Francis Stewart (1563-1612), Earl of Bothwell |
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Father:1 | John Stewart (-October 1563), Lord Darnley | ||
Mother:2 | Jane (Jean, Joanna, Janet) Hepburn (-) |
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Married:3 | 1 July 1592 | Margaret Douglas (-1640) |
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Occupation:12 | Lord Darnley | ||||
Occupation:13 | 16 June 1581 | Earl of Bothwell |
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Born:14 | 1563 | |||
Died:15 | 1612 | Naples [city/town], Campania [county], Italy [country] |
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He was godson of Queen Mary, who named him after Francis II of Prance, her first husband.16 | ||
He tell into disfavour, was accused of witchcraft, and imprisoned 15 April 1591, escaped on the 21 June, and on the 25 was forfeited. He attempted, on 27 December 1591, to seize the King at Holyrood House, and was attainted by Act of Parliament 21 July 1593, and his armes reivin at Croce of Edinburgh be the heraldis. He made another attempt to seize the King at Falkland on the 17th, and on 24 July 1593 forced himself into the Royal presence and obtained a promise of all he demanded, which promise the nobles in convocation at Stirling absolved the King from keeping. He again appeared with five hundred horse on 3 April 1594, after which he fled to England, and then to Orkney and Caithness. At last, in April 1595, not knowing whom to trust, he stole away privately to France, where the King suffered him 'to enjoy the free ayre of his country'. By challenging a gentleman to a duel against the King's edict, it is said he was forced to flee to Spain. Later, he went to Naples, where he lived in poverty, supporting himself by feats of arms, fortune-telling, and necromancy.17 | ||
His honours were forfeited, and his estates divided between his stepson Scott of Buccleuch, Kerr of Cessford, and Lord Hume. The forfeiture was continued against his children by Act of Parliament 1600.18 |
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