John Stewart, 4th earl of Atholl, the son of John Stewart, the 3rd Earl of Atholl in the Stewart line (whom he succeeded in 1542), had been particularly trusted by Mary Stewart; but, after the murder of Mary's husband Lord Darnley in 1567, he joined the Protestant lords against her and, on her abdication, was included in the regent's council for her young son James VI.
He was by 1569 again advocating her cause.
He had failed to prevent the Earl of Morton's appointment to the regency in 1572 but now succeeds, with the Earl of Argyll, in driving him from office in March 1578, when James dissolves the regency and appoints Atholl lord chancellor.
Morton, however, two months later regains his guardianship of James.
Atholl and Argyll, who are seeking assistance from Spain, now advance to Stirling with a force of about seven thousand men, whereupon a compromise is arranged, the three earls being all included in the government.
