John Stuart 4th earl of Atholl

John Stuart, 4th earl of Atholl , d. 1579, Scottish nobleman. He succeeded his father to the earldom in 1542. A supporter of Mary of Guise , in 1559 he voted in Parliament against the Protestant confession of faith and expressed his adherence to Catholicism. He became a member of the council of Mary Queen of Scots in 1561 and after her marriage to Lord Darnley was one of her chief counselors. However, after Darnley's murder and the rise of James Hepburn, earl of Bothwell, to power, Atholl joined the Protestant lords against Mary. He became a member of the council of regency for James VI, but his sympathies gradually switched back to the queen, and he joined the opposition to the king's party. He was unsuccessful in preventing the election of James Douglas, 4th earl of Morton , to the regency in 1572. In 1574 proceedings were taken against Atholl as a Roman Catholic, and he probably recanted. With Colin Campbell, 6th earl of Argyll, he succeeded in ousting Morton as regent (1578). The three were uneasily reconciled the following year, shortly before Atholl's death, which was possibly from poisoning by Morton.

Atholl, John Stewart, 4th earl of [S] (c.1528–79). Atholl succeeded his father as a boy. He was a strong Roman catholic and supported the cause of Mary, queen of Scots. He opposed the religious reforms of 1560 and was appointed to the council in 1561 on Mary's return from France. At Corrichie in 1562 he helped to put down a rising by his father-in-law, Lord Huntly. He gave support to the Darnley marriage but opposed Bothwell and was against Mary in the confrontation at Carberry Hill. He was in the Council of Regency until Moray's return in 1567. In 1578 Atholl joined forces with Argyll to challenge the regent Morton and was appointed chancellor [S]. A reconciliation restored Morton to the council but in April 1579, immediately after banqueting with Morton at Stirling, Atholl fell ill and died. Rumours of poison circulated at once but Morton denied it at his own execution in 1581.

J. A. Cannon

Atholl, John Stewart, 4th earl of [S] (c.1528–79). Atholl succeeded his father as a boy. He was a Roman catholic and supported the cause of Mary, queen of Scots. He opposed the religious reforms of 1560 and was appointed to the council in 1561 on Mary's return from France. At Corrichie in 1562 he helped to put down a rising by his father‐in‐law, Lord Huntly. He gave support to the Darnley marriage but opposed Bothwell and was against Mary in the confrontation at Carberry Hill. He was in the Council of Regency until Moray's return in 1567. In 1578 Atholl joined forces with Argyll to challenge the regent Morton and was appointed chancellor [S]. A reconciliation restored Morton to the council but in April 1579, immediately after banqueting with Morton, Atholl fell ill and died. Rumours of poison circulated, but Morton denied it at his own execution in 1581.