John Leslie


(6th Earl of Rothes)

1600 - 1641

Leader of the Covenanters. Born in Leslie (Fife), he inherited the ancient Earldom of Rothes from his grandfather, Andrew Leslie, who died in 1611. He voted against the Five Articles of Perth in 1621 and went on to strongly oppose King Charles I at the Parliament of 1633, owing to the policies he was attempting to impose on the Church of Scotland. He led the opposition to the proposed introduction of the Book of Common Prayer in 1638. He was one of the key proponents of the National Covenant which was signed at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh the same year. He joined with his kinsmen Alexander Leslie, Earl of Leven (1582 - 1661) and David Leslie, Lord Newark (1600-82), in armed revolt. He negotiated with Charles I in London but died of tuberculosis while there. He was buried on the family estate at Leslie.


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