Baron Strabolgi

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Barony of Strabolgi
Creation date20 October 1318
Created by Edward II
Peerage Peerage of England
First holder David of Strathbogie, 10th Earl of Atholl
Present holderAndrew Kenworthy, 12th Baron Strabolgi
Heir presumptiveHamish Kenworthy Malcolm
Remainder toHeirs general
StatusExtant
MottoSans bruit ("Without noise") [1]

Baron Strabolgi (pronounced "Strabogie") is a title in the Peerage of England supposedly created in 1318 for Scottish lord David of Strathbogie, 10th Earl of Atholl. Despite lack of evidence supporting its existence, it was called out of abeyance by the House of Lords in 1916. Whether it ever existed before then is open to serious dispute. [1] [2]

Contents

History

John of Strathbogie, 9th Earl of Atholl (c.1266–1306) was imprisoned, stripped of his titles and ultimately executed for fighting against the English crown, but his son David of Strathbogie, 10th Earl of Atholl had his titles restored by Edward II of England sometime between 21 August 1307 and 20 May 1308. He was made Constable of Scotland but stripped of his Scottish titles by 1314 by Robert the Bruce after rebelling against the Scottish king. [3]

According to a 1914 House of Lords' decision, Atholl was called to the Parliament of England by hereditary writ under the barony of Strabolgi, inheritable by heirs general of his body. According to the Lords' decision, upon the death of David de Strabolgi, the third Lord Strabolgi in 1369, the barony fell into abeyance between his daughters and co-heirs Elizabeth, who married Sir Thomas Percy, and Philippa, who married Sir John Halsham. [2]

In 1498, the barony vested upon a sole heir, Sir Edward Burgh, the de jure 4th Baron Strabolgi. It fell into abeyance again upon the death in 1602 of his grandson. [2]

Burke's Peerage is incredulous of the 1914 House of Lords decision affirming that Atholl was called to Parliament as Baron Strabolgi "despite the absence of any writ of summons for him to the English Parl of 20 Oct 1318 or genuine evidence of his sitting in it." Burke's Peerage notes that "even later writs of summons, however, were worded to 'David (de) Strabolgi, comiti (i.e., 'Earl of') Athol;' rather than domini (i.e. lord)." [3]

The Complete Peerage declines to list it, on the grounds that it did not exist before the 20th century.

Barons Strabolgi (1318)

The heir presumptive is the present holder's third cousin, Hamish Kenworthy Malcolm (b. 1971).

Related Research Articles

Baron Cromwell is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, which was by writ, was for John de Cromwell in 1308. On his death, the barony became extinct. The second creation came in 1375 when Ralph de Cromwell was summoned by writ to Parliament as Lord Cromwell. His grandson, the third baron, served as Lord High Treasurer to King Henry VI. However, on his death in 1455, the barony fell into abeyance between his nieces Maude and Joan. On Joan's death in 1490, the abeyance was terminated in favour of Maude, the fourth holder. When she died childless in 1497 the peerage once again fell into abeyance, this time between the daughters of the first baron. The title remained in abeyance for over 400 years. However, in 1922 the Committee for Privileges of the House of Lords reported in favour of the petition for the termination of the abeyancy of Selina Frances Bewicke-Copley. She was the daughter of Sir Charles Watson Copley, 3rd Baronet, and one of the co-heirs of Maud, daughter of the first baron Cromwell. Selina died in 1923 and in July of the same year, the abeyance was terminated in favour of her son Robert Godfrey Wolesley Bewicke-Copley, who became the fifth baron. He notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire. As of 2010 the ancient barony is held by his grandson, the seventh baron, who succeeded his father in 1982. Having lost his seat in the House of Lords under the House of Lords Act 1999, in April 2014 he was elected at a hereditary peers' by-election as a Crossbencher.

References

  1. 1 2 Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 3758. ISBN   0-9711966-2-1.
  2. 1 2 3 "Barony of Strabolgi". The Times . 13 May 1914. p. 11.
  3. 1 2 Mosley 2003, p. 3759