The Marquis of Montrose was such a noteworthy Stuart nobleman that I thought he deserved his own thread.

Montrose fought against Charles I during the Bishops Wars, but soon regretted this and began working against the Presbyterian regime, the Covenanters, which had taken control of Scotland and which later allied with Parliament. Charles made him the Lieutenant-General of Scotland in early 1644. Disguised as a groom and with only two companions, Montrose made his way into Scotland and raised an army. He had an amazing string of victories and secured much of Scotland, but he had problems with desertions and with creating a unified force of his army, which included Irish troops, a fact that was made much of in vicious propaganda issued against him. Alas, his army was eventually ambushed and defeated. He escaped and fought as best he could via guerilla warfare, but was unable to raise another army.
After Charles surrendered, he ordered Montrose to cease all efforts on his behalf. He fled to the Continent, where he was treated with great honor and was offered commands in the French and Imperial armies. His prestige was enhanced after his chaplain published a book about his military exploits. The book had a bad effect in some ways, for it made Royalists who hadn’t distinguished themselves in the war jealous of him. He soon found that he had more enemies than friends among the exiles who surrounded Henrietta Maria and the Prince of Wales.
After the king’s execution, Montrose offered his services to Charles II. Charles dithered over accepting. He’d received a tempting offer from the Coventanters, who already had an army and control of Scotland, while Montrose could only offer promises for the future. He finally gave him a commission to invade Scotland and also made him a knight of the Garter. Montrose sailed in April 1650 with a small number of troops. Soon after he left, Charles disavowed him, made a deal with the Coventanters, and sent him a warning to get out of Scotland ASAP which, unfortunately, never reached him.
For a lot of reasons, Montrose had difficulty raising troops, and was soon defeated. He escaped but was betrayed by a man he’d thought was his friend. He was turned over to the Covenanters, who hanged him. His head, arms and legs were exhibited throughout Scotland as a warning to anyone who thought of challenging the status quo. After the Restoration, on the orders of Charles II, his body parts were collected together and he received a state funeral.
In addition to his remarkable abilities as a commander and strategist, Montrose was an excellent poet:
My dear and only Love, I pray
This noble world of thee
Be governed by no other sway
But purest monarchy;
For if confusion have a part,
Which virtuous souls abhor,
And hold a synod in thy heart,
I'll never love thee more.
Like Alexander I will reign,
And I will reign alone:
My thoughts shall evermore disdain
A rival on my throne.
He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
That puts it not unto the touch
To win or lose it all.
But I must rule and govern still,
And always give the law,
And have each subject at my will,
And all to stand in awe.
But 'gainst my battery, if I find
Thou shunn'st the prize so sore
As that thou sett'st me up a blind,
I'll never love thee more.
Or in the empire of thy heart,
Where I should solely be,
Another do pretend a part
And dares to vie with me;
Or if committees thou erect,
And go on such a score,
I'll sing and laugh at thy neglect,
And never love thee more.
But if thou wilt be constant then,
And faithful of thy word,
I'll make thee glorious by my pen
And famous by my sword:
I'll serve thee in such noble ways
Was never heard before;
I'll crown and deck thee all with bays,
And love thee evermore.