James (Livingston) Livingston First Lord Livingston of Callendar (abt. 1410 - abt. 1467)

James (Livingston) Livingston First Lord Livingston of Callendar is a member of Clan Livingstone.

Sir James Livingston was a member of the aristocracy in Scotland.

James (Livingston) Livingston First Lord Livingston of Callendar is Notable.

Family

Sir James Livingston was the eldest son and heir of Sir Alexander Livingston of Callendar^[1][2] and his wife, a daughter of James Dundas of Dundas, stated, on wikitree, to be Janet.^[3]

He is said to have married a lady named Marion, although her lineage has not been recorded. She survived him. Balfour Paul notes that a claim by her to a terce of the lands of Hasilhead, 13 May 1471, suggests that she was then the widow of a former owner of that estate (which may have been the Montgomerys at the time). The case was pursued by Marion, Lady of Livingston, and Margaret, lady of Aberdalgie, against George Montgomery and Robert Montgomery,^[4] A terce was the right of a widow to the liferent of one third of her husband's heritable estate, if no other provision has been made for her. It must thus be supposed that she and Margaret, lady of Aberdalgie, had been married to brothers as their second husbands. Aberdalgie is an estate in Perthshire held to the Oliphants at the time however the dates do not coincide with known history of that family. She died between 15 June, when she appears on the Parliamentary Record^[5] and 20 October 1478, at which latter date her daughter Lady Crichton and Sir Alexander Fraser are named as her executors.^[6]

In the Comptroller's accounts for the period from 24 September 1449 credit is taken for a sum received from Thomas of Berwick for a certain compensation for James of Livingston, his son-in-law, agreed upon between the Lords of Council and the said Thomas. This Thomas was one of the custumars of Edinburgh, but whether his son-in-law was the James, afterwards Lord Livingston, of this Profile, is not certain. Balfour Paul remained unconvinced.

They had six children:

1. James Livingston, was contracted on 6 July 1445 to marry Christian Erskine, daughter and heiress of Sir John Erskine of Kinnoull,^[1] but no marriage followed. Succeeded his father as second Lord Livingston. He received sasine for Strath, forest of Calendar, half of the town of Falkirk, Carmuirs, Auchengenis, Glen, and others in 1468 when he was likely past age, thus likely born c. 1435. He is noticed as being “a fulle and natural idiot” and was barred from marriage and died without issue. He was put under the care of his brother, Master David Livingston.
2. Alexander Livingston, second son, also contracted on 6 July 1445 to marry Christian Erskine if a marriage to his brother James was unfulfilled,^[1] probably the father of the third Lord Livingston. His son, James Livingston, later 3rd Lord Livingston was knighted before 30 July 1477, when he appears as a witness to a Stirling protocol.^[7] James must therefore have been about 20 at the time and born prior to 1457; Alexander must therefore have been born about 1437. He is not noticed in history and must have died prior to 1488 when his son is noticed as Sir James Livingston of Lethbert.
3. David Livingston, Maestor, Rector of Ayr and afterwards Provost of Lincluden, is described as a brother of James (second) Lord Livingston, and acted as the latter's curator.
4. Elizabeth Livingston, married John MacDonald, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles. After her husband’s forfeiture, King James III on 8 February 1476, settled on her a liferent in certain lands for an honourable sustenance in consideration of her loyal services to his parents, himself and his queen, Margaret of Denmark.
5. Euphemia Livingston, who was married (before 2 April 1472) to Malcolm Fleming, son and heir of Robert Fleming, Lord Fleming, and thus likely born about 1450. She survived him and, circa 1477, she was married to William Fleming of Bord. Sir James Livingston, 3rd Lord Livingston, will marry Malcolm Fleming’s sister Beatrice.
6. Marion Livingston, married William Crichton, third Lord Crichton, an alliance probably intended to finally end the long continued rivalry between the two families. The marriage taking place prior to 1478, she was likely born about 1455.^[8]

Political Career

At some point prior to 1435, James, obviously of age, was appointed Captain of Stirling Castle.

