James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan facts for kids
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan (1442–1499), was an important Scottish noble. He was the uncle of King James III of Scotland. King James III gave him the title of Earl of Buchan. James Stewart showed his loyalty by fighting for the king against rebellious nobles from the south. He also gained the title Lord Auchterhouse through his marriage to Margaret Ogilvy.
Contents
A Royal Family Member
James Stewart was born in 1442. His father was Sir James Stewart, known as the Black Knight of Lorne. His mother was Joan Beaufort, who had been the Queen of Scotland and wife of King James I. James Stewart was a younger brother to John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl. He was also a half-brother to King James II of Scotland and Princess Margaret Stewart.
Becoming the Earl of Buchan
In 1467, his nephew, King James III, gave James Stewart and his wife some lands. These included the areas of Strathalva and Down. They also received Banff Castle and the fishing rights in the River Deveron. Two years later, in 1469, King James III made James Stewart the Earl of Buchan. This was the first time someone was given this title in its third creation.
The King also gave the Traquair estate to William Rogers, a famous musician. Rogers sold these lands to James Stewart in 1478 for a small amount of money.
Loyalty to the King
When some powerful nobles from the south of Scotland rebelled against King James III, the Earl of Buchan stayed loyal. The King moved his army north of the River Forth. There, many loyal forces joined him. He then marched south and met the rebellious nobles near Blackness. The Earl of Buchan led an attack and pushed back the left side of the rebel army.
Discussions began to try and make peace. The Earl of Buchan wanted to punish the rebellious nobles severely. However, other loyal nobles like George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly, and William Hay, 3rd Earl of Erroll, disagreed. They left for the north. It soon became clear that Buchan's idea was right. A peace agreement was made in May 1488. The nobles promised to be loyal again and keep the peace. The King then sent his army home and returned to Edinburgh.
The Battle of Sauchieburn
However, the rebellion did not truly end. On June 11, 1488, the Battle of Sauchieburn took place. King James III was defeated and killed in this battle. The winning nobles spent the night on the battlefield. The next morning, they went to Linlithgow. They announced their victory and took control of the royal treasury and the government.
The Earls of Buchan, Huntly, and Lennox, along with Lord Forbes and others who had fought for King James III, were called to Parliament. They faced charges of treason, which means betraying the king.
Pardon and Later Life
Parliament met in Edinburgh on October 6, 1488. They discussed what to do with those accused of treason. The Earl of Buchan accepted his fault and was forgiven. He was allowed to return to his position of power. The other nobles who were called did not show up. Because of this, their lands were taken by Parliament.
In 1491, Buchan gave the Traquair estate to his son, James Stewart. The Earl of Buchan died in 1499. His son, Alexander, became the 2nd Earl of Buchan.
Family Life
Before 1467, James Stewart married Margaret Ogilvie. She was the heir to Sir Alexander Ogilvie of Auchterhouse. They had two children:
- Alexander Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan (died 1505)
- Lady Agnes Stewart, who had children with King James IV of Scotland. Her daughter, Lady Janet Stewart, later had children with King Henry II of France.
Buchan also had several children with Margaret Murray (born around 1446). Many of these children were later officially recognized by a royal document in 1488–1489.
- James Stewart, 1st Laird of Traquair (1480–1513), was the start of the Traquair family line. His father gave him the Traquair estate in 1491. He was officially recognized as a legitimate son. He married an heiress from the Rutherfords, which brought him the estates of Rutherford and Wells. He was killed at the Battle of Flodden. He was an ancestor of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair.
- Lady Agnes Stewart, who married four times. Her first husband was Adam Hepburn, 2nd Earl of Bothwell, in August 1511. He was killed at the Battle of Flodden on September 9, 1513. She died in February 1557.
- Elene or Ellen Stewart, who was given the right to arrange the marriage of William Sinclair in December 1511. William was the son of Oliver Sinclair of Roslin.
