biography
| name: |
Beaton or Bethune, David
|
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1494–1546)
|
| biography:
| Scottish statesman and Roman Catholic clergyman, born in Balfour, Fife, E Scotland, UK. He studied at the universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, and Paris, and was at the French court (1519) as Scottish ‘resident’ and twice later as ambassador to negotiate James V's marriages. In 1525 he took his seat in the Scots Parliament as Abbot of Arbroath and was appointed Privy Seal. Made a cardinal in 1538, he became Archbishop of St Andrews. On James's death, he produced a forged will, appointing himself and three other regents of the kingdom during the minority of Mary, Queen of Scots. The nobility, however, elected the Protestant Earl of Arran regent. Beaton was arrested, but soon regained favour and was made chancellor (1543). He was assassinated by a band of conspirators in his castle of St Andrews. |
|
|
