Thomas Boyd, 1st Earl of Arran
Encyclopedia
Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran (died c. 1473) was a Scottish nobleman.
Thomas was the son of Robert, 1st Lord Boyd
, who was a regent during the minority of James III. His father was able have Thomas created Earl of Arran
and Baron Kilmarnock
in the Peerage of Scotland
and arrange Thomas' marriage to Princess Mary
, sister of James III
in 1467. The marriage was unpopular, and seen as an insult by the King.
While Robert and Thomas Boyd were out of the country negotiating the cession of Orkney to Scotland the king's marriage to Margaret of Denmark, their regency was overthrown and they were attainted for high treason in 1469. However, Thomas fulfilled his mission, that of bringing the king's bride, Margaret, to Scotland, and then, warned by his wife, escaped to the continent of Europe. He is mentioned very eulogistically in one of the Paston Letters, but practically nothing is known of his subsequent history. He probably died at Antwerp between 1471 and 1473.
, but this marriage does not appear to have taken place, and he married, before 26 April 1467, the Lady Mary, eldest daughter of King James II. When she returned to Scotland is not known, but as she is said to have been greatly attached to her husband it is supposed that she returned in hopes of obtaining a pardon from her brother. She was, however, confined at Kilmarnock, and the Earl, her husband, summoned to appear within sixty days, which he failing to do, his marriage with the King's sister was declared null and void, and she was compelled to marry James, Lord Hamilton
.
According to Ferrerius, Buchanan, and other old historians, this took place in 1469, but the correct date was probably February or March 1474. She died apparently about Whitsuntide 1488, having had a son and daughter by both husbands. The Earl of Arran's children, who are both said to have been born abroad, were:
Thomas was the son of Robert, 1st Lord Boyd
Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd
Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd Lord Boyd, was a Scottish statesman.-Biography:Robert Boyd was knighted, and was created a Peer of Parliament by James II of Scotland at some date between 1451 and 18 July 1454 . In 1460 he was one of the Regents during the minority of James III...
, who was a regent during the minority of James III. His father was able have Thomas created Earl of Arran
Earl of Arran
Earl of Arran is a title in both the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. The two titles refer to different places, the Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the Aran Islands in Ireland...
and Baron Kilmarnock
Baron Kilmarnock
Baron Kilmarnock, of Kilmarnock in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1831 for William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll. This was a revival of the Kilmarnock title held by his great-grandfather William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock, who was attainted in 1746...
in the Peerage of Scotland
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...
and arrange Thomas' marriage to Princess Mary
Mary Stewart, Princess of Scotland
Princess Mary, Countess of Arran was the eldest daughter of King James II of Scotland and Mary of Guelders. Her brother was King James III of Scotland. She married twice; firstly to Thomas Boyd, 1st Earl of Arran; secondly to James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton...
, sister of James III
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
in 1467. The marriage was unpopular, and seen as an insult by the King.
While Robert and Thomas Boyd were out of the country negotiating the cession of Orkney to Scotland the king's marriage to Margaret of Denmark, their regency was overthrown and they were attainted for high treason in 1469. However, Thomas fulfilled his mission, that of bringing the king's bride, Margaret, to Scotland, and then, warned by his wife, escaped to the continent of Europe. He is mentioned very eulogistically in one of the Paston Letters, but practically nothing is known of his subsequent history. He probably died at Antwerp between 1471 and 1473.
Family
Thomas Boyd was contracted, 20 January 1465, to Marion, youngest daughter of Gilbert, 1st Lord KennedyGilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy
Gilbert Kennedy of Dunure, 1st Lord Kennedy was a Scottish lord, a son of Sir James Kennedy "the Younger" of Dunure, the Younger, and Lady Mary Stewart, daughter of Robert III, King of the Scots...
, but this marriage does not appear to have taken place, and he married, before 26 April 1467, the Lady Mary, eldest daughter of King James II. When she returned to Scotland is not known, but as she is said to have been greatly attached to her husband it is supposed that she returned in hopes of obtaining a pardon from her brother. She was, however, confined at Kilmarnock, and the Earl, her husband, summoned to appear within sixty days, which he failing to do, his marriage with the King's sister was declared null and void, and she was compelled to marry James, Lord Hamilton
James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton
James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton, 6th Lord of Cadzow was a Scottish nobleman, scholar and politician.-Early life:...
.
According to Ferrerius, Buchanan, and other old historians, this took place in 1469, but the correct date was probably February or March 1474. She died apparently about Whitsuntide 1488, having had a son and daughter by both husbands. The Earl of Arran's children, who are both said to have been born abroad, were:
- JamesJames Boyd, 2nd Lord BoydJames Boyd 2nd Lord Boyd , grandson and heir of Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd being only son of Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran, by Mary, eldest daughter of James II of Scotland, which Thomas was eldest son of the 1st Lord Boyd, but died while his father still lived, in about 1472.In 1482 on the death of...
, 2nd Lord BoydEarl of KilmarnockThe title Earl of Kilmarnock was created in the peerage of Scotland in 1661 for William Boyd, 10th Lord Boyd. That title was also created in the Scottish peerage in 1454 for Robert Boyd, Great Chamberlain of Scotland... - Grisel or Margaret (She is called Grizel in the pedigrees, but appears as Margaret in the Registers of the Great Seal, and in the Papal Dispensation, etc). She was born between 1468 and 1473, and was married, first, to Alexander, 4th Lord Forbes, who died s.p. before 16 May 1491; and secondly, as the second wife, before 9 August 1509, to David (Kennedy), third Lord Kennedy, then created Earl of Oassillis, who died s.p. by her, at Flodden, 9 September 1513.