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{{Short description|Scottish peer and politician (1634–1701)}}
Sir '''Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray [[Order of the Thistle|KT]]''' (May 8, 1634 &ndash; November 1, 1701), was a Scottish nobleman who remained loyal to Roman Catholic [[James VII of Scotland]] (James II of England).<ref>{{harvnb|Henderson|1898}} lists him as "Stuart, Alexander 4th Earl of Moray"</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name = The Earl of Moray
| honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KT|PC}}
| image = Scotland-2016-Aerial-Doune Castle (and Castle keeper's cottage).jpg
| imagesize = 250
| caption = [[Doune Castle]], owned by the Earls of Moray
| office1 = [[Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland|Lord High Commissioner]]
| term_start1 = 1686
| term_end1 = 1688
| monarch1 = [[James II of England|James II & VII]]
| monarch2 = [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] (1680–1685)
| monarch3 = [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]
| monarch4 = [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]
| monarch5 = [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]
| predecessor1 = [[William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry|Duke of Queensberry]]
| successor1 = [[William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton|Duke of Hamilton]]
| office2 = [[Secretary of State (Kingdom of Scotland)|Secretary of State in Scotland]]
| term_start2 = 1680
| term_end2 = 1686
| predecessor2 = [[John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale|Duke of Lauderdale]]
| successor2 = [[John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort|Earl of Melfort]]
| office3 = [[Extraordinary Lord of Session]]
| term_start3 = 1680
| term_end3 = 1681
| office4 = [[Lords Commissioners of the Treasury|Commissioner of the Treasury]]
| term_start4 = 1678
| term_end4 = 1679
| office5 = [[Lord President of the Court of Session|Lord Justice General]]
| term_start5 = 1675
| term_end5 = 1676
| birth_date = 8 May 1634 (baptised)
| birth_place = [[Darnaway Castle]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1701|11|01|1634|05|08}}
| death_place = [[Donibristle]]
| restingplace = [[Dyke, Moray]]
| restingplacecoordinates =
| birthname = Alexander Stewart
| nationality = Scottish
| spouse = Emilia Balfour (1646–1683)
| children = {{ubli|James, Lord Doune (1660–1685)| [[Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray|Charles, 6th Earl]] (1673–1735)| [[Francis Stuart, 7th Earl of Moray|Francis, 7th Earl]] (1673–1739)| John (1675–1765)| Emilia (after 1706)}}
| parents = {{ubli|[[James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray|James, 4th Earl]] (1611–1653) |Lady Margaret Home (1607–1683)}}
| residence = [[Darnaway Castle]]
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Politician
| party =
| cabinet =
| portfolio =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
}}
'''Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|size=100%|KT|PC}} (8 May 1634 – 1 November 1701) was a Scottish peer who held senior political office in Scotland under [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] and [[James II of England|James VII and II]].

He was first brought into government in 1676 by the [[John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale|Duke of Lauderdale]], his relative by marriage; between 1681 and 1686, he played a prominent role in the suppression of Presbyterian radicals, known as "[[the Killing Time]]". He retained his position when James succeeded in 1685 and supported his religious policies, having converting to Catholicism in 1686.

Removed from office after the 1688 [[Glorious Revolution in Scotland|Glorious Revolution]], he retired from public life and died at [[Donibristle]] on 1 November 1701.

==Life==

Alexander Stuart was born in May 1634, second son of [[James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray|James, 4th Earl of Moray]] and Lady Margaret Home (1607–1683). His elder brother James died young and Alexander succeeded his father as Earl of Moray in 1653. He was one of eight children; in addition to James, the others being Mary (1628–1668), Margaret (1631–1667), Francis (born 1636), Henrietta (1640–1713), Archibald (1643–1688), and Anne (1644–1719).

