George Livingston PC (July 1616 – 1 February 1690) was a military officer and third Earl of Linlithgow.

Early life

Livingston was born in July 1616. He was the eldest son of Alexander Livingston, 2nd Earl of Linlithgow and Lady Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of the Marquess of Huntly who died giving birth to him. Among his siblings was sister Lady Margaret Livingston, who married Sir Thomas Nicholson, 2nd Baronet. After his death, she married, as his fourth wife, Sir George Stirling, 6th of Keir in 1666. After his death, she married thirdly to her late husband's cousin Sir John

Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...

, 8th of

Keir Keir is a surname and given name shortened from Keiron. Notable people with the name include: Surname *Andrew Keir (1926–1997), Scottish actor * Colin Keir (born 1959), Scottish politician * David Keir (1884–1971), British actor * David Li ...

on 6 February 1668. His mother was the second daughter of

George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly (156213 June 1636) was a Scottish nobleman who took a leading role in the political and military life of Scotland in the late 16th century, and around the time of the Union of the Crowns. Biography The son ...

and Lady Henrietta Stuart (eldest daughter of Esmé Stuart, 1st Duke of Lennox). His paternal grandparents were Alexander Livingstone, 1st Earl of Linlithgow and Lady Helen Hay (the eldest daughter of Andrew Hay, 8th Earl of Erroll). His paternal uncle was

James Livingston, 1st Earl of Callendar James Livingston, 1st Earl of Callendar (s – March 1674), was a Scottish army officer who fought on the Royalist side in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Early life Livingston was the third son of Alexander Livingston, 1st Earl of Linlithgow a ...

Career

He was appointed constable and keeper of

Linlithgow Palace The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are located in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland in the 15th and 16th ce ...

on his father's resignation on 15 December 1642. His father died between 11 June and 20 December 1648, and his succession to the earldom. On 4 December 1650, George was admitted to the House of Parliament, and his incapability by his accession to the 'Engagement' for the rescue of Charles taken off. On 20 December, he was nominated colonel of one of the Perth regiments of horse. He was member for the Sheriffdom of

Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...

in Cromwell's parliament from 1654 to 1645. At the Restoration, he was appointed colonel of the Scots Regiment of Foot Guards, and sworn a Privy Councillor. On 18 December 1677 he obtained a commission to succeed Sir

George Munro, 1st of Newmore Sir George Munro, 1st of Newmore (1602–1693) was a 17th-century Scottish soldier and shire commissioner of Parliament from the Clan Munro, Ross-shire, Scotland. He was seated at Newmore Castle. Between 1629 and 1634 Munro held command in t ...

as major-general of the forces in Scotland, his principal duty being the suppression of covenanting conventicles. After the defeat of Claverhouse at Drumclog on 1 June 1679, Linlithgow acted very irresolutely. The forces of Claverhouse were directed to return to the main body under him at

, and without daring to risk an engagement, he finally fell back on Edinburgh until assistance could be obtained from England. On the arrival of the English reinforcements the supreme command was transferred to

Monmouth Monmouth ( or ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated on where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. The population in the 2011 census was 10,508, rising from 8 ...

. After the

battle of Bothwell Bridge The Battle of Bothwell Bridge, or Bothwell Brig' took place on 22 June 1679. It was fought between government troops and militant Presbyterian Covenanters, and signalled the end of their brief rebellion. The battle took place at the bridge ove ...

Linlithgow, on 25 July, was sent by the council along with Claverhouse to London to advocate the adoption of more severe measures against those who had been in arms. On 10 July 1684, he was appointed

justice-general The Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General () is the most senior judge in Scotland, the head of the judiciary, and the presiding judge of the College of Justice, the Court of Session, and the High Court of Justiciary. ...

in room of the

Earl of Perth Earl of Perth is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1605 for James Drummond, 4th Lord Drummond. The Drummond family claim descent from Maurice, son of George, a younger son of King Andrew I of Hungary. Maurice arrived in Sc ...

, but he was deprived of his office at the Revolution. Linlithgow had some connection with the

Montgomery plot Sir James Montgomery, 4th Baronet (or Montgomerie, died 1694) was the tenth laird of Skelmorlie. He was a Scottish politician known for the Montgomery Plot, a Jacobite scheme to restore King James VII and II to the thrones of Scotland, Englan ...

, but died before its betrayal.

Personal life

On 30 July 1650, he married Lady Elizabeth Lyon, the widow of John Lyon, 2nd Earl of Kinghorne. Lady Elizabeth was the second daughter of Patrick Maule, 1st Earl of Panmure. Together, they were the parents of two sons and one daughter: * George Livingston, 4th Earl of Linlithgow (died 1695), who married Hon. Henrietta Sutherland, daughter of Alexander Sutherland, 1st Lord Duffus. * Alexander Livingston, 3rd Earl of Callendar (died 1692), who married Lady Anne Graham, eldest daughter of James Graham, 2nd Marquess of Montrose and Lady Isabel Ker (widow of

Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

and fifth daughter of

William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton (1582 – 7 August 1648) was a grandson of the 6th Earl of Morton. He was Treasurer of Scotland, and a zealous Royalist. Life He was the son of Robert Douglas, Master of Morton, and Jean Lyon, daughter of ...

). * Lady Henrietta Livingston, who married Robert Makgill, 2nd Viscount of Oxfuird. After the death of his first wife, he remarried in June 1677 to Agnes (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Wauchope) Scott. Agnes was the widow of goldsmith Alexander Scott of

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

, and daughter and co-heiress of George Wauchope of Edinburgh. After his death on 1 February 1690, he was buried in a family vault on the south side of St Michael's church in

Linlithgow Linlithgow ( ; ; ) is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It was historically West Lothian's county town, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the Central Belt on a historic route between Edi ...

, west of

Descendants

Following the

Battle of Killiecrankie The Battle of Killiecrankie, also known as the Battle of Rinrory, took place on 27 July 1689 during the Jacobite rising of 1689, 1689 Scottish Jacobite rising. An outnumbered Jacobitism, Jacobite force under Ewan Cameron of Lochiel, Sir Ewen Ca ...

in 1689, his son-in-law and both of his sons, were accused of being rebels, arrested and imprisoned in

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...

. They were released only after taking an oath of allegiance to

King William III William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702), also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from 167 ...

. Through his second son, he was a grandfather of James Livingston, 5th Earl of Linlithgow and 4th Earl of Callendar as his eldest son George died without issue.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Linlithgow, George Livingston, 3rd Earl Of 1616 births 1690 deaths Nobility from Falkirk (council area) English MPs 1654–1655 Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1689 Lords Justice-General Earls of Linlithgow Keepers of Linlithgow Palace George