Alexander Elphinstone, 1st Lord Elphinstone (died 9 September 1513) was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Sir John Elphinstone of that ilk and of Pittendreich.
Alexander Elphinstone, 1st Lord Elphinstone (died 9 September 1513) was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Sir John Elphinstone of that ilk and of Pittendreich.
He was first known as "Alexander Elphinstone of Innernochty". As a courtier, in 1508 Elphinstone was recorded as a "squire of attendance". He was made Baillie or Chamberlain of Stirlingshire in January 1508, in succession to Andrew Aytoun. [1] He also became keeper of Stirling Castle, a position held jointly with his wife, Elizabeth Barlay. They supervised some repairs and building work. [2]
Elphinstone was made a Lord of Parliament at the baptism of Prince Arthur, a son of James IV and Margaret Tudor in 1509. [3] He was raised to the Peerage of Scotland as Lord Elphinstone, of Elphinstone in the County of Stirling, in 1510. This was a new creation. On the lands of the new barony of Elphinstone a new tower was erected called the tower of Elphinstone, which became the principal messuage of the new barony. It formed the chief residence of the Lords Elphinstone for eight generations of the family down to, and including Charles the ninth Lord. [4]
Alexander Elphinstone played a "Squire of the Black Lady" at the royal tournament in Edinburgh in 1507. The role was to escort the "Black Lady" in her triumphal chair from Edinburgh Castle to the tournament ground. Elphinstone and his companion William Ogilvy were dressed in outfits of white damask. [5]
Elphinstone married Elizabeth Barlay or Barlow, an English lady of the household of Margaret Tudor. [6] The royal accounts for 1503 and 1506 include her fee of 50 English shillings for six months. [7] She injured her arm in August 1505 and was attended by the royal apothecary, John Mossman. [8] As a New Year's Day gift in 1507 she was given rosary beads. [9] Her two maidens, her attendants, were given 5 French gold crowns each in January 1512, and the same gift was given to an African servant of the queen, Ellen More. [10]
Elphinstone and Elizabeth Barlay were made keepers of Stirling Castle in January 1508. [11] James IV also made them keepers of Kildrummy Castle. [12] In 1508 they transferred their rights over lands at the Wester town of Tillicoultry known as Colinstoun to James Schaw of Sauchie and his wife Alison Home. [13] In 1513 Kildrummy was regranted to him and his wife and united with Innernochty into the Lordship of Elphinstone.
In 1512 Elphinstone was able to help Robert Bruce of Airth to recover his lands at the Pool of Airth, where James IV had built a dockyard. [14]
Lord Elphinstone was killed at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513, [15] along with many other Scottish noblemen, and was succeeded in the lordship by his son Alexander.
According to George Buchanan, Elphinstone was clothed in royal insignia at the battle. Because he was not unlike James IV in stature, there was a rumour that Elphinstone had been mistaken for the king, who had been able to escape the battlefield incognito. Buchanan also reported that there was doubt if the body recovered by the English at Flodden was Elphinstone's or James IV. [16]
The children of Alexander Elphinstone and Elizabeth Barlay included:
Elizabeth Barlow or Barlay, Lady Elphinstone, later married John Forbes, 6th Lord Forbes. [18]
The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are located in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, 15 miles (24 km) west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Although maintained after Scotland's monarchs left for England in 1603, the palace was little used, and was burned out in 1746. It is now a visitor attraction in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
Kildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Though ruined, it is one of the most extensive castles dating from the 13th century to survive in eastern Scotland, and was the seat of the Earls of Mar. It is owned today by Historic Environment Scotland and is open to the public as a scheduled ancient monument with gardens that are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.
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Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre (1555–1617) was a Scottish courtier and politician. He was Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1582 to 1596 and Treasurer of Scotland from 1596 to 1599.
Janet Kennedy, was a Scottish noble and the mistress of King James IV of Scotland.
John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine was a Scottish nobleman.
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Alexander Elphinstone, 4th Lord Elphinstone (1552-1638), was a Scottish courtier, landowner, and Lord Treasurer.
Robert Elphinstone, 3rd Lord Elphinstone (1530-1602) was a Scottish landowner and courtier.
The tournament of the Wild Knight and the Black Lady was an event held twice in Edinburgh by James IV of Scotland, in June 1507 and May 1508.
Andrew Aytoun, was a Scottish soldier and engineer, and captain of Stirling Castle.
John Mosman was an apothecary at the Scottish court.
Elizabeth Barlay or Barlow was an English lady in waiting to Margaret Tudor the wife of James IV of Scotland.
John Forbes, 6th Lord Forbes was a Scottish landowner.
Robert Hamilton of Briggis was a Scottish soldier and military engineer. He was keeper of Linlithgow Palace and Dunbar Castle and was Master of the Scottish artillery.
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Margaret Dennet was an English servant of Margaret Tudor, the wife of James IV of Scotland, and the owner of lands near Inverness.
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