James Drummond, 1st Duke of Perth

James Drummond, 1st Duke of Perth, KG, KT, PC (1648 - 1716) was a Scottish nobleman.

Related Topics:
KG - KT - PC - 1648 - 1716

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Perth was educated at St Andrews University. He was appointed a member of the Scottish Privy Council in 1678 and supporrted Lauderdale's policy of giving up the disaffected western shires of Scotland to highland raids, before joining Hamilton's faction.

Related Topics:
St Andrews University - Privy Council

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He was a partner with William Penn in the settlement of East New Jersey in 1681. As one of 24 proprietors of a large parcel of property that took up much of what is now the State of New Jersey, Drummond sponsored an expedition in 1684 to establish a settlement there. The City of Perth Amboy, which sits on the waterfront facing Staten Island, New York, and which was once a port city in its own right, is named in his honor -- a statue of the earl stands in front of City Hall (the "amboy" comes from an Algonquian word meaning "valley").

Related Topics:
William Penn - East New Jersey

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He was appointed Lord Justice General in 1682 and an Extraordinary Lord of Session in the same year. He was appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland in 1684. He introduced the use of the thumbscrew in Scotland. He converted to Roman Catholicism in 1685, along with his brother John, the Earl of Melfort. In 1686, Perth and his brother opened a Catholic chapel in Edinburgh, and their public attendance there resulted in a riot. That same year, after Queensberry's fall from grace, Perth was appointed first lord of the treasury for Scotland. Perth and his brother suggested to James that the Scottish Parliament would approve a repeal of the Test Act and penal laws against Catholics and Protestant dissenters, but they were later proved to have been mistaken. Perth was created a Knight of the Thistle in 1687.

Related Topics:
Lord Justice General - Lord of Session - Lord Chancellor of Scotland - Roman Catholic - John - Earl of Melfort - Edinburgh - Queensberry's - Treasury - Test Act - Knight of the Thistle

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Perth was imprisoned in Stirling Castle in 1689, being released in 1693 on a bond to leave the kingdom. He was created a Knight of the Garter by the exiled James II and created Duke of Perth, Marquess of Drummond, and Earl of Stobhall by James II's will, titles recognised only by Jacobites. During James's exile, Perth acted as the king's ambassador to Rome, and after his death, Perth erected a momument to him in Paris. He died at St Germain.

Related Topics:
Stirling Castle - Knight of the Garter - James II - Jacobites - Rome - Paris - St Germain

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