In 1658, he married Emilia Balfour, daughter of Sir [[William Balfour (general)|William Balfour]] and they had James, Lord Doune (1660–1685), [[Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray|Charles, 6th Earl]] (1673–1735), [[Francis Stuart, 7th Earl of Moray|Francis, 7th Earl]] (1673–1739), John who died unmarried and without legitimate issue but had at least one son named William B.1737 in Banffshire (1675–1765) and Emilia (died after 1706).{{sfn|Debrett|1830|p=707}}


==Biography==
==Biography==
[[File:Duke of Lauderdale.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Moray owed political office to the [[John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale|Duke of Lauderdale]], his uncle by marriage]]
During the [[Wars of the Three Kingdoms]], his father raised a regiment that fought for the [[Covenanters]] against Royalist forces led by [[James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose|Montrose]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Earl of Moray's Regiment |url=http://wiki.bcw-project.org/covenanter/foot-regiments/earl-of-moray |website=BCW Project |access-date=20 September 2019}}</ref> He also supported the attempt to restore [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] to power in the [[Second English Civil War]], then [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] in 1651.


Alexander succeeded his father as [[Earl of Moray]] on 4 March 1653, shortly after Scotland was incorporated into [[The Protectorate]]. After defeating the Royalist [[Glencairn's rising|Glencairn's Rising]] in 1654, the new administration decided to draw a line under the civil wars and adopted a number of conciliatory measures. One of these was the [[Cromwell's Act of Grace|1654 Act of Grace and Pardon]]; a small number of key individuals had their estates confiscated, with others paying a fine. Moray was one of 73 individuals included in this list, although the original amount of £3,500 was eventually reduced to £500.{{sfn|Henderson|Mann|2008|p=online}}
Alexander Stuart succeeded his father, [[James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray|James]] to the [[Earl of Moray|Earldom of Moray]] on 4 March 1653. In 1654 he was under [[Cromwell's Act of Grace]] fined £3,500 which was reduced to £1,166 13s.,<ref>{{harvnb|Henderson|1898}} cites ''Cal. State Papers'', Dom. 1655, p. 72.</ref> but in January 1656 he presented a petition for the remission of his fine, because he "was a child during the late differences", and because his estate was "small and much charged".<ref>{{harvnb|Henderson|1898}} cites ''Cal. State Papers'', Dom. 1656, p. 152.</ref> On 22 January 1657 it was ordered that, on his giving security to the Council of Scotland to pay £500. before 1 February 1658, the residue of his fine should be remitted.<ref>{{harvnb|Henderson|1898}} cites ''Cal. State Papers'', Dom. 1657, p. 248.</ref>


After the [[Restoration (England)|Restoration of Charles II]] in 1660, Moray became a [[Privy Council of Scotland|Privy Councillor]] but remained a minor political figure. He was known as an opponent of [[Cameronian|Presbyterian radicals]] and in 1675, his uncle by marriage, the [[John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale|Duke of Lauderdale]], named him [[Lord Justice General]], replacing the [[John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl|Marquess of Atholl]]. He helped enforce increasingly harsh policies, including the death penalty for preaching at services held outside the approved church, or [[Conventicles]], and was made a [[Lords Commissioners of the Treasury|Commissioner of the Treasury]] in 1678.{{sfn|Mackie|Lenman|1991|p=237}}
He was admitted justice-general on 1 June 1675, appointed a lord of the treasury on 27 September 1678, nominated an extraordinary lord of session on 17 July 1680, and on 2 November of the same year appointed secretary of state in succession to the [[John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale|Duke of Lauderdale]]. Previous to his appointment he was known as an active opponent of the [[Covenanter]]s. In 1675 he specially exerted himself in putting down conventicles in [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]],<ref>{{harvnb|Henderson|1898}} cites Wodrow, ''History'', vol. ii. p. 284.</ref> and in March 1678 he was deputed by the council to London to encourage King [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] in his policy of repression.<ref>{{harvnb|Henderson|1898}} cites Wodrow, ''History'', vol. ii. p. 419.</ref> Afterwards he co-operated with [[James II]], not only in his unconstitutional procedure, but in his endeavours to introduce [[Roman Catholicism]]. In 1686, when an attempt was made to obtain toleration for the Catholics, he was nominated for this purpose Lord High Commissioner to the [[Scottish Parliament]], and in the following year he was made a [[knight of the Thistle]]. During the [[Glorious Revolution]] he was deprived of all his offices. He died at [[Donibristle]] on 1 November 1701, and was carried to [[Darnaway Castle|Darnaway]] and buried in the church of Dyke on 24 January 1702.{{sfn|Henderson|1898}}


