William Forbes, 7th Lord Forbes (1513-1593) was a Scottish landowner. William was the son of John, 6th

Lord Forbes Lord Forbes is the senior Lordship of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. The title was created sometime after 1436 for Alexander de Forbes, feudal baron of Forbes. The precise date of the creation is not known, but in a Precept dated July 1 ...

and Christian Lundie. His eldest son John, Master of Forbes, and his half-brother "Black" Arthur Forbes signed a band on 27 April 1560 at Edinburgh with other Scottish nobles committing themselves to Protestant reformation, and to join with the English army sent to expel French troops from Scotland. In July 1568 Forbes was at

Largs Largs () is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" (''An Leargaidh'') in Scottish Gaelic. A popular seaside resort with a pier, the town markets itself on its histor ...

with the

Earl of Argyll Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ''countess'' is used. The titl ...

and with others signed a letter to the

Duke of Alva Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ...

complaining of the treatment 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 ...

in England, and asking him to write to

Philip II of Spain Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...

to petition

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

and to send troops into Scotland against their enemies. Despite this, William was reckoned by English diplomats to be a friend to England. He took sides against the supporters

in the Marian Civil War. The

Earl of Huntly Marquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing marquessate in Scotland, and the second-oldest in the British Isles; only the English ma ...

sent troops against him in October 1571, and the king's side sent 200 men to aid him. "Black" Arthur Forbes, the earl's brother, was killed at the Battle of Tillieangus. They fought again in Aberdeen at the Battle of Craibstone and John, Master of Forbes, was captured and taken to

Huntly Castle Huntly Castle is a ruined castle north of Huntly, Scotland, Huntly in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where the rivers River Deveron, Deveron and River Bogie, Bogie meet. It was the ancestral home of the chief of Clan Gordon, Earl of Huntly. There hav ...

. The English ambassador

Henry Carey Henry Carey may refer to: *Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon (1526–1596), politician, general, and potential illegitimate son of Henry VIII *Henry Carey, 1st Earl of Dover (1580–1666), English peer *Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth (1596–1661), ...

was inclined to view this as a "private quarrel" or feud between the Forbes and Gordons. In 1590 John, Master of Forbes, was accused of imprisoning his father in a chamber at Druminnor Castle and hitting him on the head with the pommel of his sword. Two younger sons, Robert Forbes Commendator of

Monymusk Monymusk () is a planned village in the Marr area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. History Malcolm Canmore first established Celtic foundation on the site in 1078 The Culdees of Munimusc are recorded as inhabiting the site in 1170. Monymusk Pri ...

and James Forbes of Fechell brought their father's complaint to the Privy Council, but the Master of Forbes denied it. The Council declared that Drumminor should be kept by William Forbes of Tolquhoun and others till Lord Forbes came to Edinburgh or sent further testimony. In May 1591 the Master of Forbes claimed his brothers had turned his father against him, and while Lord Forbes was lying sick at Dundee they had entered and robbed the House of Druminnor. The younger Forbes brothers obtained royal letters against the Master of Forbes to support their occupation of Druminnor. In November 1591 Lord Forbes made an alliance with

George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal (c. 1553–1623) was a Scottish nobleman and Earl Marischal. He succeeded as earl on 7 October 1581, upon the death of his grandfather, William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal. Early life George Keith was the s ...

Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll (30 April 156416 July 1631) was a Scottish nobleman. A convert to Catholicism, he openly conspired with the king of Spain to try to unseat the Protestant Queen Elizabeth. Biography He was the son of Andrew Ha ...

, and others against the

. In 1592 Forbes and Huntly promoted rival candidates as Provost of Aberdeen.

Family

William married Elizabeth Keith, heiress of Inverugie. Their children included: * John Forbes, Master of Forbes, and later 8th Lord Forbes (1542-1606), who married; (1) Margaret Gordon, daughter of

George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly (151428 October 1562) was a Scottish nobleman. Life He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV and Margaret Drummond. George Gordon inherited his earldom and esta ...

and Elizabeth Keith. She was the mother of John, Master of Forbes, later 9th Lord Forbes; and (2) Janet Seton, daughter of Walter Seton of Touch, mother of Arthur, 10th Lord Forbes. * Robert Forbes of Monymusk. * James Forbes of Fechell. * Anne Forbes, who married in 1588, Sir John Seton of Barns. * Jean Forbes, who married James Ogilvy, Lord Airlie. * Christian Forbes, who married George Johnston of Caskieben, and was the mother of the poet Arthur Johnston. In July 1592 John, Master of Forbes, wanted his son to marry a sister of the Earl of Gowrie, which the Earl of Huntly opposed, as it would weaken him politically. Arthur, Master of Forbes, married Jean Elphinstone, in Edinburgh on 5 February 1600. This was double wedding of sisters, daughters of the Master of Elphinstone celebrated at the Mint in the Cowgate, the other couple being, Anna Elphinstone and the

Earl of Sutherland Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland, William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is al ...

, James VI gave both brides a gold chain and fore and back gold garnishing for their hair.''Letters to King James the Sixth from the Queen, Prince Henry, Prince Charles etc'' (Edinburgh, 1835), p. lxxv-lxxvi:
William Fraser
''Elpinstone Family Book'', vol. (Edinburgh, ), pp. 134, 169.
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, William 1513 births 1593 deaths Nobility from Aberdeenshire Lords Forbes 16th-century Scottish peers