4th Earl of Bothwell. This dukedom was forfeit later that same year after Mary was forced to abdicate and Bothwell was charged with treason. Prior to this dukedom there had existed an Earldom of Orkney that was surrendered in 1470 by William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. Mary wrote a will at Sheffield in 1577 ineffectually declaring his title to Orkney null and void, after Robert was imprisoned in 1575 for obtaining a letter from the King of Denmark-Norway, Frederick II declaring him sovereign of Orkney. His crimes included colluding with Shetland pirates. The Earl was imprisoned at Linlithgow Palace. He was released in 1579. He built the Palace of Birsay on Orkney. On his death in 1593 the earldom passed to his son Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney. Family On 13 or 14 December 1561 Robert Stewart married Lady Jean Kennedy, daughter of Gilbert Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis, and Margaret Kennedy. The English diplomat Thomas Randolph wrote that "Lord Robert consumethe with love for Cassillis' sister". At this time Lord Robert had a house near Holyrood Palace, but the marriage took place at the house of one of her family friends. Their children included: Mary, who married Patrick Gray, 6th Lord Gray (b. late 1562) Jean, who married Patrick Leslie, 1st Lord Lindores (b. 1563?) Henry, who became Master of Orkney (b. February 1565 - 1590) Patrick (1565/66 - 6 February 1615), who inherited the title Earl of Orkney and married Margaret Livingstone. John Stewart, who became Earl of Carrick and married Elizabeth Howard Robert, was knighted and known as Sir Robert Stewart of Middleton. Imprisoned for debt in London in 1606. James, was knighted and known as Sir James Stewart of Eday and Tullos, and married Margaret Lyon Elizabeth, who married James Sinclair of Murkle in Caithness (becoming the mother-in-law of John MacKay, Laird of Strathy in Strathnaver) Barbara, who married Hugh Halcro of Halcro Robert Stewart also had a number of illegitimate children with several mistresses. Notes 1533 births 1593 deaths Earls of Orkney Robert Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney People associated with Shetland 16th-century Scottish people Court of James V of Scotland Scottish princes Orkney Sons of kings