John Bothwell of Auldhamer, Lord Holyroodhouse (c.1550–1609) was a 16th-century Scottish judge and

Senator of the College of Justice The senators of the College of Justice in Scotland are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of senator: Lords of Session (judges of the Court ...

residing at

Holyrood House The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly known as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood has ...

prior to it becoming a royal palace.

Life

He was born in Bothwell House in Edinburgh, the son of Bishop

Adam Bothwell Adam Bothwell, Lord of Session (c.1527, Edinburgh – 1593, Edinburgh), was a Scottish clergyman, judge, and politician. Overview Adam Bothwell served as Bishop of Orkney (1559), Commendator of Holyrood House (1570), Extraordinary Lord of Sessi ...

, a

Lord of Session The senators of the College of Justice in Scotland are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of senator: Lords of Session (judges of the Court ...

and

bishop of Orkney The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics of Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. The ...

. His mother was Margaret Murray, daughter of John Murray of Touchadam. His paternal uncle Richard Bothwell served as Provost of Edinburgh during the reign of

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 List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

. His grandfather

Francis Bothwell Francis Bothwell of Edinburgh, Lord of Session, was a Scottish merchant, landowner, judge and politician. As a university graduate, he was called ''Master Francis Bothwell'', or "Dominus" in Latin documents; however, this has been misunderstood ...

had also been a

since its foundation in 1532 and a

in the

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 ...

courts. Francis was

Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is elected by and is the convener of the City of Edinburgh Council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the Lord-Lieutenant of Edi ...

1523/24. His aunt, Janet Bothwell, was mother of the mathematician,

John Napier John Napier of Merchiston ( ; Latinisation of names, Latinized as Ioannes Neper; 1 February 1550 – 4 April 1617), nicknamed Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish landowner known as a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer. He was the 8 ...

. In early life he was styled "John Bothwell of Alhammer". Being a favourite of King

James VI James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

he was made Abbot or Commendator of

Holyrood Abbey Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a List of British royal residences, royal r ...

from 1581. In July 1593 he was created a Senator of the College of Justice and

, in place of his father, and adopted the title of " Lord Holyroodhouse". He dressed as an Amazon in August 1594 to perform in the tournament at the baptism of Prince Henry at

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. The castle sits atop an Intrusive rock, intrusive Crag and tail, crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill ge ...

. In May 1595 James VI gave him a diamond ring worth £180 Scots. In September 1595 James VI sent him to be his representative at the christening of a child of

Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Erroll Elizabeth Douglas, Countess of Erroll (died 1631) was a Scottish aristocrat. Elizabeth was the youngest daughter of William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton and Agnes Leslie, Countess of Morton. Morton had seven daughters, alleged to have been called ...

. He was an ally of the Laird of Buccleuch. His correspondence with Anthony Bacon in England in 1596 mentions his relation, Mr Kello, the husband of the calligrapher

Esther Inglis Esther Inglis ( or ) (1571–1624) was a skilled member of the artisan class, as well as a Portrait miniature, miniaturist, who possessed several skills in areas such as calligraphy, writing, and embroidering. She was born in 1571 in either L ...

. In December 1607 the king elevated the title from a non-hereditary legal title to a hereditary title. He died on 26 November 1609. He is thought to be buried in

adjacent to his home. If so he logically shares the grave of his parents at the second column from the main east window.

Family

He was married to Maria or Marie Carmichael (died 1626), a daughter of

Sir John Carmichael Sir John Carmichael (died 16 June 1600) was a Scottish soldier, the Keeper of Liddesdale, a diplomat, and owner of Fenton Tower at Kingston, East Lothian. Career He was the son of John Carmichael and Elizabeth Somerville, a daughter of Hugh Somer ...

of Carmichael (d.1600). She lived in Advocate's Close in Edinburgh, on the site of the present later house called "Adam Bothwell's house", built by William Dick of Braid. Her will mentions a larger "meikle" hall with a "wainscot" or oak dining table, a cupboard (shelves) made of "fir" or pine and an oak table. Their son John Bothwell became the 2nd Lord Holyroodhouse. He seemed to have lived in

Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...

rather than Edinburgh as he became a burgess of that town in 1620. The title Lord Holyroodhouse temporarily expired with his death in 1638 but was readopted in the early 18th century by his descendant Henry Bothwell, 3rd Lord Holyroodhouse (1657-1755).Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.1 p.120

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bothwell, John 1609 deaths Peers of Scotland created by James VI Senators of the College of Justice Year of birth uncertain