Walter Scott, 1st Earl of Buccleuch

Arms of Scott of Buccleuch: Or, on a bend azure a mullet of six points between two crescents of the first

Walter Scott, 1st Earl of Buccleuch, 2nd Baron Scott of Buccleuch (before 1606 – 20 November 1633) was a Scottish nobleman.

He was the son of Walter Scott, 1st Lord Scott of Buccleuch (c. 1549–1611), and Mary Kerr, a daughter of Mark Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian.

Scott had several siblings, including his brother Francis Scott, who succeeded him as the 2nd Earl of Buccleuch. The family played a prominent role in the Border regions of Scotland, and Walter Scott, through his inherited titles and connections, continued the tradition of political and military involvement.

His marriage to Lady Mary Hay, daughter of Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, added to the family's prestigious alliances. The Scott family's influence endured through generations, contributing significantly to the historical tapestry of Scottish nobility.

He succeeded his father as Lord Scott of Buccleuch on 15 December 1611. He was created Earl of Buccleuch, with the subsidiary title Baron Scott of Whitchester and Eskdaill, on 16 May 1619.[1]

In 1624 several members of the Eliot family conspired to murder the earl, but their attempt came to nothing.[2]

He was commander of a detachment of Scotsmen in the service of Holland in 1629 against the Spaniards, when he served at the Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch.[3] He died on 20 November 1633 in London, but was not buried at Hawick until 11 June 1634 as the ship carrying his body was driven by a storm towards the coast of Norway.[4]

He had married Lady Mary Hay, daughter of Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll and Elizabeth Douglas, around 15 October 1616, with a tocher of 20,000 merks. He had a son and heir, Francis, and two daughters.

  1. ^ "SCOTT, WALTER [SSNE 5009] - The Scotland, Scandinavia and Northern European Biographical Database". www.st-andrews.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  2. ^ The Melros Papers, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1837), pp. 578–82.
  3. ^ "Buccleuch Regiment - History". buccleuch-regiment.eu. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  4. ^ Williamson, Eila (2016). "The Funeral of Walter Scott, First Earl of Buccleuch: a grand ceremonial occasion". Medieval English Theatre. 38: 3–21. ISSN 0143-3784.