Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth facts for kids

Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth (born 1661 – died 1701) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was also known as Lord Mackenzie of Kintail before 1678. Kenneth was a strong supporter of King James II, who was removed from the throne during a time called the Glorious Revolution.

Life of Kenneth Mackenzie

Kenneth Mackenzie was the oldest son of Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth. His mother's name was Isabel.

In 1678, Kenneth became the Earl of Seaforth after his father passed away. He also became a member of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1686. This was a group of important advisors to the king. A year later, he became one of the first knights of the Order of the Thistle, a special group of Scottish knights.

When King James II lost his throne in 1688 during the Glorious Revolution, Kenneth Mackenzie stayed loyal to him. He followed King James to France and then to Ireland. He was even there during the Siege of Derry, a famous battle.

Because of his strong support for King James, Kenneth was given a new title by James in 1690: Marquess of Seaforth. This was part of the Jacobite Peerage, which were titles given by King James after he lost his throne. Kenneth was then sent back to Scotland to lead a rebellion. However, he was soon captured and put in prison.

After a battle called Killiecrankie, King James wanted Kenneth to lead his supporters in Scotland. Kenneth's home, Brahan Castle, was even used by government soldiers for a while.

Later, Kenneth planned to join other supporters of King James. But when he heard they had been defeated, he tried to make a deal with the government. He said he had only pretended to join the rebellion. He offered to promise that he would behave peacefully in the future.

However, the government wanted him to surrender. Kenneth agreed to be held in Inverness, but he wanted it to look like he was captured by force. This was so his clan wouldn't think he gave up easily. But when the soldiers came, he changed his mind, saying he was too sick for prison.

The government then threatened his people. To protect them, Kenneth finally surrendered and was held in Inverness Castle. He was later moved to Edinburgh Castle in 1690. He stayed in prison until 1692, when he was allowed to live freely within ten miles of Edinburgh.

He was arrested again in 1692 and sent back to Inverness Castle. He was finally set free in 1697. After his release, he went to France and passed away in Paris in January 1701.

Family

Kenneth Mackenzie married Lady Frances Herbert in 1680. She was the daughter of William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis. Kenneth and Frances had two children:

Sources

• Cracroft's Peerage, Release 6.1