William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal facts for kids
William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal (born 1610, died 1670 or 1671) was an important Scottish nobleman. He was also a Covenanter, which means he supported a special agreement in Scotland to protect the Presbyterian Church. William was the oldest son of William Keith, the 6th Earl Marischal.
William Keith's Life Story
During a big conflict called the English Civil War, the 7th Earl Marischal joined forces with James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. They fought against another powerful family, the Gordons. In 1639, William Keith and Montrose took control of the city of Aberdeen twice. One time, they marched with 9,000 men past Muchalls Castle and through a place called Portlethen Moss to attack Aberdeen from the Bridge of Dee.
After a peace agreement in Berwick-upon-Tweed, William was chosen to be a Lord of the Articles. This was a group of people who helped prepare laws for the Scottish Parliament. In 1640, he took Aberdeen again and made sure people signed the Covenants. A year later, in 1641, he became a Privy Councillor. This meant he was a trusted advisor to the King.
William Keith attended meetings for the Covenanters in the north of Scotland. However, he didn't take much action in 1643 and 1644. Later, he refused to hand over people who were hiding from Montrose. Because of this, his home, Dunnottar Castle, was surrounded in 1645.
He didn't actively oppose the popular party until 1648. Then, he joined an expedition into England led by James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton. He managed to escape after a big defeat at the Battle of Preston. In 1650, he welcomed King Charles II to Dunnottar Castle.
A very important event happened in 1651. The Scottish royal treasures, known as the Honours of Scotland (crown, sceptre, and sword), were hidden for safety in his castle. Later that year, William Keith was arrested at Alyth along with many other Scottish nobles and generals. This event was called 'the Onfall of Alyth'. He was then imprisoned in the Tower of London until the King returned to power. This return was known as the Restoration. After the Restoration, he was given an important job: Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland.
William Keith's Family
In 1637, the Earl Marischal married Lady Elizabeth Seton. She was the daughter of George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton. William and Elizabeth had four children:
- William Keith, Lord Keith, who sadly died when he was young.
- Mary Keith, who first married Sir James Hope of Hopetoun in 1657. Later, she married Sir Archibald Murray, 3rd Baronet of Blackbarony.
- Elizabeth Keith, who married Robert Arbuthnot, 2nd Viscount Arbuthnot in 1658.
- Jean Keith, who married George Ogilvy, 3rd Lord Banff in 1669.
See also
- Cromwell's Act of Grace, which was a law that led to the Earl's lands being taken by the government at the time.
Images for kids
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Coat of Arms of the Earl Marischal
