William Borthwick, 1st Lord Borthwick

Sir William Borthwick, 1st Lord Borthwick (born after 1411 – died ca. 1458)[1] was a Scottish peer and ambassador.

Borthwick was the eldest son of Sir William Borthwick 'the younger', 2nd feudal baron of Borthwick, castellan of Edinburgh (Sir William Borthwick of that Ilk), and his wife Bethoc Sinclair of Orkney , daughter of Henry de St.Clair, the first Sinclair jarl of Orkney.

His father Sir William de Borthwick junior, knight, had accompanied Henry, Bishop of Aberdeen, William, Bishop of Dunblane, John, Abbot of Melrose, James, Prior of St. Andrews, John, Abbot of 'Balmurynach', Sir William de Hay, knight, Master Thomas de Myrton, Master Edward de Lawedre, and Master John Stenes, all as Scots' ambassadors, with 50 attendants, setting out for the Court of Rome. The Safe-conduct is dated June 9, 1425 and is given until the following Easter.[2]

It is mentioned that the young William was sent in 1424 as hostage among those who replaced king James I in England.

In either 1424 [3], 1438[4] [5] or June 12, 1452[6][7] he was raised to the Peerage of Scotland as a Lord of Parliament with the title Lord Borthwick.

He sat in parliament between 1455 and 1457.

The First Lord Borthwick was succeeded by his son and heir William.

His second son, John de Borthwick, acquired the lands of Crookston, Midlothian, in 1446.[8]

Peerage of Scotland
New creation Lord Borthwick
ca. 1452 – ca. 1470		 Succeeded by
William Borthwick

References

  1. ^ Anderson, William, The Scottish Nation, Edinburgh, 1867, vol.ii, p.338
  2. ^ Bain, Joseph, FSA Scot, &c., Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland, vol.iv, 1337-1509 with addenda 1221-1435, Edinburgh, 1888, number 979, p.200.
  3. ^ Anderson, 1867:338, where he states "it is supposed in 1424"
  4. ^ Brown, Peter, publisher, The Peerage of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1834: 212
  5. ^ Nisbet, Alexander, "A System of Heraldry" &c., Edinburgh, 1722, facsimile edition 1984, vol.ii, chapter XI, p.177, where he states "there appears no patent in the records constituting this peerage". However in the same volume, Appendix, p.104-5 he gives a genealogy of this family and says the title was granted "in the beginning of the reign of King James II" (i.e: after 1437)
  6. ^ Mosley, Charles, Burkes Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, Crans, Switzerland, 1999, vol.1, p.318, ISBN 1-57958-083-1, who also say date & year of death not known
  7. ^ Leeson, Francis L., A Directory of British Peerages, revised edition, London, 2002: 17, ISBN 1-903462-65-7
  8. ^ Anderson (1867), vol.ii, p.339