History of the Stewarts | Famous Stewarts
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Sir Robert Stuart of Middleton
His military service began as a lieutenant in Colonel Samuel Cockburn´s regiment in Swedish service in 1609. Stewart is also listed as in Swedish service 1611-17. The Scottish Privy Council provided Stewart with a pass in 1622 to travel to Denmark, as King James VI and I had authorised the levy of Scottish troops for Sigismund III of Poland, and these troops had to pass through the Sound. The English Privy Council also issued authority for Robert Stewart ´employed in His Majesties business in Poland and Denmark´ to leave the country with six servants. However, Stewart chose to use his visit to promote himself with Sigismund III. He promised in 1623 to raise 10,000 men for Polish service, which he was to command in an invasion of Älvsborg while Sigismund III and the Spanish under Johan Weijer would attack Sweden´s eastern coast at Kalmar. News of Stewart´s activity quickly filtered back to Sweden from agents in Poland, Britain and Denmark, By June 1623, it was believed Stewart had been granted permission to recruit in Scotland, England and Ireland, although he had still not managed to gain an audience with Christian IV relating to free passage for them through the Sound. During the meetings between James VI and his ambassador, Sir James Spens. Spens had been able to persuade the king to withdraw his unconditional consent for the Polish levy, insisting that the troops should not be used against a Christian enemy i.e. Sweden. The ambassador had been diligent in his work and informed Gustav II Adolf that he doubted Sweden had anything to fear from Poland. Robert Stewart´s efforts to raise his troops fizzled out, although mention of them did continue throughout 1624. Robert Stewart contracted with the Polish king to levy between 8-10,000 men in 1624 and Spens heard of this, which led Gustav Adolf to complain to the Scottish Privy Council. By July of 1624, Spens was able to assure Gustav II Adolf that there was no reason for the Swedish king to worry about Stewart´s levy. James VI had built in conditions that any troops he raised would be forbidden from landing in any of Sweden´s territories or be allowed to fight his forces elsewhere. James VI himself wrote to Spens to say that that he doubted that the Stewart levy would ever materialise due to all the restrictions and logistical problems placed in his way. Stewart had proved not to be the man Sigismund III had hoped in that he was unable to raise either money or men. Surprisingly, after this, Stewart rejoined the Swedish army. He was present at the taking of Wurzburg in 1629 and served in Alexander Hamilton´s regiment. He later became a colonel of Lumsden´s Pikemen in Swedish service. Stewart was sent on another recruiting mission to Britain and Ireland in 1635 and in 1637 he managed to enlist Irish troops for Sweden.
In 1638 he was governor of Culmore Castle. In 1643-4 he was governor of Londonderry. Stuart defeated Pheilm O´Neill at Glenmaquin in 1642 and surprised Owen Roe O´Neill in 1643. He took the Covenant and captured Sligo Castle in 1645. He refused to obey English governor of Derry and was sent to London. He joined Irish Royalists in Ireland in 1649 and thereafter retired to Scotland. He was reappointed governor of Derry and Culmore after the Restoration.
Reference: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/ssne/