The Earl's Palace On History Visit To Birsay On The Orkney Islands Scotland

Tour Scotland short 4K travel video clip, with Scottish music, of The Earl's Palace in Birsay on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit to the Orkney Islands. This is a ruined 16th century castle. It was built by Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney, born 1533, died 1593, the illegitimate son of King James V and his mistress Euphemia Elphinstone. Robert Stewart was half brother to Mary, Queen of Scots and uncle to King James VI and I of Scotland and England. In 1539 Robert Stewart was made Commendator of Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, and Commendator of Charlieu Abbey in France by 1557. He was knighted as Sir Robert Stewart of Strathdon on 15 May 1565, as part of marriage celebrations of Mary, Queen of Scots and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. In 1581 he was made Earl of Orkney by King James VI, the first Earl in a second creation of the Earldom of Orkney. The new earldom replaced a short lived Dukedom of Orkney, which had been awarded in 1567 by Mary, Queen of Scots, to her notorious third husband James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell. This dukedom was forfeit later that same year after Mary was forced to abdicate and Bothwell was charged with treason. Prior to this dukedom there had existed an Earldom of Orkney that was surrendered in 1470 by William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. Mary Queen of Scots wrote a will at Sheffield, England, in 1577 ineffectually declaring his title to Orkney null and void, after Robert was imprisoned in 1575 for obtaining a letter from the King of Denmark-Norway, Frederick II declaring him sovereign of Orkney. His crimes included colluding with Shetland pirates. The Earl was imprisoned at Linlithgow Palace. He was released in 1579. He built the Palace of Birsay on Orkney. On his death in 1593 the earldom passed to his son Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney. After the death of Robert Stewart, the palace was used only occasionally by later earls of Orkney, and was not occupied after the middle of the 17th century. By 1701 the palace had begun to deteriorate badly. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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