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James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh

1621 – 1670

Scottish peer

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About James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh

Lived 1621 – 1670 (aged 48–49). James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh was a politician.

James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh (c. 1622 – 4 December 1670) was a Scottish peer who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1661 to 1670. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

Livingston was the only son of Sir John Livingstone of Kinnaird and his wife Jane Sproxton, daughter of Richard Sproxton of Wakefield, Yorkshire. His father was a page of the bedchamber to James VI and I. He succeeded his father as 2nd Baronet in 1628. He matriculated at Merton College, Oxford on 17 December 1638, aged 16 and travelled abroad in France from about 1642 to 1646.

When he joined King Charles at Newcastle in 1646, he was created Viscount of Newburgh in the Peerage of Scotland. He and his wife made plans in December 1648 to rescue the King before his trial but nothing came of it and they fled to the Netherlands. In 1650, he went with Charles II to Scotland, subscribed to the Covenant, and took his seat in the Scottish House of Lords. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Life Guards at the Battle of Worcester and after the battle he fled abroad again where he spent his time duelling and corresponding with the Scottish Royalists. From 1656 to 1658, he was a colonel of horse in the Spanish army and commanded a Scottish Royalist regiment which fought at the Battle of the Dunes (1658). She was also a Jacobite agent.

Livingston married secondly around May 1660, Anne Poole daughter of Sir Henry Poole of Sapperton, Gloucestershire. He was succeeded by his only son Charles.

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Important facts

Born
1621
Birth century
Occupation
Positions held
Member of Parliament in the Parliament of England, Member of the 1661-79 Parliament
Also known as
James Levingston, James Livingston, Viscount Newburgh

People in James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

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Frequently asked questions

Who was James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh?

Scottish peer (1621-1670)

When was James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh born?

James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh was born in 1621.

When did James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh die?

James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh died on 4 December 1670.

What was James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh's occupation?

James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh was a politician.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh

· Wikidata: Q6138020

· DBpedia: James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh. https://biography.guide/james-livingston-1st-earl-of-newburgh/

MLA: "James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-livingston-1st-earl-of-newburgh/.

Chicago: "James Livingston, 1st Earl of Newburgh." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-livingston-1st-earl-of-newburgh/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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