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The
Ruthven Family
The
name of a noble Scottish family which traces its descent from
a certain Thor, who settled in Scotland during the reign of
David I. In 1488 one of its members, Sir William Ruthven (d.
1528), was created a lord of parliament as Lord Ruthven. His
eldest son William was killed at Flodden in 1313, and consequently
his grandson William succeeded him in the title, and after holding
the offices of extraordinary lord of session and keepe,"
of the privy seal died in December 1552, leaving three sons.
The eldest of these, Patrick, jrd Lord Ruthven (c. 1520-1566),
played an important part in the political intrigues of the 16th
century as a strong Protestant and a supporter of the lords
of the congregation. He favoured the marriage of Mary with Darnley,
and was the leader of the band which murdered Rizzio. This event
was followed by his flight into England, where he died on the
i3th of June 1566. Ruthven wrote for Queen Elizabeth a Relation
of the murder, which is preserved in the British Museum.
A descendant
of the 1st Lord Ruthven in a collateral line, also named Patrick
Ruthven (c. 1573-1651), distinguished himself in the service
of Sweden, which he entered about 1606. As a negotiator he was
very useful to Gustavus Adolphus because of his ability to "drink
immeasurably and preserve his understanding to the last,"
and he also won fame on the field of battle. Having taken part
in the Thirty Years' War and been governor of Ulm, he left the
Swedish service and returned to Scotland, where he was employed
by Charles I. He defended Edinburgh Castle for the king in 1640,
and when the Civil War broke out he joined Charles at Shrewsbury.
He led the left wing at the battle of Edgehill, and after this
engagement was appointed general-in-chief of the Royalist army.
For his services he was created Lord Ruthven of Ettrick in 1639,
earl of Forth in 1642 and earl of Brentford in 1644. The earl
compelled Essex to surrender Lostwithiel, and was wounded at
both battles of Newbury. But his faculties had begun to decay,
and in 1644 he was superseded in his command by Prince Rupert.
After visiting Sweden on a mission for Charles II., Brentford
died at Dundee on the 2nd of February 1651. He left no sons
and his titles became extinct.
Patrick,
3rd Lord Ruthven, was succeeded as 4th lord by his son William
(c. 1541-1584), who like his father was prominent in the political
intrigues of the period and was also concerned in the Rizzio
murder. In 1582 he devised the plot to seize King James VI.,
known as the raid of Ruthven, and he was the last-known custodian
of the famous silver casket containing the letters alleged to
have been written by Mary, queen of Scots, to Bothwell. In 1581
he was created earl of Gowrie, but all his honours were forfeited
when he was attainted and executed in May 1584.
The and
Lord Ruthven left a son, Alexander (d. 1599), the founder of
the family of Ruthven of Freeland, and the grandfather of Sir
Thomas Ruthven (d. 1673), on whom Charles II. bestowed the title
of Lord Ruthven of Freeland in 1651. When his son David died
unmarried in April 1701 the title of Baroness Ruthven was assumed
by the latter's sister, Jean (d. 1722), although according to
some authorities the peerage had become extinct. It was, however,
assumed in 1722 by Isobel (d. 1732), wife of James Johnson,
who took the name of Ruthven on succeeding to the family estates;
and their son, James Ruthven (d. 1783), took the title and was
allowed to vote at the elections of Scots representative peers.
In 1853
the barony again descended to-a female, Mary Elizabeth Thornton
(c. 1784-1864), the wife of Walter Hore (d. 1878). She and her
husband took the name of Hore-Ruthven, and their grandson, Walter
James Hore-Ruthven (b. 1838), became the 8th baron in 1864.
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