James Stewart, 2nd Lord Doune

James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray

James Stewart (or Stuart), 2nd Lord Doune and 2nd Earl of Moray (c. 1565 – 7 February 1591/2[1]) was a Scottish nobleman, the son of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune. The 2nd Earl was murdered by George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, as the culmination of a vendetta. Known as "the Bonnie Earl" for his good looks, he became the subject of a popular ballad, The Bonnie Earl of Moray.

He was the eldest son of James Stewart, and was a direct male-line descendent of Robert II through his second son the Duke of Albany. His father was created Lord Doune on 24 November 1581. From his distant relative James VI, he received in the year 1580 a gift of the ward and marriage of the two daughters of the Regent Moray, and a few days thereafter married Elizabeth, the elder one, and soon after assumed, jure uxoris, the title of the Earl of Moray.

In 1570, Sir James Stewart, the keeper of Doune Castle, near Stirling. Lord Doune died in 1592 and succeeded by his oldest son who acquired through marriage, the title of Earl of Moray. The castle has remained in the hands of the Earls of Moray ever since.

Stewart was an extremely ambitious man who aimed to make himself the most powerful lord in the north-east at the expense of his neighbor, the Earl of Huntly. On 1 August 1588 he was appointed a commissioner for executing the act against the Spanish armada, and on 5 March 1590 was commissioned to execute the acts against the Jesuits. He then foolishly entered into an alliance with his wife's famous cousin Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell who was a notorious conspirator greatly feared by the King. In late 1590 he decided, along with the Earl of Atholl, to assist the Laird of Grant when his house was being besieged by Huntly; Huntly retreated to Edinburgh and on 23 January 1591 presented a supplication against Moray for his "having taken part with the malefactors in the north", both earls were then commanded to proceed to Edinburgh and sign bands to keep the peace.

Huntly then obtained a special commission to pursue Bothwell and his associates, whom the King feared were planning a rebellion. To prevent Bothwell from obtaining shelter with the Earl of Moray, a distant cousin and ally, Moray was induced by Lord Ochiltree, who was specially deputed by the King, to come south on the condition of receiving a pardon. It is claimed in the traditional ballad that James was jealous of Moray's favour with his Queen, Anne of Denmark, on account of his good looks. Moray, in expectation of a summons to the court, had arrived at Donibristle, a house of his mother on the Fife coast, when on 7 February 1592 it was suddenly beset by the followers of Huntly, who called on him to surrender. He declined to do so, and Huntly set fire to the house. Moray stayed for a time inside, and, suddenly dashing out, he broke through the cordon surrounding the house, and made for the rocks on the seashore. The glow of his burning helmet tassle, however, was said to have betrayed his location and he was killed. The corpses of the earl and of Dunbar, Sheriff of Moray, who was also killed, were brought by the earl's mother to Leith to be placed in the tomb of the Regent Moray in the Church of St. Giles; but for some months they remained in their coffins unburied, their friends refusing to bury them until the killing was punished. Captain Gordon, one of Huntly's followers, who being wounded was unable to escape to the north, was brought to Edinburgh and executed; but this was not enough to satisfy popular feeling, and the King deemed it prudent to retire from Edinburgh to Glasgow, until Huntly entered himself in ward in Blackness Castle. This Huntly did on 12 March, but on the 20th he was released on giving surety that on six days' notice he would appear and stand his trial whenever called on to do so. This murder remains famous to this day as the earl was just 27 years old at the time of his death and his murderer's punishment was a mere week-long house arrest.

By his wife, Elizabeth Stewart, whom he married between 23 January 1580 and 1581 and who died three months before him, he had two sons and three daughters:

• Lady Grizel Stuart, married Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Innes, 1st Baronet Innes, by whom she had issue.
• Lady Margaret Stuart (1591- 4 August 1639), married firstly as his second wife Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, by whom she had issue; and secondly William Monson, Viscount Monson
• James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray (before 1591- 6 August 1638), married Lady Anne Gordon, by whom he had issue, including James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray
• Lady Elizabeth Stuart, married John Abernathy, 8th Lord Abernathy of Saltoun
• Hon. Sir Francis Stewart, Knight of the Order of the Bath, who was well known in London literary society, and is said to have frequented the literary meetings at the Mermaid tavern

