Career
In 1539 Robert was made Abbot of Holyrood Abbey, and Commendator of Charlieu Abbey in France by 1557. Robert himself had signed some of the letters that were to be cited as evidence. He was knighted as Sir Robert Stewart of Strathdon on 15 May 1565, as part of marriage celebrations of Mary, Queen of Scots and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.
In 1581 he was named, by James VI, the 1st Earl in a second creation of the Earldom of Orkney.
This dukedom was forfeit later that same year after Mary was forced to abdicate and Bothwell was charged with treason. Prior to this dukedom there had existed an Earldom of Orkney that was surrendered in 1470 by William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney.
Mary wrote a will at Sheffield in 1577 ineffectually declaring his title to Orkney null and void, after Robert was imprisoned in 1575 for obtaining a letter from the King of Denmark declaring him sovereign of Orkney. His crimes included colluding with Shetland pirates.
The Earl was imprisoned at Linlithgow Palace.
He was released in 1579. On 14 December 1561 Robert Stewart married Jean Kennedy, daughter of Gilbert Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis, and Margaret Kennedy. Robert built the Palace of Birsay on Orkney.
John Stewart, 1st and last Earl of Carrick m Lady Elizabeth Howard
Henry Stewart, Master of Orkney
Sir James Stewart m Margaret Lyon
Robert Stewart
Lady Mary Stewart m Patrick Gray, 6th Lord Gray
Lady Katherine Stewart m John Sinclair of Ulbster
Lady Jean Stewart m Patrick Leslie, 1st Lord Lindores
Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney m Margaret Livingstone.