Lords Lyle (c.1446)

1^st Lord Lyle, Robert Lyle, b.?, a.c.1446, d.c.1470

Another originally Norman family, the surname was derived from “de l’isle”, of the island, referring to the Isle of Wight. The first Lyle to appear in Scotland, Ralph de Insula to use the latinised version, was a follower of Walter the Steward. Sir John Lyle of Duchal was a favourite of David II and his son, also John Lyle, was one of the claimants for the earldom of Mar, having married one of the daughters in the original line. His son, Robert Lyle, was an hostage for James II. His son, also Robert Lyle, was raised to the peerage as 1^st Lord Lyle by James.

2^nd Lord Lyle, Robert Lyle, b.?, a.c.1470, d.c.1495

Son of the 1^st Lord and Margaret Wallace. He was a Privy Counsellor to James III and served as an Ambassador to England in 1472, when he was accused of dealing with the forfeited Douglases, though found innocent by a Court presided over by the King. He travelled to England again in 1484 and 1485 and was in England when James II was killed at Sauchieburn in 1488. He returned to take the position of High Justiciary of Scotland and later joined Lennox and others in an Uprising against those who had taken arms against James II. This move failed and he was briefly forfeit before being re-instated by Parliament. He was also re-instated as High Justiciary in 1492.

3^rd Lord Lyle, Robert Lyle, b.?, a.c.1495, d.?

Son of the 2^nd Lord and Margaret Houston.

4^th Lord Lyle, John Lyle, b.c.1499, a.?, d.1551

Son of the 3^rd Lord and Mariot Lindsay. He was one of the lords who signed the Secret Bond in 1543, drawn up by Cardinal Beaton in support of marrying the infant Queen Mary to the French Dauphin rather than the English Prince Edward. This act resulted in a rejection of the Treaty of Greenwich and the beginning of the Rough Wooing that saw much of southern Scotland under English occupation until 1551. He married Grizel Beaton, daughter of Sir David Beaton of Creich, nephew of James Beaton (or Bethune), Archbishop of Glasgow. His only son died young and his daughter’s descendants were not recognised by the House of Lords, and so the title is extinct.

(Last updated: 16/06/2010)