William Cranstoun, 3rd Lord Cranstoun facts for kids
William Cranstoun, 3rd Lord Cranstoun was an important Scottish nobleman who lived in the 1600s. He was known as a Cavalier, which means he strongly supported the King during a time of great change in Scotland and England. He was born before 1620 and passed away sometime after July 1664.
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Family Background
William Cranstoun was the only son of James, Master of Cranstoun. His mother was Elizabeth, the daughter of a powerful nobleman named Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell. William became the Lord Cranstoun after his uncle, John Cranstoun, 2nd Lord Cranstoun, died without having any children.
The Cranstoun family was a well-known family from the Scottish Lowlands. For many centuries, their main lands were around a place called Cranston in Midlothian, and Denholm in the Borders area.
Supporting the King
William Cranstoun was a strong supporter of the King. In 1648, he was part of a group called the "Engagers." These were people who supported King Charles I during the English Civil War.
Later, in 1651, he joined King Charles II when the King went into England. William was captured during the battle of Worcester, a major battle. He was then held prisoner for several years in the famous Tower of London.
Because he supported the King, his property was taken away for a while. However, some land, worth about £200 a year, was given to his wife and children to live on. He was also not included in a special pardon given by Oliver Cromwell in April 1654.
Service in Sweden
In 1656, William Cranstoun was allowed to gather 1000 men to serve King Charles X Gustav of Sweden. This meant he helped the Swedish king with his army. Because of this, he was officially pardoned by the Parliament in 1657.
A Challenging Event
On January 15, 1662, while living in Westminster, William Cranstoun was involved in a difficult situation. He defended himself with a sword against a man named Alexander Skringer. The event was ruled as self-defense.
His Family Life
William Cranstoun married Mary Leslie on July 10, 1643. Mary was the youngest daughter of Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven, a very important military leader.
William and Mary had many children:
- James Cranstoun, 4th Lord Cranstoun
- Alexander Cranstoun
- Agnes Cranstoun
- Helen Cranstoun, who married a builder named John Adam. Their son, William Adam, became a famous architect.
- Margaret Cranstoun
- Christian Cranstoun
- Elizabeth Cranstoun
- Mary Cranstoun
- Barbara Cranstoun
William Cranstoun was still alive on July 29, 1664. At that time, his son James was referred to as "James, Master of Cranstoun," showing he was the next in line to inherit the title.
