Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of Glencairn (Born around 1515 and died 23 November 1574) was a Scottish nobleman and Protestant reformer, prominent in the

Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Scotland broke with the Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterian in its outlook. It was part of the wider European Protestant Refor ...

Biography

Alexander Cunningham was the son of William Cunningham, 4th Earl of Glencairn by his first wife, Catherine Borthwick, the second daughter of

William Borthwick, 3rd Lord Borthwick Sir William Borthwick, 3rd Lord Borthwick (died 20 May 1503) was a Scottish nobleman, ambassador, and Master of the King's Household in 1485. The son of William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick (died c. 1483), the 3rd Lord Borthwick was knighted b ...

. He followed in his father's footsteps as a

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

and was among the first of the Scots' nobility who concurred with the

. By 1540, Cunningham, who was then styled as Lord Kilmaurs, was associated with the cause of reform, writing a satirical poem about the

Grey Friars The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

, which was later reprinted by Knox in his " History of the Reformation in Scotland." Lord Kilmaurs succeeded as

Earl of Glencairn Earl of Glencairn was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1488 for Alexander Cunningham, 1st Lord Kilmaurs (created 1450). The name was taken from the parish of Glencairn in Dumfriesshire so named for the Cairn Waters which ru ...

upon the death of his father in 1548. In 1555, on the return of John Knox to Scotland, he resorted openly to hear him preach. When the Reformer, at the request of the

Earl Marischal The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland. History The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held b ...

, addressed to the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise a letter in which he earnestly exhorted her to protect the reformed preachers, and to consent to a Reformation in the church, Glencairn had the boldness to deliver it to Her Majesty, who, after glancing carelessly over it, handed to James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow, and contemptuously said: "Please you, my lord, to read as pasquil!". In 1556, he entertained Knox at his house of

Finlaystone House Finlaystone House is a mansion and Estate (land), estate in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area and counties of Scotland, historic county of Renfrewshire (historic), Renfrewshire. It lies near the southern bank of the Firth of ...

, when the sacrament of the

Lord's Supper The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...

, after the manner of the Reformed church, was administered to his whole family and some friends. In December 1557 he was one of the leaders of the Reform Party who subscribed to the memorable

Covenant Covenant may refer to: Religion * Covenant (religion), a formal alliance or agreement made by God with a religious community or with humanity in general ** Covenant (biblical), in the Hebrew Bible ** Covenant in Mormonism, a sacred agreement b ...

which had been drawn up for the support and defence of the

religion, and who thenceforce assumed the name the

Lords of the Congregation The Lords of the Congregation (), originally styling themselves "the Faithful", were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured a reformation of the Catholic church according to Protestant principles and a Scotti ...

. In 1559, in consequence of the rigorous proceedings against Protestants by the Queen Regent, he and his relative, Sir Hugh Campbell of Loudon, the Sheriff of

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Subdivisions of Scotland, council area and the historic Shires of Scotlan ...

, requested an audience of Her Majesty, at which they reminded her of her promises of

religious toleration Religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, mistaken, or harmful". ...

. On the Queen's replying that "promises ought not to be urged upon princes, unless they can conveniently fulfil them"; "then", they said, "since you are resolved to keep no faith with your subjects we will renounce our allegiance", an answer which induced her to stop her proceedings. In May of that year, when the Reformers at

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

found it necessary to protect themselves by force of arms, Glencairn joined them with 1,200 horse and 1,300 foot, which he had raised in the west of the country. After the Protestant religion had been established by parliament in 1560, the earl was nominated a member of Queen Mary's Privy Council. He and the

Earl of Morton The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morto ...

with

William Maitland of Lethington William Maitland of Lethington (15259 June 1573) was a Scottish politician and reformer, and the eldest son of poet Richard Maitland. Life He was educated at the University of St Andrews. William was the renowned "Secretary Lethington" to ...

were sent as ambassadors to

Queen Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eliz ...

with a proposal, for the strengthening of the bonds of amity between the two nations, that she should accept as a husband the Earl of Arran, the heir to the Scottish Crown, which she declined. Glencairn was amongst the nobles who opposed the marriage of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...

, with Lord Darnley. Glencairn later had a principal command in the army embodied against the Queen in June 1567 at the 'battle' of Carberry Hill, and when the French ambassador came from the Queen, promising the forgiveness if they would disperse, he replied that "they came not to ask pardon for any offence they had done, but to grant pardon to those who had offended". When

, was taken to

Loch Leven Castle Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–13 ...

that month, Glencairn hastened with his domestics to the Chapel Royal of

Holyroodhouse The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh ...

and destroyed all the sacred images, demolished the

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...

, tore down the pictures, and defaced all the ornaments.

Succession

He was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son:

William Cunningham, 6th Earl of Glencairn William Cunningham, 6th Earl of Glencairn (after 1530 – c. 1578) was a Scottish nobleman. Biography He was the son of Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of Glencairn and Janet Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran. On 20 Augus ...

Writings

A satirical poem against the Popish Party, entitled ''The Hermit of Allareit or Loretto, near Musselburgh'', written by Lord Glencairn, and preserved in Knox's ''History of the Reformation'', is also found in Sibbald's ''Chronicle of Scottish Poetry''.

Arms

Couché. A shakefork. Crest: on a helmet with coronet, a unicorn head. Supporters: two conies sejant.Macdonald, William Rae, ''Scottish Armorial Seals'', (Edinburgh: W. Green, 1904), p 67

References

Sources

* Anderson, William, ''The Scottish Nation'', Edinburgh, 1867, vol v, pp. 311-312. {{DEFAULTSORT:Glencairn, Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of 1574 deaths Covenanters Earl of Glencairn Members of the Privy Council of Scotland Lords of the Congregation 16th-century Scottish people 16th-century Scottish politicians Privy Council of Mary, Queen of Scots Year of birth unknown