Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matthew Stewart
4th Earl of Lennox
Born	21 December 1516 Dumbarton Castle, Scotland
Died	4 September 1571(1571-09-04) (aged 54) Stirling Castle, Scotland
Noble family	Stewart of Darnley
Spouse(s)	Lady Margaret Douglas
Issue more...	Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley Charles Stuart, 5th Earl of Lennox
Father	John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox
Mother	Elizabeth Stewart

Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox (born 21 September 1516 – died 4 September 1571) was an important leader among the Catholic nobles in Scotland. He is famous for being the grandfather of King James VI of Scotland and I of England. He also owned a large estate called Temple Newsam in Yorkshire, England.

Family Background

Matthew Stewart was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox (who died in 1526). His mother was Lady Elizabeth Stewart. She was the daughter of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl.

Fighting for Power (1543–1547)

Matthew Stewart became the Earl of Lennox when his father died in 1526. His mother sent him and his younger brother, John, to France. There, they were looked after by their great-uncle, Robert Stewart. He helped them join the Garde Écossaise, a special guard unit.

When King James V of Scotland died in 1542, Matthew Stewart was asked to return to Scotland. He arrived in March 1543. This was just days after Parliament had named James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran as the Regent. A Regent is someone who rules a country when the king or queen is too young. At this time, the queen, Mary Queen of Scots, was just a baby.

Both Arran and Lennox believed they had a right to the Scottish throne. They were both related to King James II of Scotland. Arran had a stronger claim, but Lennox said Arran was not legitimate.

Arran made a deal with England called the Treaty of Greenwich in 1543. This treaty planned for Mary to marry Prince Edward Tudor, the son of King Henry VIII of England. Regent Arran began to make Linlithgow Palace stronger. This was where Queen Mary was staying with her mother, Mary of Guise.

Lennox then joined forces with Cardinal Beaton, who was against the English marriage. Their forces gathered near the palace, but they did not have enough cannons to attack. The Cardinal's group signed a secret agreement to stop the English marriage plan. They met with Arran's men and agreed that Arran would rule with a council. They also agreed that Mary would be moved to Stirling Castle. Lennox helped escort Mary to Stirling on 26 July 1543.

Lennox had hoped to marry Mary of Guise, the Queen's mother. But by September, he was offered the chance to marry Lady Margaret Douglas. She was the daughter of Queen Margaret Tudor and half-sister of the late King James V. Lennox then took French money and cannons that were meant for Mary of Guise. After this, Mary of Guise offered Lennox the chance to marry her daughter, Queen Mary.

When the Scottish Parliament rejected the Greenwich treaty, Lennox changed sides. He began to support King Henry VIII's efforts to make Queen Mary marry his son. This conflict was known as the Rough Wooing.

In the summer of 1544, Lennox attacked the Isle of Arran. He also took control of the Isle of Bute and Rothesay Castle. He had 18 ships and 800 men from King Henry VIII. At the Battle of Glasgow Muir, his army pushed back Arran's forces. They even captured Arran's cannons. However, Arran's side won the battle. About 300 people died on both sides. Lennox went back to Dumbarton Castle.

After talking with his English officers, Lennox attacked Dunoon Castle. He also burned the nearby village and church. He then destroyed a large part of Kintyre. But since he could not get back Dumbarton Castle, he sailed back to England around 28 May 1544. He stayed for a while at Wressle Castle. King Henry VIII later gave him special permission to live in England in July 1544.

Lennox joined the English invasion force in September 1547. Before the main English army reached Edinburgh for the Battle of Pinkie, Lennox led a smaller attack. He and Thomas Wharton led 5,000 men. They captured Castlemilk and burned Annan. This happened after a tough fight to take its church, which was fortified.

Later Life

For some time, Lennox and his family lived at Whorlton Castle in North Yorkshire. King Henry VIII had given him this castle and its land. Later, a house was built next to the castle's gatehouse by the Lennox family.

In August 1548, Lennox made four promises to Mary of Guise. He did this so she would agree to her daughter Queen Mary's marriage to King Francis II of France. He promised that he and his friends would keep the Catholic faith in Scotland. He also promised to protect the Auld Alliance (Scotland's old friendship with France). He said Guise would remain Queen Mary's guardian. Finally, he promised to punish anyone who supported the King of England.

Lennox returned to Scotland in October 1564. Queen Elizabeth I of England had asked him to come back. This was during talks about Queen Mary of Scots' marriage. He stayed at Holyrood Palace. The queen's tapestry worker even fixed a special velvet bed for him. Lennox gave Mary a "marvellous fair and rich" jewel. He also gave her a clock and a looking glass with precious stones. He gave diamond rings to several courtiers and gifts to the queen's four Maries.

Lennox quickly became the most powerful lord in the Glasgow area. He was very important in arranging the marriage of his older son, Lord Darnley, to Queen Mary. Queen Elizabeth I was not happy about this marriage. She had Lennox's wife, Margaret, held in the Tower of London. By August 1565, William Cecil heard that Lennox's son, Lord Darnley, had become very rude. This made Lennox leave the Scottish court.

In early 1567, his older son Lord Darnley was murdered. Lennox then strongly pushed for justice against the lords who were involved. He also became the main witness against Queen Mary. Her possible involvement in the murder, thought to be done by her later husband, Lord Bothwell, is still debated by historians.

Death

In 1570, Lennox became the regent for his grandson, King James VI of Scotland. But Queen Mary's supporters declared war against him. He was shot and killed the next year during a fight. This happened when the Queen's party attacked Stirling. The attack on Stirling took place on 4 September 1571. It was led by George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly, Claude Hamilton, and others. Some early reports said he was killed by his own side. But William Kirkcaldy of Grange said the shot came from the Queen's party. Another account names David Bochinant as the person who shot him.

Lennox is believed to have been buried inside the "King's Chapel" at Stirling Castle. This was an unusual place for a burial. The exact spot of his burial has not been fully found. Archaeologists found a burial in an old chapel site at the Castle, called the Governor's Kitchen. Tests show it is from the correct time period. This could be Lennox's burial site.

Marriage and Children

In 1544, Matthew Stewart married Lady Margaret Douglas. She was the daughter of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. Her mother was the Dowager Queen Margaret Tudor. Lady Margaret Douglas had a claim to the English throne.

Matthew and Margaret had these children:

• Henry Stuart (1544–1544), who died soon after he was born.
• Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1546–1567), born at Temple Newsam. He married Mary, Queen of Scots, who was the daughter of King James V. Their son became King James VI of Scotland and I of England.
• Philip Stuart (1556).
• Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox (1557–1576). In 1574, he married Elizabeth Cavendish. She was the daughter of Sir William Cavendish and Elizabeth Hardwick. Their daughter was Lady Arbella Stuart.