Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell (1493 – 9 July 1546) was a member of the Council of Regency (1536) of the Kingdom of Scotland, Regent of the Isle of Arran and like his father before him patriarch of the House of Maxwell/Clan Maxwell. A distinguished Scottish nobleman, politician, soldier and in 1513 Lord High Admiral, Lord Maxwell was a member of James V of Scotland's royal council and served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1524, 1527 and 1535. He was also an Extraordinary Lord of Session in 1533. In 1537, he was one of the ambassadors sent to the French Court to negotiate the marriage of James to Mary of Guise, whom he espoused as proxy for the King.
Life
Robert was the eldest son of John Maxwell, 4th Lord Maxwell (killed at the battle of Flodden, 9 September 1513) and Agnes Stewart, the daughter of Sir Alexander Stewart of Garlies.
After the battle of Flodden, Robert returned as heir to his father on 4 November 1513. Around this time, he was also bestowed as Regent of Arran, the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, making the 5th Lord Maxwell essentially Monarch of the Island. Although others would achieve highly respected noble titles in the distinguished line of the House of Maxwell, none would match that of 5th Lord Maxwell's success. Not much is known about his reign as Regent other than he didn't spend much time on the Island. At the time of Flodden, Maxwell was admiral of a fleet which was proposed to go to France, but which on the voyage was driven back and only arrived at Kirkcudbright on the day after the battle. Maxwell immediately afterwards seized Lochmaben and, on 26 November, he was appointed captain and keeper of Thrieve. On the forfeiture of Alexander Home, 3rd Lord Home in 1516, Maxwell acquired part of his lands and, in the following year, was made warden of the west marches.
After the return to Scotland of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, husband of the dowager queen Margaret Tudor, Maxwell became one of the queen's party. He was concerned in the removal of the young king James V from Stirling to Edinburgh on 26 July 1524, and on 18 August was made Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Maxwell took part in the scheme for the king's nominal assumption of the government in November, with the advice of the King's mother. He was then appointed as one of the council to assist her in the government. The queen's divorce from Angus changed the attitude of Maxwell, as well as other nobles, towards her. Upon the king attaining his majority of fourteen years on 21 June 1526, Maxwell became one of the council appointed to assist Angus in the guardianship of the king and the management of affairs. He was in company with the king at the Battle of Melrose on 25 July, when an unsuccessful attempt was made by Walter Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch to get possession of him. The same year he was appointed steward of Kirkcudbright and keeper of Thrieve.
Upon the escape of the king from Falkland Palace to Stirling in July 1528, Maxwell separated himself from the party of Angus and was chosen a member of the new council. Having accompanied the king to Edinburgh, he was again made lord provost of the city and, on 26 August, frustrated an attempt by Angus to take possession of it. Maxwell was one of the jurors in the trial of Angus, and upon his forfeiture received a portion of his lands.
Like most of the southern nobles, Maxwell gave his indirect countenance to the border raiders, as well as engaging in raids on his own account. In 1528 he had been compelled by Angus to make compensation to the English for burning Netherby, and this probably was the reason for his hostility to Angus. In the following year, when the king determined to make a progress southwards to punish raiders, it was deemed advisable to place Maxwell and other sympathisers with them in ward in Edinburgh Castle, but after the king's return, they were released on giving pledges for their allegiance. The execution of John Armstrong, who was partly under his protection, was especially distasteful to Maxwell, but he afterwards became reconciled to the king, and on 17 November 1533 was appointed an extraordinary lord of session. During an excursion into England in 1536, he burned Penrith. The same year he was appointed one of the ruling regents during the absence of King James on his matrimonial expedition to France. After the death of the king's first wife, Madeleine of Valois, Maxwell was sent in December 1537 with other ambassadors to conclude a treaty of marriage with Mary of Guise.
