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Person Page 436
John ("the Fair") Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl
d. 25 April 1579
Family life
John ("the Fair") Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl, and Margaret ("the witch") Fleming, Countess of Atholl, entered into a marriage contract circa 1 April 1557 Robertson -
Her last marriage contract, dated on the ist April 1557, stipulates that the Earl shall instantly * wed and handfkst* HandfosUng. Maigaret Fleming, Mistress of Montrose and Erskine ; shall send to Rome, with all possible despatch, for dispensation for their marriage, notwithstanding the impediment of consanguinity ; shall, within forty days, seise her for life in lands yielding 300 merks a year (reckoning the boll of grain at 13s. 4d.) ; and shall, before Martinmas next, marry her solemnly in face of the church.1
Her last marriage contract, dated on the ist April 1557, stipulates that the Earl shall instantly * wed and handfkst* HandfosUng. Maigaret Fleming, Mistress of Montrose and Erskine ; shall send to Rome, with all possible despatch, for dispensation for their marriage, notwithstanding the impediment of consanguinity ; shall, within forty days, seise her for life in lands yielding 300 merks a year (reckoning the boll of grain at 13s. 4d.) ; and shall, before Martinmas next, marry her solemnly in face of the church.1
Children with Margaret ("the witch") Fleming, Countess of Atholl, (b. 1532, d. 1586)
| Daughter | Grizel Stewart, wife of David Lindsay, 11th Earl Crawford |
| Daughter | Mary Stewart, wife of Francis Hay 9th Earl Erroll |
| Son | John Stewart, 5th Earl of Atholl (b. 1563, d. September 1595) |
| Daughter | Lady Jean Stewart (b. circa 1580) |
Property2,1,1
John ("the Fair") Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl, possessed had a charter of confirmation of the king for he and his wife Margaret Fleming for their purchase from Robert bishop of Dunkeld the ecclesiastical lands of the church of Fotergill including Westir Drumcharre and Arddaisyocht on 5 January 1567 at Perthshire in Westir Drumcharre and Arddaisyocht.3
Death
John ("the Fair") Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl, died on 25 April 1579. On 24 April 1579 her husband, the Earl of Atholl died at Kincardine Castle, near Auchterarder, soon after attending a banquet at Stirling Castle. Margaret Fleming was also unwell. A rumour started that they had been poisoned at the request of Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar, her sister-in-law, or Regent Morton. Agnes Graham, the wife of William Murray of Tullibardine, and also a sister-in-law of Margaret Fleming, wrote to Annabell Murray assuring her that the Countess of Atholl's complaints against her were "forged lies". Margaret Fleming appeared in person before the Privy Council to petition for her son's rights4,5
Citations
- [S111] Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descosse Douairiere de France, p li, note 2
- [S17] Francis J Grant (Ed), Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, Charter 108
- [S43] Scotland Court of Exchequer, Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum, vol iv, ch 1805, p 456
- [S2] Various contributors, Various contributors, "Wikipaedia," database, Commons, Wikipaedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/: accessed ), ., online; 11 November 2023; Margaret Fleming, Countess of Atholl at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Fleming,_Countess_of_Atholl
- [S44] Scotland Court of Exchequer, Rotuli scaccarii regum Scotorum, vol 20, p 553-4
| Last Edited | 13 April 2025 |