William Keith, 9th Earl Marischal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Keith
9th Earl Marischal
In office 1694–1712

William Keith, 9th Earl Marischal (born around 1664 – died May 27, 1712, in London) was an important Scottish politician. He held the special title of Earl Marischal of Scotland, which was a very old and powerful position. William Keith was also known for supporting the Jacobite cause, which meant he believed the Stuart family should be king of Scotland and England. He married Mary Drummond, who also strongly supported the Jacobites.

Who Was William Keith?

William Keith was born around 1664. His father was George Keith, 8th Earl Marischal, who was an army officer. His mother was Lady Mary Hay.

Becoming Earl Marischal

When his father passed away in March 1694, William Keith became the 9th Earl Marischal. This meant he inherited a very important role in Scotland. The Earl Marischal was traditionally in charge of protecting the Scottish royal regalia (the crown, scepter, and sword) and was a high officer of the state.

William Keith's Political Life

William Keith was active in Scottish politics. In July 1698, he took his seat in the Scottish parliament. He also became part of the Privy Council in June 1701. The Privy Council was a group of advisors to the monarch.

He was made a knight of the Thistle in 1705. This is a special honor given by the Scottish monarch.

William Keith was against the Treaty of Union, which joined Scotland and England into Great Britain in 1707. He was part of the Tory political group, which often supported the king and traditional ways.

He also helped start a medicine program at Marischal College in Aberdeen.

Challenges and Influence

Because of his support for the Jacobites, William Keith faced some difficulties. In 1708, he was held in Edinburgh Castle during a Jacobite uprising. After the uprising, he was sent to London.

Despite these challenges, he was chosen as one of 16 Scottish representative peers to sit in the British Parliament in Westminster from 1710 to 1712. This showed he still had influence.

A writer named John Macky described him as a person with "abundance of flashy wit." He was also seen as someone who spoke his mind, especially if he disagreed with the government. He was ambitious and wanted to be popular.

Family Life

Around 1690, William Keith married Mary Drummond. Mary was the daughter of James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth. Like William, Mary was a strong supporter of the Jacobite cause. Even when her father had to leave the country in 1693 because of his Jacobite beliefs, Mary stayed in Scotland.

William and Mary had several children:

• George Keith, who later became the tenth and last Earl Marischal.
• James Francis Edward Keith, who became a famous general. He was named after the 'Old Pretender', the Jacobite claimant to the throne.
• Mary, who married John, the sixth Earl of Wigtown.
• Anne, who married Alexander, the sixth Earl of Galloway.