Sir James Balfour, 1st Baronet of Denmilne and Kinnaird facts for kids

Sir James Balfour (born around 1600, died 1657) was an important Scottish historian and collector of old things. He lived in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. He was known for writing down events and collecting old documents.

Sir James Balfour, c. 1640

About Sir James Balfour

James Balfour was the son of Sir Michael Balfour and Joanna Durham. His family lived at Denmylne Castle in Fife.

King Charles I made James Balfour a knight in 1630. In the same year, he became the Lord Lyon King of Arms. This was a very important job in Scotland. The Lord Lyon is in charge of coats of arms and ceremonies. In 1633, he was made a baronet of Kinnaird. This meant he had a special title.

Later, Oliver Cromwell removed him from his job. Sir James Balfour passed away in 1657.

Many of his writings are kept safe today. You can find them at the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh. His Annales of Scotland were published in four books. These books tell about events in Scottish history.

Coat of Arms

Arms of Sir James Balfour of Denmilne and Kinnaird

Escutcheon Or on a chevron sable between three trefoils slipped vert an otter's head erased argent. Previous versions His arms were also blazoned as: Or, on a chevron sable between three cinquefoils vert an otter's head erased of the field.

His Library

Sir James Balfour loved collecting old handwritten books. These are called manuscripts. He had a very large collection. Many of his manuscripts were bought by the Faculty of Advocates in 1698. Today, these important documents are kept at the National Library of Scotland.