KENNEDY, the name of a famous and powerful Scottish family long settled in Ayrshire, derived probably from the name Kenneth. John Kennedy of Dunure obtained Cassillis and other lands in Ayrshire about 135o. John's descendant, Sir James Ken nedy, married Mary, a daughter of King Robert III. and their son, Sir Gilbert Kennedy, was created Lord Kennedy before 1458. Another son was James Kennedy (c. bishop of St. Andrews, who founded and endowed St. Salvator's college at St. Andrews and built a large and famous ship called the "St.'Salva tor." One of Gilbert Kennedy's sons was the poet, Walter Kennedy (q.v.), and his grandson David, third Lord Kennedy (killed at Flodden, 1513), was created earl of Cassillis before 1510 ; David's sister Janet Kennedy was one of the mistresses of James IV. The earl was succeeded by his son Gilbert, who was killed at Prestwick (Dec. 22, 1527). His son Gilbert, the 3rd earl (c. 1517-1558), was educated by George Buchanan, and was a prisoner in England after the rout of Solway Moss in 1542. He was lord high treasurer of Scotland from 1554 to 1558, although he had been intriguing with the English and had offered to kill Cardinal Beaton in the interests of Henry VIII. He died at Dieppe late in 1558 when returning from Paris, where he had attended the marriage of Mary Queen of Scots, and the dauphin of France. He was the father of the "king of Carrick" and the brother of Quintin Ken nedy (1520-1564), abbot of Crossraguel. The abbot wrote several works defending the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and in 1562 had a public discussion with John Knox at Maypole. He
died on Aug. 22, 1564.
Gilbert Kennedy, 4th earl of Cassillis (c. 1541-1576), called the "king of Carrick," became a protestant, but fought for Queen Mary at Langside in 1568. He tortured Allan Stewart, the corn mendator abbot of Crossraguel in 1570 in order to compel him to renounce his title to the abbey lands which had been seized by Cassillis. John, 6th earl (c. 1595-1668), was one of the leaders of the Scots in their resistance to Charles I. In 1643 he went to the Westminster Assembly of Divines and several times he was sent on missions to Charles I. and to Charles II. ; for a time he was lord justice general and he was a member of Cromwell's House of Lords. His granddaughter Margaret, married Gilbert Burnet, afterwards bishop of Salisbury. The direct line failed with the death of John, the 8th earl, in August 1759.
The titles and estates of the Kennedys were now claimed by William Douglas, afterwards duke of Queensberry, a great-grand son in the female line of the 7th earl and also by Sir Thomas Kennedy, Bart., of Culzean, a descendant of the 3rd earl, i.e., by the heir general and the heir male. In January 1762 the House of Lords decided in favour of the heir male. The loth earl died unmarried, and the earldom then passed to a branch of the family settled in America. Archibald, the 12th earl, was created marquess of Ailsa in 1831.
See R. Pitcairn, Historical and genealogical account of the principal families of the name of Kennedy (183o).