John Stewart of Traquair (died 1591) was a Scottish landowner. Front elevation of Traquair House, Innerleithen - geograph

He was a son of William Stewart of Traquair and Christian Hay. He was a younger brother of Robert Stewart of Traquair, from whom he inherited the family estates. A young laird of Traquair, possibly Robert Stewart, was shot at the

siege of Haddington The sieges of Haddington were a series of sieges staged at the Royal Burgh of Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, as part of the War of the Rough Wooing, one of the last Anglo-Scottish Wars. Following Regent Arran's defeat at the battle of Pi ...

in August 1548. His home was

Traquair House Traquair House, approximately 7 miles southeast of Peebles, is claimed to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. Whilst not strictly a castle, it is built in the style of a fortified mansion. It pre-dates the Scottish Baronial s ...

Innerleithen Innerleithen ( gd, Inbhir Leitheann) is a civil parish and a small town in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders. It was formerly in the historic county of Peeblesshire or Tweeddale. Etymology The name "Innerleithen" comes ...

. Stewart was a Protestant and supported the

Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke with the Pope, Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Church of Scotland, Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterianism, Presbyterian in ...

. In December 1562

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

sent Adam MacCulloch,

Marchmont Herald Marchmont Herald of Arms is a current Scottish herald of arms of the Court of the Lord Lyon (there are six herald titles but only three heralds at any one time) The office was first mentioned in 1438, and the title is derived from the royal ...

, to

Hermitage Castle Hermitage Castle is a semi-ruined castle in the border region of Scotland. It is under the care of Historic Scotland. The castle has a reputation, both from its history and its appearance, as one of the most sinister and atmospheric castles in ...

, demanding its surrender to John Stewart of Traquair. Stewart was Captain of the Royal Guard of

and

Lord Darnley Lord Darnley is a noble title associated with a Scottish Lordship of Parliament, first created in 1356 for the family of Stewart of Darnley and tracing a descent to the Dukedom of Richmond in England. The title's name refers to Darnley in Scot ...

. He is said to have accompanied them on their ride to Seton Palace and

Dunbar Castle Dunbar Castle was one of the strongest fortresses in Scotland, situated in a prominent position overlooking the harbour of the town of Dunbar, in East Lothian. Several fortifications were built successively on the site, near the English-Scott ...

with

Arthur Erskine of Blackgrange Arthur Erskine of Blackgrange (died 1571) was a Scottish courtier. He was a son of John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine and Margaret Campbell. He became an equerry or master of the stable to Mary, Queen of Scots. John Knox noted that he accompanied her ...

after the murder of

David Rizzio David Rizzio ( ; it, Davide Rizzio ; – 9 March 1566) or Riccio ( , ) was an Italian courtier, born in Pancalieri close to Turin, a descendant of an ancient and noble family still living in Piedmont, the Riccio Counts di San Paolo e Solbrito ...

. He was engaged in a feud with his kinsman

William Hay, 6th Lord Hay of Yester William Hay, 6th Lord Hay of Yester (died 1591) was a Scottish nobleman and courtier. He was the son of William Hay, 5th Lord Hay of Yester and Margaret Kerr, daughter of John Kerr of Ferniehirst Castle, Ferniehirst by his wife Catherine Kerr, dau ...

in 1587, and Hay was imprisoned in

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

. John Stewart married Jonet Ker. They had children. John Stewart died on 18 April 1591. In 1591

William Stewart of Caverston William Stewart of Caverston and Traquair (died 1605), was a Scottish landowner and Captain of Dumbarton Castle. Career He was a brother of John Stewart of Traquair, Sir John Stewart of Traquair House, Traquair. His lands were at Caverston, or Ca ...

, his younger brother, inherited the Traquair lands, and after his death Traquair went to another brother, James Stewart. His son, John Stewart, married Margaret Stewart, a daughter of

Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree (died 1627) was a courtier in the household of Anne of Denmark in Scotland and looked after her children Prince Henry, Princess Elizabeth, and Charles I of England Career Margaret was the daughter of Henry ...

. Their son was

John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair (died 27 March 1659) was a Scottish statesman who was created Baron Stewart of Traquair in 1628 and Earl of Traquair in 1633. Life He was the son of John Stewart, the Younger, of Traquair in Peeblesshire, of ...

.''HMC 9th Report: Traquair'', p. 241.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, John 16th-century Scottish people Court of Mary, Queen of Scots 1591 deaths