JOHN STEWART, 4TH EARL OF ATHOLL, in the Stewart line (d.
1579), son of John, 3rd earl, succeeded his father in 1542. As one of the principal Catholic nobles of Scotland, he was especially trusted by Mary, Queen of Scots, but after the murder of Darnley in 1567 he joined the Protestant lords against her, and was in cluded in the regency of James VI. on her abdication. But in 1568 he was again advocating her cause. He had failed in 1572 to pre vent Morton's appointment to the regency, but in 1578 he suc ceeded with the earl of Argyll in driving him from office. In March James dissolved the regency and Atholl was appointed lord chan cellor. On May 24 Morton succeeded in regaining his guardian ship of James. Atholl and Argyll, who were now corresponding with Spain in hopes of assistance from that quarter, then advanced to Stirling with a force of 7,00o men, when a compromise was arranged, the three earls being all included in the Government. While on his way from a banquet held on April 20 1579 to cele brate the reconciliation, Atholl was seized with sudden illness, and died April 25, not without strong suspicions of poison.
On the death, in 1595, of his son John, 5th earl of Atholl, the earldom in default of male heirs reverted to the crown.