Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell
|
|
Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell was born in 1512. His father was Adam Hepburn, who died at the Battle of Flodden the year after Patrick's birth.
Patrick Hepburn was known as the Fair Earl. He owed this more to his looks than his character, being described as "fair and white" whilst a young boy.
He was imprisoned in 1529 for two years for harbouring robbers. Once released he decided to extract revenge by beginning a treasonable correspondence with England. He then spent much of the next years in England, and after James V died at the Battle of Solway Moss, Hepburn signed a pact with Henry VIII promising to serve him and aid the commitment of the then infant Mary Queen of Scots into Henry's custody.
Hepburn married at the age of 21 on one of his return visits to Scotland, where he married Agnes Sinclair, who gave birth to his son James.
Despite having sworn loyalty to Henry VIII, Hepburn was awarded an annual pension of £1,000 from Mary of Guise (Mary Queen of Scots' mother) in return for his fidelity. Hepburn believed their was the possibility of marrying into royalty, so much so that he organised a divorce from his wife. However, he soon relaised the prospects for royal marriage were thin and despite Henry VIII engaging in the bloody invasion of Scotland Hepburn resumed correspondence with England.
In the intervening years, Hepburn played a pivotal role in the death of George Wishart.
In 1548 Hepburn renounced his loyalty to the Scottish crown and became a pensioner of England, to the tune of £3,000 annually. However he returned to Scotland when in 1554 Mary of Guise forgave him. Two years later he died and his titles passed to his son James, who would go on to become the third husband of Mary Queen of Scots.
| Preceded by: Adam Hepburn | Earl of Bothwell | Followed by: James Hepburn |