Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl Of Seaforth
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Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth, KT, PC (S) ( bapt. 8 December 1661 – January 1701) was a Scottish peer and Jacobite supporter, known as Lord Mackenzie of Kintail from birth until 1678.


Life

Mackenzie was the eldest son of Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth, and his wife, Isabel. In 1686, he was sworn of the
Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. During its existence, the Privy Council of Scotland was essentially considered as the government of the Kingdom of Scotland, and was seen as the most ...
and was a founding knight of the
Order of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier order. The ...
a year later. In 1678, he inherited his father's titles and ten years later, following the
Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution, also known as the Revolution of 1688, was the deposition of James II and VII, James II and VII in November 1688. He was replaced by his daughter Mary II, Mary II and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange ...
, he followed King James II and VII to
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and later to
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, where he was present at the
Siege of Derry The siege of Derry in 1689 was the first major event in the Williamite War in Ireland. The siege was preceded by an attempt against the town by Jacobite forces on 7 December 1688 that was foiled when 13 apprentices shut the gates. Thi ...
. For his part in supporting the dethroned King James in Ireland, he was elevated by James in 1690, to Marquess of Seaforth (in the
Jacobite Peerage The Jacobite peerage includes those peerages created by James II and VII, and the subsequent Jacobite pretenders, after James's deposition from the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland following the Glorious Revolution of 1688. These creati ...
, with the subsidiary title of Earl of Fortrose), and was sent to head a rising in Scotland. He was soon captured and imprisoned. He was released in 1697 and died in Paris in January 1701. After the battle of Killiecrankie and the death of Claverhouse, James, writing on 30 November 1689 from Dublin Castle to Colonel Cannon, promised to send to him Seaforth to 'head his friends and followers'. For some time Brahan Castle which belonged to him was garrisoned by Hugh Mackay. After General
Thomas Buchan Thomas Buchan (c.1641–1724) was a Scottish professional soldier from a Catholic family in Aberdeenshire who served in the armies of France, the Netherlands and Scotland. He remained loyal to James II after the 1688 Glorious Revolution and pa ...
undertook the command of the Jacobite forces, Seaforth prepared to join him with a body of the northern clans, but, on learning of Buchan's defeat at
Cromdale Cromdale (, from ''crom'' 'crooked' and ''dal'' 'valley, dale') is a village in Strathspey, in the Highland council area of Scotland, and one of the ancient parishes which formed the combined ecclesiastical (later civil) parish of Cromdale, ...
on 1 May 1690, he sent two of his clan to arrange terms with the government. He affirmed that he had merely taken up arms for the sake of appearances, and never had any real intention of joining Buchan. He also offered security for his future peaceable behaviour, but Mackay replied that he would be satisfied with no other security than the delivery of his person. Thereupon he agreed to deliver himself up to be confined in
Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...
, only stipulating that he should be seized at his seat with a show of force to hide his voluntary submission from the clan. On a party being sent to capture him he, however, changed his mind and disappointed them, pleading that his delicate health would suffer from imprisonment. Thereupon, Mackay resolved to treat his vassals 'with the rigour of military execution;' but, desirous for their sake to avoid extremities, he caused information of his intentions to be sent to Seaforth, who thereupon surrendered himself and was confined in the castle of Inverness. In consequence of a warrant of the privy council, 7 October 1690, he was brought to Edinburgh and imprisoned in the castle. His relative George Mackenzie, viscount Tarbat, first earl of Cromarty, made strong representations to Lord Melville against the impolicy of his imprisonment, but he was retained a prisoner until 7 January 1692, when he was allowed his liberty within ten miles of Edinburgh. On 7 May, he was apprehended at Pencaitland and confined to the castle of Inverness, and was not finally liberated until 1 March 1697. Afterwards he went to France, and died in
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in January 1701.


Family

Seaforth married Lady Frances Herbert (1659-1732), daughter of
William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis, Knight of the Garter, KG, Privy Council of England, PC (16262 June 1696) was an English nobleman, best remembered for his suffering during the Popish Plot. He succeeded his father as 3rd Baron Powis in ...
, in 1680. They had two children:


References

;Attribution


Sources


Cracroft's Peerage, Release 6.1
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seaforth, Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of 1661 births 1701 deaths Nobility from Highland (council area) 104 Seaforth, Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Marquess of Peers created by James II (1689–1701) Scottish Jacobites Knights of the Thistle
Kenneth Kenneth is a given name of Gaelic origin. The name is an Anglicised form of two entirely different Gaelic personal names: ''Cainnech'' and '' Cináed''. The modern Gaelic form of ''Cainnech'' is ''Coinneach''; the name was derived from a byna ...