In 1679, dissidents murdered [[James Sharp (bishop)|Archbishop Sharp]] and Moray helped put down a short-lived [[Battle of Bothwell Bridge|rebellion]].{{sfn|Mackie|Lenman|1991|pp=238}} This resulted in his appointment on 17 July 1680 as an [[Extraordinary Lord of Session]]; when Lauderdale was dismissed soon after, he nominated Moray as [[Secretary of State, Scotland|Secretary of State]] in his place. James approved this, but insisted Moray share the position, first with [[Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton|Middleton]], then [[John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort|Melfort]]. {{sfn|Mackie|Lenman|1991|pp=245–246}}
==Family==
Alexander Stuart was the son of [[James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray]] and Margaret Home. He married Emilia Balfour, daughter of Sir [[William Balfour (general)|William Balfour]], in 1658. They had five children: James, Lord Doune; [[Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray|Charles]], 6th Earl of Moray; John; [[Francis Stuart, 7th Earl of Moray|Francis]], 7th Earl of Moray; and Mary. In 1687, he became one of the founding knights in the [[Order of the Thistle]].<ref>[http://www.thepeerage.com/p2508.htm#i25076 page 2508 section i25076] www.thepeerage.com</ref>


James became king in February 1685 with strong support in England and Scotland, leading to the rapid collapse of [[Argyll's Rising]] in June. However, measures for Catholic relief undercut the moderate Presbyterians and [[Episcopal polity|Episcopalians]] who then controlled the [[Church of Scotland]] and formed James' main support base. Their opposition forced him to rely on an ever smaller circle of loyalists; in 1686, Moray was appointed [[Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland]], charged with ensuring repeal of the 1681 Test Act.
==Notes==

{{reflist}}
Moray had converted to Catholicism in 1686; although this was not made this public until 1687, many suspected it and challenged his right to hold office at all. Despite threats and the removal from office of opponents, the [[Parliament of Scotland|Scottish Parliament]] refused to pass these measures, forcing James to use the [[Royal prerogative in the United Kingdom|Royal Prerogative]].{{sfn|Harris|2007|pp=161–162}}

In recognition of his status, Moray was one of eight founding members of the [[Order of the Thistle]], created by James in 1687 to reward his key supporters.{{sfn|Glozier|2000|pp=233–234}} After the [[Glorious Revolution in Scotland|Glorious Revolution]] in November 1688, he was deprived of all his offices. He died at [[Donibristle]] on 1 November 1701, and buried in the church of [[Dyke, Moray|Dyke]] on 24 January 1702.{{sfn|Henderson|Mann|2008}}


==References==
==References==
===Citations===
;Attribution
{{reflist}}
*{{DNB|ref=harv|first=Thomas Finlayson |last=Henderson |wstitle=Stewart, Alexander (d.1701)|volume=54}}


===Cited sources===
* {{cite book |last1=Debrett |first1=John |title=Debrett's Peerage of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 2 |date=1830 |publisher=C J G And F Rivington }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Glozier |first1=Mathew |title=The Earl of Melfort, the Court Catholic Party and the Foundation of the Order of the Thistle, 1687 |journal=The Scottish Historical Review |date=2000 |volume=79 |issue=208 |pages=233–238 |jstor=25530975 |doi=10.3366/shr.2000.79.2.233}}
* {{cite book|last1=Harris|first1=Tim|title=Revolution; the Great Crisis of the British Monarchy 1685-1720|date=2007|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0141016528}}
* {{cite ODNB |last1=Henderson|first1=TF|last2=Mann|first2=AJ |title=Stewart, Alexander, fifth earl of Moray |date=2008 |edition=Online |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/26455 }}
* {{cite book|last1=Mackie|first1=JL|last2=Lenman|first2=Bruce|title=A History of Scotland|date=1991|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0140136494|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofscotlan00mack_0}}

