John Erskine, 18t Yerl o Mar

John Erskine, 17t Yerl o Mar (dee'd 28 October 1572), regent o Scotland, wis a son o John, 5t Lord Erskine, who wis guardian o King James V, an efterwards o Mary I, Queen o Scots.

Lord Mar wis Commendator o Dryburgh Abbey frae 1547,Scottish Corresponence of Mary of Lorraine, SHS (1927), 220 note. an succeedit his faither as 6t Lord Erskine in 1552. He joined the releegious reformers, but wis never very ardent in the cause. He did subscribe tae the letter askin the Calvinist reformer John Knox tae return tae Scotland in 1557. The custody o Edinburgh Castle wis in his haunds, an durin the struggle atween the regent, Mary o Guise, an the Lords o the Congregation he appears tae hae actit consistently in the interests o peace.

When Mary, Queen o Scots, returned tae Scotland in 1561 Lord Erskine wis a member o her cooncil, an he favored her marriage wi Henry Stuart, Laird Darnley, an his wife, Annabella Murray, cawed bi Knox a "verray Jesabell", wis a frequent companion o the queen. In 1565 Erskine wis grantit the yerldom o Mar. As guardian o James, afterwards King James VI, he preventit the yung prince frae fawin intae the haunds o James Hepburn, 4t Yerl o Boddle, an whan the Scots nobles rose against Mary an Boddle, Mar wis ane o thair leaders; he teuk pairt in the govrenment o Scotland durin Marys imprisonment at Lochleven, an an' a' efter her subsequent abdication. In September 1571 he wis chuisen Regent o Scotland, but he wis owershaidaed an aiblins slichtit bi the James Douglas, 4t Yerl o Morton, an he dee'd o naitural causes at Stirlin on 29 October 1572.

John began buildin the hoose at Stirling cawed 'Mar's Wark', nou a ruin in the care o Historic Scotland.

References

Alan Stewart Cradle King

Category:1572 daiths
Category:Yerls or mormaers o Mar
Category:Regents o Scotland
Category:Year o birth unkent