Janet Kennedy (c. 1480 – c. 1545), was a Scottish noble and the

mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a ...

of King James IV of Scotland.

Life

She was the eldest daughter of

John Kennedy, 2nd Lord Kennedy John Kennedy, PC, 2nd Lord Kennedy (12 October 1454 – 29 December 1508) was a Scottish lord, the son of Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy and Catherine Maxwell. He succeeded to the title of 2nd Lord Kennedy in 1489 after the death of his ...

and Lady Elizabeth Gordon. Through her father, she was a great-great-granddaughter of King Robert III wheres her mother was the daughter of

Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Huntly (died 15 July 1470), who adopted the family name of Gordon from about 1457, was a powerful 15th-century Scottish magnate. He was knighted in 1439/1440 and was Lord of Badenoch, Gordon, Strathbogie and Cluny. ...

. She is believed to have first been married to Alexander Gordon of Lochinvar around 1493. They may have had a daughter. By 1497, Janet was the mistress of

Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus (c. 1449October 1513), was a Scottish nobleman, peer, politician, and magnate. Tradition has accorded him the nickname Archibald 'Bell-the-Cat' due to his association with the 1482 rebellion against Jam ...

("Bell the Cat"), with whom she had a daughter, Mary. They also may have been married, though she was never described as his Countess. She attracted the attention of King James IV around 1497. She had three children with the king. They included

James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531 – 23 January 1570) was a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. A supporter of his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the regent of Scotland for hi ...

, Margaret and Jane Stewart. They lived for a time at Stirling Castle and the household was the responsibility of

Andrew Aytoun Andrew Aytoun (died 1547), was a Scottish soldier and engineer, and captain of Stirling Castle. Aytoun worked for James IV of Scotland, whose reign lasted from 1488 until his death at the battle of Flodden in 1513. He was regarded as a member of ...

. The King had a number of mistresses, but this appears to have been his longest relationship, which continued even after his marriage to

Margaret Tudor Margaret Tudor (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541) was Queen of Scotland from 1503 until 1513 by marriage to King James IV. She then served as regent of Scotland during her son's minority, and successfully fought to extend her regency. Ma ...

. After James IV's marriage by proxy, he met Janet at

Bothwell Castle Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle, sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located between Bothwell and Uddingston, about south-east of Glasgow. Construction of the castle w ...

in April 1503, then she was sent to Darnaway Castle in August just before Margaret arrived. James IV gave her the lordship of

in September 1498, transferred from the

Earl of Angus The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the Duke's eldest son. Histor ...

. In March 1500 the king gave her, in consideration of the "hartlie luve and invict favoris he has and beris to her", extensive lands in

Menteith Menteith or Monteith ( gd, Mòine Tèadhaich), a district of south Perthshire, Scotland, roughly comprises the territory between the Teith and the Forth. Earlier forms of its name include ''Meneted'', ''Maneteth'' and ''Meneteth''. (Historically ...

and the keeping of

Doune Castle Doune Castle is a medieval stronghold near the village of Doune, in the Stirling council area of central Scotland and the historic county of Perthshire. The castle is sited on a wooded bend where the Ardoch Burn flows into the River Teith. It ...

. It is not clear whether she is the same as the "Janet bair ars" who received gifts from the king in 1505–12. Her daughter Margaret Stewart came to court from Darnaway in April 1513.''Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland'', vol. 4 (Edinburgh, 1902), pp. 409, 416-7
/ref> Janet Kennedy also had relationships with two other men, one of whom was John Ramsay, 1st Lord Bothwell whom she married in 1505. Two of her partners died at the

Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...

External links

References

Barnes, Ishbel ''Janet Kennedy Royal Mistress'' (John Donald: Edinburgh, 2007)
MacDougall, Norman ''James IV of Scotland'' 1480s births 1540s deaths Mistresses of James IV of Scotland 15th-century Scottish women 16th-century Scottish women Daughters of barons

Janet Janet may refer to: Names * Janet (given name) * Janet (French singer) (1939–2011) Surname * Charles Janet (1849–1932), French engineer, inventor and biologist, known for the Left Step periodic table * Jules Janet (1861–1945), French psych ...

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