==External links==
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{{s-ttl|title= [[Secretary of State, Scotland]] |years= 1680&ndash;1688|with= [[Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton|The Earl of Middleton]] 1682-1684|with2= [[John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort|The Earl of Melfort]] 1684-1688 }}
{{s-ttl|title= [[Secretary of State, Scotland]] |years= 1680–1688|with= [[Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton|The Earl of Middleton]] 1682–1684|with2= [[John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort|The Earl of Melfort]] 1684–1688 }}
{{s-aft|after= [[John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort|The Earl of Melfort]]}}
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{{succession box|title=[[Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland|Lord High Commissioner]]|years=1686|before=[[William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry|The Duke of Queensberry]]|after=[[William Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton|The Duke of Hamilton]]}}
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{{succession box | title=[[Earl of Moray]] | before=[[James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray|James Stuart]] | after=[[Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray|Charles Stuart]] | years=1653-1701}}
{{succession box | title=[[Earl of Moray]] | before=[[James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray|James Stuart]] | after=[[Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray|Charles Stuart]] | years=1653–1701}}
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{{authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME = Stuart, Alexander, 5th Earl of Moray
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Scottish nobleman
| DATE OF BIRTH = 8 May 1634
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 1 November 1701
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moray, Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl Of}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moray, Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl Of}}
[[Category:1634 births]]
[[Category:1634 births]]
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[[Category:Knights of the Thistle]]
[[Category:Knights of the Thistle]]
[[Category:Lords Justice-General]]
[[Category:Lords Justice-General]]
[[Category:Earls in the Peerage of Scotland]]
[[Category:Earls of Moray]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of Scotland]]
[[Category:17th-century Scottish peers]]
[[Category:17th-century Scottish politicians]]
[[Category:Lords High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland]]
[[Category:Extraordinary Lords of Session]]
[[Category:Commissioners of the Treasury of Scotland]]
[[Category:House of Stuart|Alexander]]

Latest revision as of 11:32, 14 April 2024

The Right Honourable
The Earl of Moray
KT PC
Doune Castle, owned by the Earls of Moray
Lord High Commissioner
In office
1686–1688
MonarchJames II & VII
Preceded byDuke of Queensberry
Succeeded byDuke of Hamilton
Secretary of State in Scotland
In office
1680–1686
MonarchCharles II (1680–1685)
Preceded byDuke of Lauderdale
Succeeded byEarl of Melfort
Extraordinary Lord of Session
In office
1680–1681
MonarchCharles II
Commissioner of the Treasury
In office
1678–1679
MonarchCharles II
Lord Justice General
In office
1675–1676
MonarchCharles II
Personal details
Born
Alexander Stewart

8 May 1634 (baptised)
Darnaway Castle
Died1 November 1701(1701-11-01) (aged 67)
Donibristle
Resting placeDyke, Moray
NationalityScottish
SpouseEmilia Balfour (1646–1683)
Children
Parents
ResidenceDarnaway Castle
OccupationPolitician

Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray, KT, PC (8 May 1634 – 1 November 1701) was a Scottish peer who held senior political office in Scotland under Charles II and James VII and II.

He was first brought into government in 1676 by the Duke of Lauderdale, his relative by marriage; between 1681 and 1686, he played a prominent role in the suppression of Presbyterian radicals, known as "the Killing Time". He retained his position when James succeeded in 1685 and supported his religious policies, having converting to Catholicism in 1686.

Removed from office after the 1688 Glorious Revolution, he retired from public life and died at Donibristle on 1 November 1701.