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart,_2nd_Earl_of_Moray

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• James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray, 2nd Lord Doune1,2
• M, #64998, b. before 1568, d. 7 February 1592
• Father Sir James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune3 b. c 1529, d. 20 Jul 1590
• Mother Margaret Campbell3 b. c 1548, d. a 1591
• James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray, 2nd Lord Doune was born before 1568.1 He married Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, Earl of Mar and Agnes Keith, in 1580.1 James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray, 2nd Lord Doune died on 7 February 1592 at Donibristle, Aberdour, Fifeshire, Scotland.1
• Family Elizabeth Stewart d. 18 Nov 1591
• Child
  • James Stewart, 3rd Earl of Moray4 b. c 1581, d. 6 Aug 1638
• Citations
• [S11585] The Scots Peerage, Vol. VI, edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, p. 316-318.
• [S11565] The Scots Peerage, Vol. III, edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, p. 189.
• [S11565] The Scots Peerage, Vol. III, edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, p. 187-189.
• [S11585] The Scots Peerage, Vol. VI, edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, p. 319-320.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p2163.htm#... __________________________
• James Stuart, 2nd Lord Doune1
• M, #25066, d. 7 February 1591/92
• Last Edited=8 Oct 2012
• Consanguinity Index=0.6%
• James Stuart, 2nd Lord Doune was the son of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune and Lady Margaret Campbell.1 He married Elizabeth Stewart, Countess of Moray, daughter of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray and Lady Anne Keith, on 23 January 1580/81.2 He was murdered on 7 February 1591/92 by George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, slashed to death.2
• James Stuart, 2nd Lord Doune also went by the nick-name of 'the Bonny Earl'. As a result of his marriage, James Stuart, 2nd Lord Doune was styled as Earl of Moray on 23 January 1580/81, suo uxoris.2 He succeeded to the title of 2nd Lord Doune [S., 1581] on 20 July 1590.2 On 7 February 1591/92 he was attacked at Donibristle, which was set on fire by George, 6th Earl of Huntly, and was spotted from the flames on a silken tassel that had caught fire in his cap.2
• Children of James Stuart, 2nd Lord Doune and Elizabeth Stewart, Countess of Moray
  • Lady Margaret Stuart+2 d. 4 Aug 1639
  • Lady Elizabeth Stuart2
  • Lady Grizel Stuart+2
  • Sir Francis Stuart2
  • James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray+2 b. bt 1581 - 1583, d. 6 Aug 1638
• Citations
• [S37] BP2003 volume 2, page 2768. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S37]
• [S37] BP2003. [S37]
• From: http://www.thepeerage.com/p2507.htm#i25066 _________________
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 54
• Stewart, James (d.1592) by Thomas Finlayson Henderson
• STEWART or STUART, JAMES, Earl of Moray of a new line (d. 1592), was the elder son of James Stewart (d. 20 July 1590), abbot of St. Colme, who was on 24 Nov. 1581 created Lord Doune, by Lady Margaret Campbell, eldest daughter of Archibald, fourth earl of Argyll. From James VI he received in 1580 a gift of the ward and marriage of the two daughters of the regent Moray, and a few days thereafter married Elizabeth, the elder one, and assumed, jure uxoris, the title of the Earl of Moray. His personal beauty and accomplishments gained him the name of 'the bonny earl.' On 1 Aug. 1588 he was appointed a commissioner for executing the act against the Spanish armada (Reg. P. C. Scotl. iv. 307), and on 5 March 1589-90 a commissioner for executing the acts against the Jesuits (ib. p. 466). In 1590, along with the Earl of Atholl, he assisted the laird of Grant when his house was besieged by Huntly (Moysie, Memoirs, p. 85); and Huntly having on 23 Jan. 1590-1 presented a supplication against his having taken part with the malefactors in the north (Reg. P. C. Scotl. iv. 569), both earls were on 15 March commanded to proceed to Edinburgh and sign bands to keep the peace (ib. p. 597). Afterwards Huntly obtained a special commission to pursue the Earl of Bothwell and his associates. To prevent Bothwell obtaining shelter from the Earl of Moray, who was his cousin-german, Moray was induced by Lord Ochiltree, specially deputed by the king, to come south on condition of receiving the king's pardon (Moysie, Memoirs, p. 88; Spotiswood, History, ii. 419). According to Spotiswood, after this had been agreed on, a rumour arose that Moray had been seen in Holyrood Palace along with Bothwell, and Huntly therefore received from the king a warrant to apprehend him (ib.) But even if this were so, such a proceeding was unjustifiable after Moray had been enticed south on a promise of pardon; and it was strangely unwise, if not worse, to entrust his apprehension to Huntly, who was the. hereditary enemy of his house. Besides, there was no need to apprehend him before the king had questioned him on the new charge. The inference seems therefore almost inevitable that the king was influenced by private