John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Leslie
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| Duke of Rothes | |
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| Born | c. 1630 |
| Died | 27 July 1681 (aged 50–51) Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Crawford-Lindsay |
| Issue | Margaret Leslie, 8th Countess of Rothes Lady Christian Leslie |
| Father | John Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes |
| Mother | Lady Anne Erskine |
John Leslie (born around 1630, died 27 July 1681) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was the 7th Earl of Rothes and later became the 1st Duke of Rothes. His father was John Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes. John Leslie's family was very old and connected to Scottish royalty. They were even related to the Stuarts and the Bruces, who were famous Scottish royal families.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Leslie was born in 1630. When he was ten years old, his mother passed away. The very next year, his father died too. This meant John became the Earl of Rothes at a young age.
He was then looked after by John Lindsay, 17th Earl of Crawford. John Leslie was even promised in marriage to Crawford's daughter, Anne. Because of many wars happening at the time, John's schooling was not very good.
A writer named Burnet once said that John Leslie "had no advantage of education." He meant that John didn't get much formal learning. He also didn't travel to other countries. Burnet thought that John Leslie relied mostly on his natural abilities.
Captured and Released
In 1651, John Leslie was captured during the Battle of Worcester. His lands and money were taken away by the government. On 18 September, he was sent to the Tower of London, a famous prison.
He was later given a bit more freedom. On 18 July 1652, he was allowed to go up to ten miles away from London. He was also allowed to visit Scotland for three months in 1652, 1653, and 1654. In 1654 and 1655, he could stay in Newcastle for six months.
In January 1657, he got permission to visit Scotland again. Some say this was thanks to Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart. However, in January 1658, he was put in Edinburgh Castle by Oliver Cromwell. He was released in December of that year.
Working for the King
When King Charles II returned to Britain in 1660, John Leslie was one of the first important people to meet him. On 20 December, he was made a colonel in a Fife army group.
King Charles II gave John Leslie many important jobs. He became the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, which meant he managed the country's money. He was also the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. This seal was used to make official documents legal.
In 1667, he became the Lord Chancellor of Scotland for life. This was a very powerful legal position. He also became the President of the Privy Council of Scotland. He even carried the sword of state at King Charles II's coronation ceremony.
More Titles and Changes
In 1663, John Leslie took over as Lord High Treasurer from his father-in-law. He also became a special advisor to the King in England. He was made Captain of the King's personal guards and a general of the Scottish army.
In the same year, 1663, he was given back his title of Earl of Rothes. He also received a new title: Lord Leslie and Ballinbreich.
John Leslie was known for being very strict with a group called the Covenanters. He was also criticized for not protecting the town of Leith well enough from attacks by the Dutch. Because of these issues, on 16 April 1667, he lost all his important jobs.
However, in October, he was made Lord Chancellor for life again. Thanks to the Duke of York, on 29 May 1680, John Leslie was given even higher titles. He became the Duke of Rothes, Marquis of Balleobreich, Earl of Leslie, Viscount of Lugton, and Lord Auchmutie and Caskiebery.
Family and Legacy
John Leslie married Anne Crawford-Lindsay. She was the daughter of John Lindsay, 17th Earl of Crawford. John Leslie built a grand house called the Palace of Leslie, also known as Leslie House. Sadly, most of it burned down in a fire on Christmas Day in 1763.
John Leslie passed away at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh on 27 July 1681. He was given a very grand state funeral. The funeral procession was incredibly long, stretching over 27 kilometers (17 miles).
It included many ceremonial guards, soldiers, banners, trumpets, and coaches. This huge funeral was so expensive that it caused his family to go into great debt. He left this large debt to his daughter, Margaret Leslie.
His Daughters
John Leslie had two daughters:
- Margaret, who married Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Haddington.
- Christian (born 1661, died 1710).
Because John Leslie did not have any sons, his title of Duke of Rothes ended when he died. However, the title of Earl of Rothes was passed on to his daughter, Margaret.
