Introduction
John Murray, 1st Earl of Tullibardine (d. 1613) was a Scottish courtier and leader of the Clan Murray.
He was born c. 1550, the son of Sir William Murray of Tullibardine and Agnes Graham, a daughter of William Graham, 2nd Earl of Montrose and Janet Keith. His paternal aunt was the influential Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar.
In 1580 his father resigned the office of Comptroller of Scotland and James VI gave it to him.
Murray was Master of the Household to James VI of Scotland. He fought at the Battle of Glenlivet against George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, and Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll.
In April 1598 the Duke of Holstein, brother of Anne of Denmark visited him at Tullibardine on a progress with the Duke of Lennox.
He consolidated his position as head of the family with two bands of association in 1586 and 1599 in which he was recognized as chief by numerous Murray lairds including the Morays of Abercairny in Perthshire. In 1604 he was made Lord Murray of Tullibardine, in 1606 he became Earl of Tullibardine.
Family
Murray married Catherine Drummond, daughter of David, 2nd Lord Drummond (a great grandson of Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll) and Lilias Ruthven. Their children included;
- William Murray, 2nd Earl of Tullibardine, and from 1628, Earl of Atholl, married (1) in 1599 Cecilia Wemyss, (2) in 1604 Dorothea Stewart.
- Mungo Murray, later Viscount Stormont.
- Patrick Murray, 3rd Earl of Tullibardine, who married (1) in 1603, Prudence Bulmer, a daughter of Bevis Bulmer, and widow of John Beeston a nephew of Hugh Beeston, and (2) in 1613, Elizabeth Denton or Dent, the widow of Sir Francis Vere. Patrick became Earl of Tullibardine after William was made Earl of Atholl in 1628.
- Anne Murray, known as the king's mistress. She married Patrick Lyon, Lord Glamis, in 1595.
- Lilias Murray married John Grant of Freuchie on 21 June 1591. James VI attended the wedding at Tullibardine and performed in a masque with his valet, probably John Wemyss of Logie. They wore Venetian carnival masks and helmets with red and pink taffeta costumes.
- Jean Murray, who married Patrick Hepburn of Waughton