John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort
John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort, styled Duke of Melfort in the Jacobite peerage (8 August 1650 – 25 January 1715), was a Scottish politician and close advisor to James VII & II. A Catholic convert, Melfort and his brother the Earl of Perth consistently urged James not to compromise with his opponents, contributing to his increasing isolation and ultimate deposition in the 1688 Glorious Revolution.
The Right Honourable The Earl of Melfort PC | |
|---|---|
Earl of Melfort and Jacobite Duke of Melfort, ca 1688 | |
| Jacobite Secretary of State | |
| In office 6 December 1688 – 2 June 1694 | |
| Monarch | James II |
| Succeeded by | Earl of Middleton |
| Secretary of State in Scotland | |
| In office 15 September, 1684 – 4 December,1688 | |
| Preceded by | Earl of Moray |
| Succeeded by | Earl of Melville |
| Treasurer-Depute | |
| In office 1682–1684 | |
| Preceded by | Earl of Lauderdale |
| Succeeded by | Earl of Kintore |
| Master of the Ordnance | |
| In office 1680–1682 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Drummond 8 August 1649 Stobhall, Perthshire, Scotland |
| Died | 25 January 1715 (aged 65) Paris |
| Resting place | Saint-Sulpice, Paris |
| Political party | Jacobite |
| Spouse(s) | Sophia Maitland (died ca 1680) Euphemia Wallace |
| Children | Robert Lundin (d 1713) John Drummond, Earl of Melfort (1682–1754) plus 16 others |
| Parent(s) | The Earl of Perth (ca 1615–1675) Lady Anne Gordon (ca 1621–1656); |
| Residence(s) | Lundin House, Lundin, Fife |
| Alma mater | St Andrews |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Awards | Order of the Thistle Order of the Garter (Jacobite) |
In exile, Melfort became the first Jacobite Secretary of State but his unpopularity with other Jacobites led to his resignation in 1694. He served as James' Papal Ambassador in Rome but failed to regain his former influence and retired from active politics. He died in Paris on 25 January 1715.
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