atthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox (1516–1571), was a prominent Scottish nobleman during a turbulent period in both Scottish and English history. He played a significant role in the political struggles surrounding the Scottish monarchy and was the father of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the grandfather of King James VI of Scotland (later James I of England). Matthew Stewart was born in 1516 to John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox, and Elizabeth Stewart. The House of Lennox was a powerful noble family in Scotland, and the Lennox title represented control over the strategic Lennox region, which included the important city of Glasgow. His early life was marked by his family's ongoing rivalry with other Scottish nobles, particularly the Hamilton family. In 1544, Matthew Stewart became the 4th Earl of Lennox following his father's death. His early political career was heavily influenced by the complex dynamics of the Anglo-Scottish conflict. During the Rough Wooing (1543–1551), a conflict in which England sought to marry the young Mary, Queen of Scots, to Prince Edward (the future Edward VI), Lennox initially sided with the English. In 1544, he fled to England after failing in his rebellion against the regency government in Scotland. He spent the next 20 years in exile, during which time he became closely allied with King Henry VIII of England. While in England, he married Lady Margaret Douglas, niece of Henry VIII and daughter of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, and Margaret Tudor, the sister of the English king. This marriage would become pivotal because it strengthened his family's claims to both the Scottish and English thrones.Return to Scotland and the Darnley Marriage
After the accession of Mary, Queen of Scots, Lennox returned to Scotland in 1564, hoping to reclaim his family's lands and influence. One of his most significant achievements came when his son, Henry Stuart (Lord Darnley), married Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1565. This marriage elevated the Lennox family to a position of immense power in Scottish politics. Darnley was a direct descendant of both Scottish and English royalty, furthering the family's dynastic ambitions. However, the marriage between Darnley and Mary turned sour, and tensions between the two factions grew. Darnley was murdered in 1567 under mysterious circumstances, which many believed implicated Mary or her supporters. This event intensified the political unrest in Scotland. In 1570, after the abdication of Mary and her flight to England following her defeat at the Battle of Langside (1568), Lennox was appointed Regent of Scotland during the minority of his grandson, James VI. His regency was marked by fierce conflict between supporters of Mary and those who backed her son James as king. Lennox, aligned with the pro-English faction, faced strong opposition from the pro-Mary faction, led by figures such as William Maitland of Lethington and Kirkcaldy of Grange.
Death
Matthew Stewart's regency was cut short when he was assassinated on September 4, 1571, during a raid by forces loyal to Mary, Queen of Scots, in Stirling. The raid was part of the ongoing civil war in Scotland between the factions supporting Mary and those supporting her son James VI. Lennox's death was a blow to the pro-English faction and marked the continuation of political instability in Scotland.
