Ruthven (family)

The Ruthven family hails from Scotland, and has held several peerages in that country.

The family traces its descent from Thor, who settled in Scotland during the reign of David I of Scotland.

In 1488, Sir William Ruthven was created Lord Ruthven by summons to Parliament. His eldest son William was killed at Flodden, and so the title passed to his grandson:
William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven served as am Extraordinary Lord of Session and Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, and had three sons. The eldest of these was:
Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven, who fled to England and died in 1566 after masterminding the murder of the queen's secretary, Rizzio. His son:
William Ruthven, 4th Lord Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie also participated in the Rizzio murder. In 1582 he devised the plot to seize King James VI, known as the Raid of Ruthven. All his honors were forfeited when he was attainted and executed in May, 1584.

The earldom of Guthrie passed to his brother:

James Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie (conflicting references in the 1911 Britannica claim he was named William also). He died young in 1586 and the title passed to his youngest brother:
John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie. John is alleged to have been part of a plot to kidnap James VI of Scotland. He was killed by the king's attendants in 1600 and the earldom of Gowrie went extinct until 1945.

William Ruthven, 4th Lord Ruthven left a son:

Alexander Ruthven (d. 1599), the founder of the family of Ruthven of Freeland. His grandson was:
Sir Thomas Ruthven, 1st Lord Ruthven of Freeland(d. 1673), on whom Charles II of England bestowed the title of Lord Ruthven of Freeland in 1651. His son:
David Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven of Freeland died unmarried in April, 1701. The title of Baroness Ruthven was assumed by his sister:
Jean (d. 1722), although according to some authorities the peerage had become extinct. It was, however, assumed in 1722 by:
Isobel (d. 1732), wife of James Johnson, who took the name of Ruthven on succeeding to the family estates; and their son:
James Ruthven (d. 1783), took the title and was allowed to vote at the elections of Scots representative peers. In 1853 the barony again descended to a female:
Mary Elizabeth Thornton (c. 1784-1864), the wife of Walter Hore (d. 1878). She and her husband took the name of Hore-Ruthven, and their grandson:
Walter James Hore-Ruthven (b. 1838), became the 8th baron in 1864. His second son:
Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie (1872-1955), through meritorious service (including as Governor-General of Australia) regained the family title (first as Baron Gowrie, 1934, and then as Earl of Gowrie, 1944).

At some point, the title of Lord Ruthven of Freeland became attached to the Earl of Carlisle.

It is also a name adopted by apartheid Huntingtower School in Victoria for the house system.

Patrick Ruthven, Earl of Forth and Earl of Brentford (c. 1573-1651) was a collateral descendant of 1st Lord Ruthven. He fought and negotiated on behalf of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and on behalf of Charles I during the English Civil War.

[edit] References

The Ruthsen Correspondence, edited with introduction by Rev. W.D. Macray (1868)
J.H. Round, "The Barony of Ruthven of Freeland", in Joseph Foster's Collectanea Genealogica (1881-85)
Sir R. Douglas, The Peerage of Scotland(new ed. by Sir J. B. Paul).

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.