The Earl of Loudoun | |
|---|---|
 John Campbell, 1st Earl of Loudoun | |
| Lord Chancellor of Scotland | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Campbell 1598 |
| Died | March 1662 |
| Spouse | Margaret Campbell |
| Children | 4 |
John Campbell, 1st Earl of Loudoun (1598 – March 1662) was a Scottish politician and Covenanter.
As a young man Campbell travelled abroad. In 1620 married the heiress of the barony of Loudoun; in his wife's right, took his seat in the Parliament of Scotland. In 1622 his patent for an earldom stopped by Charles I because of his strenuous opposition to episcopacy. In 1633 he took a leading part in organising the Covenant, 1637–1638. He was a leader of the armed insurrection in Scotland in 1639 and an envoy from Scotland to Charles I in 1640. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London but was freed and joined the Scottish army of invasion in August 1640. He was sent again as an envoy to London and was made Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1641 to 1660. In 1641 he was also created Earl of Loudoun. During the years 1642–1647 he was frequently envoy to Charles I from the Parliament of Scotland. In 1650 he was present at the coronation of Charles II of Scotland and fought at Dunbar. He joined the Highland rising of 1653, but submitted to General Monck when it became obvious that further resistance was futile. He was excepted from Cromwell's Act of Grace in 1654 and heavily fined by Charles II in 1662.[1]