Walter Scott, 4th Baron of Buccleuch (1549–1574) was head of the

Border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...

family of Scott and, despite his youth, played a prominent part in the turbulent politics of 16th century Scotland.

Origin

Scott was the eldest son of Sir William Scott of Kirkurd, Younger of Buccleuch (died 1552) and his sister was

Jean Scott, Lady Ferniehirst Janet or Jean Scott, Lady Ferniehirst (c.1548 - after 1593) was a Scottish landowner. She was a member of the Border family of Scott who succumbed to an arranged marriage that healed the feud with the family who killed her father. Her marriage ...

. They were the grandchildren of Walter Scott, 3rd of Buccleuch (who was murdered on 4 October 1552, having been pre-deceased by his son). His mother was Grisel, second daughter of John Betoun of

Creich Creich ( gd, Craoich, ) is a substantial parish on the north side of the Dornoch Firth the largest settlement being Bonar Bridge. It lies in Sutherland, Scotland. There is a church (now in ruins) and graveyard for the Parish of Creich. Creich M ...

.Sir James Balfour Paul,

The Scots Peerage ''The Scots Peerage'' is a nine-volume book series of the Scottish nobility compiled and edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, published in Edinburgh from 1904 to 1914. The full title is ''The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert ...

, volume II (David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1905), at pages 231-232

Career

Scott succeeded his grandfather at age three. His uncle, Walter Scott of Goldielands, a natural half-brother of his father, led the Scotts during his minority. In 1565 an agreement was made with the family who had killed his father. It was agreed that there would be a number of marriages between the family members to end the feud. Despite the good intentions none of the agreements took place, but this was an important basis for the later marriage of his sister in 1569. On 24 March 1566, Queen Mary appointed him captain of

Newark Castle, Selkirkshire Newark Tower is a large, ruined tower house standing in the grounds of Bowhill House, in the valley of the Yarrow Water three miles west of Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. In addition to the keep, sections of a gatehous ...

, whereupon he supported her with a force of over 3,000 men. In January 1570 (in reliance upon the distraction likely to be caused by the assassination of the

Regent Moray James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531 – 23 January 1570) was a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. A supporter of his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the regent of Scotland for his ...

, of which he had advance knowledge), he engaged in depredations on the English side of the

. By way of retaliation the English, under the

Earl of Sussex Earl of Sussex is a title that has been created several times in the Peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. The early Earls of Arundel (up to 1243) were often also called Earls of Sussex. The fifth creation came in the Peera ...

and Lord Scrope, destroyed his stronghold at

Branxholme Castle Branxholme Castle is a five-storey tower at Branxholme, about 3 miles south-west of Hawick in the Borders region of Scotland. History The present castle is on land owned by the Clan Scott since 1420. The Earl of Northumberland burned the fir ...

. Scott rebuilt the castle in the following year. In 1569 his sister Jean married the widower Sir Thomas Kerr bridging the feud between the families. A dowry was agreed but at least £1,000 was not paid in Scott's lifetime. He was a principal leader of the raid to

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...

on 4 September 1571, when an attempt was made to seize the

Regent Lennox Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox (21 September 1516 – 4 September 1571) was a leader of the Catholic nobility in Scotland. He was the paternal grandfather of King James VI of Scotland and I of England. He owned Temple Newsam in Yorkshire, E ...

, who was slain by one of the Hamiltons during the mêlée. Buccleuch, who had interposed to save the

Regent Morton James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581, aged 65) was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he won the civil war that had b ...

, his kinsman, whom the Hamiltons intended also to have slain, was during the retreat taken prisoner by Morton, and was for some time confined in

Doune Castle Doune Castle is a medieval stronghold near the village of Doune, in the Stirling council area of central Scotland and the historic county of Perthshire. The castle is sited on a wooded bend where the Ardoch Burn flows into the River Teith. It l ...

Menteith Menteith or Monteith ( gd, Mòine Tèadhaich), a district of south Perthshire, Scotland, roughly comprises the territory between the Teith and the Forth. Earlier forms of its name include ''Meneted'', ''Maneteth'' and ''Meneteth''. (Historically ...

. Scott was made Keeper and Captain of the royal Newark Castle, and Baillie and Chamberlain of Ettrick Forest in December 1573.

Gordon Donaldson Gordon Donaldson, (13 April 1913 – 16 March 1993) was a Scottish historian. Life He was born in a tenement at 140 McDonald RoadEdinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory, 1912 off Leith Walk in northern Edinburgh on 13 April 1913 the so ...

, ''Register of the Privy Seal: 1567-1574'', vol. 6 (Edinburgh, 1963), p. 421 no. 2234. Scott died at Branxholme on 17 April 1574.

Family

Scott married

Margaret Douglas Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (8 October 1515 – 7 March 1578), was the daughter of the Scottish queen dowager Margaret Tudor and her second husband Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. In her youth she was high in the favour of her unc ...

, daughter of

David Douglas, 7th Earl of Angus David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

. (She survived him and married secondly

Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome * Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural ...

.) They had three children: *

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'', ''Rob Roy (n ...

, later 1st

Lord Scott of Buccleuch Duke of Buccleuch (pronounced ), formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created twice on 20 April 1663, first for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and second suo jure for his wife Anne Scott, 4th Count ...

*Margaret (sometimes, though doubtfully, said to be married to Robert Scott of Thirlestane) *Mary, who married William Elliott of Lariston

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Walter, 4th of Buccleuch 1549 births 1574 deaths Scottish politicians Scottish soldiers People from the Scottish Borders

Walter Scott, 4th of Buccleuch Walter Scott, 4th Baron of Buccleuch (1549–1574) was head of the Border family of Scott and, despite his youth, played a prominent part in the turbulent politics of 16th century Scotland. Origin Scott was the eldest son of Sir William Scott of ...

Scottish landowners