Robert Graham: 22 cool facts

Sir Robert Graham of Kinpont (died 1437) was a Scottish landowner, and one of the key conspirators in the assassination of King James I of Scotland in 1437.

Robert Graham was the third son of Patrick Graham of Kincardine. He attended the University of Paris in the 1390s, potentially in preparation for entering the priesthood. In 1399 he married Marion Oliphant, daughter of John Oliphant of Aberdalgie. Robert’s brother Sir Patrick Graham (died 1413) acquired the Earldom of Strathearn through his 1406 marriage to Euphemia Stewart, Countess of Strathearn. Robert became tutor to his nephew, Malise Graham. He is described as “a grete gentilman… a man of grete wit and eloquence, wounder suttilye willyd and proficient in the lawe”.

The Grahams were supporters of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, and his son Murdoch. When Murdoch and his two sons were executed by James I in 1425, Robert Graham was imprisoned in Dunbar Castle, but was pardon by 1428. Around 1425, James I deprived Malise Graham of the Earldom of Strathearn, on the pretext that he had familial from his mother. At the time, Malise was a pubescent and was as well as being held hostage in England. Some say this feat which turned Robert Graham against his King although others question such a motivation. The earldom was fixed to Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, the uncle of James I, and Robert appears to have continued in the benefits of the further Earl.

Walter was adjacent in descent to the throne, and, though a distracted relation, Graham’s nephew – Malise – was the adjacent in lineage after Walter. Walter and Robert both had additional grievances against the King, and worked together to bring just about his murder which was carried out by Graham.

In 1436, after a disastrous military expedition to Roxburgh, Sir Robert denounced the monarch in Parliament, and attempted to arrest him. He was arrested and imprisoned, but escaped. A conspiracy was formed together with Sir Robert, the Earl of Atholl, and Atholl’s grandson Robert Stewart.

On the night of 20 February 1437, James was lodging in the Dominican Friary in Perth. Robert Stewart allowed the conspirators, including Sir Robert Graham and his son Thomas, into the lodging. Although the King attempted to conceal in a drain, he was discovered and stabbed to death. Sir Robert is said to have dealt the fatal blow. The assassins escaped, but without killing the Queen, Joan Beaufort, who quickly assumed skill as regent for the youthful James II. There was no wider retain for the conspiracy, and the King’s assassins were soon rounded stirring and brutally executed. Sir Robert was discovered in Perthshire and brought to Stirling, where he was executed in April.

In 17th-century litigation surrounding the Earl of Airth and his claim on the Earldom of Strathearn, it was argued by the Crown that to recognise the Earl of Airth’s allegation would be a justification of Sir Robert Graham’s murder of the King. However, more recent historians have doubted that the deprivation of Malise Graham was such a strong motivation for Sir Robert’s actions.