Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven (c. 1495 – 1552) was Master of the Scottish Artillery and third, and last husband, of Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.
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Ancient lineage
He was a son of Andrew Stewart, 1st Lord Avondale, and his wife Margaret Kennedy. His brother was Andrew Stewart, 1st Lord Ochiltree. Henry was a fifth-generation male-line descendant of Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany, through his son Walter. He was thus a fourth cousin, twice removed of James IV of Scotland, first husband of Margaret Tudor.
Marriage to the Queen mother
His friendship with Margaret Tudor, the queen mother, was first noted in September 1524, and he was appointed master carver to James V, directory of Chancery, and Master of Artillery. In January 1525, when Margaret Tudor was ill, he threatened the secretary of the Duke of Albany, offering to throw him down the stairs to her apartments at Edinburgh Castle.
Henry and Margaret Tudor were married on 3 March 1528, after Margaret's long-sought divorce from her second husband, Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, was finally granted in March 1527 by Pope Clement VII. Margaret was already the mother of James V of Scotland, with her first husband, James IV, and Margaret Douglas, with Angus. They had no issue surviving most records, which were destroyed by order of James VI. Reaction to the marriage was swift: Margaret and Henry were besieged at Stirling Castle by Lord Erskine, with the support of James V and her former husband, the Earl of Angus. Henry was imprisoned.