Unknown artist - Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy (1545–1631), Highland Improver - PG 2165 - National Galleries of Scotland

Sir Duncan Campbell, 1st Baronet of Glenorchy (1545-1631) was a Scottish landowner and courtier.

Career

He was a son of Colin Campbell of Glenorchy and Katherine Ruthven. She was a daughter of

William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven (died December 1552) was a Scottish nobleman. He served as an Extraordinary Lord of Session and Keeper of the Privy Seal. Life The 2nd Lord Ruthven was the son of William, Master of Ruthven (who was known as Li ...

and Janet Haliburton, heiress of the Haliburtons of

Dirleton Castle Dirleton Castle is a medieval fortress in the village of Dirleton, East Lothian, Scotland. It lies around west of North Berwick, and around east of Edinburgh. The oldest parts of the castle date to the 13th century, and it was abandoned by th ...

. He was born at Balloch, now called

Taymouth Castle Taymouth Castle is situated to the north-east of the village of Kenmore, Perth and Kinross, in the Highlands of Scotland, in an estate which encompasses 450 acres. It lies on the south bank of the River Tay, about a mile from Loch Tay, in the ...

Unknown artist - Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy (1545–1631), Highland Improver - PG 2364 - National Galleries of Scotland

Duncan became the 7th Laird of Glenorchy, and his shrewd, ruthless dealings as "Black Duncan" capped a spectacular rise in the family fortunes to national prominence in Scotland. He was knighted at the coronation of Anne of Denmark on 17 May 1590.

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

invited him to the baptism of Prince Henry in 1594, asking him to bring venison and wild fowls. In September 1590 John Murray of

Tullibardine Tullibardine is a location in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, which gives its name to a village, a castle and a grant of nobility. The village of Tullibardine is a settlement of approximately forty dwellings about southwest of Perth. It lies in the ...

and his brother-in-law Robert Murray of Abercairnie were guests of Black Duncan at Balloch, now

. On 1 August 1598 Glenorchy wrote to the English politician

Sir Robert Cecil Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, (1 June 156324 May 1612), was an English statesman noted for his direction of the government during the Union of the Crowns, as Tudor England gave way to Stuart rule (1603). Lord Salisbury served as the ...

with thanks to Queen Elizabeth after his audience with the diplomat George Nicholson. Glenorchy sent his secretary John Archibald to London. It was hoped Glenorchy would help the English in Ireland. He was also known as "Black Duncan of the Seven Castle". He built part of

Kilchurn Castle Kilchurn Castle () is a ruined structure on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It was first constructed in the mid-15th century as the base of the Campbells of Glenorchy, who extended both the ...

, began the construction of

Finlarig Castle Finlarig Castle is an early 17th-century castle standing on a mound on a peninsula between the River Lochay and Loch Tay, just over north of Killin in Stirling (formerly in Perthshire), Scotland. Built in 1629 by 'Black' Duncan Campbell (Donnc ...

at the west end of

Loch Tay Loch Tay ( gd, Loch Tatha) is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the Perth and Kinross and Stirling council areas. It is the largest body of fresh water in Perth and Kinross, and the sixth largest loch in Scotland. The ...

, and improved farmland around Finlarig, Kilchurn and Balloch. In 1607

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional fo ...

sent him a round gold jewel set with 29 diamonds and 4 rubies to wear in his hat, and a ring with 4 diamonds and a large heart-shaped diamond. A similar round jewel is listed in her 1606 inventory. The factor of her Dunfermline estates, Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pitreavie, lent him 7,000

merks The merk is a long-obsolete Scottish silver coin. Originally the same word as a money mark of silver, the merk was in circulation at the end of the 16th century and in the 17th century. It was originally valued at 13 shillings 4 pence (exactly ...

. He maintained contact with Anne of Denmark through his cousin Jean Drummond, one of her ladies in waiting. In 1609 he sent eagles to

Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to: People *Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father *Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460) *Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...

in London, and the Prince sent him a stallion in return. He acquired a Nova Scotia baronetcy in 1625. Duncan Campbell died in 1631 and was buried at Finlarig.

Marriages and children

Duncan Campbell married Jane Stewart (d. 1593), a daughter of

John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl (died 25 April 1579), called the Fair, was a Scottish nobleman and courtier. He was favoured by Mary, Queen of Scots, but later turned against her. Biography Stewart was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Athol ...

and Margaret Fleming on 11 July 1574. Their children included: * Sir Colin Campbell, 2nd Baronet * Jean Campbell, who married John Campbell of

Cawdor Cawdor ( gd, Caladair) is a village and parish in the Highland council area, Scotland. The village is south-southwest of Nairn and east of Inverness. The village is in the Historic County of Nairnshire. History The village is the location of ...

* Margaret Campbell (d. 1598), who married Alexander Menzies of Weem and Menzies His second wife was Elizabeth Sinclair, a daughter of

Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair Henry Sinclair (died 1601) was a Scottish nobleman and the 6th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 5th Lord Sinclair in descent starting from William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and 3rd Earl ...

and Elizabeth Forbes. They married in 1597. His third wife was Janet Burdon.

Portraits

Two portraits depict Duncan Campbell. The first is dated 1601 and shows some similarities with pictures attributed to the court painter

Adrian Vanson Adrian Vanson (died c. 1602) was court portrait painter to James VI of Scotland. Family and artistic background Adrian was probably born in Breda, the son of Willem Claesswen van Son by Kathelijn Adriaen Matheus de Blauwverversdochter. His uncle ...

. The second portrait is dated 1619 and giving his age as 65 (the inscription has been repainted). The painting is not in the mainstream style of the Netherlandish court painters like Adrian Vanson but may be the work of the "German painter" known to have been employed by the family in 1633.Duncan Thomson, ''Painting in Scotland, 1570-1650'' (Edinburgh, 1975), pp. 35-6, 38, 58.

References

External links

Portrait of Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy, National Galleries Scotland
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Duncan 16th-century Scottish people 17th-century Scottish people 1631 deaths 1545 births