James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray

James Stewart (or Stuart), 2nd Lord Doune and 2nd Earl of Moray (c. 1565 – 7 February 1591/2) was a Scottish nobleman, the son of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune. The 2nd Earl was murdered by George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, as the culmination of a vendetta. Known as "the Bonnie Earl" for his good looks, he became the subject of a popular ballad, The Bonnie Earl of Moray.

He was the eldest son of James Stewart, and was a direct male-line descendent of Robert II through his second son the Duke of Albany. His father was created Lord Doune on 24 November 1581. From his distant relative James VI, he received in the year 1580 a gift of the ward and marriage of the two daughters of the Regent Moray, and a few days thereafter married Elizabeth, the elder one, and soon after assumed, jure uxoris, the title of the Earl of Moray.

Stewart was an extremely ambitious man who aimed to make himself the most powerful lord in the north-east at the expense of his neighbour, the Earl of Huntly. On 1 August 1588 he was appointed a commissioner for executing the act against the Spanish armada, and on 5 March 1590 was commissioned to execute the acts against the Jesuits. He then foolishly entered into an alliance with his wife's famous cousin Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell who was a notorious conspirator greatly feared by the King. In late 1590 he decided, along with the Earl of Atholl, to assist the Laird of Grant when his house was being besieged by Huntly; Huntly retreated to Edinburgh and on 23 January 1591 presented a supplication against Moray for his "having taken part with the malefactors in the north", both earls were then commanded to proceed to Edinburgh and sign bands to keep the peace.

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