John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl facts for kids

John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (born around 1437–1442, died 15 September 1512), was an important Scottish nobleman. He was also known as Sir John Stewart of Balveny. He served his country as an ambassador.

Who Was John Stewart?

John Stewart was the oldest child of Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland. She was the widow of James I of Scotland. His father was Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn.

Becoming an Earl and Ambassador

Around 1457, John Stewart was given the title of Earl of Atholl. This made him the first earl of Atholl in a new creation of the title. He is thought to have helped stop a big rebellion. This rebellion was led by John Macdonald, 11th Earl of Ross. He was the last of the powerful Lords of the Isles.

In 1484, John Stewart became an ambassador to England. This meant he represented Scotland in another country. An 18th-century historian named William Guthrie wrote about him. He believed John Stewart, Earl of Atholl, died in the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He was buried in Dunkeld Cathedral in Perthshire.

His Family Life

John Stewart married two times during his life. He had several children. It is not completely clear how many children he had. Also, it's sometimes hard to know which mother each child belonged to.

Children from His First Marriage

His first wife was Lady Margaret Douglas, Fair Maid of Galloway. She was the daughter of Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas. Margaret had been married twice before. She married John Stewart around 1459 or 1460. She passed away between 1473 and 1475. They had two daughters together:

• Lady Elizabeth Stewart, who married Andrew Gray, 2nd Lord Gray.
• Lady Christian Stewart, who married Neil Stewart of Garth.

Children from His Second Marriage

Before April 1475, John Stewart married his second wife. She was Lady Eleanor Sinclair. She died on March 21, 1518. Eleanor was the daughter of William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. John and Eleanor had two sons and nine daughters:

• John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl, who married Lady Janet Campbell.
• Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Caithness.
• Lady Jean (or Janet) Stewart, who married James Arbuthnott of Arbuthnott.
• Lady Catherine Stewart, who married John Forbes, 6th Lord Forbes.
• Lady Elizabeth (Elspeth) Stewart, who married Sir Robert Innes, 2nd of Innermarky.
• Lady Marjory Stewart, who married Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy.
• Lady Margaret Stewart, who married William Murray of Castleton. He died at the Battle of Flodden. Her family line leads to the Dukes of Atholl.
• Lady Elizabeth Stewart I, who married Alexander Robertson of Strowan.
• Lady Elizabeth (or Isabel) Stewart II, who married John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox.
• Lady Jean Stewart, who married Robert Gordon of Pitlurg.
• Lady Margaret Stewart, who married Robert Robertson, the Younger, of Strowan.