motives, and these probably were, as was rumoured and as is set forth in the traditionary ballad, that he was jealous of Moray's favour with the queen. Moray, in expectation of a summons to the court, had arrived at Donibristle, a house of his mother on the Fifeshire coast, when on 7 Feb. 1591-2 it was suddenly beset by the followers of Huntly, who called upon him to surrender. To suppose that Moray would quietly put himself into the hands of his enemy was to credit him either with abject cowardice or incredible simplicity. He declined to do so, and Huntly, without scruple, set fire to the house. After every one in the house had rushed out, Moray stayed for a time within, and, suddenly dashing out, he broke through the cordon surrounding the house, and, outpacing his enemies, made for the rocks on the seashore. The burning of the top of his headpiece, however, betrayed him, and he was followed to his place of concealment and slain—a quite unnecessary precaution, since there is no evidence that he even sought to make further resistance. The corpses of the earl and of Dunbar, sheriff of Moray, who had also been slain by Huntly's followers, were brought over by the earl's mother to Leith, to be placed in the tomb of the regent Moray in St. Giles's church; but for some months they remained in their coffins unburied, their friends refusing to bury them until 'the slaughter was punished' (ib. p. 420). Captain Gordon, one of Huntly's followers, who being wounded was unable to escape to the north, was brought to Edinburgh and executed; but this did not assuage the indignation of the people, and the king deemed it prudent to retire from Edinburgh to Glasgow, until Huntly entered himself in ward in Blackness. This Huntly did on 12 March, but on the 20th he was released on giving surety that on six days' notice he would appear and stand his trial whenever called on to do so. The murder of Moray is the theme of a short traditional ballad or song, the simple pathos of which is evidence that the tragedy powerfully affected popular feeling.
• By his wife, Elizabeth Stewart, who died three months before him, he had two sons and three daughters : James, second earl of Moray; Sir Francis Stewart, knight of the Bath, who was well known in London literary society, and is said to have frequented the literary meetings at the Mermaid tavern; Margaret, married first to Charles Howard, earl of Nottingham, lord high admiral of England, and secondly to William, viscount Monson; May, married to John, eighth lord Abernethy of Saltoun; and Grizel, to Robert Innes of Innes.
• [Reg. P. C. Scotl. iv.; Moysie's Memoirs and History of James the Sext in the Bannatyne Club; Histories by Spotiswood and Calderwood; Douglas's Scottish Peerage (Wood), ii. 258-9.]
• From: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Stewart,_James_(d.1592)_(DNB00) _______________
• THEY HAVE WRONGLY LINKED THE PARENTS FOR HIS WIFE ELIZABETH STEWART AS HIS PARENTS.
• James 2nd of Moray" ""Bonny Earl"" Stewart
• Birth: Nov., 1565
• Death: Feb. 7, 1591
• PARENTS:
• FATHER:James Stewart "1st Lord Doune
• Birth: 1529 in Cupar, Fife, United Kingdom
• Death: 20 July 1590 in ENGLAND
• MOTHER: Margaret Campbell
• Margaret Campbell
• Birth: 1548 in Perth, Perthshire, , Scotland
• Death: Feb 1572 in Scotland
• SPOUSE
• Elizabeth Stewart
• Birth: Aug 1565
• Death: 18 November 1591
• whom he married between 23 January 1580 and 1581 and who died three months before him, he had two sons and three daughters:
• Children:
• James " Earl of Moray" Stewart "3 Earl of Moray"
• Birth: 1581 in Elgin, Moray, Scotland
• Death: 06 Aug 1638 in Darnaway Castle, Morayshire, Scotland
• ...(His Wife)-Lady Anne Gordon Countess Hunt
• Birth: 1590 in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• Death: 1674 in Dyke, Moray, Scotland
• Family links:
• Parents:
• James Stewart (1531 - 1570)
• Anne Keith Campbell (1530 - 1588)
• Spouse:
• Elizabeth Stewart (1565 - 1591)
• Children:
  • James Stewart (1581 - 1638)*
• Siblings:
• James 2nd of Moray" Stewart (1565 - 1591)
• Elizabeth Stewart (1565 - 1591)*
• Archibald Campbell (1597 - 1661)**
• *Calculated relationship
• **Half-sibling
• Burial: Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Find A Grave Memorial# 145531942
• From: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=145531942 ____________________________
• STEWART, Sir Francis (c.1589-1635), of Westminster
• b. c.1589, 2nd s. of James, 2nd earl of Moray [S] (d.1592) and Elizabeth, suo jure Countess of Moray, da. and coh. of James, 1st earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland 1567-70.1 educ. Christ Church, Oxf. 1604, aged 15, BA 1606, MA 1616.2 unm.; 1da. illegit.3 cr. KB 2 June 1610.4 d. Jan. 1635.5
• .... etc.
• From: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/st... _________________________
• Links
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Howard,_Countess_of_Nottingham
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Howard,_1st_Earl_of_Nottingham
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Monson,_1st_Viscount_Monson
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stuart,_3rd_Earl_of_Moray

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