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Biography of James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney 1534-1578

Paternal Family Tree: Hepburn

Maternal Family Tree: Helen Home Lady Hailes 1427-1513

1558 Marriage of Mary Queen of Scots and the Francis Dauphin of France

1567 Marriage of Mary "Queen of Scots" and Lord Bothwell

1568 Battle of Langside

1570 James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray Assassinated by Firearm

1571 Raid on Stirling Castle

1587 Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

Around 1534 James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney was born to Patrick Hepburn 3rd Earl Bothwell (age 22) and Agnes Sinclair Countess Bothwell. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.13%.

In 1534 [his father] Patrick Hepburn 3rd Earl Bothwell (age 22) and [his mother] Agnes Sinclair Countess Bothwell were married. She by marriage Countess Bothwell. He the son of [his grandfather] Adam Hepburn 2nd Earl Bothwell and [his grandmother] Agnes Stewart Countess Bothwell (age 65). They were first cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.

In Sep 1556 [his father] Patrick Hepburn 3rd Earl Bothwell (age 44) died. His son James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney (age 22) succeeded 4th Earl Bothwell.

Marriage of Mary Queen of Scots and the Francis Dauphin of France

On 24 Apr 1558 Dauphin of France (age 14) and [his future wife] Mary Queen of Scots (age 15) were married at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral [Map]. He by marriage King Consort Scotland. She the daughter of King James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise Queen Consort Scotland (age 42). He the son of King Henry II of France (age 39) and Catherine Medici Queen Consort France (age 39). They were fourth cousins. She a great granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

On 29 Jul 1565 Henry "Lord Darnley" Stewart (age 19) and [his future wife] Mary Queen of Scots (age 22) were married at Holyrood Palace, Holyrood. She the daughter of King James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of Matthew Stewart 4th Earl Lennox (age 48) and Margaret Douglas Countess Lennox (age 49). They were half first cousins. He a great grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. She a great granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

In Feb 1566 James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney (age 32) and Jean Gordon Countess Bothwell and Sutherland (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Bothwell. She the daughter of George Gordon 4th Earl Huntley. He the son of Patrick Hepburn 3rd Earl Bothwell and Agnes Sinclair Countess Bothwell. They were third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 07 May 1567 James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney (age 33) and Jean Gordon Countess Bothwell and Sutherland (age 21) were divorced.

On 12 May 1567 James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney (age 33) was created 1st Duke Orkney, 1st Marquess Fife.

Marriage of Mary "Queen of Scots" and Lord Bothwell

On 15 May 1567 James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney (age 33) and Mary Queen of Scots (age 24) were married in the Great Hall Holyrood House. She the daughter of King James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of Patrick Hepburn 3rd Earl Bothwell and Agnes Sinclair Countess Bothwell. They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

On 29 Jul 1567 [his step-son] King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland (age 1) was crowned VI King Scotland.

John Graham 6th Earl Menteith was present.

Around 1568 James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney (age 34) was imprisoned at Denmark.

Battle of Langside

On 13 May 1568 the army of [his wife] Mary Queen of Scots (age 25) commanded by Archibald Campbell 5th Earl Argyll (age 34) was defeated by the army of the Regent her illegitimate half-brother [his illegitimate brother-in-law] James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray Regent (age 37).

John Campbell was killed.

William "Younger" Douglas 7th Lord Drumlanrig and Robert Seton 1st Earl Winton (age 15) fought.

Claud Hamilton 1st Lord Paisley (age 21) and George Seton 7th Lord Seton (age 37) fought for the Queen.

John Graham 6th Earl Menteith fought for the Earl of Moray.

James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray Assassinated by Firearm

On 23 Jan 1570 [his illegitimate brother-in-law] James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray Regent (age 39) was assassinated at Linlithgow by James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh, a supporter of [his wife] Mary Queen of Scots (age 27). His daughter Elizabeth Stewart 2nd Countess Moray (age 4) succeeded 2nd Countess Moray. As he was passing in a cavalcade in the main street below, Hamilton fatally wounded him with a carbine shot from a window of his uncle Archbishop Hamilton's (age 57) house. He was the first head of government to be assassinated by a firearm.

In 1571 Charles Stewart 5th Earl Lennox (age 13) was created 1st Earl Lennox by older brother [his step-son] King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland (age 4) who had inherited the Earl Lennox when he became King.

1571 Raid on Stirling Castle

On 04 Sep 1571 supporters of [his wife] Mary Queen of Scots (age 28) led by [his former brother-in-law] George Gordon 5th Earl Huntley attacked Stirling Castle [Map].

Matthew Stewart 4th Earl Lennox (age 54)was shot. His son Charles Stewart 5th Earl Lennox (age 14) succeeded 5th Earl Lennox.

