Hugh (Montgomerie) Montgomery Fifth Earl of Eglinton (abt. 1584 - 1612)

Born about 1584 in Scotland

Ancestors

Died 4 Sep 1612 at about age 28 in Scotland

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Hugh (Montgomerie) Montgomery Fifth Earl of Eglinton was a member of Scottish Nobility. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

Hugh (Montgomerie) Montgomery Fifth Earl of Eglinton is a member of Clan Montgomery.

Hugh Montgomerie, 5th Earl of Eglintoun^[1][2][3] was born in 1584,^[4] the son of Hugh Montgomerie, 4th Earl of Eglinton>^[4] and his first wife Egidia/Giles Boyd, proven because Robert Boyd of Badinhaith was his uncle. Hugh was an infant at his father's death,^[5] and he succeeded to the titles of 6th Lord Montgomerie and 5th Earl of Eglintoun in April 1586.^[2]

He first appeared in records in September of 1596 at the trial of John Campbell of Ardkinglas for the murder of Sir John Campbell of Calder. Hugh's estate in 1603, was large enough to enabled him to purchase the barony of Kilwinning from the Commendator, William Melville, while he was still a minor. In 1606, he called himself Earl of Eglintoun, Lord Montgomerie and Kilwinning.^[6]

He married in August 1604, (after a contract dated 3, 5, and 9 May 1604) his first cousin, Margaret Montgomerie. She was the oldest daughter of Robert Montgomerie of Giffen, Master of Eglintoun. Hugh had been contracted in 1598 to Gabriela Stewart, sister of Ludovic, the second Duke of Lennox, but she chose to become a nun instead.^[7] Two years after his marriage, he granted to his wife, as his nearest heir, the earldom of Eglintoun and other lands. But they separated in June 1608, and the Earl revoked his grants. The marriage was annulled by the Commissaries of Edinburgh on 11 March 1612, on a petition by the Countess.^[8] Margaret survived the Earl, and became the first wife of Robert, Lord Boyd, before 24 March 1615. She had no issue with either husband.^[9]

An old feud was reignited and fostered between the families of Montgomerie and Cunningham by the Privy Council, by the wish of the King. In January 1607 the parties were induced to agree to an arbitration, which was eventually completed in March 1609 when they appeared before the Council to hear the King's decree for their reconciliation, pleasing the king greatly.^[10]

On 28 November 1611, Hugh had a crown charter of resignation and novodamus with remainder to Sir Alexander Seton of Foulstruther, 3rd son of his aunt, Margaret, Countess of Winton, and his issue male, whom failing, to Thomas and John, younger brothers of Sir Alexander, and their issue male, of the Lordship and Barony of Kilwinning, and the Lordship and Earldom of Eglinton, united into the Earldom of Eglinton, this united the territorial lordship and barony of Kilwinning with the territorial Earldom of Eglinton.

The Earl died without issue on 04 September 1612, after having recently obtained a charter of resignation and regrant of the lands of Kilwinning and earldom of Eglintoun to himself, whom failing, to Sir Alexander Seton of Foulstruther, Knight, his cousin the third son of Margaret Montgomerie, Countess of Wintoun, who succeeded him as the sixth Earl.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Paul, James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh : D. Douglas, 1904. Vol. 3:442-444.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 262.
3. ↑ Montgomery, Thomas Harrison, "A Genealogical History of the Family of Montgomery: Including the Montgomery Pedigree", Philadephia: private, 1863, Archive.org, p. 61
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume V, page 19.
5. ↑ Paul, Scots Peerage, Vol. 3:443, citing Memorials, i. 52 n.; ii. 278.
6. ↑ Paul, Scots Peerage, Vol. 3:443, citing Memorials, i. 56; cf. ii. 252.
7. ↑ Paul, Scots Peerage, Vol. 3:444, citing Memorials, i. 58, 59.
8. ↑ Paul, Scots Peerage, Vol. 3:444, citing Commissariot of Edin. Decreets, at date.
9. ↑ Paul, Scots Peerage, Vol. 3:444, citing Reg. Mag. Sig., at date.
10. ↑ Paul, Scots Peerage, Vol. 3:443, citing P.C. Reg., viii. 262-263, 569.