His early years were dominated by the power struggle between his father, William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton and Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas. Douglas was Lieutenant General of Scotland, and held the office of Regent, during the minority of James II until 1439. In that year, Archibald Douglas died and his son, William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas, inherited, likely not even of age. The role of guardian to the King went to his uncle, James Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale. Crichton, James Douglas and Alexander Livingston used their influence and power to break the power of William Douglas. They concocted a series of charges which is known in history as the "Black Dinner" where William Douglas, and his younger brother, were summarily tried and then executed in the presence of the young King James II. The lordships of Annandale and Bothwell fell to the crown; Galloway to Margaret Douglas (William Douglas's sister), and the Douglas lands and earldom passed to William's great-uncle James Douglas, the Earl of Avondale, who was accordingly seen later as the main perpetrator.

Source material does not record what action James Livingston played in this event but shortly after, and before 29 June 1448 he was promoted, by James II. to the office of Great Chamberlain of Scotland.^[3]

Treason

With the death of Douglas the struggle between Livingston and Crichton had not abated. The marriage, in 1449, between James II and Mary of Guelders, arranged by Crichton, then Chancellor, is generally viewed as the time the Livingstons fell from the Grace of the King. In the autumn, Sir Alexander, James, his younger brother, Alexander, then Captain of Methven Castle, Robert Livingston, Comptroller, and a number of other relatives, friends, and adherents were arrested, and some of them imprisoned in the fortress of Blackness.

They were arraigned before a Parliament held at Edinburgh, 19 January 1450, and although the record of this Parliament exists the record of the charges and hearing do not. On 22 January 1450, Alexander Livingston, younger brother to James, and Robert Livingston, the Comptroller, were executed, the others being attainted and imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle.

The possessions of Sir Alexander at this time must have been considerable, as in addition to the patrimonial estates of Callendar and Kilsyth, which were given to the new Queen, there were also forfeited the lands of Catscleuch, in the barony of Herbertshire, the lands of Terrinterran, part of Kippen, Broominch, and others.

Reconciliation

James, the only member of note to survive the purge was, stated as the firstborn son of Sir Alexander Livingston, proscribed attainted at the Parliamentary considerations. Balfour Paul mentions^[3] some of these lands being passed to James Douglas, now also Earl of Douglas but others, according to the Parliamentary Record, including Callendar, also went to Alexander Lindsay, Earl of Crawford.^[9] The record^[3] suggests that Culter in Lanarkshire were granted to the Earl of Douglas, Calyn, and Callander in Menteith to the Earl of Crawford, and Lenturk in Fife to the King's familiar esquire John Schereinwood.

In the interim James made peace with the King, likely due to a lack of involvement and a personal friendship with the King, and appears as Keeper of Urquhart and Inverness Castles before Nov 1451 when he is paid from the Exchequer accounts.^[6] Although wikipedia suggests he "escaped" and lived in the Highlands this is impossible and he was clearly recognised by the King by the middle of 1451, although it does seem likely he developed a relationship with the MacDonalds, then Earl of Ross, as his daughter marries the heir.

In 1453, James II. appointed him as Ambassador to England to deal in relation to the cessation of the war with England.

In 1454, with Crichton now dead before July 1454, he was reinstated in the office of Great Chamberlain, with which he combined that of Master of the Household.

Lordship and Restoration

On 7 July 1455 he was created as a Peer under the title of Lord Livingston of Callendar and his estates restored along with those of his father.

This is confirmed by Charter of confirmation, granted 30 April 1458, where the Crown erected these lands into a free barony.^[6]

In 1464 he received a charter of the lands of Baldoran in the county of Stirling, which was no doubt the Baldoran in the earldom of Lennox which he resigned at Inverness before 1 September of that year in favour of John, Lord Darnley (likely John Stewart, later Earl of Lennox).

