William Lockhart of Lee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir William Lockhart PC
Sir William Lockhart
Ambassador to France
In office 1673 – 1675   †
Monarch	Charles II
Preceded by	Edward Spragge
Succeeded by	Baron Berkeley
MP for Lanarkshire
In office 1669–1672
Ambassador to France
In office 1656–1660
Governor of Dunkirk
In office 1658–1660
MP for Lanarkshire
In office 1654–1658
Personal details
Born	ca 1621 Lee Castle, Lanarkshire
Died	1 June 1675(1675-06-01) (aged 54) Paris
Nationality	Scottish
Spouses	Martha Hamilton (died 1654) Robina Sewster
Children	Five sons, two daughters
Parents	Sir James Lockhart Martha Douglas
Committees	Commissioner for Justice, 1654
Portfolio	Privy Council of Scotland 1673

Sir William Lockhart of Lee (1621–1675) was an important Scottish soldier and diplomat. He lived during a very turbulent time in British history, known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. These wars included the English Civil War and involved conflicts between the King, Parliament, and different groups in Scotland and Ireland.

Lockhart first fought for the Covenanters, a Scottish group who wanted to protect their religion. After King Charles I was defeated, Lockhart tried to help him regain his throne. However, the King was later executed.

After these wars, Scotland became part of the Commonwealth of England, a republic led by Oliver Cromwell. Lockhart married Cromwell's niece and became a key figure in the new government. He served as an ambassador to France and even helped lead troops in battle.

When King Charles II returned to power in 1660 (an event called the Stuart Restoration), many people who worked for Cromwell were punished. But Lockhart was lucky and avoided serious trouble. He later became an ambassador to France again, where he died in 1675.

Early Life and Family

William Lockhart was born in 1621 at Lee Castle in Scotland. He was the oldest of nine children. His father was Sir James Lockhart, and his mother was Martha Douglas. Martha was a maid of honour to Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I.

William had several brothers and sisters. His brothers included John, George, Robert, and James. He also had a sister named Mary.

William married twice. His first wife, Martha Hamilton, died in 1654. He then married Robina Sewster, who was related to Oliver Cromwell. Together, William and Robina had five sons and two daughters. Their children included Cromwell, Julius, Richard, and John. Their son James eventually inherited the family estate. Their daughters were Martha and Robina.

A Soldier's Path

When William Lockhart was just 13, he reportedly ran away from school. He traveled to Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), where his relative, Sir George Douglas, was an ambassador. After Douglas died in 1636, Lockhart brought his body home.

Lockhart then spent several years in Europe. He joined the French army and became a captain of horse, which meant he commanded a cavalry unit. In 1644, he returned to Scotland during the First English Civil War.

He joined the Covenanter army as a lieutenant-colonel. This army fought against Montrose, who was a Royalist commander in Scotland. In 1645, Lockhart moved to the Scottish army stationed at Newark-on-Trent. He was there when King Charles I surrendered in 1646.

Lockhart helped carry messages between the King and the Engagers. The Engagers were a group of Scots who wanted to restore Charles I to the English throne. Because of his efforts, Lockhart was knighted.

The Engagers' Defeat

In 1647, King Charles I agreed to some terms with the Engagers. However, he refused to fully accept the Covenanters' religious demands. This caused a split among the Scots. In 1648, the Engagers gained control of the Parliament of Scotland. But another group, the Kirk Party, did not trust the King and opposed the alliance.

In June 1648, Lockhart led a cavalry regiment in the Engager army. They marched into England to support Royalist uprisings. However, the other revolts had already been put down. The Engagers were defeated at the Battle of Preston in August.

Lockhart was part of the rearguard, helping some Scots escape. He was captured and held in Hull for a year. He was released after paying a large fine. When he returned to Scotland, the Kirk Party had passed a law called the Act of Classes. This law banned former Engagers from holding political or military jobs. Because of this, Lockhart did not take part in the Third English Civil War.

A Diplomat's Career

While visiting London, Lockhart met Oliver Cromwell. In 1652, Cromwell appointed him as a commissioner for justice in Scotland. He also became a trustee for managing seized estates and a member of the Scottish privy council. From 1653 to 1658, he represented Lanarkshire in the English Parliament.

In December 1655, Lockhart was made the English ambassador to Paris. He started his work in April 1656 and served until Cromwell's death. His main goal was to strengthen the alliance between England and France against Spain. He also worked to prevent any help from reaching the Stuart royal family, who were in exile.

It was a difficult job because France was hesitant to ally with England, partly due to political and religious differences. Lockhart's success was largely due to his skill in dealing with Cardinal Mazarin, a powerful French leader. In 1657, a new treaty was signed between England and France. They agreed to fight Spain together in Spanish Flanders. The plan was to capture three coastal towns: Gravelines, Mardyke, and Dunkirk. Gravelines would go to France, and Mardyke and Dunkirk to England.

Governor of Dunkirk

After the treaty, Lockhart's challenges continued. The French began to attack Fort Mardyke in September. It was captured and given to the English that same month. Lockhart pushed for the siege of Dunkirk to happen quickly. However, it was delayed until June 1658, giving the Spanish time to strengthen their defenses.

When the English general, Sir John Reynolds, died, Lockhart took command of the English forces. In the major battle before Dunkirk, he led a charge against the Spanish infantry. The town surrendered on June 15 and was handed over to Lockhart on June 24. Cromwell made him the governor of Dunkirk, and Lockhart immediately began to fortify it. He received no help from the French.

After Dunkirk was captured, Lockhart successfully helped protect the Huguenots (French Protestants) in Nîmes.

When Richard Cromwell (Oliver Cromwell's son) resigned, Lockhart continued as the Commonwealth's ambassador in France. He was involved in the negotiations for the treaty of the Pyrenees, which ended the war between France and Spain. After the treaty, he went to England and met George Monck, a key general. Monck assured him he supported the Commonwealth. Because of this, Lockhart refused to let Charles II come to Dunkirk. He also turned down French offers to hand over Dunkirk to them.

Under King Charles II

After the Stuart Restoration in 1660, Lockhart lost his position as governor of Dunkirk. However, thanks to the help of Middleton, he was not further punished. In 1662, Dunkirk was sold to the French.

Lockhart lived quietly on his Scottish estate for some years. But he found that his past work with Cromwell made his neighbors suspicious of him. So, he moved to Huntingdonshire to live with his wife's relatives.

In 1671, Lockhart was brought back to court by the Earl of Lauderdale. Through Lauderdale's influence, Lockhart was sent to the courts of Brandenburg and Lunenburg. His mission was to ensure their neutrality or cooperation in an alliance between France and Holland. Lockhart reportedly became uneasy when he fully understood the negotiations he was involved in. He was then reappointed as ambassador to France. He died in Paris in June 1675.

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  Sir William Lockhart