Lords Ruthven (1487-1488)

1^st Lord Ruthven, William Ruthven, b.?, a.1487-1488, d.1528

The name of Ruthven is taken from lands in Rannoch, Perthshire and the family is descended from the Norseman Sweyn, Lord of Crawford in the 12th Century. origin. William Ruthven was Hereditary Sheriff of Perthshire and sat in Parliament as a feudal baron. He fought on the side of James III at the Battle of Sauchieburn, against the rebel lords, and it was probably shortly prior to this that he was created 1st Lord Ruthven. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1513, and became one of the Guardians of the young James IV.

2^nd Lord Ruthven, William Ruthven, b.c.1510, a.1528, d.1552

Grandson of the 1^st Lord and Isabel Livingston, and son of William Ruthven, Master of Ruthven (b.b.1480, d.1513) and Catherine Buttergask. He became a Privy Counsellor in 1542 and Lord Privy Seal in 1546, and was an early proponent of Protestantism. His father died at Flodden.

3^rd Lord Ruthven, Patrick Ruthven, b.?, a.1552, d.1566

Son of the 2^nd Lord and Janet Halyburton, Lady Dirletoun (b.?, d.c.1560), daughter of Patrick Halyburton, 5^th Lord Dirletoun. He became 7^th Lord Dirletoun on his mother’s death. He was a Privy Counsellor, and held the post of Lord Warden of the Middle March. He was a supporter of the Reformation and took part in many of the skirmishes between the factions at the time. He was the ringleader in the assassination of Rizzio, rising from his sickbed to lead the murderers into the Queen’s chambers. He fled to England but died shortly afterwards.

4^th Lord Ruthven, William Ruthven, b.1541, a.1566, d.1584

Son of the 3^rd Lord and Janet Douglas, daughter of Archibald Douglas, 6^th Earl of Angus. He initially fled to England with his father, but was pardoned soon after. He took a large part in the politics of the time and was at Carberry Hill when Mary surrendered. He was one of those entrusted with conducting the Queen to Lochleven Castle. There are suggestions that he may have become sympathetic to her, but any hope she had was lost when he fought against her at the Battle of Langside. He was rewarded by being made Lord High Treasurer in 1571 and one of the Extraordinary Lords of Session. In 1578, he was made Lord Warden of the Marches and invested as a Privy Counsellor. He then fell out with the Regent Morton, and was involved in the conspiracy that led to Morton’s arrest and execution in 1581, after which he was created 1^st Earl of Gowrie.

Earls of Gowrie (1581)

1^st Earl of Gowrie, William Ruthven, b.1541, a.1581, d.1584

In 1582, having taken sides against the new Regent Arran, he led the Raid of Ruthven, kidnapping James VI from Perth, and holding him captive for a year at Ruthven Castle. After the King was rescued, Ruthven pleaded for forgiveness and was pardoned, but when Arran was restored to power, the plots and counterplots continued. He was eventually arrested and executed for treason.

2nd Earl of Gowrie, James Ruthven, b.1575, a.1586, d.c.1588

Son of the 1^st Earl and Dorothea Stewart, daughter of Henry Stewart, 1^st Lord Methven (for whom see the Avandale page). The attainder of 1584, abolishing the titles of William Ruthven, was reversed in 1586, allowing James to succeed his father.

3^rd Earl of Gowrie, John Ruthven, b.1577, a.1588, d.1600

Younger brother of the 2^nd Earl. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh and at Padua University, and followed his older brother as Hereditary Sheriff of Perthshire. He and his younger brother Alexander Ruthven (b.a.1577, d.1600) were involved in the Gowrie conspiracy, which may have had something to do with the fact that James VI was heavily in debt to the earl. It seems that the King and a group of nobles were invited to Ruthven Castle to interrogate a foreign prisoner. The King was led through a succession of doors that were locked behind him, and finally confronted by Alexander, perhaps in an attempted kidnap. Whatever the real reasons, the King managed to attract the attention of his followers, who found a back staircase into the room in which he was being held, whereon Alexander was killed. John Ruthven then attacked his brother’s killers, only to be killed himself. All his honours and estates were forfeited and the name of Ruthven Castle changed to Huntingtower. Two younger brothers, William and Patrick, survived by fleeing to England. William eventually emigrated to Virginia, but Patrick was captured and spent nineteen years in the Tower of London.

Lords Ruthven of Freeland (1651)

1^st Lord Ruthven, Thomas Ruthven, b.?, a.1651, d.1671

Thomas Ruthven was great-grandson of William Ruthven, 2^nd Lord Ruthven, mentioned above, grandson of that individual’s youngest son Alexander Ruthven (b.?, d.1599) and Elizabeth Moncrieffe, daughter of William Moncrieffe of that Ilk, and son of William Ruthven and Isabella Fotheringham. He served as an MP for Perthshire and was made a Privy Counsellor in 1643. Although an anti-Royalist, he was made 1^st Lord Ruthven of Freeland by Charles I, perhaps as a bribe for his support.

2nd Lord Ruthven, David Ruthven, b.?, a.1671, d.1701

Son of the 1^st Lord and Isabel Balfour, daughter of Robert Balfour, 2^nd Lord Balfour of Burleigh. In 1674, knowing he would have no heirs, he entailed his estates to his sisters, in precedence from the youngest. He was Lord of the Privy Council in 1689.

3^rd Lord (Lady) Ruthven, Jean Ruthven, b.?, a.1701, d.1722

Younger sister of the 2^nd Lord.

4^th Lord (Lady) Ruthven, Isabel Ruthven, b.?, a.1722, d.1732

Niece of the 3^rd Lady Ruthven, and daughter of Elizabeth Ruthven (b.?, d.b.1674) and Sir Francis Ruthven, 1^st Baronet Ruthven of Redcastle (a descendant of William Ruthven, 1^st Lord Ruthven).