Life

[edit]

Alexander Stuart was born in May 1634, second son of James, 4th Earl of Moray and Lady Margaret Home (1607–1683). His elder brother James died young and Alexander succeeded his father as Earl of Moray in 1653. He was one of eight children; in addition to James, the others being Mary (1628–1668), Margaret (1631–1667), Francis (born 1636), Henrietta (1640–1713), Archibald (1643–1688), and Anne (1644–1719).

In 1658, he married Emilia Balfour, daughter of Sir William Balfour and they had James, Lord Doune (1660–1685), Charles, 6th Earl (1673–1735), Francis, 7th Earl (1673–1739), John who died unmarried and without legitimate issue but had at least one son named William B.1737 in Banffshire (1675–1765) and Emilia (died after 1706).[1]

Biography

[edit]
Moray owed political office to the Duke of Lauderdale, his uncle by marriage

During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, his father raised a regiment that fought for the Covenanters against Royalist forces led by Montrose.[2] He also supported the attempt to restore Charles I to power in the Second English Civil War, then Charles II in 1651.

Alexander succeeded his father as Earl of Moray on 4 March 1653, shortly after Scotland was incorporated into The Protectorate. After defeating the Royalist Glencairn's Rising in 1654, the new administration decided to draw a line under the civil wars and adopted a number of conciliatory measures. One of these was the 1654 Act of Grace and Pardon; a small number of key individuals had their estates confiscated, with others paying a fine. Moray was one of 73 individuals included in this list, although the original amount of £3,500 was eventually reduced to £500.[3]

After the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, Moray became a Privy Councillor but remained a minor political figure. He was known as an opponent of Presbyterian radicals and in 1675, his uncle by marriage, the Duke of Lauderdale, named him Lord Justice General, replacing the Marquess of Atholl. He helped enforce increasingly harsh policies, including the death penalty for preaching at services held outside the approved church, or Conventicles, and was made a Commissioner of the Treasury in 1678.[4]

In 1679, dissidents murdered Archbishop Sharp and Moray helped put down a short-lived rebellion.[5] This resulted in his appointment on 17 July 1680 as an Extraordinary Lord of Session; when Lauderdale was dismissed soon after, he nominated Moray as Secretary of State in his place. James approved this, but insisted Moray share the position, first with Middleton, then Melfort. [6]

James became king in February 1685 with strong support in England and Scotland, leading to the rapid collapse of Argyll's Rising in June. However, measures for Catholic relief undercut the moderate Presbyterians and Episcopalians who then controlled the Church of Scotland and formed James' main support base. Their opposition forced him to rely on an ever smaller circle of loyalists; in 1686, Moray was appointed Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland, charged with ensuring repeal of the 1681 Test Act.

Moray had converted to Catholicism in 1686; although this was not made this public until 1687, many suspected it and challenged his right to hold office at all. Despite threats and the removal from office of opponents, the Scottish Parliament refused to pass these measures, forcing James to use the Royal Prerogative.[7]

In recognition of his status, Moray was one of eight founding members of the Order of the Thistle, created by James in 1687 to reward his key supporters.[8] After the Glorious Revolution in November 1688, he was deprived of all his offices. He died at Donibristle on 1 November 1701, and buried in the church of Dyke on 24 January 1702.[9]

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Debrett 1830, p. 707.
  2. ^ "Earl of Moray's Regiment". BCW Project. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  3. ^ Henderson & Mann 2008, p. online.
  4. ^ Mackie & Lenman 1991, p. 237.
  5. ^ Mackie & Lenman 1991, pp. 238.
  6. ^ Mackie & Lenman 1991, pp. 245–246.
  7. ^ Harris 2007, pp. 161–162.
  8. ^ Glozier 2000, pp. 233–234.
  9. ^ Henderson & Mann 2008.

Cited sources

[edit]
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State, Scotland
1680–1688
With: The Earl of Middleton 1682–1684
The Earl of Melfort 1684–1688 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Scotland
Preceded by Lord High Commissioner
1686 		Succeeded by
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Earl of Moray
1653–1701 		Succeeded by
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