Alexander Elphinstone

Notes:

Created Lord Elphinstone at the baptism of Prince Arthur, about November 1509. Died at the battle of Flodden Field.

"Alexander Elphinstone received a grant from his father in 1497 of the lands of Stirkfield and Stirckshaws. He married, prior to 8 August 1507, Elizabeth Barlow, one of the Maids-of-honour who had come from England in the train of the Princess Margaret, Queen of James IV. He had ample opportunity of meeting her, as he held an appointment in the Royal Household so early as 1502; at least a person of his name is found frequently mentioned in the accounts of the period. Elizabeth Barlow or Barlee, as she is styled in the Treasurer's Accounts, was a favourite attendant of the Queen and it was in a great measure to this marriage that Alexander Elphinstone owed his future advancement in life and the many favours which were conferred on him by the King. On 8 August 1507 James granted to the pair, who were probably then newly wedded, the lands of Invernochty and others in Aberdeenshire, and erected them into a barony. There appears to have been some difficulty about the arrangement or consolidation of the diiferent lands, and on 10 December 1507 another charter was granted, and a re-arrangement made by which all the lands in the said barony were comprised in the lordship of Strathdon. On 19 July 1508 Elphinstone and his wife received a charter of the lands of Kildrummy and others, with the custody of the castle of that name. They are said, in a charter of 12 August 1513, to have been given as a dowry with his wife, and were then erected into a barony, with which his previous holding of Invernochty was incorporated. He also acquired other lands; he had, on 19 June 1510, a grant of Gargunnock, Oarnock, and Plean in Stirlingshire, Fordel in Fife, and Dunlugas in Banff. He also had, on 24 August 1512, a charter of the lands of Quarrell, co. Stirling, which were united to the barony of Elphinstone. On the occasion of the death of Prince Arthur, the King, by charter dated 14 January 1509-10, created Alexander Elphinstone a Lord of Parliament under the title of Lord Elphinstone. He did not enjoy his newly acquired honours long, as he fell with the King at Flodden 9 September 1513." {The Scots Peerage, citation details below]

Alexander Elphinstone (d. 1513) = Elizabeth Barlow (d. 1523)
Alexander Elphinstone (1510-1547) = Katherine Erskine (b. 1506)
Robert Elphinstone (1530-1602) = Margaret Drummond
Alexander Elphinstone (1552-1638) = Jean Livingston (d. 1621)
James Elphinstone (1580-1628) = Helen Forbes
Alexander Elphinstone (d. 1654) = Lilias Elphinstone (1613-1675)
John Elphinstone (1649-1718) = Isabel Maitland (d. 1706)
Elizabeth Elphinstone (1673-1708) = John Campbell (d. 1729)
Anne Campbell (d. 1785) = Archibald Edmonstone (d. 1768)
Archibald Edmondstone (1717-1807) = Susanna Mary Harenc (d. 1776)
Charles Edmonstone (1764-1821) = Louisa Hotham (1778-1840)
William Edmonstone (1810-1888) = Mary Elizabeth Parsons (1823-1902)
Alice Frederica Edmonstone (1869-1947) * = George Keppel (1865-1947)
Sonia Rosemary Keppel (1900-1986) = Roland Calvert Cubitt (1899-1962)
Rosalind Maud Cubitt (1921-1994) = Bruce Middleton Hope Shand (1917-1946)
Camilla Rosemary Shand (1947- ), = (1) Andrew Henry Parker Bowles (1939- ), = (2) HRH Prince Charles Philip Arthur George (1948- ), now Charles III, King of England

* She is known to have been a mistress of King Edward VII from 1898 forward.

Also:

