Earls of Middleton (1656)
1st Earl of Middleton, John Middleton, b.c.1619, a.1656.
d.1674
John Middleton had no noble background, but served as a soldier in France
in the early part of the 17th Century, and gradually worked his way
up through the ranks, and by the time of the Bishop’s War, he was a Captain in
the Covenanter Army under Montrose. When the English
Civil War started, he enlisted in the Parliamentarian Army and fought in the
Oxford Campaign of 1644. The following year he returned to Scotland as a
Major-General in the Covenanter Army, this time against Montrose, who had
become a Royalist. In 1646, he was second-in-command at the Battle of
Philiphaugh, and negotiated Montrose’ final surrender. In 1648, he commanded
the Cavalry in the Duke of Hamilton’s army that
invaded England in support of Charles I, but was taken prisoner at the Battle of
Preston, although he was released on parole shortly afterwards. However, his
continued support of the Royalists was condemned by the Presbyterians and he
was forced to do public penance before he could take up a position in the
Scottish Royalist Army that headed south in 1651, an act that left him with an
abiding hatred of the Kirk. He commanded the Scots Cavalry again at the Battle
of Worcester, and was taken prisoner for the second time. However, he escaped
from the Tower of London and joined Charles II in exile in Paris. In 1653, he was
given command of the Royalist Army that had been raised by the Earl of Glencairn and early the following year he arrived in
the north of Scotland
to take control of the rebel forces. However, he was opposed by General Monck,
who had also lately returned from the Continent to take over the occupying
troops. Monck was a superior tactician, and was able to trap Middleton at
Dalspindal near Loch Garry, splitting his infantry and cavalry and forcing them
to scatter. The Royalist leaders escaped, although Glencairn surrendered later
that year, and Middleton eventually rejoined Charles II in Cologne. He was created 1st Earl
of Middleton and 1st Lord Clermont and Fettercairn in 1656. At the
Restoration, he accompanied Charles back to Britain
and was made Lord High Commissioner to the Scottish Parliament and
Commander-in-Chief in Scotland.
However, his support of the episcopate alienated him from Duke of Lauderdale, the king’s closest advisor, and he was
deprived of office in 1663. He ended life, rather oddly, as the Governor of
Tangier.
2nd Earl of Middleton, Charles Middleton, b.c.1640, a.1674,
d.1719
Son of the 1st Earl and Grizel Durham (b.?, d.1666), daughter
of Sir James Durham of Pitkerrow. A committed Royalist like his father, he
served in various offices under Charles II and James VII, becoming a Privy
Counsellor. When James fled for France,
Middleton remained in England
to try to negotiate a peaceful Jacobite restoration, but in 1693 was forced to
join him in exile, and served as his Secretary of State, and also later for the
Old Pretender. Although he was a Protestant, he became a Roman Catholic in 1701
according to his king’s dying wish. His titles were forfeited in 1795.
(Last updated: 29/01/2010)