John Graham, 4th Earl of Montrose

John Graham, 4th Earl of Montrose (1573–1626) was a Scottish nobleman, Earl of Montrose from 1608 to the 1620s. He was for a time Lord President of the Privy Council of Scotland.

He was a Catholic, as the English ambassador William Asheby noted in November 1589, on the death of his uncle Mungo Graham, Master Household to James VI.[1]

On 31 January 1595, in a feud following the death of his kinsman John Graham of Hallyards, he fought with James Sandilands on the Royal Mile. There were over 100 pistol shots and Sandilands was wounded. In the confusion, a rumour spread that King James was besieged in Holyrood Palace.[2] Sandilands' brother-in-law William Crauford, brother of the laird of Carse was killed.[3]

He was at court in Royston in England in 1614 and the court physician Théodore de Mayerne treated him for melancholy.[4] Mayerne offered to write a recipe to treat his wife's eyes in 1616.[5]

Marriage and Family

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He married Margaret Ruthven, daughter of William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie and Dorothea Stewart. Their children included:

References

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  • MacDonald, Alan R. "Graham, John, fourth earl of Montrose". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/67519. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  1. ^ Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 199-200.
  2. ^ Joseph Bain, Calendar of Border Papers, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1896), p. 10-12 nos. 19, 22.
  3. ^ John Mackenzie, A chronicle of the kings of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1830), p. 152.
  4. ^ Joseph Browne, Theo. Turquet Mayernii Opera medica (London, 1703), pp. 163-71
  5. ^ Original Letters Relating To The Ecclesiastical Affairs of Scotland, vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club, 1851), p. 473.
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Earl of Montrose
1608–1626
Succeeded by