Alexander Elphinstone (d. 1513) = Elizabeth Barlow (d. 1523)
Alexander Elphinstone (1510-1547) = Katherine Erskine (b. 1506)
Robert Elphinstone (1530-1602) = Margaret Drummond
Alexander Elphinstone (1552-1638) = Jean Livingston (d. 1621)
Alexander Elphinstone (1577-1607) = Elizabeth Drummond (d. 1637)
Lilias Elphinstone (1613-1675) = Alexander Elphinstone (d. 1654)
John Elphinstone (1649-1718) = Isabel Maitland (d. 1706)
Elizabeth Elphinstone (1673-1708) = John Campbell (d. 1729)
Anne Campbell (d. 1785) = Archibald Edmonstone (d. 1768)
Archibald Edmondstone (1717-1807) = Susanna Mary Harenc (d. 1776)
Charles Edmonstone (1764-1821) = Louisa Hotham (1778-1840)
William Edmonstone (1810-1888) = Mary Elizabeth Parsons (1823-1902)
Alice Frederica Edmonstone (1869-1947) * = George Keppel (1865-1947)
Sonia Rosemary Keppel (1900-1986) = Roland Calvert Cubitt (1899-1962)
Rosalind Maud Cubitt (1921-1994) = Bruce Middleton Hope Shand (1917-1946)
Camilla Rosemary Shand (1947- ), = (1) Andrew Henry Parker Bowles (1939- ), = (2) HRH Prince Charles Philip Arthur George (1948- ), now Charles III, King of England

Alexander married Elizabeth Barlow before 8 Aug 1507. Elizabeth died before 13 Feb 1523. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Effie.

Family/Spouse: James V, King of Scots. James (son of James IV, King of Scots and Margaret Tudor) was born on 10 Apr 1512 in Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland; was christened on 11 Apr 1512 in Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland; died on 14 Dec 1542 in Falkland Palace, Fife, Scotland; was buried in Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Euphemia married John Bruce after 13 Apr 1540. John (son of Hector Bruce) was born in of Cultmalindie, Perth, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

1st Earl of Orkney.

From Wikipedia:

Robert Stewart, Knt., 1st Earl of Orkney and Lord of Zetland (Shetland) (1533 – 4 February 1593) was a recognized illegitimate son of James V, King of Scotland, and his mistress Eupheme Elphinstone.

In 1539 Robert was made Commendator of Holyrood Abbey, and Commendator of Charlieu Abbey in France by 1557. On 9 February 1560 he testified against the Hamilton Duke of Châtellerault and Earl of Arran, and the Protestant Lords of the Congregation to James MacGill and John Bellenden of Auchnoule. They were collecting evidence for Henri Cleutin and Jacques de la Brosse, the French advisors of his step-mother Mary of Guise who planned to have the Hamiltons charged with treason against his half-sister, Mary, Queen of Scots and France. Robert himself had signed some of the letters that were to be cited as evidence.

He was knighted as Sir Robert Stewart of Strathdon on 15 May 1565, as part of marriage celebrations of Mary, Queen of Scots and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. In 1581 he was named, by James VI, the 1st Earl in a second creation of the Earldom of Orkney. The new earldom replaced a short-lived Dukedom of Orkney, which had been awarded in 1567 by Mary, Queen of Scots, to her notorious third husband James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell. This dukedom was forfeit later that same year after Mary was forced to abdicate and Bothwell was charged with treason. Prior to this dukedom there had existed an Earldom of Orkney that was surrendered in 1470 by William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney.

Mary wrote a will at Sheffield in 1577 ineffectually declaring his title to Orkney null and void, after Robert was imprisoned in 1575 for obtaining a letter from the King of Denmark declaring him sovereign of Orkney. His crimes included colluding with Shetland pirates. The Earl was imprisoned at Linlithgow Palace. He was released in 1579. He built the Palace of Birsay on Orkney. On his death in 1593 the earldom passed to his son Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney.

From the Scots Peerage:

