Robert Aytoun
Robert Aytoun (1570-1638) was a notable Scottish poet and court official whose career unfolded during a transformative period in British history with the unification of Scotland and England. Born in Fifeshire to a prominent landowning family, Aytoun was well-educated, receiving his B.A. and M.A. from St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews. His literary contributions reflect the political landscape of his time, with his writings showcasing both Scotland's poetic traditions and the influences of the English court. Aytoun's early works are characterized by literary Scots and draw inspiration from the Castalian movement, while his later poetry aligns more closely with English courtly conventions.
He served as private secretary to Queens Anne and Henrietta Maria, gaining favor at court and receiving a knighthood in 1612. Aytoun collaborated with prominent literary figures such as Ben Jonson and Thomas Hobbes, producing works that documented political events and court scandals. His poetry, including the "Diaphantus poems," remains significant for its emotional depth and cultural context. Aytoun's legacy continues through various posthumous collections of his works, including a comprehensive edition published in 1963. Despite limited biographical details, Aytoun is often recognized as a key figure in the evolution of Scottish poetry, earning him the title of the "Last Castalian."
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Robert Aytoun
Poet
- Born: February 25, 1570
- Birthplace: Fifeshire, Scotland
- Died: February 25, 1638
- Place of death: England
Biography
Robert Aytoun was born on February 25, 1570, to a large landowning family in Fifeshire, Scotland. Although not much is known about his life, Aytoun was the second of four sons and two daughters born to Andrew Aytoun and Mariona Lundie Aytoun. He attended St. Leonard’s College, St. Andrews (University of Edinburgh), receiving his B.A. in November, 1588, and his M.A. the following year. After traveling throughout Europe, he studied law in Paris in the 1590’s and returned to England in 1603.
Aytoun was a poet of both Scotland and England when the two kingdoms unified in 1603 and King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England. Aytoun served as private secretary to the wives of Kings James I and Charles I.. During his lifetime Aytoun also held other political appointments, including master of the Royal Hospital of St. Katherine during the reigns of James I and Charles I. Ben Johnson, William Drummond, and Thomas Hobbes were among Aytoun’s literary colleagues.
Aytoun’s verses record his own political advancement, contemporary politics, and scandals, as well as the changing styles of court poetry and song. His early works are in literary Scots and influenced by the Castalian movement and King James; the later works, especially his amorous verse, are adapted to the English courtly tradition. Most of Aytoun’s Latin verse was collected in a volume entitled Delitiae poetarum scotorum (1637). His first collection of English poems was published in 1827 and includes a brief biographical sketch. An edition of his Latin and English works was published in 1844 and revised in 1871. A more accurate and complete text is Charles B. Gullan’s 1963 edition, which includes the Latin and vernacular poems as well as a biography and collection of letters. Although Aytoun was not a member of the Castalian band of court poets, he continued the Scottish tradition and has been called the “Last Castalian.” With Sir William Alexander and Alexander Craig, a fellow student at St. Leonard’s, Aytoun wrote seven poems referred to as the “Diaphantus poems,” a collection of extended love laments in literary Scots that are the only extant Scottish poems by Aytoun and Alexander.
Little is known about Aytoun’s life between between 1590 and 1603. He reappears in recorded history in 1603, when his lengthy panegyric to King James was published in Paris. He soon won favor with the king, enjoyed a fairly rapid rise at court, and was knighted in 1612. In that same year, Aytoun became secretary to Queen Anne, the wife of King James. He also served as secretary to Queen Henrietta Maria after her husband, Charles I, took the throne in 1625. Aytoun remained at that post until his death on February 25, 1638.