5^th Lord Ruthven, James Ruthven, b.?, a.1732, d.1783

Son of the 4^th Lady Ruthven and Colonel James Ruthven of Graitney (formerly James Johnstone). He was baptised as James Johnstone, but both he and his father changed their surname.

6^th Lord Ruthven, James Ruthven, b.1733, a.1783, d.1789

Son of the 5^th Lord and Janet Nisbet.

7^th Lord Ruthven, James Ruthven, b.1777, a.1789, d.1853

Son of the 6^th Lord and Mary Elizabeth Melville (b.?, d.1820), daughter of David Melville, 8^th Earl of Leven. He reached the rank of Major in the 90^th Foot Regiment. He married but had no children.

8^th Lord (Lady) Ruthven, Mary Elizabeth Thornton Ruthven, b.c.1784, a.1853, d.1864

Younger sister of the 7^th Lord.

9^th Lord Ruthven, Walter James Hore-Ruthven, b.1838, a.1864, d.1921

Grandson of the 8^th Lady and Walter Hore-Ruthven (b.1784, d.1878), and son of William Hore (b.?, d.1847) and Dells Honoria Lowen (b.c.1819, d.1883). He obtained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Rifle Brigade and fought in the Crimean War and the First World War, even though he was in his seventies during the latter conflict. He was made King’s Messenger and decorated as Grand Officer of the Crown of Belgium in 1915. In 1919, he was created 1^st Baron Ruthven of Gowrie in the Peerage if the United Kingdom.

10^th Lord Ruthven, Walter Patrick Hore-Ruthven, b.1870, a.1921, d.1956

Son of the 9^th Lord and Lady Caroline Annesley Gore (b.1848, d.1914), daughter of Sir Philip Yorke Gore, 4^th Earl of Arran and the Arran Islands (an Irish peerage). Educated at Eton, he fought in the Boer War, earning the Distinguished Service Order. He also fought in the First World War, being wounded, and mentioned in dispatches several times. In 1914 he became a Brigade-Major in the 4^th Guards, and was made commanding officer of 1^st Battalion, Scots Guards. In 1918 he was put in charge of the 120^th Infantry Brigade as Brigadier-General, and reached Major-General in the Scots Guards. He was made a Companion of the Bath in 1919 and awarded the Gold Medal of Montenegro. From 1929 to 1934 he was Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey.

11^th Lord (Lady) Ruthven, Bridget Helen Hore-Ruthven, b.1896, a.1956, d.1982

Daughter of the 10^th Lord and Jean Leslie Lampson (b.1877, d.1952). She was made a Commander of the British Empire and was Senior Controller of the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War. She married Lieutenant-Commander George Josslyn L’Estrange Howard, 11^th Earl of Carlisle (b.1895, d.1963) in 1918, although she later divorced and re-married.

12^th Lord Ruthven, Charles James Ruthven Howard, b.1923, a.1982, d.1994

Son of the 11^th Lady and the 11^th Earl of Carlisle. He fought in the Second World War in the Rifle Brigade, losing a leg to a severe wound, and received the Military Cross in 1945. He became the 12^th Earl of Carlisle in 1963, and succeeded to his mother’s title on her death in 1982. He was Forestry Commissioner from 1965 to 1988.

13^th Lord Ruthven, George William Beaumont Howard, b.1949, a.1994

Son of the 12^th Lord and Ela Hilda Aline Beaumont (b.1925, d.2002), daughter of Sir Wentworth Henry Canning Beaumont, 2^nd Viscount Allendale. He is also 13^th Earl of Carlisle, 13^th Viscount Howard of Morpeth and 13^th Baron Dacre of Gillesland, all in the Peerage of England.

Earls of Gowrie (1945)

1^st Earl of Gowrie, Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven, b.1872, a.1945, d.1955

Second son of the 9^th Lord Ruthven. A career soldier, he reached the rank of Captain in the 3^rd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry and fought in Sudan. He was decorated with the Victoria Cross in 1899. He then moved joined the Welsh Guards, where he became Colonel, being severely wounded in the First World War. He received numerous honours, including Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1935, having previously been a Companion, and then a Knight Commander, of that Order. He was also made a Companion of the Bath in 1919 and a Knight of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem; and received the Distinguished Service Order and bar, and the Croix de Guerre. Between 1928 and 1944, he served as a provincial governor and then Governor-General of Australia. In 1935, he was created 1^st Baron Gowrie of Canberra (Australia) and Dirleton (East Lothian). In 1937 he was made a Privy Counsellor, and in 1945 created 1^st Earl of Gowrie and 1^st Viscount Ruthven of Canberra.

2^nd Earl of Gowrie, Alexander Patrick Greystell Hore-Ruthven, b.1939, a.1955

Grandson of the 1^st Earl and Zara Eileen Pollok (b.1879, d.1965) and son of Major Alexander Hardinge Patrick Hore-Ruthven (b.1913, d.1942) and Pamela Margaret Fletcher (b.1910, d.2006). Educated at Eton, Balliol College Oxford and Harvard, he published books on Art, as well as holding various government ministries, including Minister for Arts from 1983 to 1985. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1983 and was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1984 to 1985. As well as being 2^nd Earl, he is also 2^nd Viscount Ruthven of Canberra, 2^nd Baron Gowrie of Canberra and Dirleton, and 3^rd Baron Ruthven of Gowrie (which he inherited as heir-male as the rules of succession excluded the 11^th Lady Ruthven mentioned above).

The courtesy title for the heir is Viscount Ruthven of Canberra.

(Last updated: 19/02/2010)