Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd facts for kids

Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd (died around 1482) was an important Scottish leader. He served as the Lord Chamberlain of Scotland starting in 1467. This job meant he was in charge of the king's household and money.

Robert Boyd's Life and Rise to Power

Robert Boyd became a knight, which was a special honor. He was then made a Peer of Parliament (Lord Boyd) by James II of Scotland. This happened sometime between 1451 and 1454, when he took his seat in the Scottish Parliament.

Helping the Young King

In 1460, Robert Boyd became one of the Regents for King James III. A regent is someone who rules the country when the king is too young. In 1464, he also helped make a peace agreement with Edward IV of England at York.

Taking Control of the King

Lord Boyd and his brother, Sir Alexander Boyd, made a plan to take control of the young King James III in 1466. After this, the Parliament made Robert Boyd the sole Governor of Scotland. He also became the Lord Chamberlain of Scotland for life and the Lord Justice General, which meant he was the main judge.

A Risky Marriage

Early in 1467, Lord Boyd arranged for his oldest son, Thomas, to marry Mary Stewart, Princess of Scotland. Mary was King James III's older sister. Thomas was made Earl of Arran for this special occasion. This marriage made other powerful nobles very jealous. King James III also saw his sister's marriage as a great insult. This event eventually led to Lord Boyd's downfall.

Gaining the Orkney Islands

In 1468, Lord Boyd helped Scotland gain the Orkney Islands. He got them from Christian I, who was the King of Norway. Lord Boyd was also negotiating a marriage between King James III and Christian I's daughter, Margaret.

Downfall and Exile

While Lord Boyd was away for these negotiations, he, his son Thomas, and his brother Sir Alexander Boyd were accused of high treason. This meant they were accused of betraying the king. Because of this, Lord Boyd lost his title and power. He fled to Alnwick in Northumberland, England, in 1469. He lived there until his death, which was before October 1482.

Historians say that Lord Boyd was a very ambitious leader. Taking control of a young king was a common way to gain power in Scotland back then, but it was also very dangerous. Lord Boyd made a big mistake by marrying his son to the King's sister, which the King never forgave.

Robert Boyd's Family

Robert Boyd came from an old and respected family. An earlier Sir Robert Boyd had fought alongside famous Scottish heroes like Sir William Wallace and Robert The Bruce. Robert Boyd was the son of Sir Thomas Boyd of Kilmarnock.

Robert married Mariot (also known as Janet), who was the daughter of Sir John Maxwell. Mariot died around 1473. Robert and Mariot had three sons:

• Thomas, Earl of Arran: He was in Denmark when his father lost power. He still brought the king's bride, Margaret, to Scotland. After being warned by his wife, he escaped to Europe. Not much is known about what happened to him after that.
• Alexander: He became the head of the family later, after his older brother Thomas's son, James, died.
• Archibald of Nariston: He was later known as Archibald of Bonshaw. He had a lease for land called Bonschaw and Dririg in 1502 with his wife, Christine Mure. Archibald died before 1507. He and Christine had two sons and three daughters. One of their daughters, Marion Boyd, had children with King James IV.