He joined the king's Standard with 2,000 men in 1653, and was excepted from Cromwell's act of indemnity in 1654. At the Restoration in 1660 he was made Privy Councillor, Hereditary Sheriff of Fife; and Justice General 1663 to 1676. In January 1670 he succeeded his cousin, James Murray, Earl of Tullibardine, and Lord Murray of Gask in those titles. He was appointed Captain General of the Royal Company of Archers from 1670 till death; Colonel of the 4th troop of Horse Guards 1671-1678; 
Keeper of the Privy Seal 1672-1689; Lord of Session on 14 January 1673 till 1689.

To counterbalance the Campbells and as recognition of his great influence in The Highlands, Charles II on 17 February 1676 created him Marquess of Atholl. He was instrumental in opposing Argyll's 
invasion in 1685. James II made him Lord-Lieutenant of Argyllshire; his followers seized Inverary Castle and ravaged Campbell lands. Having captured Charles Campbell, Argyll's son, he intended to 
hang him at his father's gate at Inverary Castle and was only prevented from this barbarous act by the intervention of the Privy Council.

He was created Knight of The Thistle, 29 May 1687, being one of the original knights on the revival of that order by King James II. In the "Glorious Revolution" shortly afterwards, he played a trimming and
shuffling part. He attempted to gain favour with William of Orange but was repulsed. He therfore half-hartedly supported James II, ousted by William in 1689. Later that year the Highland clans, favouring James because they hated the Campbells, overwhelmed William's troops at Killiecrankie but then dispersed so that James's cause was lost. The Marquess, described by Macaulay as "the falsest, the most fickle, the most pusillanimous of mankind", had meanwhile slipped away to Bath to drink the waters.

He died 6 May 1703 and is buried at Dunkeld.

Source: Leo van de Pas