Sir Alexander Erskine, Baron of Gogar

Hon. Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar. 1

M, #28094, d. after 3 April 1592

    Hon. Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar was the son of John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine and Lady Margaret Campbell. 2,1 A contract for the marriage of Hon. Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar and Margaret Home was signed on 20 March 1563/64.3 He died after 3 April 1592.

    He was Guardian of King James VI.2 He held the office of Keeper of Stirling Castle before 1578, until he was ejected by his nephew, the 2nd Earl of Mar.2 He lived at Gogar, Scotland. 4

Children of Hon. Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar and Margaret Home 1.Mary Erskine+1 2.Sir George Erskine of Innerteil+5 3.Sir James Erskine+6 4.unknown daughter Erskine2 5.Christian Erskine+2 6.unknown daughter Erskine2 7.unknown daughter Erskine2 8.unknown son Erskine2 b. b 1566 9.Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie+1 b. 1566, d. 12 Jun 1639 10.unknown son Erskine2 b. a 1566 11.unknown son Erskine2 b. a 1566

Citations 1.[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume VII, page 100. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage. 2.[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 2610. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition. 3.[S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition, volume 2, page 1949. 4.[S15] George Edward Cokayne, editor, The Complete Baronetage, 5 volumes (no date (c. 1900); reprint, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 1983), volume II, page 339. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Baronetage. 5.[S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition, volume 1, page 978. 6.[S3686] Michael Moutray-Read, "re: Erskine Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 25 March 2009. Hereinafter cited as "re: Erskine Family."

http://www.ourfamilyhistories.org/getperson.php?personID=I42359&tre... http://www.patrickspeople.co.uk/ourfamily/7655.htm

Alexander was a son of John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine and Lady Margaret Campbell, a daughter of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll. As the younger son, he was called the "Master of Mar." He was also laird of the lands of Gogar, a village near Edinburgh. After the death of his brother, John Erskine, Earl of Mar, Alexander was given the task of safeguarding the young king of Scotland at Stirling in 1572.[1]

With a role of such importance and the representative of the House of Mar while the Earl was still a minor, Alexander was offered a pension from England of £150 a year, for which he was recommended by Regent Morton in 1574 as "well friended, constant, of good credit and power." In 1575, Francis Walsingham heard that Morton secretly planned to take the King out of Alexander's keeping. This was not in Morton's power, as the appointment had been made by the Parliament of Scotland. Walsingham resolved to make Alexander an ally of England, in case Morton lost his position. The crisis of 1575 blew over.[2]

After James Douglas, Earl of Morton resigned the Regency of Scotland, on 28 March 1578, Alexander was appointed Keeper of Edinburgh Castle in the place of George Douglas of Parkhead.[3] Alexander undertook to look after the artillery of the castle and the coffer of jewelry which had belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots. In January 1579 the keys of the coffer were given to William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, as treasurer of Scotland.[4]

Alexander Erskine of Gogar was ousted from his duty at Stirling by his kinsman and ally of the former Regent Morton, Adam Erskine Commendator of Cambuskenneth, in April 1578. The events were described by the English diplomat in Scotland, Robert Bowes. Adam Erskine had persuaded Alexander's nephew, the young Earl of Mar that he should be the guardian of James VI. Adam Erskine and his brother David Erskine, Commendator of Dryburgh, and the Earl of Mar, who were all lodged in Stirling Castle came to the gate early on Sunday morning, 27 April 1578, pretending to go out to join a hunt. The two Commendators met Alexander, who held the castle keys, and began to argue with him over the guardianship of the King.

Alexander seized a halberd and called his servants. There was a brief struggle, and then Alexander and the Commendators went into the Great Hall to discuss the matter. Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll was also present in the castle with his followers, and was prepared to fight, but eventually they decided to yield to the young Earl of Mar. During the struggle at the Castle, Gogar's eldest son was fatally injured and servant called Buchanan was hurt. The young king was said to have torn his hair in distress during the incident, fearing that Alexander was killed.

On 23 December 1583 Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox was made the High and Great Chamberlain of Scotland, and first Gentleman of the King's Bedchamber, as his father had been, and Alexander Erskine of Gogar, Captain of Edinburgh Castle was made his depute. The role included taking oaths of fidelity to the King from the other officers, ushers, and varlets of the Bedchamber and Wardrobe.[9]

In December 1584 Erskine received a royal gift of income from the customs of Edinburgh and other lands, for his work as Captain of Edinburgh Castle, and for keeping the King's House in Striling during the king's minority years.[10]

He died in 1592.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Erskine_of_Gogar