Robert Stewart of Strathdown was a half-brother of Queen Mary, being a natural son of King James V. by Euphame, daughter of Alexander, first Lord Elphinstone; she married, in 1540, John Bruce of Cultmalundie. Robert was born 1533, and was mentioned in the remainder of the castle and lands of Tantallon, granted to his half-brother James Stewart 31 August 1536, as son of the King by this lady nominatim. He obtained a grant of the Abbey of Holyroodhouse in commendam in 1539. In 1553 he went abroad, and was absent from Scotland for some years. After his return he early joined the Lords of the Congregation against the Queen-mother, and declared himself, according to Knox, to be on the Protestant side. On the return of Queen Mary he was constantly at Court, and had some knowledge of the plot for Darnley's murder. His elder children, legitimate and natural, were provided for out of the temporalities of Holyroodhouse. On 19 December 1564 he obtained a lease of the Crown lands of Orkney and Zetland, but this was revoked when the Queen married Bothwell and created him Duke of Orkney. In 1569, Lord Robert, however, exchanged the temporalities of Holyroodhouse for those of the See of Orkney with Adam Bothwell, Bishop of that Diocese, and in spite of the latter's protest that the proceedings were done by constraint, and also of various revocations and regrants, kept a hold on the earldom and bishopric of Orkney till his death. He was accused in 1571 of treason, having had intrigues with the King of Denmark relative to his islands, was imprisoned by the Regent Morton, and remained in ward until the latter's resignation. In September 1572 he received from Bishop Bothwell three charters of the lands of the bishopric to himself and his wife Jean Kennedy in liferent, and to Henry, their eldest lawful son, whom failing, to Patrick Stewart, his brothergerman, whom failing, to Lord Robert himself, whom failing, to Robert, his natural son, whom failing, to James Stewart, also a natural son, with a remainder to other persons named. He had the satisfaction of assisting at Morton's fall, conveying him to prison. By his nephew King James VI. he was, on 28 October 1581 created Earl of Orkney and Lord of Zetland, with remainder to the heirs of his body, legitimately born, whom failing, to the King. He obtained another entail of the earldom of Orkney, 9 June 1585, and died 4 February 1592-93. He married in 1561 Jean Kennedy, eldest daughter of Gilbert, third Earl of Oassillis, and had issue: 1. Henry, Master of Orkney, mentioned in the entail of the earldom 9 June 1585. He predeceased his father before 1590, when his brother Patrick is styled Master of Orkney. 2. Patrick, his successor. 3. John, created Lord Kinclaven and Earl of Carrick. (See the latter title.) 4. Sir James Stewart of Eday and Tullos, Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King James vi. In spite of the misleading footnote in Wood's Douglas, he was a legitimate son, and is, 1584, described as brother-german of Henry and Patrick, third born. His brother's downfall involved him in difficulties, and he and his eldest son had a protection from their creditors in 1635. He and his wife Margaret Lyon, in 1625, obtained a grant of £900 Scots 'in commiseration of their poore and indigent estate. They had issue:—(1) Colonel Robert Stewart of Eday, ancestor of that family in Orkney. Heirs to the earldom except for the attainder. (2) Colonel John Stewart of Newark, who left issue. (3) Mary, married (contract 1639) to Alexander Bothwell of Glencorse. (4) Margaret. (5) Jean, married, first, to Major George Crichton of Abekie; secondly, to Frederick Lyon of Brigtoun. 5. Sir Robert Stewart of Middleton, described in 1584 as brother-german of Henry, Patrick, and James, and fourth born. He was at one time abroad, and secretary to the Vice-Chancellor of Poland, and then in Ireland. King James VI. wrote to one Stallenge to commend his suit for Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Kenne, his ward, 14 April 1604. 6. Marie, married (contract 25 November 1585) to Patrick, sixth Lord Gray, as his second wife. 7. Jean, married, first, to Patrick, first Lord Lindores; and secondly, as third wife, to Robert, first Lord Melville of Raith. She survived him, and was alive in 1642. 8. Elizabeth, married to James Sinclair of Murkle, second son of John, Master of Caithness. 9. Barbara, stated to have been married to Hugh or Harry Halcro of Halcro in Orkney.

Earl Robert had a large number of illegitimate children. 1. Robert Stewart, who was legitimated. He is usually named before his brother James, and they are first named in 1566 in a grant to their brother Henry and two sisters, being carefully distinguished as natural sons. 2. James Stewart, who was also legitimated. He received with his brother Robert in 1574 provision out of the teinds of Holyroodhouse. It is exceedingly difficult to disentangle the history of these legitimated sons from those of their lawful brothers of the same name. 3. James Stewart of Graemsay in Orkney (his mother said to be Janet Robertson of Strowan), who was implicated in his father's treasonable intrigues with Denmark. 4. William Stewart of Egilshay, summoned 1600 to find caution for appearance at trial 'for the schamefull and cruell murther of Bellenden, his first spouse.' He was later a colonel in the Swedish service in 1609. 5. George Stewart of Eynhallow, legitimated 29 November 1586. His mother, and the mother of Edward and David was Marjorie Sandilands, wife of Adam Gordon, brother of John Gordon of Avachie. He had in 1584 been included in the provision out of the teinds of Holyroodhouse, and in 1585 was in the entail of the earldom of Orkney and lordship of Zetland. He had a number of lands, afterwards erected into the tenandry of Brugh, and was dead before 30 March 1616. 6. Edward Stewart of Brugh, ancestor of that family. He held the half of the lands of Brugh, and succeeded to his brother George before 30 March 1616. 7. David Stewart of How. 8. Christian married to John Mouat of Hougaland in Shetland, and, as his widow, was living, and in feud with her brother-in-law, in 1634. 9. Grizel, married before 27 December 1591 to Hugh Sinclair of Brugh in Shetland. 10. Mary, said to have been married to Lawrence Sinclair of Goat, in Shetland.

