Quick Facts
Biography
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes (died 24 November 1558) was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat.
George became Earl of Rothes after his father's death at the Battle of Flodden. The title had previously been possessed by his uncle, William Leslie, the 2nd Earl. On 1 April 1517 he and his wife redeemed by purchase family lands which James IV of Scotland had sold to Andrew Barton.
He was Sheriff of Fife from 1529 to 1540 and a Lord of Session from 1541 and a Lord of the Articles from 1544.
George accompanied James V of Scotland on his wedding trip to France in 1536. He was tried for the murder of Cardinal Beaton and acquitted. He was ambassador to Denmark in 1550, and died at Dieppe, France in 1558.
George died while returning from the solemnization of the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots. Several of the other Scottish commissioners died, Lord Fleming at Paris, and the Bishop of Orkney and Earl of Cassillis at Dieppe on the same night as George, 24 November 1558. It was rumoured that they were murdered because of their stance of the issue of giving the Crown-Matrimonial of Scotland to the Dauphin.
Family
He married Margaret Crichton, daughter of William Crichton, 3rd Lord Crichton and Princess Margaret Stewart. Their eldest son was Norman Leslie who was involved in the murder of Cardinal Beaton and the siege of St Andrews Castle. Norman pre-deceased his father, and the next Earl was Andrew Leslie, a son of George's third marriage to Agnes Somerville.
George divorced Margaret Crichton and married Elizabeth Gray, daughter of Andrew, 3rd Lord Gray. She was the widow of John Lyon, 4th Lord Glamis. They had no children. George subsequently married Agnes Somerville, a daughter of John Somerville of Cambusnethan, who was the widow of John, 2nd Lord Fleming. After Agnes's death, in 1542, George was re-united with Margaret Crichton. He then married Isobel Lundy widow of the 7th Earl of Crawford, they had no children.
Children of George and Margaret include;
- Norman Leslie, Master of Rothes
- William Leslie of Cairnie, forfeited for the Cardinal's murder
- Elizabeth Leslie of Kinninmont
- Robert Leslie, (born after 1542)
- Agnes Leslie, (born after 1542), married William Douglas of Lochleven, later Earl of Morton
- Beatrix Leslie
- Euphemia Leslie
- Margaret Leslie, married Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus
Children of George and Agnes Somerville;
- Andrew, the heir.
- Peter Leslie
- James Leslie
- Janet Leslie
- Helen Leslie, married Mark Kerr, Commendator of Newbattle.