GEORGE DUNBAR

george dunbar, 11th earl of dunbar and 4th earl of march, was one of the negotiators for the release of james i. of scotland in 1423 from his captivity in england, and was knighted at that king's coronation. in 1434, however, on the ground that the regent had had no power to reverse his father's forfeiture for treason, march was imprisoned and his castle of dunbar seized by the king; and the parliament at perth declared his lands and titles forfeited to the crown. the earl, being released, retired to england with his son patrick, whose daughter and heiress margaret was ancestress of patrick, 5th earl of dumfries, now represented by the marquess of bute. the earldom of march in the house of dunbar having thus been forfeited to the crown, james ii. in 1455 conferred the title, together with that of warden of the marches, on his second son alexander, duke of albany; but this prince entered into treasonable correspondence with edward iv. of england, and in 1487 the earldom of march and the barony and castle of dunbar were again declared forfeited and annexed to the crown of scotland. the title of earl of march was next held by the house of lennox. in 1576 the earldom of lennox became extinct on the death without male issue of charles (father of lady arabella stuart), 5th earl of lennox; and it was then revived in favour of robert stuart, a grand-uncle of king james