Biography of James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray 1499-1544

On 8th August 1503 [his father] King James IV of Scotland (age 30) and Margaret Tudor (age 13) were married at Holyrood Abbey [Map]. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk (age 60) and James Hamilton 1st Earl Arran (age 28) were present. She the daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland (age 46) and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England. He the son of [his grandfather] King James III of Scotland and [his grandmother] Margaret Oldenburg Queen Consort Scotland. They were third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.

Cuthbert Cunningham 3rd Earl Glencairn (age 27) was restored 3rd Earl Glencairn.

On 9th September 1513 at the Battle of Flodden was fought at the Branxton, Northumberland [Map]. the English army was commanded by Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk (age 70), Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 40), Edmund Howard (age 35), Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland (age 45), Edward Stanley 1st Baron Monteagle (age 51) and Marmaduke Constable (age 56).

The English army included: Henry "Shepherd Lord" Clifford 10th Baron Clifford (age 59), William Conyers 1st Baron Conyers (age 44), Thomas Berkeley 5th Baron Berkeley (age 41) and Richard Neville 2nd Baron Latimer of Snape (age 45).

Father and son Ralph ellerker of risby in yorkshire and Ralph Ellerker were knighted by Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey, as were Marmaduke Constable (age 33), William Constable (age 38), George Darcy 1st Baron Darcy Aston (age 16), Edmund Walsingham (age 33), Thomas Burgh 7th Baron Cobham 5th Baron Strabolgi 1st Baron Burgh (age 25) and Walter Stonor (age 36).

John Booth (age 78), Randall Babington, John Bigod (age 38) and Thomas Fitzwilliam (age 39), Christopher Savage (age 49), Thomas Venables (age 44) and Brian Tunstall (age 33) were killed.

Bryan Stapleton of Wighill (age 55) was killed. (Some reports have him dying in 1518).

The Scottish army suffered heavy casualties:

[his father] King James IV of Scotland (age 40) was killed. His body was taken to London, then to Sheen Priory, Richmond [Map]; thereafter it disappeared. His son [his half-brother] James (age 1) succeeded V King Scotland.

[his illegitimate half-brother] Archbishop Alexander Stewart (age 20) was killed.

[his uncle] David Kennedy 1st Earl Cassilis (age 43) was killed. His son Gilbert (age 18) succeeded 2nd Earl Cassilis. Isabel Campbell Countess Cassilis by marriage Countess Cassilis.

William Sinclair 2nd Earl Caithness (age 54) was killed. His son John succeeded 3rd Earl Caithness.

Matthew Stewart 2nd Earl Lennox was killed. His son John (age 23) succeeded 3rd Earl Lennox.

William Hay 4th Earl Erroll was killed. His son William (age 18) succeeded 5th Earl Erroll.

John Douglas 2nd Earl Morton was killed. His son James succeeded 3rd Earl Morton, 6th Lord Dalkeith.

Adam Hepburn 2nd Earl Bothwell was killed. His son Patrick (age 1) succeeded 3rd Earl Bothwell.

Alexander Stewart 4th of Garlies (age 32) was killed. His son Alexander (age 6) succeeded 5th Lord Garlies.

Alexander Elphinstone 1st Lord Elphinstone was killed. His son Alexander (age 3) succeeded 2nd Lord Elphinstone.

Thomas Hay, George Hepburn Bishop Isles (age 59), Adam Hepburn Master (age 56), Thomas "Younger of Cushnie" Lumsden

William Douglas 6th Lord Drumlanrig was killed. William "Younger" Douglas 7th Lord Drumlanrig succeeded 7th Lord Drumlanrig.

George Seton 5th Lord Seton was killed. His son George succeeded 6th Lord Seton.

John Hay 2nd Lord Hay of Yester was killed. His son John (age 23) succeeded 3rd Lord Hay of Yester. Elizabeth Douglas Lady Hay by marriage Lord Hay of Yester.

Henry Sinclair 3rd Lord Sinclair (age 48) was killed. His son William succeeded 4th Lord Sinclair.

James Stewart 1st Lord of Traquair (age 33) was killed. His son William (age 7) succeeded 2nd Lord Traquair.

John Maxwell 4th Lord Maxwell (age 57) was killed. His son Robert (age 20) succeeded 5th Lord Maxwell.

George Home 4th Lord Home and John Stewart 2nd Earl Atholl (age 38) fought.

