William Graham, 7th Earl of Menteith facts for kids
William Graham, 7th Earl of Menteith, 1st Earl of Airth (born around 1591–1661), was an important Scottish nobleman in the 1600s. He strongly supported King Charles I. William Graham held important jobs like Lord President of the Court of Session (a top judge) and was a Privy Counsellor (a royal advisor). Even though he lost the King's favor for a while, he kept supporting the King during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. During these wars, his lands were damaged by soldiers led by Oliver Cromwell. William Graham married Agnes, who was the daughter of Patrick, Lord Gray. They had a son named John Graham, Lord of Kinpont. John later had a son named William Graham, 8th Earl of Menteith, who would become the next Earl.
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William Graham's Life and Work
Early Years and Growing Up
William Graham was born in 1591 or 1592. When he was young, he received special permission from the King. On August 7, 1610, he became an adult. At this time, he officially inherited his father's titles and lands, including the earldom of Menteith and the lands of Kilbride. Early in his life, William focused on making his land holdings bigger and stronger.
Important Jobs and Roles
In 1621, William Graham was given special power to deal with crimes on his lands. In the same year, he became a member of the Scottish Parliament for the first time. In 1626, he joined the Privy Council of Scotland, advising the King. From 1628, he held two very important jobs at the same time: Lord President of the Court of Session (the head judge) and Lord Justice General (another high legal position). King Charles I liked him a lot and even made him a member of the English privy council.
Trying to Get More Power
Once William Graham became very influential, he started a legal case. He wanted to get back the earldom of Strathearn. This earldom included all of Menteith and other areas. His ancestor, Malise Graham, 1st Earl of Menteith, had lost this earldom in 1427. William believed that the earldom of Strathearn could only be passed down through male family members. This meant he thought it should return to him. His efforts were successful, and in 1631, he was made Earl of Strathearn. He then worked to gain full control over all the Strathearn lands.
Challenges to His Claims
William Graham faced some people who disagreed with his claims. These opponents owned some of the Strathearn lands. They were very worried about him becoming their Earl. They told King Charles I that William Graham was bragging about having a more royal family line than the King himself. It was said that William boasted he had the "reddest blood in Scotland" and that the King owed him his crown. William Graham denied saying this. His claim to the Earldom of Strathearn was based on being related to David Stewart, Earl of Strathearn, who was the son of King Robert II of Scotland.
What Happened Next
Because the family history of King Robert II was a bit unclear at the time, William Graham's title as Earl of Strathearn was taken away in 1633. Instead, he was given the title Earl of Airth. This was a less important title, as Airth is a small place far south of Aberfoyle. He also lost the favor of King Charles I. He was ordered to stay in Airth for four years. However, in 1637, he was back in the King's good graces. He then fought against the Covenanters, a group who opposed the King's religious policies. Even though King Charles I had punished him, William Graham remained loyal to the King. He served in Parliament in 1639, 1644, and 1645. In 1639, he was made a Privy Councillor again, likely because he refused to join the Covenanters.
Losing His Wealth
During this time, Airth Castle, William Graham's home, was taken over by Oliver Cromwell's invading soldiers. The Earl was also ordered to cut down the forests in Aberfoyle parish. His crops were ruined and burned by Cromwell's general, George Monck. William Graham never got back the money he lost. He was so overwhelmed that he had to sell almost all of his lands to get enough money to recover.
His Later Life and Family
The Earl of Airth likely died after April in 1661. He had seven sons: John, James, Andrew, Robert, Patrick, Charles, and Archibald. He also had four daughters: Mary, Margaret, Anne, and Jean.
His son John Graham married Lady Mary Keith. John died, leaving a son named William Graham. This grandson then inherited his grandfather's titles.
