Robert Moray facts for kids

Sir Robert Moray (also spelled Murrey or Murray) was an important Scottish person who lived from 1608 or 1609 to 1673. He was many things: a soldier, a government official, a diplomat (someone who handles relations between countries), a judge, and even a spy! He was also a "natural philosopher," which was what scientists were called back then.

Robert Moray knew King Charles I and King Charles II of Scotland very well. He also knew powerful French leaders like Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin. He played a huge part in starting the Royal Society, a famous group for scientists. He convinced King Charles II to officially approve the Royal Society and helped write its rules. He also helped start modern Freemasonry in Great Britain.

Early Life and Learning

Robert Moray was the older of two sons. His father was Sir Mungo Moray of Craigie, a "laird" (a Scottish landowner). His family had connections to important people, including an uncle who worked for Prince Henry Frederick.

Some people thought Robert Moray went to the University of St Andrews in Scotland and then studied more in France. However, Moray himself joked in a letter that he had "scarcely ever farrer East then Cowper" (meaning he hadn't traveled much further east than Cupar, which is west of St Andrews). His name also isn't in the university's records.

In 1633, he joined the Garde Écossaise (Scottish Guard). This was a special group of Scottish soldiers who fought for King Louis XIII of France. Moray became a favorite of Cardinal Richelieu, a very powerful French leader. Richelieu used Moray as a spy. In 1638, Richelieu made Moray a Lieutenant Colonel and sent him to join the Covenanter army in Scotland. This army was fighting against the King's religious policies.

Moray was good at military engineering, which is about designing and building military structures. He became a high-ranking officer in the Scottish Army that went into England in 1640. This was during the Second Bishops' War, and they captured Newcastle upon Tyne.

On May 20, 1641, Robert Moray became a Freemason in Edinburgh. Even though it was a Scottish group, this happened in England. This is the earliest known record of someone joining Freemasonry in England. After this, he often used a pentagram (a five-pointed star) as his special mark on his letters.

His Work in Government

By 1643, Robert Moray was back in France. He was captured in November of that year but was later set free. After the death of the Earl of Irvine, Moray took over command of the Garde Écossaise.

Moray helped convince the Prince of Wales, who would become King Charles II, to visit Scotland. Charles II was crowned King of Scots at Scone on January 1, 1651. Charles then tried to take back England from Scotland, but he lost a big battle in September 1651 and had to escape to France.

In Scotland, Moray became a judge called the Lord Justice Clerk. He also became a Privy Councillor (an advisor to the King) and a Lord of Session (another type of judge) in 1651. He married Sophia Lindsay, but sadly, she died during childbirth in 1653, and her baby was stillborn. Moray joined a Scottish uprising in 1653, but it was stopped by Oliver Cromwell's forces. Moray then left Scotland and lived in Europe until 1659, when he joined King Charles II in Paris.

Starting the Royal Society

After King Charles II got his throne back, Robert Moray was one of the people who started the Royal Society. This first meeting happened on November 28, 1660, at Gresham College in London. Many important people were there, including Christopher Wren, a famous architect.

Moray was very important in getting the Royal Society its Royal Charter. This was an official document from the King that gave the society special rights and powers. He also helped write the rules and laws for the new group. Moray was the first President of the Royal Society. Even today, the society holds its yearly meeting on Saint Andrew's Day (November 30), which is Scotland's patron saint day. This shows how important Moray was in starting the society.

Scientific Discoveries

Robert Moray also made important observations about tides. Before King Charles II returned to power, Moray spent several weeks on the island of Great Bernera in Scotland. He noticed that the usual twice-a-day tides there were mixed with strong daily tidal currents between the nearby islands.

Moray told the Royal Society about these "extraordinary tydes" in 1665. The society published his findings in their first science journal, Philosophical Transactions. It took almost 200 years for scientists to confirm Moray's description with modern measurements. In 1968, the reason for these tides was finally explained using the theory of "continental shelf waves."

In 1666, Moray wrote a paper called Considerations and Enquiries concerning Tides. In it, he said that people should carefully watch and measure tides. He also suggested using "stilling-wells" as tide gauges. These are special wells that help measure the exact height of the tide. This was the first time this idea was written down in a scientific paper.

Later Years

Robert Moray became an advisor to the King again in 1661. He also became a Lord of the Exchequer, which meant he helped manage the country's money. His younger brother, Sir William Moray, was in charge of the King's building projects in Scotland.

The King gave Robert Moray an apartment at the Palace of Whitehall in London. There, he did many experiments in chemistry. As he got older, he became more private. By the time he died, he was very poor. However, King Charles II ordered that he be buried in Westminster Abbey, a very famous church where many important people are laid to rest. His grave doesn't have a marker, but his name is on a stone near other famous writers in "Poets' Corner."

Moray had many well-known friends, including the mathematician James Gregory, the famous diarist Samuel Pepys, and the writer John Evelyn.

His Impact and Legacy

Robert Moray's importance is now being recognized more in Scotland, where he was born. In 1969, a special masonic research group called Lodge Sir Robert Moray, No.1641, was started in Edinburgh to honor him.