William Murray, Marquess of Tullibardine

William Murray, Marquess of Tullibardine (14 April 1689 – 9 July 1746) was a Scottish army officer and Jacobite leader.

Tullibardine was the second and eldest surviving son of John, second marquis and first duke of Atholl, by Lady Catherine Hamilton. In late 1707 he entered the navy; in a letter dated at Spithead, 29 August 1708, he gives his father an account of an unsuccessful attempt at landing on the coast of France in which his ship took part. At first he was known as Lord William Murray, but became Marquis of Tullibardine on the death of his elder brother John at Malplaquet 31 August 1709.

Tullibardine was one of the first to join the standard of Mar and the Chevalier in 1715, and although his father remained faithful to the government the bulk of the Atholl men accompanied him. The duke intimated to the government on 13 September that he had hopes of his returning "to his duty" providing he were assured of pardon; but although this was practically offered to him, the offer was unavailing. At the battle of Sheriffmuir his forces formed part of the left wing, which was routed and fled northwards, the marquis reaching Perth the same night with only a few horse. It was the intention of the prince, when after the retreat from Perth he embarked at Montrose for France, to have taken Tullibardine with him, but he was then at Brechin with a part of the foot. He, however, managed to shift from place to place till he found an opportunity to escape. On account of his share in the rebellion he was attainted, and the titles and estates of the family conferred on a younger brother, Lord James Murray.

Tullibardine was joint commander with the Earl Marischal of the expedition to the north-west highlands in 1719; and through negotiations with his brother Lord George succeeded in inducing a large number of Atholl men, as well as the Macgregors under Rob Roy, to co-operate with the Spanish forces. Lockhart, however, asserts that Tullibardine and Marischal were soon at variance about the command, and to their divided counsels is generally attributed the defeat at Glenshiels on 10 June. Tullibardine was severely wounded in the battle, but although a reward of 2,000l. was offered for his capture he succeeded in again making his escape to the continent. In October 1736 he had for some time been a prisoner for debt in Paris, but on appeal to the parliament of Paris he was set at liberty, on the ground that one of his rank was not liable to confinement for debt. It would appear that after his return to the continent he had been created by the exiled prince Duke of Rannoch, Marquis of Blair, Earl of Glen Tilt, Viscount of Glenshie, and Lord Strathbran, but after the death of his father in 1724 he was recognised by the Jacobites as Duke of Atholl.

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