Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran facts for kids

Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran (died around 1473) was an important Scottish nobleman.

Thomas was the son of Robert, 1st Lord Boyd. His father was a powerful figure who helped rule Scotland when King James III was still a child. Because of his father's influence, Thomas was given the title of Earl of Arran and Baron Kilmarnock in 1467. His father also arranged for Thomas to marry Princess Mary Stewart of Scotland. Mary was King James III's sister and the daughter of King James II.

This marriage was not popular with everyone, especially later on. Thomas's father, Lord Boyd, and his uncle, Sir Alexander Boyd, faced serious charges. They were accused of taking young King James III without permission and arranging Thomas's marriage to Princess Mary. The King was very unhappy about these actions.

While Thomas Boyd and his father were out of the country, they were working on important tasks. They were helping Scotland gain control of Orkney and arranging King James III's marriage to Margaret of Denmark. During this time, the government led by Thomas's father was overthrown. Thomas and his father were then accused of serious disloyalty in 1469.

However, Thomas successfully completed his mission. He brought King James III's future wife, Margaret, to Scotland. After that, his wife, Princess Mary, warned him of the danger. He then escaped with her back to Denmark. Not much is known about what happened to him after this. He likely died in Antwerp between 1471 and 1473.

Family Life

Thomas Boyd had a few marriage arrangements. On January 20, 1465, he was first set to marry Lady Marion Kennedy. However, this marriage did not happen. He then married Lady Elizabeth Montgomerie. After that, he married Princess Mary Stewart, King James II's oldest daughter, before April 26, 1467. When they married, the Isle of Arran was given to them as part of Mary's dowry (a gift from her family). Law Castle in North Ayrshire was also built for them.

Princess Mary was very devoted to Thomas. She later returned to Scotland without him, hoping to get a pardon for him from her brother, King James III. However, she was kept at Kilmarnock. Thomas was told to appear within sixty days, but he did not. Because of this, his marriage to the King's sister was declared invalid. She was then asked to marry James, Lord Hamilton.

Historians believe this happened around February or March 1474. Princess Mary Stewart passed away around 1488. She had a son and a daughter with both of her husbands. Thomas Boyd's children with Mary were born outside Scotland:

• James, 2nd Lord Boyd (1469–1484). He was killed by his mother's first husband's nephew, Hugh Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Eglinton. James never married.
• Lady Grisel or Margaret Boyd (born between 1468 and 1473). She was married twice. Her first husband was Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Forbes, who died before May 16, 1491, without children. Her second husband was Sir David Kennedy, 3rd Lord Kennedy, whom she married before August 9, 1509. He later became Earl of Cassilis. Sir David died at the Battle of Flodden on September 9, 1513. She had no children with Sir David Kennedy.