Alexander Erskine of Gogar

Alexander Erskine of Gogar (died 1592) was a Scottish landowner and keeper of James VI of Scotland at Stirling Castle. Career Alexander was a son of John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine and Lady Margaret Campbell, a daughter of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll. As the younger son, he was called the "Master of Mar." He was also laird of the lands of Gogar, Logie, a place near Stirling. After the death of his brother, John Erskine, Earl of Mar, Alexander was given the task of safeguarding the young king of Scotland at Stirling in 1572. With a role of such importance as the representative of the House of Mar while the Earl was still a minor, Alexander was offered a pension from England of £150 a year, for which he was recommended by Regent Morton in 1574 as "well friended, constant, of good credit and power." In 1575, Francis Walsingham heard that Morton secretly planned to take the King out of Alexander's keeping. This was not in Morton's power, as the appointment had been made by the Parliament of Scotland. Walsingham resolved to make Alexander an ally of England, in case Morton lost his position. The crisis of 1575 blew over. After James Douglas, Earl of Morton resigned the Regency of Scotland, on 28 March 1578, Alexander was appointed Keeper of Edinburgh Castle in the place of George Douglas of Parkhead. Alexander undertook to look after the artillery of the castle and the coffer of jewellery which had belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots. In January 1579, the keys of the coffer were given to William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, as treasurer of Scotland.