John Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar
Encyclopedia
John Erskine, 22nd and de jure 6th Earl of Mar, KT
(1675 – May 1732), Scottish
Jacobite
, was the eldest son of the 21st Earl of Mar
(who died in 1689), from whom he inherited estates that were heavily loaded with debt. By modern reckoning he was 22nd Earl of Mar
of the first creation (from c. 1114) and de jure
6th Earl of Mar of the seventh creation (from 1565). He is sometimes also termed the 11th Earl of Mar in the Scottish Peerage
, which was reckoned from the second creation (from 1426). He was nicknamed "Bobbing John" for his tendency to shift back and forth from faction to faction, whether from Tory to Whig or Hanoverian to Jacobite.
and, in 1714, he assured the new King, George I
, of his loyalty. However, like the other Tories, he was deprived of his office, and in August 1715 he went in disguise to Scotland and placed himself at the head of the Jacobite
adherents of James Edward
, the Old Pretender.
Meeting many Highland chieftains at Aboyne, he avowed an earnest desire for the independence of Scotland and, at Braemar on 6 September 1715, he proclaimed James VIII King of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, thus beginning the '15 Jacobite rising. Gradually the forces under his command were augmented, but as a general he was a complete failure. Precious time was wasted at Perth
, a feigned attack on Stirling
was resultless, and he could give little assistance to the English Jacobites. At Sheriffmuir
, where a battle was fought in November 1715, Mar's forces largely outnumbered those of his opponent, the Duke of Argyll
; but no bravery could atone for the signal incompetence displayed by Lord Mar, and the fight was strategically a decisive defeat for the Jacobites.
Mar then met James Edward at Fetteresso; the cause however was lost, and Mar and the Prince fled to France, where he would spend the remainder of his life. The Hanoveran court passed a Writ of Attainder for treason
against Mar in 1716 as punishment for his disloyalty; this was not lifted until 1824.
Mar sought to interest foreign powers in the cause of the Stuarts; but in the course of time he became thoroughly distrusted by the Jacobites. In 1721 he accepted a pension of £3500 a year from George I, and in the following year his name was freely mentioned in connection with the trial of Bishop Atterbury
, whom it was asserted that Mar had betrayed. This charge may perhaps be summarised as not proven. At the best his conduct was highly imprudent, and so in 1724 the Pretender finally broke with Mar. His later years were spent in Paris
and at Aix-la-Chapelle, where he died in 1732.
Mar first married Lady Margaret Hay in 6 April 1703. She bore him a son, Thomas, in 1705. Lady Margaret died four years later on 26 April 1707. Mar married for his second wife Lady Frances Pierrepont, daughter of the 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
. The match was excellent, as it provided Mar with the funds to finally begin to clear his inherited debts. Lady Frances went mad in 1728 due to the stress of his exile in France. She outlived Mar by 35 years, dying on 4 March 1767.
band Genesis
wrote a song, "Eleventh Earl of Mar" (found on their Wind & Wuthering
album
), about Mar and the 1715 Jacobite Rising.
He was mentioned in a contemporary folk song "Come Ye O'ere Frae France", which was recorded by the British electric folk
band Steeleye Span
.
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
(1675 – May 1732), Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
, was the eldest son of the 21st Earl of Mar
Charles Erskine, 21st Earl of Mar
Charles Erskine, 21st Earl of Mar was a Scottish nobleman.On 2 April 1674 he married Mary Maule, daughter of George Maule, 2nd Earl of Panmure. Their son John Erskine became 22nd Earl of Mar....
(who died in 1689), from whom he inherited estates that were heavily loaded with debt. By modern reckoning he was 22nd Earl of Mar
Earl of Mar
The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
of the first creation (from c. 1114) and de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
6th Earl of Mar of the seventh creation (from 1565). He is sometimes also termed the 11th Earl of Mar in the Scottish Peerage
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
, which was reckoned from the second creation (from 1426). He was nicknamed "Bobbing John" for his tendency to shift back and forth from faction to faction, whether from Tory to Whig or Hanoverian to Jacobite.
Life
He was associated with a party favourable to the Government, was one of the Commissioners for the Union, and was made a Scottish Secretary of State; becoming, after the Union of 1707, a representative peer for Scotland, Keeper of the Signet and a Privy Counsellor. In 1713 Mar was made a British Secretary of State by the Tories, but he seems to have been equally ready to side with the WhigsBritish Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
and, in 1714, he assured the new King, George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, of his loyalty. However, like the other Tories, he was deprived of his office, and in August 1715 he went in disguise to Scotland and placed himself at the head of the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
adherents of James Edward
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
, the Old Pretender.
