William Graham, 3rd Earl of Menteith facts for kids
William Graham, 3rd Earl of Menteith (born around 1500 – died around 1543), was an important Scottish noble. He held the title of the third Earl of Menteith.
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About William Graham
William Graham was the son of Alexander Graham, who was the second Earl of Menteith. His mother was Margaret Buchanan. He was also the great-grandson of Malise Graham, the first Earl of Menteith.
In 1521, William married Margaret Moubray. She had been married before. William and Margaret had five sons and two daughters. Some of their children included:
- Lady Margaret Graham, who married Archibald Campbell, the fourth Earl of Argyll.
- John Graham, who became the fourth Earl of Menteith after his father.
- Lady Christian Graham, who married William Livingstone of Kilsyth. Their oldest son was also named William Livingstone.
Early Life and Becoming Earl
On May 20, 1527, William was known as the Master of Menteith. He was part of the King's army but left during a battle near Solway. This was a serious act, almost like going against the King. However, he was later forgiven.
William became the third Earl of Menteith on May 16, 1537. This meant he officially received the lands and title of the Earldom.
Standing Up for Scotland
After King James V of Scotland passed away in 1542, William Graham did not agree with England's plans for Scotland. On July 24, 1543, he signed an agreement with Cardinal David Beaton. This agreement was a secret promise to stop King Henry VIII of England from taking control of the young Queen Mary, who was just a baby at the time.
How William Graham Died
William Graham was killed in a fight between different clans (family groups) in the autumn of 1543. We know for sure he was gone by January 23, 1544. Some stories say he was killed in October 1543 by a member of the Stewart family. This happened after the Stewarts and their group ate all the food at a wedding feast to which the Earl had been invited.
Other stories say that the Murrays of Athole were the ones who raided the feast. Most accounts say that a group of Stewarts were traveling through Menteith. They came across a wedding feast and ate all the food and drank all the wine. Then they left quickly. The Earl chased after them and was fatally wounded by the group.
One detailed story describes it this way: A different version says the men from Athole visited the Isle in a friendly way. The Earl was not there at the time, but his dinner was ready. The Murrays, perhaps as a joke, took the roasted chickens meant for his dinner and left. Soon, the Earl arrived and learned what happened. He angrily chased after them up the slopes of Mondhui. The leader of the Murrays turned around, perhaps to explain the joke. When he saw the Earl preparing an arrow, he shouted, "Over me and over you!" The angry Earl replied, "No, in me and in you!" And indeed, the Murray's arrow hit him. However, the Earl's men chased the enemy away and brought their dying leader back to the Isle.
