← Back to the front page

40 Real People Executed for Witchcraft

Tim Flight October 15, 2019 27 min

35. King James V of Scotland burned Lady Glamis at the stake in 1537

Glamis Castle, Scotland, has a truly terrifying history. Castles of Scotland

When King James V of Scotland was a teenager, his stepfather, the Earl of Angus, imprisoned him in a castle. Angus ruled Scotland as a regent until the young king turned 16. James celebrated his sweet sixteen by taking his revenge. He immediately arrested the Earl’s sister, Janet, Lady Glamis, for treason, but let her off this time. In 1537, James finally got sick of Lady Glamis, and condemned her for using witchcraft against him. He wasn’t so forgiving this time: she left her dungeon at Edinburgh Castle only to be burned at the stake.

Written by

Tim Flight

I am a freelance historical and literary writer based in West Yorkshire, UK. I read for a funded PhD in English at the University of Oxford (Magdalen College) and graduated in 2016. I am a former lecturer in Medieval English Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London. My publications include peer-reviewed articles in academic publications, and pieces in mainstream magazines such as History Today and Fortean Times. For more information, please see www.drflight.co.uk