Meeting many Highland chieftains at Aboyne, he avowed an earnest desire for the independence of Scotland and, at Braemar on 6 September 1715, he proclaimed James VIII King of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, thus beginning the '15 Jacobite rising. Gradually the forces under his command were augmented, but as a general he was a complete failure. Precious time was wasted at Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, a feigned attack on Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
was resultless, and he could give little assistance to the English Jacobites. At Sheriffmuir
Battle of Sheriffmuir
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...
, where a battle was fought in November 1715, Mar's forces largely outnumbered those of his opponent, the Duke of Argyll
John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
Field Marshal John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, 1st Duke of Greenwich KG , known as Iain Ruaidh nan Cath or Red John of the Battles, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman.-Early Life:...
; but no bravery could atone for the signal incompetence displayed by Lord Mar, and the fight was strategically a decisive defeat for the Jacobites.
Mar then met James Edward at Fetteresso; the cause however was lost, and Mar and the Prince fled to France, where he would spend the remainder of his life. The Hanoveran court passed a Writ of Attainder for treason
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
against Mar in 1716 as punishment for his disloyalty; this was not lifted until 1824.
Mar sought to interest foreign powers in the cause of the Stuarts; but in the course of time he became thoroughly distrusted by the Jacobites. In 1721 he accepted a pension of £3500 a year from George I, and in the following year his name was freely mentioned in connection with the trial of Bishop Atterbury
Francis Atterbury
Francis Atterbury was an English man of letters, politician and bishop.-Early life:He was born at Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, where his father was rector. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he became a tutor...
, whom it was asserted that Mar had betrayed. This charge may perhaps be summarised as not proven. At the best his conduct was highly imprudent, and so in 1724 the Pretender finally broke with Mar. His later years were spent in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and at Aix-la-Chapelle, where he died in 1732.
Marriage, issue and descendants
Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
Evelyn Pierrepont, 5th Earl and 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull had been member of parliament for East Retford before his accession to the peerage in 1690. While serving as one of the commissioners for the union with Scotland he was created Marquess of Dorchester in 1706, and took a leading part in...
. The match was excellent, as it provided Mar with the funds to finally begin to clear his inherited debts. Lady Frances went mad in 1728 due to the stress of his exile in France. She outlived Mar by 35 years, dying on 4 March 1767.
Notable relatives
- Through his marriage to Lady Frances Pierrepont, Mar was a brother-in-law of Lady Mary Wortley MontaguLady Mary Wortley MontaguThe Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was an English aristocrat and writer. Montagu is today chiefly remembered for her letters, particularly her letters from Turkey, as wife to the British ambassador, which have been described by Billie Melman as “the very first example of a secular work by a woman about...
. - Mar's brother James Erskine, Lord Grange was a noted judge.
- Mar's son Thomas Erskine, Lord ErskineThomas Erskine, Lord ErskineThomas Erskine, Lord Erskine was the son of John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar. He could not inherit the title of Earl of Mar due to the Writ of Attainder for treason passed against his father in 1716 for his role in the First Jacobite Rebellion .On 1 October 1741, he married Charlotte Hope, daughter...
served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland (1749-1750).
In popular culture
The progressive rockProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
wrote a song, "Eleventh Earl of Mar" (found on their Wind & Wuthering
Wind & Wuthering
"It's Yourself" is the B-side to "Your Own Special Way", released February 1977-Related EP:All tracks from the Single Spot the Pigeon 20 May 1977-2007 SACD/CD/DVD Release:...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
), about Mar and the 1715 Jacobite Rising.
He was mentioned in a contemporary folk song "Come Ye O'ere Frae France", which was recorded by the British electric folk
Electric folk
Electric folk is the name given to the form of folk rock pioneered in England from the late 1960s, and most significant in the 1970s, which then was taken up and developed in the surrounding Celtic cultures of Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man, to produce Celtic rock and its...
band Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
.
Sources
- Maurice Bruce, 'The Duke of Mar in Exile, 1716-32', Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 4th Series, Vol. 20 (1937), pp. 61-82 (JSTORJSTORJSTOR is an online system for archiving academic journals, founded in 1995. It provides its member institutions full-text searches of digitized back issues of several hundred well-known journals, dating back to 1665 in the case of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society...
)