. He was very involved in events in Scandinavia (like Sweden and Denmark) and the Baltic Sea region. He played a big part in finding Scottish and English soldiers for the Thirty Years' War, a major conflict in Europe. He was even given a special title in Sweden: friherre, which is like a baron.
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Early Life and Family Challenges
James Spens was the son of David Spens of Wormiston, a place in Scotland. His mother was Margaret Learmonth. His father was involved in a conflict in 1571 where he was hurt, and because of this, his family lost their land.
In 1594, James was a leader in the town of Crail in Scotland. During a time when a nobleman named Francis Stewart was causing trouble, James was asked to help keep the town safe.
The Lewis Island Adventure
In 1598, James Spens and other Scottish gentlemen, including his stepfather, started a project to settle new people on the Isle of Lewis. They received permission from King James VI of Scotland. In October 1599, they landed at Stornoway harbour.
At first, things went well. They took control of the area peacefully, and most of the local people agreed to their plans. However, a local leader named Neil MacLeod resisted them. James Spens was even taken hostage by him!
Other groups tried to settle Lewis again in 1605, but it was a very difficult task for private adventurers to manage.
A Life of Diplomacy and Military Service
After being released by MacLeod, James Spens began working for Charles IX of Sweden. He helped recruit thousands of soldiers for Sweden and earned the rank of colonel. Even though he didn't always lead his troops in battle, he was very important in getting them ready.
In 1611, King James VI & I of Scotland and England asked Sir James to return home. King James wanted to help Sweden and Denmark make peace, and he didn't officially want Scottish soldiers fighting for Sweden at that time.
In 1612, Sir James, who was now a knight, went to Sweden as an ambassador. He met the new Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus, and encouraged him to make peace with Denmark. Sir James helped negotiate the Treaty of Knäred, which ended the Kalmar War.
Working for Sweden
From 1614 onwards, Sir James often carried messages between the Swedish king and the English court. He worked hard to support Gustavus Adolphus. For example, he helped Gustavus get permission to recruit Scottish soldiers.
Sir James also set up a clever network of spies for Sweden's top official, Axel Oxenstierna. He used this network to gather information about Sweden's enemies, especially those who supported the former Swedish king, Sigismund III Vasa.
In 1623, Sir James was back in Sweden. Gustavus Adolphus sent him to Scotland to ask for permission to recruit more soldiers. Sweden needed them to defend against a possible invasion from Poland. In 1624, the Scottish council allowed Sir James's son, also named James Spens, to recruit 1,200 men for the Swedish king.
Later that year, Sir James was asked to convince Gustavus Adolphus to join an alliance against Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor. This alliance included Great Britain, the Netherlands, and France. He traveled to Stockholm and returned with Gustavus's demands, which were quite high. Since Denmark's king, Christian IV of Denmark, offered more moderate plans, Sir James was sent back to persuade Gustavus to join the alliance as Denmark's partner.
Even though he wasn't successful in that specific mission, Sir James continued his important work as a military leader and diplomat. His main Scottish regiment was based in Riga, and Sir James continued to travel back and forth, helping with diplomatic talks whenever needed.
In 1627, Sir James had the honor of presenting Gustavus Adolphus with the Order of the Garter, a very special award from the English king. This happened in Dirschau. In 1628, Gustavus made Sir James a friherre, giving him the title of baron of Orreholmen.
In 1629, Gustavus asked Sir James to convince King Charles I of England to support Sweden in the Thirty Years' War. For the next year, Sir James was in charge of recruiting soldiers for Gustavus in Scotland and England. In 1630, he joined his regiment in Germany and followed the main Swedish army alongside Gustavus Adolphus.
Family Life
Sir James Spens had two wives. With his first wife, Agnes Durie, he had three sons (James, David, and William) and three daughters (Cecilia, Isabella, and one whose name is not known).
His second wife was Margaret Forrat, whom he married in 1624. They had two sons, Axel and Jacob. After Sir James died in 1632, his widow Margaret asked the Swedish Queen and Chancellor for help, and she and her children received money. Three of James's sons were given noble titles because of Margaret's efforts. Margaret later remarried.
One of Sir James's daughters, Isobel Spens, married James Ramsay, another Scot who became a high-ranking military officer in Sweden. James Ramsay often helped Sir James communicate with Axel Oxenstierna.
