John Hamilton-Leslie, 9th Earl of Rothes facts for kids

Portrait of John Leslie, Earl of Rothes

John Hamilton-Leslie (born in 1679, died in 1722) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was known as the 9th Earl of Rothes. He played a key role in Scottish history, especially during a time of conflict called the Jacobite rising of 1715. John Hamilton-Leslie supported King George I against those who wanted a different king.

Who Was John Hamilton-Leslie?

John Hamilton-Leslie was born in 1679. He was the oldest son of Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Haddington and Margaret Leslie. His mother was the 8th Countess of Rothes. In 1701, John became the Earl of Rothes after his mother. This made him the leader of Clan Leslie, a large Scottish family group. His younger brother later became the Earl of Haddington.

On April 29, 1697, John Hamilton-Leslie married Lady Jean Hay. She was the daughter of John Hay, 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale. They had a large family together.

Important Roles and Titles

John Hamilton-Leslie held many important jobs in Scotland. In 1704, he was given the role of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland. This was a very trusted position.

In 1707, a big change happened in Great Britain. The Acts of Union joined the English and Scottish Parliaments. After this, John Hamilton-Leslie was chosen as one of 16 Scottish Representative peers. These peers would sit in the English House of Lords. He served in this role until 1722.

In 1714, King George I gave John Hamilton-Leslie another important job. He was made Vice Admiral of Scotland. This meant he was in charge of naval matters for Scotland.

Fighting in the Jacobite Rising

In 1715, a major rebellion known as the Jacobite rising of 1715 broke out. This was a fight over who should be king. John Hamilton-Leslie strongly supported King George I. He fought against the "pretender," James Francis Edward Stuart, who wanted the throne.

John Hamilton-Leslie showed great bravery and leadership during this time. In a small fight at Kinross, he led a group of soldiers called the Scots Greys. They defeated the Jacobites and captured one of their leaders, Sir Thomas Bruce.

Later, at the Battle of Sheriffmuir, he led a group of volunteer fighters. He also gathered a local army in Fife to fight against the forces of Rob Roy MacGregor in Falkland, Fife. John Hamilton-Leslie even turned his own home, Leslie House, into a strong military base to protect it.

After the Conflict

After the Jacobites were defeated in 1716, King George I rewarded John Hamilton-Leslie. He was made governor of Stirling Castle. This was to make up for any property he lost during the rebellion. He remained in charge of Stirling Castle until 1722. He was also named chamberlain (a manager of royal property) for the areas of Fife and Strathearn.

His Later Years

John Hamilton-Leslie died on May 9, 1722, at his home, Leslie House.