Sir Hugh Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of the Great Ards (c. 1560 – 15 May 1636) was an aristocrat and a soldier, known as one of the "founding fathers" of the Ulster-Scots along with Sir

James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye (c. 1560 – 24 January 1644) was a Scot who became owner of large tracts of land in County Down, Ireland, and founded a successful Protestant Scots settlement there several years before the Plantation o ...

. Montgomery was born in

Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...

at Broadstone Castle, near

Beith Beith (locally ) is a small town in the Garnock Valley, North Ayrshire, Scotland approximately south-west of Glasgow. The town is situated on the crest of a hill and was known originally as the "''Hill o' Beith''" (hill of the birches) afte ...

. He was the son of Adam Montgomery, the 5th Laird of Braidstane, by his wife and cousin Margaret Montgomery of Hessilhead.

Early career

After being educated at

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

and time spent at the royal court of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, Montgomery served as a captain of foot of a Scottish Regiment under

William I of Orange William the Silent or William the Taciturn (; 24 April 153310 July 1584), more commonly known in the Netherlands as William of Orange (), was the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off the Eighty Years' War (156 ...

during the early parts of the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish Empire, Spanish government. The Origins of the Eighty Years' War, causes of the w ...

. He returned to Scotland upon the death of his parents in 1587. He inherited his father's title as the Laird of Braidstane and married Elizabeth Shaw, who died in 1625. Montgomery established a relationship with King James VI. He was able to gain some influence in the king's court due to his correspondence with his brother George Montgomery, who had been named

Dean of Norwich The Dean of Norwich is the head of the Chapter (religion), Chapter of Norwich Cathedral in Norwich, England. The current Dean is Andrew Jonathan Braddock, who took up the position in late January 2023. List of deans Early modern *1538–1539 ...

in 1602. The information contained in the correspondence was important to James as it included details on English politics.

Montgomery–Cunningham feud

Montgomery became involved in the centuries-old feud between Clan Montgomery and Clan Cunningham. The feud dates to the 15th century when a Montgomery was named

Bailie 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 Cunninghame by James II, a post the Cunninghams claimed was rightfully theirs. The 4th Earl of Eglinton was assassinated by the Cunninghams at about the time of Montgomery's return to Scotland. Montgomery's involvement in the feud began when he took offence at something that Cunningham said. Cunningham fled to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, then to

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

, where Montgomery caught up with him and confronted him in the Inner Court of the Palace at

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

. Combating Cunningham with a sword, Montgomery delivered what he believed to be a killing thrust, but Cunningham's belt buckle deflected the blow. Montgomery believed he had killed Cunningham and made to leave the palace. He was arrested and imprisoned at Gevangenpoort in the

Binnenhof The Binnenhof (; ) is a complex of buildings in the city centre of The Hague, Netherlands, next to the Hofvijver (Court Pond). It houses the meeting place of both houses of the States General of the Netherlands, as well as the Ministry of Gener ...

. Montgomery broke out of jail with the help of a Scottish soldier. Montgomery received a reprimand from King James but was soon back in favour. He accompanied the king to his coronation as King of England in spring 1603 after the death of Queen Elizabeth.

Ulster Settlement

Montgomery's friendship with the king was useful to him next in establishing a Settlement in Ireland in 1606 (preceding the

Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster (; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster Scots: ) was the organised Settler colonialism, colonisation (''Plantation (settlement or colony), plantation'') of Ulstera Provinces of Ireland, province of Irelandby people from Great ...

in 1610). Looking for an opportunity for advancement, Montgomery came into contact with the wife of Con O'Neill, a landowner in

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

, who was imprisoned at

Carrickfergus Castle Carrickfergus Castle (from the Irish ''Carraig Ḟergus'' or "cairn of Fergus", the name "Fergus" meaning "strong man") is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of B ...

for instigating rebellion against the Queen. Montgomery and Ellis O'Neill (the wife) made a deal that the O'Neills would give half of their land to him if he could free Con and secure for him a royal pardon. Montgomery sent a relative to Ireland to lead the jailbreak, which was successful. At this point, James Hamilton interfered with the negotiations with the King, securing for himself a share of the land in question with the resultant shares being one-third each for Hamilton, Montgomery and O'Neill, who gained pardon. (Montgomery also secured for his brother George, his staunchest political ally, the title of

Bishop of Derry and Raphoe The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe is the Church of Ireland Ordinary (officer), Ordinary of the united Diocese of Derry and Raphoe (Church of Ireland), Diocese of Derry and Raphoe in the Province of Armagh (Church of Ireland), Province of Armagh.''C ...

.) Montgomery and Hamilton recruited Scots of many families and trades to populate their settlement. In May 1606 the first wave of settlers arrived. Montgomery settled at

Newtownards Newtownards (; ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles (16 km) east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. It is in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Newtow ...

and soon established a trade route between

Donaghadee Donaghadee ( , ) is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about east of Belfast and about six miles (10 km) south east of Bangor, County Down, Bangor. It is in the Civil paris ...

in Ireland and

Portpatrick Portpatrick is a village and civil parishes in Scotland, civil parish in the historical county of Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is located on the west coast of the Rhins of Galloway. The parish is about in length and in br ...

in Scotland. In 1613, Montgomery, along with Hamilton, represented the settlement to the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until the end of 1800. The upper house was the Irish House of Lords, House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, ...

. At Donaghadee, he built a large stone quay to accommodate vessels ferrying between Scotland and Ireland from 1616 onwards. On 3 May 1622, Montgomery was made Viscount Montgomery. Lord Montgomery may have been given a Scottish

State funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...

in Newtownards on 8 September 1636. Montgomery's coat of arms (a fleur de lis and hand above a crescent) survives today as part of the crest of Ards Borough Council, and in the school badge for Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards.

Marriage and children

He married secondly Sarah Maxwell, daughter of Sir John Maxwell, 4th

Lord Herries of Terregles Lord Herries of Terregles (pronounced "''Heh''-reez of Ter-regulls'") is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1490 for Herbert Herries with remainder to his heirs general. On the death of his grandson, William, 3rd ...

. His sons included: * Hugh Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery (d. 15 November 1642) of the Great Ards, eldest son and heir, who in 1623 married Lady Jean Alexander (d.1670), daughter of the 1st Earl of Stirling, by whom he had a son: ** Hugh Montgomery, 1st Earl of Mount Alexander, an ancestor of the actress Flora Montgomery. *Sir James Montgomery (born 1600) of Rosemount, County Down, Ireland, second son, a noted military commander. In 1649 he fled from Ireland on the approach of

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

and returned to Scotland, then went into exile in Holland. He married three times, his third wife being his cousin Frances St Lawrence, daughter of The 11th Baron Howth and Jane, daughter of Bishop Montgomery.The Montgomery Manuscripts, Belfast, 1830 His daughters included: Isabel who married Robert Cunningham, and Katherine who married Robert Blair.

References

External links

Hamilton & Montgomery: 400 Years

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Hugh Montgomery, 1st Viscount 1560s births 1636 deaths Nobility from North Ayrshire Immigrants to Ireland Expatriates from the Kingdom of Scotland Expatriates in France Ulster Scots people Viscounts in the Peerage of Ireland Peers of Ireland created by James I People of the Eighty Years' War Alumni of the University of Glasgow