Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre

Stewart was knight of Cardonald, Prior of Blantyre, Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1582 to 1596, an Extraordinary Lord of Session from 1593, an Octavian from 1596, and Treasurer of Scotland from 1596 to 1599.

James VI sent John Carmichael and Blantyre to arrest Elizabeth's Irish rebel Brian O'Rourke and take him to England on 3 April 1591. This caused a riot in Glasgow, because the arrest was thought likely to damage the Irish trade, and Blantyre and Carmichael were cursed as "Queen Elizabeth's knights" and the king for taking "English angels", the annuity or subsidy received from Queen Elizabeth. Carmichael and Blantyre hoped Elizabeth might spare O'Rourke so the inhabitants of Glasgow would be reconciled to them, but he was executed.

In July 1593 he was appointed to a council to manage the estates and finances of Anne of Denmark. In December, he was appointed to a committee to audit the account of money spent by the Chancellor, John Maitland of Thirlestane, on the royal voyages. The funds in question came from the English subsidy and the dowry of Anne of Denmark. Stewart wrote letters jointly with Alexander Hay asking lairds to send for provisions for Henry's baptism in August 1594.

After the Kinmont Willie affair, on 8 July 1596 Blantyre wrote to David Foulis, the Scottish ambassador in London, that he should return if Elizabeth's attitude did not improve. He also discussed the case of a counterfeit coiner.

Blantyre was responsible for the prisoner, a son of Sorley Boy MacDonnell, and his wife and servants from August 1596. They were moved from Dumbarton Castle to a house in Dumbarton town, then to Blantyre's own Cardonald Castle, and then lodged in Glasgow.

Blantyre fell off his horse and broke his leg in Edinburgh in February 1597, and while he recovered Lord Ochiltree was treasurer. Roger Aston wrote in April 1597 that his health was weakening and it was feared that he was bewitched. In 1599 he was imprisoned and compelled to resign by James VI, influenced by a group of courtiers in king's bedchamber.

In July 1602 Blantyre joined a committee of "4 Stewarts" to arbitrate between the Marquess of Huntly and the Earl of Moray. The other Stewarts were Lord Ochiltree, Alexander Stewart of Garlies, and the Tutor of Rosyth.

He was a commissioner for union with England in 1604. He was created Lord Blantyre, in the Peerage of Scotland in 1606.

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