Thomas Lyon (of Auldbar) facts for kids

Sir Thomas Lyon, Master of Glamis (died 1608) was an important Scottish nobleman and a high-ranking official. He served as the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, which meant he was in charge of the country's money.

Early Life and Family Connections

Thomas Lyon was the younger son of John Lyon, 7th Lord Glamis. His mother was Janet Keith. He grew up attending King James VI when the king was still young and living in Stirling Castle. Thomas was first known as Sir Thomas of Auldbar and Balduckie.

In 1578, his older brother, John Lyon, 8th Lord Glamis, passed away. Thomas then became the guardian for his nephew, Patrick, who was the new Lord Glamis. Since Thomas was next in line to inherit the title after Patrick, he became known as the Master of Glamis. He married Agnes Gray, who was the widow of Alexander Home, 5th Lord Home.

The Raid of Ruthven and Exile

The Master of Glamis was a key supporter of William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie. They were against the growing power of other noblemen like Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox and James Stewart, Earl of Arran. Thomas Lyon helped plan an event known as the raid of Ruthven.

In August 1582, the plotters learned that Lennox knew about their plans. So, they quickly took action when King James visited Ruthven Castle, which belonged to the Earl of Gowrie. On August 23, 1582, about a thousand armed men, led by Gowrie, Glamis, and John Erskine, Earl of Mar, surrounded the castle. They wanted to prevent Lennox and his friends from reaching the king.

Glamis and his allies presented a list of complaints to King James, mainly about the actions of Lennox and Arran. The next day, they took the king to Perth, and then to Stirling. When the king wanted to go to Edinburgh, they told him it wasn't a good idea. They eventually told him that either Lennox or they would have to leave Scotland. When the king tried to leave the room, the Master of Glamis rudely blocked his way. This made the king cry. Glamis then made a harsh comment, saying, "Better children cry than bearded men."

After the king managed to escape from the Ruthven raiders in August 1583, Glamis was ordered to be imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle. However, he escaped to Ireland. He was later ordered to leave Scotland, England, and Ireland or face charges of treason. In April 1584, Glamis and his friends returned to Scotland and captured Stirling Castle in what was called 'The Raid of Stirling.' But Gowrie was arrested soon after. When they heard the king was coming with a large army, they left Stirling and fled to England, settling in Westminster. There, they secretly communicated with Queen Elizabeth I.

Even though they were declared outlaws in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth did not hand them over. With her secret help, they returned to Scotland in October 1585. Their enemy, Arran, was overthrown. On November 4, Glamis and the other lords were pardoned and welcomed back into favor. On November 7, he became a member of the king's advisory council and was put in charge of the king's guard. He was also made Lord High Treasurer for life, a very important job. He received a good salary and his lands were returned to him.

Later Career and Family Feuds

The Master of Glamis continued to be involved in Scottish politics. He was part of a famous reconciliation banquet in Edinburgh on May 15, 1587. He walked arm-in-arm with David Lindsay, 11th Earl of Crawford, whose family had been involved in a long-standing feud with the Glamis family. This was meant to show that their conflict was over. However, the feud between the two families did not truly end.

In November 1588, the king took the command of the guard from Glamis and gave it to Alexander Lindsay, 1st Lord Spynie, who was the Earl of Crawford's uncle. Glamis was upset by this.

In April 1589, Glamis was surprised by the Earl of Huntly at Meigle. Huntly chased him to his house at Kirkhill. When Glamis refused to surrender, his house was set on fire on April 10. He was then taken captive to the north, passing by Glamis Castle. The king was very angry about what happened to Glamis. Huntly considered sending Glamis to a Spanish leader because he was seen as a supporter of the English and not the Catholic faith. However, when the king arrived with an army, Huntly released Glamis on April 22.

At the coronation of Queen Anne of Denmark on May 17, 1590, Glamis was knighted. His good standing at court made the chancellor, John Maitland, jealous. Glamis later lost some of his offices and was briefly imprisoned.

In August 1592, he was invited to Dalkeith Palace by his mother-in-law, Agnes Leslie, Countess of Morton, and was restored to royal favor. Soon after, Chancellor Maitland had to leave the court. In February 1593, Glamis was involved in chasing the Earl of Bothwell and broke three ribs after falling from his horse.

He continued to hold important positions, but by 1595-96, he began to take less part in public affairs. In 1598, King James VI was unhappy that Glamis was meeting frequently with Queen Anne of Denmark. The king also tried to remove Glamis from his position as a Lord of Session because of debts.

Sir Thomas Lyon passed away on February 18, 1608. It is said that when the king heard of his death, he exclaimed that "the boldest and hardiest man of his dominions was dead."

Family Life

Thomas Lyon married twice. His first wife was Agnes, the third daughter of Patrick, fifth lord Gray. She was also the widow of Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig and Alexander Home, 5th Lord Home. His second wife was Euphemia Douglas, the fourth daughter of William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton.

He had a daughter named Mary, who married Sir Robert Semple of Beltries. He also had a son named John Lyon of Auldbar.

Euphemia Douglas, his second wife, was quite active. In 1594, she wrote to the Laird of Balthayock, asking him to join Glamis and his followers to support the king in the north. The diplomat George Nicholson noted in August 1598 that she was a favorite of Queen Anne of Denmark.