William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose

William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose (1464 – 9 September 1513) was a Scottish Lord of Parliament, who was raised to an earldom by James IV of Scotland and who died with his monarch at the Battle of Flodden.

Starting his career in the Parliament of Scotland in 1479, Graham supported James III of Scotland in his struggle against his rebellious son James IV. Following the death of James III, Graham switched his allegiance and supported James IV. He sat in the first two parliaments of the new king. He was created 1st Earl of Montrose in 1503. During the War of the League of Cambrai (1508–1516), Montrose joined James IV in a failed invasion of the Kingdom of England. He was killed in battle, alongside his brother, George Graham of Callendar, (Calendar) and his brother-in-law, Sir William Edmonstone of Duntreath.

Origins

Montrose was the eldest son and heir of William Graham, 2nd Lord Graham by Eleanor, also known as Helen or Elene, the daughter of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus. The Grahams were a long-established family of Norman origin, who first rose to prominence in the reign of David I.

Career

He succeeded to the peerage as the 3rd Lord Graham, as a minor, on the death of his father in about 1471 and sat in the Parliaments of James III in 1479, 1481, 1482 and 1487. He supported James III in his struggle with his son and was present at the Battle of Sauchieburn on 11 June 1488. He was then received into the favour of James IV, as was the case for many of James III's supporters, and sat in his first two Parliaments of 6 October 1488 and 6 February 1492.

In 1503, William Graham was created 1st Earl of Montrose (from his ancestral estate at Old Montrose) and he sat, in that capacity, in the Parliament of 3 February 1506.

Montrose accompanied James IV on his invasion of England in 1513 and was killed at the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513, together with his brother, George Graham of Callendar, (Calendar) and his brother-in-law, Sir William Edmonstone of Duntreath.