Alexander Stewart (age 39) was killed

On 13 Dec 1573 Alexander Gordon 12th Earl Sutherland (age 21) and [his former wife] Jean Gordon Countess Bothwell and Sutherland (age 27) were married at Huntly Castle, Huntly. She the daughter of George Gordon 4th Earl Huntley. He the son of John Gordon 11th Earl Sutherland and Helen or Eleanor Stewart Countess Erroll and Sutherland. They were third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 19 Oct 1576 [his former brother-in-law] George Gordon 5th Earl Huntley died. His son George Gordon 1st Marquess Huntly (age 14) succeeded 6th Earl Huntley.

In Apr 1578 James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney (age 44) died at Dragsholm Castle. His nephew Francis Stewart 5th Earl Bothwell (age 15) succeeded 5th Earl Bothwell at Great Hall Stirling Castle.

Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

On 08 Feb 1587 [his former wife] Mary Queen of Scots (age 44) was beheaded in the Great Hall at Fotheringay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map].

George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 59), Henry Grey 6th Earl Kent (age 46), Richard Knightley (age 54) and Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton (age 13) witnessed her execution.

There are few extant original sources describing Mary's execution. Those that do exist are somewhat contradictory. They include The letter-books of Sir Amias Poulet, Keeper of Mary Queen of Scots, the Calendar of State Papers, Spain (known as the Simancas), Volume 4, 1587-1603 and Beale's sketch of the execution. The most reliable primary source appears to be Jebb's De vita et rebus gestis serenissimæ principis Mariæ Scotorum Reginæ published in French.

On 10 Dec 1599 Alexander Ogilvy and [his former wife] Jean Gordon Countess Bothwell and Sutherland (age 53) were married. She the daughter of George Gordon 4th Earl Huntley.

On 14 May 1629 [his former wife] Jean Gordon Countess Bothwell and Sutherland (age 83) died at Dunrobin Castle, Dunrobin.

Royal Ancestors of James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney 1534-1578

Kings Wessex: Great x 14 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 11 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 17 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 12 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings England: Great x 5 Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 11 Grand Son of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 7 Grand Son of Philip IV King France

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 19 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Ancestors of James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney 1534-1578

Great x 4 Grandfather: Adam Hepburn of Hailes

Great x 3 Grandfather: Patrick Hepburn

Great x 4 Grandmother: Janet Borthwick

Great x 2 Grandfather: Adam Hepburn 1st Lord Hailes

Great x 3 Grandmother: Ellen Wallace

Great x 1 Grandfather: Patrick Hepburn 1st Earl Bothwell

Great x 4 Grandfather: Alexander Home of Home and Dunglas

Great x 3 Grandfather: Alexander Home 1st Lord Home

Great x 2 Grandmother: Helen Home Lady Hailes

GrandFather: Adam Hepburn 2nd Earl Bothwell 12 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Alexander Seton 8 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley 9 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Gordon

Great x 2 Grandfather: George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley 10 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Crichton 1st Lord Crichton

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Crichton Countess Huntley

Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Gordon Countess Bothwell 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Father: Patrick Hepburn 3rd Earl Bothwell 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Stewart of Innermeath

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Stewart of Innermeath 3rd of Lorn

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Holkettle

Great x 2 Grandfather: James "Black Knight of Lorn" Stewart

Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Macdougall

Great x 1 Grandfather: James Stewart 1st Earl Buchan 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Fitzalan Countess Kent 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

GrandMother: Agnes Stewart Countess Bothwell 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

James "Lord Bothwell" Hepburn 1st Duke Orkney 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Sinclair 2nd Earl Orkney

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Sinclair 3rd Earl Orkney 1st Earl Caithness 6 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William "Nithsdale" Douglas

Great x 3 Grandmother: Egidia "Fair Maid of Nithsdale" Douglas Countess Orkney 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Princess Egidia Stewart 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Sinclair 2nd Lord Sinclair 7 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Archibald Douglas 1st Duke Touraine

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joanna Strathearn Countess Douglas

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Douglas Countess Buchan and Orkney and Caithness 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Robert III of Scotland 4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Stewart Duchess Touraine 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

GrandFather: Henry Sinclair 3rd Lord Sinclair 8 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: George Leslie 1st Earl Rothes

Great x 1 Grandmother: Christian Leslie Lady Sinclair

Mother: Agnes Sinclair Countess Bothwell 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Patrick "Younger" of Hailes Hepburn

Great x 3 Grandfather: Adam Hepburn of Hailes

Great x 2 Grandfather: Patrick Hepburn

Great x 4 Grandfather: William "Elder" Borthwick

Great x 3 Grandmother: Janet Borthwick

Great x 1 Grandfather: Adam Hepburn 1st Lord Hailes

Great x 2 Grandmother: Ellen Wallace

GrandMother: Margaret Hepburn

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Home of Home

Great x 3 Grandfather: Alexander Home of Home and Dunglas

Great x 2 Grandfather: Alexander Home 1st Lord Home

Great x 1 Grandmother: Helen Home Lady Hailes