Background
His mother was Marion Boyd daughter of Angus Boyd who was Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus’s brother in - law through his second wife.
His mother was Marion Boyd daughter of Angus Boyd who was Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus’s brother in - law through his second wife.
He was the King"s eldest illegitimate child. He was an elder brother of Catherine Stewart his only full sibling, a half brother to James Stewart, Margaret Stewart and Janet Stewart, the other illegitimate children of James IV and his mistresses. He was an older half-brother of the future James V.
Angus’s influence over the young King may have been how Marion and James IV met and eventually had two children, Alexander born around 1493 and Catherine born around 1494.
From a young age Alexander was groomed for a life in the church.
At the age of four his father received a dispensation from illegitimacy by Julius II enabling him to join the church. Alexander was still only a boy at age 11 which would mean his father could still receive the revenues of Street Andrews since Alexander was under age until he turned 27.
He received a superb education firstly from James Watson, later Dean of the Arts faculty at Street Andrews, and latterly from Patrick Paniter whom he seemed to have been close to In 1507 Alexander Stewart was sent to France on the royal ship the Treasurer.
His education continued with lengthy journeys to the Low Countries, and Italy in 1507.
In Padua he studied rhetoric and Greek under Erasmus who wrote a moving obituary after young Alexander’s death at the Battle of Flodden. Erasmus mentioned their time at Siena where after studies in the morning Alexander would play the monochord, recorder or lute in the afternoon. Alexander returned to Scotland in 1510 and at the age of 17 became Lord Chancellor of Scotland.
Alexander was reportedly severely myopic, possibly from extensive study in poor conditions.
In 1511 he co-founded Street Leonard"s College in Street Andrews, whose chapel still stands (minus its original tower). A gateway with his coat of arms above the arch survives in Street Andrews.
He was killed along with his father at the Battle of Flodden.