James Spens (diplomat)

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Sir James Spens (died 1632)[1] was a Scottish adventurer and diplomat, much concerned with Scandinavian and Baltic affairs, and an important figure in recruiting Scottish mercenaries for the Thirty Years' War.

Early life

He was the son of David Spens of Wormiston (alternatively spelled Wormieston and Wormeston), by his wife Margaret Learmouth. His father formed one of the party which captured the regent Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox at Stirling in 1571, and was shot while trying to guard him from injury. Because of his treason, his estates were forfeited. In 1594 the son James was provost of Craill in Fife, and during the rising of Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell he was called on to find security for the borough.[2]

The Lewis expedition

Main article: Gentleman Adventurers of Fife

In 1598 Spens and other Scottish gentlemen, including his stepfather, Sir John Anstruther of that ilk, entered into a project for a plantation on the Isle of Lewis. With a grant from James VI of Scotland, they landed at Stornoway harbour in October 1599. At first all went well. They took peaceful possession of the country, and the inhabitants, mostly of Clan MacLeod, submitted to them.[2] But they were resisted in the longer term by Neil MacLeod, and Spens was taken hostage by him.[1]

The attack on Lewis was renewed by others in 1605, but the undertaking again proved too much for private adventurers.[2]

Agent and diplomat

On being released by MacLeod, Spens entered the service of Charles IX of Sweden, but was recalled by James VI, who wished to promote peace between Sweden and Denmark, and was unwilling to allow the Swedish service to be recruited from Scotland. In the beginning of 1612 James sent Sir James, now a knight, to Sweden, as ambassador on the accession of Gustavus Adolphus, to urge on him the expediency of peace with Denmark.[2] The Treaty of Knäred ended the Kalmar War, and, with his family connection Robert Anstruther, Spens contributed to its negotiation.[3]

In 1614, and often subsequently, Spens conveyed a request to the London court on behalf of Gustavus Adolphus, in whose interests he worked consistently. On this occasion it concerned Samuel Cockburn and the Swedish wish to have him recruit Scottish troops.[4] In 1615 Spens was again in Scotland, living on a pension. This he surrendered in 1619.[2]

In 1623 Spens was again in Sweden, and was sent by Gustavus to the Scottish privy council to request permission to levy troops in Scotland to repel a threatened Polish invasion. On 24 March 1624 the council authorised his son, James Spens, to levy a body of twelve hundred men to aid the king of Sweden. In the same year Spens was commissioned to return to Sweden and to bring Gustavus into the alliance against Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor which was projected by England and France. He reached Stockholm in August and returned in January 1625 accompanied by Christian von Bellin, bearing Gustavus's demands. These were thought extravagant, and the more moderate proposals of Christian IV of Denmark having been accepted, Spens was despatched in March to persuade Gustavus to enter the confederacy as the ally of Denmark. Failing in this, he retired into private life.[2]

In 1627 Spens was despatched to invest Gustavus, then occupied in the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629), with the Order of the Garter.[2] That he did in Dirschau; and moved on to Elbing, where he recruited John Durie as his secretary.[5] On April 28, 1628, Gustavus made him friherre Spens awarding him the barony of Orreholmen.[2]

In March 1629 Spens was commissioned by Gustavus to urge Charles I of England to support him in the Thirty Years' War. For the next year he was charged with the superintendence of Gustavus's levies in England, and letters by him are extant on this subject.[2]

Family

He married Agnes Durie, by whom he had two sons, James and David, and a daughter.[2] his second wife was Margaret Forratt (Margaretha Forath); after his death she married Hugh Hamilton, 1st Viscount of Glenawly.[6] Isobel Spens married James Ramsay.[7] Ramsay was much employed by Spens as an intermediary with Axel Oxenstierna.[8]

References

  • Steve Murdoch (2006), Network North: Scottish kin, commercial and covert association in Northern Europe, 1603-1746; Google Books.

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brzezinski, Richard Zygmunt. "Spens, James, of Wormiston". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/26142.  (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9  "Spens, James". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 
  3. ↑ Murdoch, Steve. "Anstruther, Sir Robert". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/63416.  (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  4. ↑ Murdoch, p. 256; Google Books.
  5. ↑ Murdoch, p. 283; Google Books.
  6. ↑ Grosjean, A. N. L. "Hamilton, Hugh". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/12074.  (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  7. ↑ Grosjean, A. N. L. "Ramsay, James". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23084.  (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  8. ↑ Murdoch, p. 252; Google Books.

External links

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Spens, James". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 

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