James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray

He was a male-line descendant of Robert II of Scotland through his second son, the Duke of Albany, whose brother was the Earl of Buchan (the "Wolf of Badenoch").

From his distant relative King James VI, he received in the year 1580 a gift of the ward and marriage of the two daughters of the Regent Moray.

He then foolishly entered into an alliance with his wife's famous cousin Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell, a notorious conspirator who had repeatedly made attempts on the life of King James VI.

[5] In late 1590, he decided, along with the Earl of Atholl, to assist the Laird of Grant when his house was being besieged by Huntly; Huntly retreated to Edinburgh, and on 23 January 1591, presented a supplication against Moray for his "having taken part with the malefactors in the north", both earls were commanded to proceed to Edinburgh and sign bands to keep the peace.

[6] Huntly obtained a special commission to pursue Bothwell and his associates, who James VI feared were planning a rebellion.

Moray stayed for a time inside, and, suddenly dashing out, broke through the cordon surrounding the house, and made for the rocks on the seashore.

While the King proclaimed his innocence in the affair, Margaret Campbell increased the pressure by having her son's body displayed in the Church of St. Giles and refusing to bury him, and by commissioning a gory 'vendetta portrait' showing his wounds.