William Graham 1st Earl Montrose (age 49) was killed. His son William (age 21) succeeded 2nd Earl Montrose.

Robert Erskine 4th Lord Erskine 16th Earl of Mar was killed. His son John (age 26) de jure 17th Earl Mar, Lord Erskine.

Thomas Stewart 2nd Lord Innermeath (age 52) was killed. His son Richard succeeded 3rd Lord Innermeath.

Robert Crichton 2nd Lord Crichton of Sanquhar (age 41) was killed. His son Robert (age 22) succeeded 3rd Lord Crichton of Sanquhar

Father and son William Rollo (age 59) and Robert Rollo 5th of Duncrub (age 34), brothers David Lyon of Cossins, William Lyon and George Lyon were killed. John Somerville 1st of Cambusnethan (age 55), William Keith of Inverugie (age 43), David Wemyss of Wemyss (age 40), Robert Keith Master of Marischal (age 30), Guiscard Harbottle (age 28), John Erskine, David Home (age 22), Andrew Stewart 1st Lord Avondale (age 43), Archibald Campbell 2nd Earl Argyll (age 64), Robert Douglas of Lochleven (age 89) were killed. William Murray (age 43), Colin Oliphant (age 26), William Ruthven (age 33), George Douglas (age 44) and William Douglas (age 42) were killed. Walter Lindsay of Arden and Walter Lindsay (age 33) were killed.

On 30th April 1520 a skirmish took place on the High Street Edinburgh in which around five hundred supporters of James Hamilton 1st Earl Arran (age 45) fought with a similar number of supporters of Archibald Douglas 6th Earl Angus (age 31), chiefs of Clan Hamilton and Douglas respectively, over who had control over [his half-brother] King James V of Scotland (age 8).

Around eighty of the Hamilton's were killed with the Douglases victorious as a consequence of around eight hundred more supporters arriving under the leadership of Angus' brother William Douglas Prior of Coldingham (age 27).

John Montgomerie Master of Eglinton (age 37) was killed.

On 4th September 1526 the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge was fought between supporters of Margaret Tudor Queen Scotland (age 36), the king's mother, commanded by John Stewart 3rd Earl Lennox (age 36) and supporters of Archibald Douglas 6th Earl Angus (age 37) commanded by James Hamilton 1st Earl Arran (age 51), over who would have control over [his half-brother] King James V of Scotland (age 14) in his minority.

John Stewart 3rd Earl Lennox was killed possibly after surrendering. His son Matthew (age 9) succeeded 4th Earl Lennox.

William Cunningham 4th Earl Glencairn (age 33) was captured.

On 14th December 1542 [his half-brother] King James V of Scotland (age 30) died at Falkland Palace [Map]. His daughter [his niece] Mary succeeded I Queen Scotland. She was six days old.

Tudor Tracts Chapter 3. [4th May 1544]. And in a valley, upon the right hand, near unto the said town, the Scots were assembled to the number of 5,000 or 6,000 horsemen, besides a good number of footmen; to impeach [prevent] the passage of our said army: in which place, they had laid their artillery at two straits [passes] through which we must needs pass, if we minded to achieve our enterprise. And seeming, at the first, as though they would set upon the Vanguard: when they perceived our men so willing to encounter with them, namely, the Cardinal, who was there present, perceiving our devotion to see his holiness to be such as we were ready to wet our feet for that purpose, and to pass a ford which was between us and them; after certain shot of artillery on both sides: they made a sudden retreat; and leaving their artillery behind them, fled towards Edinburgh. The first man that fled was the holy Cardinal [Beaton] (age 50) like a valiant champion; and with him the Governor, the Earls of Huntley (age 30), Murray And Bothwell (age 32), with divers other great men of the realm. At this passage, were two Englishmen hurt with the shot of their artillery; and two Scottish men slain with our artillery.

On 4th May 1544, Sunday, around 10,000 English soldiers landed unopposed at Leith and Granton. The ships had been sighted the day before. Cardinal Beaton (age 50) and Regent James Hamilton 2nd Earl Arran (age 28) left Edinburgh. The Scots, with Cardinal Beaton, George Gordon 4th Earl Huntley (age 30) and James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray attempted unsuccessfully to prevent the English forces at Granton joining those at Leith. The English then entered Leith unopposed where they found two ships of [his half-brother] King James V of Scotland: the Salamander of Leith and the Unicorn.