Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale

Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale (* after 1586 , † in May 1646 on the Isle of Man ) was a Scottish nobleman .

Life

He was the second-born son of John Maxwell, 1st Earl of Morton, 7th Lord Maxwell from his marriage to Elisabeth Douglas, a daughter of David Douglas, 7th Earl of Angus .

From 1607 to 1613 Robert was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle for his involvement in the feuds of his older brother John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell . After John was executed for treason on May 21, 1613 , Robert sought the restoration of his family's honor through irreproachable behavior. The Scottish Parliament pronounced his personal rehabilitation on June 28, 1617, which reverted the title of 9th Lord Maxwell , which had been revoked from his brother . On October 5, 1618, he received all of the confiscated property of the family back. On April 21, 1619 he was appointed to the Scottish Privy Council .

Robert also claimed the title of Earl of Morton , which was given to his father in 1581 but revoked in 1585. King James VI recognized in 1620 that the confiscation of the title in 1585 was incorrect and that the earl title of Robert was due. Since William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton also legally held the same title at the same time, the King did not consider it appropriate for two Earls to confirm the same title. Therefore, Roberts Earl title was effectively renamed. The king gave Robert the title of 1st Earl of Nithsdale on August 29, 1620 and decreed that this title should be considered in terms of the protocol order of precedence on October 29, 1581, the date on which the title of earl was conferred on Robert's father.

In the English Civil War he was loyal to King Charles I and was ostracized and excommunicated in 1645 . His titles of nobility were forfeited and his lands were confiscated. He fled into exile on the Isle of Man, where he died in 1646.

Through his marriage, on October 28, 1619, to Elisabeth Beaumont, daughter of Francis Beaumont, he had a son; Robert and two daughters; Jean and Elisabeth. His son obtained the restoration of the title of nobility as 2nd Earl of Nithsdale in 1647.

literature

• David C. Harries: Maxwell, Earl of Nithsdale . In: James Balfour Paul (Ed.): The Scots Peerage . tape 6 : Marchmont-Oxfuird . David Douglas, Edinburgh 1909, p. 469–492 (English, Textarchiv - Internet Archive - here pp. 485–486, X. Robert, tenth Lord Maxwell and first Earl of Nithsdale).
• George Way, Romilly Squire et al. (Eds.): Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia . Barnes & Noble Books, New York 1998, ISBN 0-7607-1120-8 .

Web links

• Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale, on thepeerage.com , accessed September 15, 2016.
• Nithsdale, Earl of (S, 1620-forfeited 1716). www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk(English). 

predecessor	Office	successor
Title restored (until 1609: John Maxwell )	Lord Maxwell 1617-1646	Title forfeited (from 1647: Robert Maxwell )
New title created	Earl of Nithsdale 1621-1645	Title forfeited (from 1647: Robert Maxwell )