William Murray, 2nd Lord Nairne
William Murray, 2nd Lord Nairne (ca. 1665 – 3 February 1726) was a Scottish peer and Jacobite who fought in the Rising of 1715, after which he was attainted and condemned to death for treason, but was indemnified in 1717.
In 1721, he was created Earl of Nairne in the Jacobite peerage.
Life
Born about 1665, the fourth son of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl, by his marriage to Lady Amelia Sophia, a daughter of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, Murray was the younger brother of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl.[1]
In February 1680 William Murray married Margaret, only daughter and heiress of Robert Nairne, 1st Lord Nairne. On 30 May 1683 he succeeded his father-in-law as Lord Nairne, thanks to a special remainder in the creation of the title two years before in 1681. He took his seat in the Parliament of Scotland on 22 October 1690, but never took the oath of allegiance to the new monarchs, William and Mary, who in the Glorious Revolution had unseated King James II.[1]
At the time of the Jacobite Rising of 1715, Nairne was one of the first to rally to the cause of the Old Pretender and fought through the summer and autumn in the campaign of Prince Charles, the Young Pretender. On 14 November 1715, after the Battle of Preston, Nairne was taken prisoner and sent from there to the Tower of London.[1]
On 9 February 1716 Nairne was tried for treason, found guilty, attainted, and condemned to death. However, his execution was stayed and he lived to benefit from the Act of Indemnity of 1717, so in December 1717 was released. On 24 June 1721 he was created Earl of Nairne in the Jacobite peerage and died on 3 February 1726. His widow survived him until 1747.[1]