John Erskine, Earl of Mar (1558–1634) facts for kids
John Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar (born around 1558 – died 14 December 1634) was an important Scottish politician. He was the only son of another John Erskine and Annabella Murray. He is known as both the 19th Earl of Mar (from an older family line) and the 2nd Earl (from a newer line).
Contents
A Young Earl and Royal Guardian
John Erskine was born in 1558, but we don't know the exact date. He grew up with King James VI of Scotland, and they were both taught by a famous scholar named George Buchanan.
When his father died in 1572, John became the Earl of Mar. He was still quite young. He was also made the guardian of the young King James, who was about seven years younger than him. The King lived with John at Stirling Castle. However, John was often controlled by the powerful regent, James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton. When Morton was arrested, John lost some of his power.
Family Life and Marriages
John Erskine married his first wife, Anne Drummond, in October 1580. Sadly, Anne died young in 1587. They had one son, John Erskine, who later became the next Earl.
In December 1592, John married his second wife, Marie Stewart. She was the daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox. Their wedding was at Holyroodhouse. Marie was Catholic, which caused some people to disagree with the marriage. They had five sons and one daughter.
Challenges and Royal Favor
John Erskine was involved in a plot to capture King James VI in 1582. This event was called the Raid of Ruthven. When the King escaped, John had to flee to England. Queen Elizabeth I tried to help him, but it didn't work at first.
In 1585, John and his friends gathered an army. They met the King at Stirling and soon gained control. John was given back his lands and titles. From then on, he was very close to the King. He became the governor of Edinburgh Castle. Later, he became the tutor, or teacher, for James's son, Prince Henry.
One of his biggest achievements was getting back the Mar family lands. These lands had been taken by the Crown a long time ago. This included Kildrummy Castle, which was the main home of the earldom.
Looking After Prince Henry
On 21 February 1594, John was officially made the Keeper and Governor of Prince Henry. The Prince was to stay at Stirling Castle. John even took part in a special event for Prince Henry's baptism. He dressed as a "Christian Knight" with the King.
John's role in keeping the Prince led to some disagreements with Anne of Denmark, the Queen. In June 1595, King James wrote a note to John. It said that if James died, John should not give Prince Henry to the Queen or the Parliament of Scotland until the Prince was 18. The Queen was upset and refused to speak to John for a while.
Working for the Crown
Diplomacy with England
John Erskine often wrote letters to important people in England, like the Earl of Essex. In 1601, he was sent to London as an ambassador. There, Queen Elizabeth I promised him that James would be her successor. John handled this mission very carefully. After his visit, the money given to King James by England was increased. Queen Elizabeth also gave John a beautiful silver basin and laver set with jewels.
John was also part of a secret plan to help James become King of England. He and other trusted people talked with English diplomats to make this happen.
The Union of the Crowns
In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died. As a result, James VI became King of England as well. This important event was called the Union of the Crowns. John Erskine had hoped for this to happen.
When James traveled to England, John stayed at Stirling Castle with Prince Henry. While John was away, Queen Anne of Denmark tried to take Prince Henry from the castle. John's wife, Marie Stewart, and his son refused to let her. The Queen became very upset.
When John returned, he apologized for the trouble. He explained that he had heard of a plot to take Prince Henry away. King James wrote to Queen Anne, telling her to trust John. John later apologized to Queen Anne at Windsor Castle.
John joined the English privy council, a group of royal advisors. He was also given several large estates in England. He was made Lord Cardross in 1610. From 1615 to 1630, he served as the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, managing the country's money.
In 1612, John asked King James if a certain Scottish lord could be made a Baron. The King replied that there were already too many Scottish noblemen. This caused problems in England and was not good for the Union of the Crowns.
King James visited Scotland in 1617. On his way back, he asked John to send him some special hunting dogs. In 1620, John, as treasurer, paid for the King's falconer to travel to Orkney and Shetland to find hawks. In 1621, King James asked for fir tree seeds for a duke to plant.
John Erskine died at Stirling on 14 December 1634. A painting of him from 1626 shows him at 64 years old.
Royal Jewels and Gardens
Looking After the King's Jewels
Sometimes, King James would leave his valuable jewels with John Erskine for safekeeping. He also used them as a guarantee for loans. In December 1601, John returned several pieces. These included a cross with diamonds and rubies, a hat string with many diamonds, and a special "A" shaped jewel for Queen Anne.
Gardens at Stirling Castle
In June 1625, King Charles I asked John Erskine to find a skilled gardener from England. This gardener was to live at Stirling Castle and fix the orchards. A man named William Watts was chosen. In 1629, fruit trees for the Stirling gardens were shipped from London. They were delivered to John's gardener, David Erskine, at Alloa.
Family and Descendants
John Erskine had children from both of his marriages.
With his first wife, Anne Drummond, he had one son:
- John (born around 1585 – died 1654), who became the next Earl of Mar.
With his second wife, Marie Stewart, he had five sons, including:
- James Erskine (died 1640)
- Henry Erskine, Master of Cardross (died 1628), whose son David Erskine later became Lord Cardross.
- Charles Erskine, whose family later became the Earls of Rosslyn.
- Alexander Erskine.
One of John's sons was baptized at Stirling on 20 July 1595, with King James VI as a godparent.
