John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort

Who was John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort?

John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort KG KT PC was a Scottish politician.

He joined the army and was captain of the Scottish Footguards in 1673. He secured the post of deputy governor of Edinburgh Castle in 1679, followed by Lieutenant-General and Master of the Ordnance in 1680. He served as Secretary of State in Scotland under James II and VII from 1684 until 1688, and with his brother James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth, the Lord Chancellor, practically ruled Scotland until James's abdication. He converted to Roman Catholicism. After the landing of the Prince of Orange, he advocated a wholesale seizure of influential Whigs.

He was created Viscount of Melfort and Lord Drummond of Gillestoun in 1685, and a member of the Privy Council of England in the same year, and Earl of Melfort, Viscount of Forth and Lord Drummond of Riccartoun, Castlemains and Gilstoun in 1686, all titles in the Peerage of Scotland. In 1687, he was appointed one of the founder Knights of the Order of the Thistle. He was further created Baron Cleworth in the Peerage of England on 7 August 1689.