In 1465, and during the minority of James III., Lord Livingston was employed as one of the Commissioners in negotiating the prolongation of the truce with England, which was finally settled 12 December 1465 by a treaty signed at Newcastle-on-Tyne.

On 9 July 1466 Lord Livingston joined Robert Boyd, Lord Boyd, in a conspiracy to secure possession of the King. Boyd then proclaimed himself sole Governor of the Realm, Great Chamberlain for life, and Lord Justice General in 1467.

At the Parliament of 9 October 1466, it was agreed to direct the Scottish ambassadors then in England, of whom Lord Livingston was one, to treat for the marriage of the King. The intention being that he would marry Margaret of Denmark and an arrangement that would see the Orkney and Shetland Islands come to Scotland. He witnessed a series of Boyd charters dated 26 April 1467. While the party, which included Boyd, was away arranging the marriage Boyd was attainted for high treason and his estates forfeit.

There is no record of James being held accountable although he died at this time. His son was served heir to him on 7 November 1467.

Arms of Sir James Livingston

He appears in MacDonald's work as eldest son to Alexander Livingston, of Callendar, with a seal bearing, Couché (sloped) 1st and 4th: Three cinquefoils within a royal tressure (Livingston). 2nd and 3rd : A bend between six billets (Callander). Crest: On a helmet with mantling and wreath, two serpents fess-ways (lying horizontal) nowed (twisted in a knot). Legend (Goth. I.e.), on an escroll: S. Jacobi de Livingstoun. Reg. Ho. Ch. 7 July 1445; Record Off. Ch. 12 Dec. 1465.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} John Stuart, ed, "XXIII Indenture between Sir Alexander Livingston of Callender, and Walter Ogilvy of Beaufort", The Miscellany of the Spalding Club, 5, (Aberdeen, Scotland: Spalding Club, 1852), 282-3, Hathi Trust Digital Library (http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.31175011984054?urlappend=%3Bseq=370 : accessed 22 June 2016).
2. ↑ Burke, John Bernard, "A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire", London: Harrison,1866, Archive.org, p. 327
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Paul, James Balfour. "The Scots Peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom", Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1908, Vol. V, Archive.org, p. 429
4. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2015), 1471/5/34.
5. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2015), 1478/6/15.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Paul, James Balfour. "The Scots Peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom", Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1908, Vol. V, Archive.org, p. 430
7. ↑ Paul, James Balfour. "The Scots Peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom", Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1908, Vol. V, Archive.org, p. 433
8. ↑ Paul, James Balfour. "The Scots Peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom", Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1906, Vol. III, Archive.org, p. 64
9. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2015), 1451/6/4.
10. ↑ Scottish Armorial Seals; MacDonald; Seal No. 1707

See also:

• Wikipedia: James Livingston, 1st Lord Livingston

• Wikidata: Item Q66689205, en:Wikipedia

DNA

USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN MERGING. THERE IS A BREAK IN THE DNA CONTINUITY BEGINNING WITH HIS ACKNOWLEDGED SON Livingston-728. Given similarity of names of Alexander and James in the families of Livingston, and there continual conflict appearance and disappearance from records these Profiles are easily confused.

Y-DNA ANCESTRY AND DESCENDANTS John Livingston descendants (abt 1560 - ) John Livingston descendants (abt 1528 - abt 1619) Alexander Livingston descendants (1475 - 1548) James John Livingston descendants (abt 1452 - abt 1503) Alexander Livingston descendants (abt 1435 - bef 01 Nov 1472) James John Livingston Lord of descendants (abt 1410 - abt 26 Apr 1467) Alexander Livingston descendants (abt 1375 - bef 06 Nov 1451)

The lineage of this person James Livingston has been confirmed to be Livingston-156 Alexander Livingston of Callendar and he is father of Livingston-728 Alexander LIvingston. Please use caution when merging, or considering a merge, with any of this line. See DNA Section for further information.