Individual Details
John "1st Earl of Mar" Erskine
(1522 - 28 Oct 1572)
[[Category:Clan Erskine]]
[[Category: Earls of Mar]]
}
[[Category:Scotland, Notables]]
[[Category:Governor of Edinburgh Castle]]
}
}
== Biography ==
}
}Sir John succeeded his father as governor of Edinburgh castle and was Abbott of Dryburgh and Commendator of Inchmahome in 1548 and Commendator of Cambuskenneth. Although a Protestant himself he preserved strict neutrality in the struggles between the Lords of the Congregation and the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise. He upheld the authority of the Queen Regent to whom when hard pressed by her enemies he gave protection in Edinburgh castle where she died 11 June 1560. On the return of Queen Mary from France in 1561 he was appointed one of her privy councils and was of the opinion that she should marry an Englishman. In the following year he submitted his claim to the Earldom of Mar to Parliament and was successful in establishing his right as the descendant of Gratney, eleventh Earl of Mar. From Queen Mary and King Henry (Lord Darnley) he received a charter 18 July 1566 granting to him and his heirs the office of sheriff of Stirlingshire, the captainship and custody of Stirling castle with the office of bailiary and chamberlainry of the lands and lordship of Stirling and of the water of the Forth.(1) Upon the birth of James VI in 1566 Sir John was intrusted with keeping the Prince (2) and on the death of the Earl of Lennox in 1571 he was chosen regent (5 Sept.). John was far too honest and patriotic for the post of regent to which he had been elected at a time when a civil war raged in the kingdom. He was unable to prevent the war or to bring about any union of the various parties and he died the following year leaving a reputation for integrity and honesty.
== Sources ==
*(1) Minutes of Mar Evidence- 121; Cal. Scot. Papers- II, 157; Mar Minutes- 121,390,87; P.C. Reg.- I, 344-6; Acta Parl. Scot.- II, 549
*(2) Mar & Kellie Papers- 16-7
*The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880*[https://archive.org/stream/scotspeeragefoun05paul#page/612 The Scots Peerage- Sir James Balfour Paul, Ed., Douglas & Co., Edinburgh, 1904- Vol. 5, pp.612-5]
* [https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE3867196 Complete Peerage] 2nd ed. v8 pp. 418-420
* [http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/mar1114.htm Mar, Earl of (S, 1114)] Cracroft's Peerage
* Wikipedia: [[WIkipedia:John_Erskine,_Earl_of_Mar_(died_1572)|John Erskine, Earl of Mar (died 1572)]]
* }
* [https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I3724&tree=CC John Erskine, 6th Lord, 1st or 22nd Earl of Mar, Regent]
[[Category: Earls of Mar]]
}
[[Category:Scotland, Notables]]
[[Category:Governor of Edinburgh Castle]]
}
}
== Biography ==
}
}Sir John succeeded his father as governor of Edinburgh castle and was Abbott of Dryburgh and Commendator of Inchmahome in 1548 and Commendator of Cambuskenneth. Although a Protestant himself he preserved strict neutrality in the struggles between the Lords of the Congregation and the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise. He upheld the authority of the Queen Regent to whom when hard pressed by her enemies he gave protection in Edinburgh castle where she died 11 June 1560. On the return of Queen Mary from France in 1561 he was appointed one of her privy councils and was of the opinion that she should marry an Englishman. In the following year he submitted his claim to the Earldom of Mar to Parliament and was successful in establishing his right as the descendant of Gratney, eleventh Earl of Mar. From Queen Mary and King Henry (Lord Darnley) he received a charter 18 July 1566 granting to him and his heirs the office of sheriff of Stirlingshire, the captainship and custody of Stirling castle with the office of bailiary and chamberlainry of the lands and lordship of Stirling and of the water of the Forth.(1) Upon the birth of James VI in 1566 Sir John was intrusted with keeping the Prince (2) and on the death of the Earl of Lennox in 1571 he was chosen regent (5 Sept.). John was far too honest and patriotic for the post of regent to which he had been elected at a time when a civil war raged in the kingdom. He was unable to prevent the war or to bring about any union of the various parties and he died the following year leaving a reputation for integrity and honesty.
== Sources ==
*(1) Minutes of Mar Evidence- 121; Cal. Scot. Papers- II, 157; Mar Minutes- 121,390,87; P.C. Reg.- I, 344-6; Acta Parl. Scot.- II, 549
*(2) Mar & Kellie Papers- 16-7
*The Scottish Nation- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880*[https://archive.org/stream/scotspeeragefoun05paul#page/612 The Scots Peerage- Sir James Balfour Paul, Ed., Douglas & Co., Edinburgh, 1904- Vol. 5, pp.612-5]
* [https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE3867196 Complete Peerage] 2nd ed. v8 pp. 418-420
* [http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/mar1114.htm Mar, Earl of (S, 1114)] Cracroft's Peerage
* Wikipedia: [[WIkipedia:John_Erskine,_Earl_of_Mar_(died_1572)|John Erskine, Earl of Mar (died 1572)]]
* }
* [https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I3724&tree=CC John Erskine, 6th Lord, 1st or 22nd Earl of Mar, Regent]
Events
| Birth | 1522 | Erskine, Renfrewshire, Scotland | |||
| Death | 28 Oct 1572 | Stirlingshire, Scotland | |||
| Reference No | 2559280 | ||||
| Reference No | 2593895 | ||||
| Reference No | 60 |
Families
| Father | Sir John "5th Lord Erskine" Erskine (1487 - 1555) |
| Mother | Margaret Campbell (1485 - 1555) |
| Sibling | Katherine Erskine (1506 - 1552) |
| Sibling | Janet Erskine (1512 - ) |
| Sibling | Lady Margaret Erskine (1513 - 1572) |
| Sibling | Robert "Master of Erskine" Erskine (1522 - 1547) |
| Sibling | Thomas Erskine (1528 - 1551) |
| Sibling | Hon. Sir Alexander "of Gogar" Erskine (1531 - 1592) |
| Sibling | Arthur Erskine (1540 - 1571) |