Stewart of Darnley facts for kids
The Stewart of Darnley family was an important Scottish family. They were a branch of the Clan Stewart. This family later provided the male line for the English Stuart kings and queens. This happened when their branch joined with the royal Scottish branch.
In 1565, the Darnley branch re-joined the Royal House of Stewart. This happened when Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley married his cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. Even though they both had the last name Stewart, they were not closely related through that name. They were actually ninth cousins once removed through their male family lines. Their close connection came from their shared grandmother, Margaret Tudor. She was the daughter of King Henry VII of England. This link gave both Mary and Lord Darnley a claim to the English throne. Their son, James VI of Scotland, later became King James I of England and Ireland.
Lord Darnley's claim to the Scottish throne also did not come from being a Stewart. Instead, he got his claim through his great-grandmother, Elizabeth Hamilton, Countess of Lennox. She was a granddaughter of King James II.
The later English kings and queens of the House of Stuart, like James I and Charles I, were truly part of the Stewart of Darnley family. They all used their family history from Lennox.
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Family Beginnings and Name
The Stewarts of Darnley came from Sir John Stewart (who died in 1298). He was the second son of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland. Their name comes from Derneley, which was a special land area called a barony. This barony was in Eastwood parish, Renfrewshire, Scotland. It was about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Barrhead, in what is now Darnley, part of Glasgow.
In 1356, Robert Stewart, who was the High Steward of Scotland, gave this barony to Sir John Stewart. Sir John was the oldest son of Sir Alan Stewart of Dreghorn. Just like the Royal Stewarts, the Stewarts of Darnley used both the 'Stuart' and 'Stewart' spellings for their last name.
Important Ancestors
Here are some important ancestors of the Stewart of Darnley family:
- Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland
- Sir John Stewart (died 1298)
- Alan Stewart of Dreghorn (died 1333)
- Alexander Stewart of Darnley (d.1374)
- Alexander Stewart of Darnley (d.1404)
- John Stewart of Darnley (died 1429)
- Alan Stewart of Darnley (died 1439)
Lordship of Aubigny in France
Sir John Stewart of Darnley (who died in 1429) fought in the Hundred Years' War. This was a long series of conflicts between England and France. He fought alongside his distant cousin, John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan, in the army of Charles VII of France. Because of his help, he was given lands in France, specifically Aubigny-sur-Nère and Concressault. These lands were often given to the second son of the family. This way, they could live in France and help strengthen the Auld Alliance. This alliance was a friendship between Scotland and France against England.
Some famous members of this French branch of the family were:
- Bernard Stewart, 4th Lord of Aubigny: He was a leader of the Garde Écossaise, a special Scottish guard in France. He also led armies for French kings during the Italian Wars.
- Robert Stewart, 5th Lord of Aubigny: He became a Marshal of France, a very high military rank. He fought in important battles like the Battle of Marignano and the Battle of Pavia.
- George Stewart, 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny: He fought with the French against the Spanish. He was later killed during the English Civil War at the Battle of Edge Hill.
Becoming Earls of Lennox
The oldest son of Sir Alan Stewart of Darnley (who died in 1439) was John Stewart, Lord Darnley. He was the head of the Stewart of Darnley family. In 1488, he was given the important title of Earl of Lennox. He died in 1495.
After him, these family members became Earls of Lennox:
- Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox (1488–died at the Battle of Flodden in 1513)
- John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox (died 1526)
- Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox (1516–1571)
In 1580, King James VI of Scotland, who was the head of the Royal House of Stewart, gave the title of Duke of Lennox to Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox. Esmé was a cousin from a French branch of the Royal Stewarts.
Some English members of the Stewart of Darnley family were called Earls of Lennox by the English Crown. However, the King of Scots, whose kingdom the earldom of Lennox was in, did not officially recognize these titles.
- Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox (1555–1576): He was the second son of the 4th Earl.
- Lady Arbella Stuart (1575–1615): Her claim was later set aside.
Claims to the English Throne
In 1544, Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox married Margaret Douglas. Margaret was the granddaughter of King Henry VII of England. Their sons, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley and Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox, were seen by people at the time as having a strong claim to the throne of England.
Margaret Douglas was the daughter of Margaret Tudor and Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. Margaret Tudor was the older daughter of King Henry VII. Margaret Douglas was born in England and grew up at the royal court of her uncle, Henry VIII. She was even officially recognized as Henry's heir for a time. This was after Anne Boleyn fell out of favor and before Edward VI was born.
In 1565, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley married his cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. Like him, Mary was also a descendant of Margaret Tudor and Henry VII. Mary's family line from Margaret Tudor's first marriage to James IV of Scotland also put her in line for the English throne. However, many people argued that Margaret Douglas's claim was better. This was because Margaret and her sons, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox, were born in England. According to English custom, it was preferred that the monarch be born in England.
By marrying Darnley, Mary made sure that a dangerous rival claim to the English throne was no longer a threat. She also made her own family's claim stronger. In 1603, Mary and Darnley's son, James VI of Scotland, became King of England after Elizabeth I. This united the crowns of England and Scotland, which helped create the future United Kingdom.
See also
- Duke of Aubigny
- Duke of Richmond
- Duke of Lennox
- Earl of Lennox
- Auld Alliance
