page_title: Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox
hierarchical_section_title: Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox
caption_attribution_description: English: "ESME DUX LENOX 1590", Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Earl of Lennox (1542 – 26 May 1583) was a Roman Catholic French nobleman of Scottish ancestry who on his move to Scotland at the age of 37 became a favorite of the 13 year-old King James VI of Scotland, of whose father, Lord Darnley, he was a first cousin. Provenance: Collection of James Erskine of Alva, when copy drawn of it (see[1]) by by David Steuart Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan (12 June 1742 – 19 April 1829) a Scottish antiquarian, founder of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1780, and patron of the arts and sciences. Donated in 1973 to National Gallery of Scotland on death of James Alastair Frederick Campbell Erskine-Murray, 13th Lord Elibank (1902–1973). accession number: PG 2213. Oil on panel, measurements: 56.80 x 47.20 cm (framed: 67.31 x 57.78 x 2.54 cm)
context_page_description: Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Earl of Lennox PC of the Château d'Aubigny at Aubigny-sur-Nère in the ancient province of Berry, France, was a Roman Catholic French nobleman of Scottish ancestry who on his move to Scotland at the age of 37 became a favourite of the 13 year-old King James VI of Scotland, of whose father, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, he was a first cousin. Despite his conversion to Calvinism he was never trusted by the Scots and returned to France where he ended his days. Sir James Melville described him as "of nature upright, just and gentle". He was the first to popularise the firstname Esmé in the British Isles.
context_section_description: Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Earl of Lennox PC (1542 – 26 May 1583) of the Château d'Aubigny at Aubigny-sur-Nère in the ancient province of Berry, France, was a Roman Catholic French nobleman of Scottish ancestry who on his move to Scotland at the age of 37 became a favourite of the 13 year-old King James VI of Scotland (and later I of England), of whose father, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley (son and heir apparent of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox), he was a first cousin. Despite his conversion to Calvinism he was never trusted by the Scots and returned to France where he ended his days. Sir James Melville described him as "of nature upright, just and gentle". He was the first to popularise the firstname Esmé (spelled also Edme, etc, he signed his name as "Amy", meaning "beloved" (aimé)) in the British Isles.
caption: Posthumous portrait of the Duke of Lennox, 1590
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