Robert Ker, 3rd Earl of Roxburghe PC (6 May 1682) was a Scottish

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...

Early life

Ker was the eldest son of four sons born to

William Ker, 2nd Earl of Roxburghe William Ker, 2nd Earl of Roxburghe PC (16222 July 1675) was a Scottish nobleman who inherited his title from his maternal grandfather, Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe. Early life He was born William Drummond in 1622. He was the fifth and ...

and the Honourable Jane Ker, who were

first cousins Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...

. Among his younger brothers were William Ker, who served as Sheriff of Tweeddale, and

John Ker John Ker (8 August 1673 – 8 July 1726), born John Crawford in Crawfurdland, Ayrshire, was a Scots Presbyterian linked with Cameronian radicals who between 1705 and 1709 acted as a government informer against the Jacobites. Dogged by financi ...

, who later took the surname Bellenden and became 2nd

Lord Bellenden {{Use dmy dates, date=November 2019 The title Lord Bellenden, of Broughton, was a lordship of Parliament created in the Peerage of Scotland on 10 June 1661 for William Bellenden, who was Treasurer-depute of Scotland. Shortly before his death, he ...

of Broughton (after inheriting from their first cousin twice removed,

William Bellenden, 1st Lord Bellenden William Bellenden, Lord Bellenden PC (died 1671), was Treasurer-depute of Scotland. Early life Bellenden was born before 1606. He was the only son and heir of Sir James Bellenden of Broughton, and Margaret Ker. His mother was the sister of Robe ...

, the son of Sir James Bellenden of Broughton, and Margaret Ker). His only sister, Lady Jean Ker, was married to Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres, a prominent supporter of

James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Gloriou ...

. Ker's paternal grandparents were

John Drummond, 2nd Earl of Perth John Drummond, 2nd Earl of Perth (1588–1662) was a Scottish nobleman. Career Drummond was the son of Patrick Drummond, 3rd Lord Drummond and Lady Elizabeth Lindsay. He succeeded to his father's title of 4th Lord Drummond in 1602 Drummond wro ...

, and Lady Jean Ker (the eldest daughter of

Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe (1650) was a Scottish nobleman. Early life He was the eldest son of William Ker of Cessford (died 1605), and Janet Douglas. His mother was the widow of James Tweedie of Drumelzier, and the third daughter of ...

). His father's eldest brother was

James Drummond, 3rd Earl of Perth 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 ...

. His cousin,

James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth James Drummond, 1st Duke of Perth KT PC (164811 May 1716), also 4th Earl of Perth and 7th Lord Drummond, was a Scottish statesman, and Jacobite. Family The eldest son of James Drummond, 3rd Earl of Perth by his spouse Lady Anne, daughter o ...

, was created the Duke of Perth in the Jacobite Peerage in 1701. His maternal grandparents were Hon. Harry Ker and Lady Margaret Hay (the only daughter of

William Hay, 10th Earl of Erroll William Hay, 10th Earl of Erroll PC (before 1597 – 7 December 1636) was a Scottish nobleman. Biography He was the eldest son of Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll by his third wife, Lady Elizabeth, daughter of William Douglas, 6th Earl ...

and Lady Anne Lyon, daughter of

Patrick Lyon, 1st Earl of Kinghorne Patrick Lyon, 1st Earl of Kinghorne (1615) was a Scottish landowner. Patrick Lyon was the son of John Lyon, 8th Lord Glamis and Elizabeth Abernethy, only daughter of Alexander Abernethy, 6th Lord Saltoun. His father was killed in 1578 by a gunsho ...

). After his grandfather died, his grandmother remarried to

John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis, PC (died April 1668) was a Scottish peer, the grandson of Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis, and nephew of John Kennedy, 5th Earl of Cassilis. He succeeded to the titles of 8th Lord Kennedy and 6th Earl ...

Peerage and career

Upon his father's death in 1675, the 17-year-old Ker inherited the titles and estates as the 3rd

Earl of Roxburghe Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

. In 1680, Ker served as

Privy Councillor A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

. In 1681, he served as Sheriff Principal of Selkirk, also serving as Sheriff of Roxburgheshire and

Baillie A bailie or baillie is a civic officer in the local government of Scotland. The position arose in the burghs, where bailies formerly held a post similar to that of an alderman or magistrate (see bailiff). Baillies appointed the high constables ...

of the Regality of Melrose.

Personal life

On 10 October 1675, Roxburghe was married to Lady Margaret Hay, eldest daughter of

John Hay, 1st Marquess of Tweeddale John Hay, 1st Marquess and 2nd Earl of Tweeddale (c. 13 August 1625, Yester, East Lothian – 11 August 1697, Edinburgh) was Lord Chancellor of Scotland. Early life Hay was born in 1626. He was the eldest son of John Hay, 1st Earl of Tweeddale ( ...

and Lady Jean Scott, the second daughter of

Walter Scott, 1st Earl of Buccleuch Walter Scott, 1st Earl of Buccleuch, 2nd Baron Scott of Buccleuch (before 1606 – 20 November 1633) was a Scottish nobleman. He was born the son of Walter Scott, 1st Lord Scott of Buccleuch Walter Scott, 5th of Buccleuch, 1st Lord Scott of ...

. Together, they were the parents of: *

Robert Ker, 4th Earl of Roxburghe The Duke of Roxburghe () is a title in the peerage of Scotland created in 1707 along with the titles ''Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford'', ''Earl of Kelso'' and ''Viscount Broxmouth''. John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe became the first holder ...

(–1696), who died unmarried. * John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe (–1741), who married Lady Mary Savile, widow of

William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax (1665 – 31 August 1700) was the son of George Savile, 1st Viscount Halifax and Dorothy Savile, Viscountess Halifax (née Spencer). He was educated in Geneva in 1677 and matriculated at Christ Church, O ...

and only child of

Daniel Finch, 7th Earl of Winchilsea Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea, PC (2 July 16471 January 1730) was an English Tory statesman who supported the Hanoverian Succession in 1714. Origins He was born on 2 July 1647, the son of Heneage Finch, 1st Earl ...

. * The Hon. William Ker (d. 1741), who fought on

the Continent Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous continent of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by ...

under the

Duke of Marlborough General (United Kingdom), General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) was an Engl ...

and was present at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. He served as Groom of the Bedchamber to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

in 1714 and was a

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for Berwick and Dysart Burghs. Roxburghe died on 6 May 1682 when HMS ''Gloucester'' ran aground on a sandbank off the

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

coast. He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Robert. When Robert died unmarried 14 years later, the title passed to his second son, John, who was created

Lord Ker of Cessford and Cavertoun The Duke of Roxburghe () is a title in the peerage of Scotland created in 1707 along with the titles ''Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford'', ''Earl of Kelso'' and ''Viscount Broxmouth''. John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe became the first holder ...

, Viscount of Broxmouth,

Earl of Kelso Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford The Duke of Roxburghe () is a title in the peerage of Scotland created in 1707 along with the titles ''Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford'', ''Earl of Kelso'' and ''Viscount Broxmouth''. John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe became the first holder ...

, and the 1st Duke of Roxburghe on 25 April 1707.

Family tree

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roxburghe, Robert Ker, 3rd Earl Of 1658 births 1682 deaths Earls of Roxburghe

Robert Ker, 3rd Earl of Roxburghe Robert Ker, 3rd Earl of Roxburghe PC (6 May 1682) was a Scottish nobleman. Early life Ker was the eldest son of four sons born to William Ker, 2nd Earl of Roxburghe and the Honourable Jane Ker, who were first cousins. Among his younger broth ...

17th-century Scottish peers Members of the Privy Council of Scotland