James King, 1st Lord Eythin (1589–1652) was a Scottish soldier, who served in the Swedish army, and who later supported King Charles I in the English Civil War.
He was born on Warbester Hoy, in the Orkney Islands. He was recruited into the Swedish Army in 1615, and in 1622 he was a Captain in Ruthven's regiment. In 1636, he was a Major General and commanded the left wing of the Swedish Army at the Battle of Wittstock. Two years later, as a Lieutenant General, he was defeated at the Battle of Vlotho. Prince Rupert of the Rhine was captured by the victorious Imperialists. It was unfortunate that King blamed Rupert's boldness for the defeat, while Rupert in turn blamed King's caution.
After quarrels with the Swedish commanders, King was sidelined to duties in Stockholm, although he was ennobled. He travelled to Hamburg in 1639, where King Charles employed him initially as a military recruiter. He sat out the Bishops' Wars between England under Charles and the Scottish Covenanters, thus avoiding conflict with his long-time comrade, Alexander Leslie. Indeed his actions may have been sanctioned by Leslie who appeared to constantly protect him in the Scottish Parliament.[1]
After the Civil War broke out in England, King was created Lord Eythin and was despatched to the continent once more to recruit experienced soldiers from the various European armies and acquire munitions. He returned to England in the suite of Queen Henrietta Maria. Landing at Bridlington, he was appointed Lieutenant General to the Marquess of Newcastle.
On 2 July 1644, Prince Rupert relieved York, where Newcastle's army had been besieged. He summoned Newcastle's troops to join him on Marston Moor, where he was preparing for battle with the Covenanter and Parliamentarian besiegers. The meeting in the late afternoon between Rupert and King was apparently chilly. King fatefully dissuaded Rupert from attacking so late in the day, and from redeploying to a better defensive position. In the subsequent Battle of Marston Moor, the Royalist army was destroyed. Newcastle and his senior officers, among them King, went into exile in Hamburg.
In March 1650 he was to have taken part as Lieutenant General in Montrose’s expedition which initially landed in the Orkney Islands, but did not succeed in enlisting any men. He died in Stockholm, and was given a state funeral.