View source for Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of Lothian

{{Short description|Scottish nobleman (1636–1703)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
[[Image:1stMarquesOfLothian.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The 1st Marquess of Lothian.]]
'''Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of Lothian''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|PC}} (8 March 1636 – 15 February 1703), known as the '''4th Earl of Lothian''' from 1675 to 1701, was a Scottish nobleman. He was styled '''Lord Kerr''' until 1661 and '''Lord Newbattle''' from 1661 to 1675.
The eldest son of [[William Kerr, 3rd Earl of Lothian]] and [[Anne Kerr, Countess of Lothian|Anne Kerr]], he was born at [[Newbattle Abbey]], Midlothian.  He left Scotland and was educated at [[Leyden]], [[Saumur]], and [[Angers]] from 1651 to 1657. He unsuccessfully claimed the [[Earl of Roxburghe|earldom of Roxburghe]] in 1658.<ref name="sp">{{cite book | title=The Scots Peerage: Innermeath-Mar | first=Sir James Balfour | last=Paul | authorlink=James Balfour Paul | publisher=D. Douglas | year=1908 | pages=475–478 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ErEEAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA475}}</ref> In 1661, his father lost an additional dispute with the new [[William Ker, 2nd Earl of Roxburghe|Earl of Roxburghe]] over the use of the courtesy title of '''Lord Kerr'''; it was reserved for Roxburghe's heir, and Kerr was thereafter styled '''Lord Newbattle'''.<ref>[http://www.rps.ac.uk/search.php?action=fcf&fn=charlesii_trans&id=id16336&t=trans  Parliamentary Register, 1661]</ref>
Lord Newbattle was a volunteer in the [[Third Anglo-Dutch War|Dutch War]] of 1673.  He succeeded his father in the earldom in 1675. Sworn a [[Privy Council of England|Privy Counsellor]] in January 1686, he was removed by [[James II of England|James II]] in September. Lothian supported the [[Glorious Revolution]] and sat in the [[Convention of Estates of Scotland]]. He was appointed [[Lord Justice General]] of Scotland in 1689, holding the office until his death, and was re-appointed a privy counsellor by [[William III of England|William III]] in 1690. In the same year, he succeeded his uncle [[Charles Kerr, 2nd Earl of Ancram|Charles]] as [[Earl of Ancram]].<ref name="sp" />
He was [[Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland]] in 1692, and addressed the assembly with a speech advocating tolerance and liberality towards episcopal ministers wishing to be received into the Kirk, in harmony with the King's recommendations. However, the Assembly proved hostile, and the proposal was not taken up. He was created [[Marquess of Lothian]] on 23 June 1701, and was appointed Justice-General and a commissioner to treat for the union of Scotland and England in 1702. He did not see the project out, as he died in the following year.<ref name="sp" />
==Personal life==
Lothian married Lady Jean Campbell (d. 1700), daughter of [[Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll]], in January 1660–1, by whom he had ten children:<ref name="sp" />
*[[William Kerr, 2nd Marquess of Lothian]] (1661–1722)
*Lord Charles Kerr (d. 1735), appointed [[Director of Chancery]] in 1703, married Janet Murray, daughter of [[Sir David Murray, 2nd Baronet]], and had issue
*Hon. Margaret Kerr (bap. 1670), died young
*Hon. Jean Kerr (bap. 1671), died young
*Lord John Kerr (bap. 1673 – 8 September 1735), British Army officer
*Lady Mary Kerr (bap. 1674 – 22 January 1736), married [[James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas]]
*[[Lord Mark Kerr (governor)|Lord Mark Kerr]] (bap. 1676–1752), British general
*Lady Margaret Kerr (bap. 1678), died young
*Hon. James Kerr (bap. 1679), died unmarried
*Lady Annabella Kerr (bap. 1682), died young
Lothian also had a natural son, Captain John Kerr, who was slain at [[Douglas Castle]] by the [[Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas|Duke of Douglas]].
He is buried in the family vault of Newbattle Church, Scotland.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before=[[George Livingston, 3rd Earl of Linlithgow|The Earl of Linlithgow]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Lord Justice General]]|years=1689–1703}}
{{s-aft|after=[[George Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Cromartie|The Viscount Tarbat]]}}
{{s-reg|sct}}
{{s-new|Creation}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Marquess of Lothian]]|years=1701–1703}}
{{s-aft|rows=4|after=[[William Kerr, 2nd Marquess of Lothian|William Kerr]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Anne Kerr, Countess of Lothian|Anne Kerr]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Marquess of Lothian|Earl of Lothian]]|creation=1st creation|years=1667–1703}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian|William Kerr]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Marquess of Lothian|Earl of Lothian]]|creation=2nd creation|years=1675–1703}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Charles Kerr, 2nd Earl of Ancram|Charles Kerr]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Earl of Ancram]]|years=1690–1703}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lothian, Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of}}
[[Category:1636 births]]
[[Category:1703 deaths]]
[[Category:Nobility from Midlothian]]
[[Category:Lords Justice-General]]
[[Category:Lords High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland]]
[[Category:Scottish soldiers]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of Scotland]]
[[Category:17th-century Scottish people]]
[[Category:18th-century Scottish nobility]]
[[Category:Clan Kerr|Robert]]
[[Category:Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1689]]
[[Category:Marquesses of Lothian|1]]