ATHOLL

atholl, earls and dukes of. the stewart line of the scottish earls of atholl, which ended with the 5th stewart earl in 1595, the earldom reverting to the crown, had originated with sir john stewart of balveny (d. 1512), who was created earl of atholl about 1457 (new charter 1481). the 5th earl's daughter, dorothea, married william murray, earl of tullibardine (cr. 1606), who in 1626 resigned his earldom in favour of sir patrick murray, on condition of the revival of the earldom of atholl in his wife and her descendants. the earldom thus passed to the murray line, and john murray, their only son (d. 1642), was accordingly acknowledged as earl of atholl (the 1st of the murrays) in 1629.