Biography of John Murray 4th Duke Atholl 1755-1830

Paternal Family Tree: Murray

Maternal Family Tree: Leonora Maresco

On 23rd October 1753 [his father] John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl (age 24) and [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 22) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] James Murray 2nd Duke Atholl (age 63) and [his grandmother] Jane Frederick Duchess Atholl. They were first cousins.

On 30th September 1755 John Murray 4th Duke Atholl was born to [his father] John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl (age 26) and [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 23). Coefficient of inbreeding 6.29%.

On 8th January 1764 [his grandfather] James Murray 2nd Duke Atholl (age 73) died. His nephew [his father] John (age 34) succeeded 3rd Duke Atholl, 4th Marquess Atholl, 5th Earl Atholl, 6th Earl Tullibardine. [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 32) by marriage Duchess Atholl. His daughter Charlotte succeeded 8th Baroness Strange Knockin.

On 5th November 1774 [his father] John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl (age 45) died at Dunkeld. His son John (age 19) succeeded 4th Duke Atholl, 5th Marquess Atholl, 6th Earl Atholl, 7th Earl Tullibardine.

On 26th December 1774 , at a double wedding ceremony, sisters Mary and Jane were married:

Thomas Graham 1st Baron Lynedoch (age 28) and Mary Cathcart (age 17) were married. They were fourth cousin once removed.

John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 19) and Jane Cathcart (age 20) were married. She by marriage Duchess Atholl. He the son of John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl and Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 43). They were second cousin once removed.

In 1775 [his daughter] Charlotte Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 19).

In 1776 William Murray 1st Earl Mansfield (age 70) was created 1st Earl Mansfield in Nottinghamshire with a special remainder to [his sister-in-law] Louisa Cathcart 2nd Countess Mansfield (age 18) the second wife of his nephew David Murray (age 48).

The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.

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On 5th May 1776 David Murray 2nd Earl Mansfield (age 48) and [his sister-in-law] Louisa Cathcart 2nd Countess Mansfield (age 18) were married. The difference in their ages was 30 years.

On 19th October 1777 Robert Fulke Greville (age 26) and [his sister-in-law] Louisa Cathcart 2nd Countess Mansfield (age 19) were married. He the son of Francis Greville 1st Earl Brooke Warwick Castle 1st Earl Warwick and Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Brooke Warwick Castle and Warwick (age 57). They were half first cousins.

On 27th June 1778 [his son] John Murray 5th Duke Atholl was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 22).

On 29th May 1782 [his son] James Murray 1st Baron Glenlyon was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 26) in Dunmore in the Forst of Athole. He married 19th May 1810 Emily Frances Percy Baroness Goldolphin Helston, daughter of Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland and Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland, and had issue.

On 11th September 1783 [his son] Edward Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 27). He died aged eleven in 1795.

On 13th March 1785 [his son] Robert Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 29). He died aged seven in 1793.

On 13th October 1788 [his son] Frederick Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 33). He died aged less than one years old.

On 11th April 1789 [his son] Frederick Murray died.

On 26th December 1790 [his wife] Jane Cathcart (age 36) died.

Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans

Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.

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On 5th February 1793 [his son] Robert Murray (age 7) died.

On 19th March 1795 [his son] Edward Murray (age 11) died.

In 1801 [his brother] Bishop George Murray (age 39) was appointed Bishop of St David's.

On 3rd June 1803 [his brother] Bishop George Murray (age 42) died in Cavendish Square Marylebone after having caught a chill leaving the House of Lords.

On 13th October 1805 [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 74) died. Her son John (age 50) succeeded 9th Baron Strange Knockin.

On 19th May 1810 [his son] James Murray 1st Baron Glenlyon (age 27) and [his daughter-in-law] Emily Frances Percy Baroness Goldolphin Helston (age 22) were married at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. She the daughter of Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland (age 67) and Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland (age 57). He the son of John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 54).

In 1825. Thomas Lawrence (age 55). Portrait of John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 69).

On 29th September 1830 John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 74) died. His son John (age 52) succeeded 5th Duke Atholl, 6th Marquess Atholl, 7th Earl Atholl, 8th Earl Tullibardine, 10th Baron Strange Knockin.

Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes

Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.

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[his daughter] Elizabeth Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl.

[his daughter] Amelia Sophia Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl.

Ancestors of John Murray 4th Duke Atholl 1755-1830

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Murray 2nd Earl Tullibardine

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Earl Atholl 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothea Stewart Countess Tullibardine 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Marquess Atholl 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Duncan Campbell 1st Baronet 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Jean Campbell Countess Atholl 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Sinclair 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Duke Atholl 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Stanley 6th Earl of Derby 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 3 Grandfather: James Stanley 7th Earl of Derby 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Vere Countess Derby 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Amelia Stanley Marchioness Atholl 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandfather: Claude de La Tremoille 2nd Duke Thouars 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Charlotte Thouars Countess Derby 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Charlotte Flandrina Orange Nassau 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

GrandFather: George Murray 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Douglas 10th Earl Angus 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Douglas 1st Marquess Douglas 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Oliphant Countess Angus 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: George Gordon 1st Marquess Huntly 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Gordon Marchioness Douglas 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Henrietta Stewart Marchioness Huntly 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Catherine Hamilton Duchess Atholl 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: James Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ann Cunningham Marchioness Hamilton 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Hamilton 3rd Duchess Hamilton 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret aka Mary Feilding 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Father: John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

John Murray 4th Duke Atholl 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland