Robert Kerr, 2nd Earl of Lothian (died 1624) was a Scottish noble.

His life

Robert Kerr was the son of

Mark Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian Mark Kerr (or Ker), 1st Earl of Lothian (15538 April 1609) was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He became the first Earl of Lothian in 1606. Family background He was a member of the "famous border family" of Ker of Cessford. He was the son ...

, who had been given the new title in 1606. He was the eldest son, with three brothers: William, Mark, and James, and sisters. In 1606 he became Master of Requests. When his father, the 1st Earl of Lothian, died in 1609, Robert succeeded him as the 2nd Earl of Lothian. A eulogic poem by William Douglas of Tofts mentioned that the Earl had traveled through most parts of

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and was a student of mathematics and

astrology Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that propose that information about human affairs and terrestrial events may be discerned by studying the apparent positions ...

. In 1617 the Earl and John Hamilton of Preston held a trial for John Hunter, the blacksmith in

Prestonpans Prestonpans ( , Scots: ''The Pans'') is a mining town, situated approximately eight miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the council area of East Lothian. The population as of is . It is near the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans (first ...

. Over several years he had stolen iron plough shares and fittings from farms in the neighbouring villages for scrap metal.

Marriage

In 1611 he married Lady Annabella Campbell, who was the daughter of

Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll Archibald may refer to: People and characters *Archibald (name), a masculine given name and a surname * Archibald (musician) (1916–1973), American R&B pianist * Archibald, a character from the animated TV show '' Archibald the Koala'' Other us ...

. They had two daughters, Anne and Johanna. His wife died in 1652. His daughter Anne was married on 9 December 1630 to her kinsman Sir William Kerr of Ancrum, who was created a new Earl of Lothian on 31 October 1631. Robert Kerr and Annabella Campbell also had a daughter named Joanna.

Suicide and succession

He committed suicide on 6 March 1624. That Saturday Robert Kerr dismissed his servants from him and went alone to a chamber in

Newbattle Abbey Newbattle Abbey was a Cistercians, Cistercian monastery near the village of Newbattle in Midlothian, Scotland, which subsequently became a stately home and then an educational institution. Monastery It was founded in 1140 by monks from Melrose ...

, saying he was writing his letters and accounts. After barring the door, he stabbed himself several times and cut his throat. At the time it was rumoured that he was beset by debt or that he had been consulting with magicians and witches. He had married Annabella, the daughter of Archibald Earl of Argyll. As he had no male heirs, he had obtained a charter in 1621 for his lands and titles so that his daughter, Anne Kerr, could succeed him, provided that she married a member of the family of Ker. Anne became Countess of Lothian in her own right. However, Sir Robert Kerr of Ancram was apparently given control of the Earl's possessions by

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

in 1625. Subsequently, the Countess, Anne, and Sir Robert's son, Sir William Kerr, married, and Sir William was duly made Earl of Lothian on 26 July 1631.Laing, David, ed., ''Correspondence of Sir Robert Kerr, first Earl of Ancram'', vol. 1, Roxburghe Club (1857), xlvii-li. William Kerr is often called the 3rd Earl of Lothian, or the 1st Earl, regarding the re-grant of the title as a new creation.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lothian, Robert Kerr, 2nd Earl of 1624 deaths Nobility from Midlothian Earls of Lothian Suicides in Scotland Year of birth unknown Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1612 Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1617 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1617 Politicians who died by suicide Suicides by sharp instrument