Robert Kerr, 1st Earl of Ancram facts for kids
Robert Kerr, 1st Earl of Ancram (born around 1578, died 1654) was an important Scottish nobleman, politician, and writer. A nobleman is a person of high rank in society, often with special titles. As a politician, he was involved in the government. He was also known for his writing.
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Robert Kerr's Early Life
Robert Kerr came from a family connected to Sir Andrew Kerr of Ferniehurst. He owned the land of Ancrum in Roxburghshire, Scotland. His father was William Kerr of Ancrum, and his mother was Margaret Dundas.
Robert was born around 1578. He became the head of his family's estate in 1590 after his father passed away. His father was killed because of a disagreement over who should be in charge of Jedburgh town.
Life at Court
From a young age, Robert Kerr was favored by the king. When King James became king of England, Robert got an important job. He worked in the homes of Prince Henry and Princess Elizabeth at Oatlands Palace. He was made a knight, probably in 1605. This meant he had a special title of "Sir."
After Prince Henry died in 1612, Robert Kerr began working for Prince Charles. He became a "gentleman of the bedchamber." This was a trusted position where he helped the prince personally. Prince Charles became a very important supporter for Robert throughout his life. Charles even helped arrange Robert's second marriage to Lady Anne Stanley.
A Difficult Time and New Interests
In 1620, Robert Kerr was involved in a serious argument with Charles Maxwell. This led to a duel, which was a formal fight between two people. Sadly, Sir Robert killed Maxwell in the duel. Even though Maxwell's friends said Robert was not to blame, the king had strict rules against duels. Because of these rules, Robert had to leave the country.
He went to Holland and stayed there for about a year. During this time, he started collecting paintings. Like the prince, he had a good eye for art. When he returned, he gave the paintings he collected to Prince Charles. Robert was also interested in books and writing. He was a friend of the famous writer John Donne. He also lived in important places like Whitehall Palace and Kew.
Political Career and Titles
When Charles I became king in 1625, Sir Robert Kerr was again made a gentleman of the bedchamber. This showed how much the king trusted him.
He also became a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to represent an area in the country's government. He was an MP for different areas in 1625 and 1628.
In June 1629, Robert Kerr visited Scotland. He brought a special gift from King Charles I to Lady Yester. It was a beautiful jeweled hair decoration. He also shared King Charles's thanks to Lady Seton for taking care of him when he was a child.
On June 24, 1633, King Charles was in Scotland for his coronation. During this time, Robert Kerr was given a very high honor. He was made a "peer" and given the titles Earl of Ancram and Lord Kerr. This meant he became a member of the nobility with a special rank.
Robert already had a son named William from his first marriage. William had married a relative, Anne, who was already a Countess. The king had also made William an Earl, with the title Earl of Lothian. So, it was decided that Robert's new title, Earl of Ancram, would pass down to the children from his second marriage. This meant Robert was the father of two Earls!
Loyalty and Later Life
Unlike some others, the Earl of Ancram stayed loyal to King Charles I during all his difficult times. Even when his oldest son, the Earl of Lothian, supported the other side, Robert remained loyal to the king.
After King Charles died, Robert Kerr went to Holland for safety. He spent the rest of his life there. He faced hard times and did not have much money. He passed away in 1654 when he was 76 years old. The famous artist Jan Lievens painted a wonderful picture of him.
His son Charles inherited his title. Eventually, the title of Earl of Ancram joined with the title of Earl of Lothian.
Family
Robert Kerr had two sons from his first marriage to Elizabeth Murray:
- Stanley Kerr (died before May 1672)
- William Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian (born before 1615, died around October 1675)
He had one son and two daughters from his second marriage to Anne, who was the daughter of William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby:
- Charles Kerr, 2nd Earl of Ancram (born August 6, 1624, died September 1690)
- Vere Kerr
- Elizabeth Kerr
