David Lindsay (poet)
David Lindsay was a notable Scottish poet and courtier, recognized for his contributions to literature during the early 16th century. Born into the landed gentry, he inherited an estate known as "the Mount" in Fife and adopted the surname "of the Mount" by 1524. His marriage to Janet Douglas, which produced no surviving children, marked a significant personal aspect of his life. Lindsay served as a courtier under King James IV and later became a royal advisor to James V, showcasing his loyalty and influence within the Scottish court. He was known for his satirical poetry, which critiqued societal norms and politics of his time, and he continued to be active in literary circles even after James V's untimely death in 1542. Following this loss, he focused on themes such as church reform and historical narrative, most notably through his work "The Monarchie." His writings remained popular for generations, resonating with audiences long after his death, and were referenced by later literary figures like Sir Walter Scott, highlighting Lindsay's enduring impact on Scottish literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
David Lindsay (poet)
Poet
- Born: c. 1490
- Died: c. 1555
Biography
As a member of the Scottish landed gentry, David Lindsay inherited both his name and his estate, called the Mount, in the county of Fife. By 1524, he had assumed the surname “of the Mount.” In 1522, he married Janet Douglas, who died sometime after 1542. The couple had no surviving children. Lindsay also had a professional life as a courtier and herald. By 1507, he was already acting as a servant to James IV, for whom he composed numerous entertainments and whose infant son he protected after James IV died in the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513.
From 1524 to 1528, Lindsay was separated from young James V, but when the latter escaped the control of his stepfather, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, to become king in fact, Lindsay was quickly restored to the court as royal advisor. Despite the satire and frankness of many of the poems he composed for James V, Lindsay continued to be a valued member of the court and was named a herald in 1530, going on the next year to represent the king at the court of the French emperor. James knighted Lindsay just prior to the king’s death at the age of thirty in 1542.
After James’s death, Lindsay turned his attention to such subjects as church reform and moralizing historical overviews such as the monumental—and widely read—The Monarchie. Lindsay’s poems remained popular long after the third king under which he served, James VI, left Scotland to assume the English throne, and several centuries later Sir Walter Scott would refer to the common Scotsman’s familiarity with Lindsay’s work.