University of Dundee DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Scottish Noblewomen, the Family and Scottish Politics from 1688-1707 Cowmeadow, Nicola Margaret Award date: 2012 Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 02. Oct. 2021 DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Scottish Noblewomen, the Family and Scottish Politics from 1688-1707 Nicola Margaret Cowmeadow 2012 University of Dundee Conditions for Use and Duplication Copyright of this work belongs to the author unless otherwise identified in the body of the thesis. It is permitted to use and duplicate this work only for personal and non-commercial research, study or criticism/review. You must obtain prior written consent from the author for any other use. Any quotation from this thesis must be acknowledged using the normal academic conventions. It is not permitted to supply the whole or part of this thesis to any other person or to post the same on any website or other online location without the prior written consent of the author. Contact the Discovery team ([email protected]) with any queries about the use or acknowledgement of this work. Scottish Noblewomen, the Family and Scottish Politics from 1688-1707 Nicola Margaret Cowmeadow Degree of Ph.D. University of Dundee January 2012 i Contents Acknowledgments iii Declaration iv Abstract v Abbreviations vi Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Marriage 31 Chapter 2 Letter writing 81 Chapter 3 Religion 126 Chapter 4 Estate Management 158 Chapter 5 Social Politics and Patronage 191 Chapter 6 Female Political Activity 228 Conclusion 275 Appendix I List of Noblewomen 283 Appendix II List of Sample Families 289 Appendix III List of Squadrone Volante 301 Bibliography 302 ii Tables 1.1 Frequency of marriage in three generations of 110 Scottish noble families 40 1.2 Geographical origins of brides 41 1.3 Map of Squadrone Volante marriages 71 iii Acknowledgments I must first of all express my gratitude to the Carnegie Trust for the generous funding which has made this research possible. Particular thanks go to my supervisors Professor Christopher Whatley and Dr Derek Patrick. Through their work, and an inspiring visit to Blair Atholl, I first discovered Katherine, Duchess of Atholl and, finding very little published about her, they encouraged me to begin my research. Their enthusiasm, knowledge and insights have guided me and this thesis owes a great deal to their expertise. They have my thanks for the inspiration and all the opportunities this has brought. All mistakes are, of course, my own. Many thanks to Jane Anderson, archivist at Blair Atholl for her patience, enthusiasm and every warm welcome. Staff at the National Archives of Scotland were similarly patient and helpful. I have also received a great deal of support from various people at the University of Dundee in particular those tutors who sparked my initial enthusiasm for history. The continuing advice and support of Dr Alan MacDonald, Dr Murray Frame and Professor Charles McKean has been very welcome. I have benefited from discussing my research with a number of scholars and I appreciate their time and encouragement. Dr Stana Nenadic, Dr Elaine Chalus, Professor Jacqueline Eales and Dr Suzanne Trill have all taken time to respond to my queries and provide advice. To those fellow students at Dundee and in the post grad community that is Histper, my thanks to you. I must thank Professor Jane Ohlmeyer for much needed advice on finishing the project and for sharing her work. Warm thanks also to Professor Roger Mason for sound advice and the opportunity to present my research. Finally I owe an enormous debt to my family and dearest friends who have cared about me all the way through. To Heather, for suggesting we run the London marathon while I was trying to do this, and for all the training, Tully runs and the never ending chat. To close friends who have patiently endured my enthusiasm, particularly Fiona and Louis, Stuart and Corinne and Karen and Doug. To Jess for listening, especially on those long drives north. To Craig for his expert presentational advice. To all my family, my parents, to Jane, Danny and especially Val, who has read every word, for love and support always. To Katherine, Susan and Christine who were with me when it began and Derek who has seen me through it all. I must also pay my heartfelt thanks to Dr Christopher Storrs. He saw something in me that I didn’t see myself and has been a tremendous source of encouragement, inspiration and endless discussion. Our dialogue continues. My greatest thanks are to my husband John and our sons, Max and Ben. Without John none of this would have been possible and he and our boys remind me of what is truly important. I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking and writing about what made a good seventeenth century wife and mother and I only hope in doing so I have never forgotten to be good to them. For all their patience, encouragement and so much love dedicate this thesis to them. iv UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE HISTORY DECLARATION I hereby declare that I, …………………………, am the author of this thesis; that, unless otherwise stated, all references cited have been consulted by me; that the work of which the thesis is a record has been done by me; and that this thesis has not, in whole or part, been previously accepted for a higher degree. Signed: ………………………… Date:…………………………… CERTIFICATE This is to certify that ………………………… has done this research under my supervision and that he has fulfilled the conditions of the relevant ordinances of the University of Dundee so that he is qualified to submit for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Signed: ………………………… Date:…………………………… v Abstract The Scottish perspective of the Glorious Revolution of 1688 has received limited scholarly attention. The opposite is true of the Union of 1707 and this defining moment, which resulted in the loss of Scottish independence, continues to stimulate debate. The lives of Scottish noblewomen in the years from Revolution to Union have generally been disregarded. This thesis will demonstrate that acknowledging and exploring the experiences of noblewomen augments understanding of this momentous era. Investigating the lives of Scottish noblewomen using their letters to explore how they lived through the Revolution, the ‘ill years’ of King William’s reign, the Darien venture, European war and ultimately the negotiation of Union provides fresh perspectives on the social, economic and political life of Scotland. Recovering the experience of noblewomen engages with a wider process in Scottish history which has transformed understanding in some areas of historical study but has by no means permeated all. Redefining female political activity has illuminated the influence of elite English women in the later eighteenth century. Scottish noblewomen require similar extensive study. The research presented here supports the argument that political analysis alone cannot provide the fullest assessment of this period. Women are revealed as a vital element within social aspects of political manoeuvring and both created and maintained family networks. This research challenges the constricting framework of the public and private dichotomy. It aims to reveal and redefine the responsibilities of noblewomen within an expanded sphere of activity and suggests a much more inclusive role for women than has previously been considered. The formation of a British parliament in 1707 reduced the number of Scots parliamentarians and changed the role of the governing elite in Scotland but did not diminish Scottish women’s influence and participation. This thesis argues that Scottish noblewomen operated with autonomy within patriarchal parameters to support menfolk, exert authority and in some cases wield significant influence. Demonstrating their roles, abilities and a new form of social politics at work in Scotland is a vital part of understanding the post Union period and the development of British politics. vi Abbreviations Blair MS – Blair Castle Archives NAS- National Archives of Scotland 1 Introduction I In January 1689 John Murray, first marquis of Atholl (1631-1703), failed to join fellow Scots nobles who were rushing to London to meet William, Prince of Orange. In response to the increasingly arbitrary rule of James VII and his attacks on Protestantism, William of Orange, nephew and son-in-law of James, had been invited by the ‘immortal seven’ to secure the Protestant religion and maintain the liberty of England. 1 Commanding an invasion force which included English and Scots exiles he landed at Torbay on November fifth 1688 and by December twenty-third James VII had fled to France with his wife, Mary of Modena, and their infant son. 2 In reaction to these events Atholl’s son, Lord John Murray, later earl of Tullibardine and then first duke of Atholl (1660-1724), went to London in his father’s stead but it was left to Amelia, marchioness of Atholl (d. 1703) to enquire after her son’s progress and also to make excuses for her husband. She gave her reaction to events and reported on what she perceived was happening in Scotland in response to the arrival of William and Mary and the flight of James VII.