Family/Spouse: (Unknown mistress of Robert Stewart). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Jean Kennedy in 1561. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

4th Laird of Cultmalindie.

From Wikipedia (accessed 29 Dec 2021):

Laurence Bruce of Cultmalindie (20 January 1547 – August 1617) was the son of John Bruce of Cultmalindie and Eupheme Elphinstone. Easter Cultmalindie is a small hamlet or "fermtoun" in Tibbermore parish, Perthshire, Scotland.

The Bruces of Cultmalindie were a minor branch of the Bruce family in Scotland, and were descendants of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland (1306-1329). Laurence Bruce was the half brother of Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney. Earl Robert was the recognized illegitimate son of James V, King of Scotland, and Eupheme Elphinstone.

About 1571 Laurence Bruce was appointed sheriff (the anglicised equivalent to the actual Norn-Scottish title of Foud or "faud", coming from the Norse term 'fogde', meaning approximately bailiff) of the Shetland Islands by Earl Robert. Accompanied by his nephew William Bruce of Crail (son of his full-brother Robert Bruce: although he may have been a son of Laurence) and other officials and armed men, Laurence Bruce moved to his new domain and set up his seat on the island of Unst. Once there he rapidly became unpopular due to his oppressive and corrupt rule. For example, it was alleged that he took bribes and that he had altered the official weights and measures to enhance the revenues of Earl Robert. His armed men felt free to seize control of ships and to billet themselves in the homes of the local people.

Evidently Laurence Bruce helped himself to the local women, and is believed to have fathered approximately twenty-four illegitimate children beyond his ten legitimate children by his wives Helen Kennedy, daughter of Hugh Kennedy of Girvanmains and Janet Stewart, and Elizabeth Gray, daughter of Patrick, Lord Gray and Marion Ogilvy. Escalating conflict with the local Shetland Islanders resulted in a petition being sent to the royal court in Edinburgh. In response, a royal commission, the 'Mudy commission', travelled to Shetland and in February 1577 took evidence from 700 male Shetlanders. As a result, Laurence Bruce was removed from office. But by June of the following year, he had returned to the islands as "sheriff-depute".

Laurence Bruce is best known as the builder of Muness Castle, which was completed around 1598. Muness Castle, now a ruin, is the most northerly castle in Great Britain. It was built at the southeast end of Unst, just east of the town of Uyeasound, after Earl Robert was succeeded by his son Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney in 1593. Later events proved that Laurence Bruce had good reason to fear the aggression of Earl Patrick. In 1608 Earl Patrick sent a force to besiege the castle, but the attackers abandoned their assault. In 1610 Laurence Bruce testified against Earl Patrick before the Privy Council in Edinburgh. Following a rebellion in Orkney, in August 1614 the Privy Council appointed Laurence Bruce a Commissioner and charged him with apprehending any rebels who might seek shelter in Shetland.

Laurence Bruce died at Muness castle in August 1617 and was buried inside the old church at nearby Sandwick. Ownership of the castle passed to his second eldest son Andrew Bruce of Muness, a quieter and more popular man than his father. Laurence Bruce's eldest son, Alexander Bruce of Cultmalindie, returned to the mainland of Scotland to run the family's property in Perthshire.

Illegitimate sons include Scipio Bruce of Meikleure. William Bruce of Symbister, his nephew (possible son) married Marjorie Stewart, a daughter of John Stewart (an illegitimate son of James V) and Jean Hepburn.

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth Gray. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Laurence married Helen Kennedy in 1559. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Aft Nov 1633

Notes:

For an account of the complaint she presented to the Privy Council in 1634, see the entry for her husband John Mowat.

Family/Spouse: John Mowat. John (son of Andrew Mowat and Ursula Tulloch) was born in of Hugoland in Northmaven, Shetland, Scotland; died in Aug 1617. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]