Arms: Grandquarterly 1st and 4th counterquarterly Ist and IVth Argent a lion passant guardant Gules crowned with an imperial crown and collared with an open crown Proper (Ogilvie); IInd and IIIrd Argent a cross engrailed Sable (Sinclair of Deskford); 2nd and 3rd Gules three celestial crowns Or (Grant).
Earl of Seafield is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1701 for James Ogilvie, who in 1711 succeeded his father as 4th Earl of Findlater. The earldoms of Findlater and Seafield continued to be united until 1811, when the earldom of Findlater became dormant, while the earldom of Seafield remains extant.
History
James Ogilvie, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield, Lord Chief Baron of Scotland
The first Earl of Seafield's branch of the Ogilvie family descended from Sir Walter Ogilvie, whose brother Sir John Ogilvy was the ancestor of the Earls of Airlie.
In 1616, the aforementioned Sir Walter Ogilvie's descendant and namesake, Sir Walter Ogilvie, was created Lord Ogilvie of Deskford in the Peerage of Scotland. His son, the second Lord, was created Earl of Findlater in the Peerage of Scotland in 1638. Three years later, in 1641, Lord Findlater obtained a new patent with remainder to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Sir Patrick Ogilvie. Upon his death in 1653, the first Earl of Findlater was succeeded by his son-in-law Sir Patrick while Elizabeth was granted the style and title of Countess of Findlater as though she held the title in her own right.
The earldoms of Findlater and Seafield remained united for the next hundred years. However, on the death of his great-grandson, the seventh and fourth Earl respectively, the lordship of Ogilvie and Deskford and the earldom of Findlater became dormant. The earldom of Seafield and its subsidiary titles were inherited by the late Earl's second cousin Sir Lewis Alexander Grant, 9th Baronet, of Colquhoun (see Colquhoun baronets for earlier history of the Grant family). He was a grandson of Lady Margaret Ogilvie, daughter of the fifth Earl of Findlater and second Earl of Seafield. On his succession to the earldom, he assumed the additional surname of Ogilvie, styling himself Grant-Ogilvie.
After the fifth Earl of Seafield's death in 1840, his younger brother and successor, the sixth Earl, reversed the order of the surnames, styling himself Ogilvie-Grant. In 1858, the latter's son, the seventh Earl, was created Baron Strathspey, of Strathspey in the Counties of Inverness and Moray, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The barony became extinct on the death of his son, the eighth Earl, in 1884, while the Scottish titles were passed on to the Earl's uncle, the ninth Earl. The barony of Strathspey was revived for him only a few months after he succeeded his nephew.
On the death of the eleventh Earl of Seafield in 1915, the baronetcy and barony of Strathspey separated from the earldom. The baronetcy and barony, which only could be passed on to male heirs, were inherited by the late Earl's younger brother, the fourth Baron (see the Baron Strathspey for later history of these titles). The earldom and the other subsidiary titles, which could be inherited by females, were passed on to the Earl's daughter and only child, the twelfth Countess. As of 2017[update], the titles are held by her only son, the thirteenth Earl, who succeeded in 1969.
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Earl of Airlie is a title of the peerage in Scotland created on 2 April 1639 for James Ogilvy, 7th Lord Ogilvy of Airlie, along with the title "Lord Ogilvy of Alith and Lintrathen". The title "Lord Ogilvy of Airlie" was created on 28 April 1491.
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James Ogilvy, 4th Earl of Findlater and 1st Earl of Seafield, was a Scottish politician, prominent during the reign of Queen Anne. He was created Earl of Seafield in 1701 and was an active supporter of the 1707 Act of Union.
Colonel Francis William Ogilvie-Grant, 6th Earl of Seafield, known for most of his life as Francis William Grant, was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and politician. He is numbered as the 25th Chief of Clan Grant.
John Charles Ogilvie-Grant, 7th Earl of Seafield,, styled Viscount Reidhaven from 1840 to 1853, was a Scottish nobleman. He is numbered as the 26th Chief of Clan Grant.
There have been two baronetcies created for persons with the surname Colquhoun ("Cohoon"), one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia (1625) and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain (1786).
Captain James Ogilvie-Grant, 11th Earl of Seafield,, styled Viscount Reidhaven in 1888, was a Scottish peer and soldier.
Clan Ogilvy, also known as Clan Ogilvie, is a Highland Scottish clan. Originating from Angus, Scotland, the progenitor of the Clan received a barony from King William the Lion in 1163. In 1491, King James IV elevated Sir James Ogilvy as Lord Ogilvy of Airlie.
Lieutenant Colonel James Ogilvie-Grant, 9th Earl of Seafield, known for most of his life as The Hon.James Ogilvie-Grant, was a Scottish peer and Conservative Member of Parliament (MP).
LewisAlexander Grant-Ogilvie, 5th Earl of Seafield, FRSE was a Scottish nobleman. He is numbered as the 24th Chief of Clan Grant. His promising career was cut short by mental instability.
Ian Charles Ogilvie-Grant, 8th Earl of Seafield, styled Viscount Reidhaven from 1853 until 1881, was a Scottish nobleman. He is numbered as the 27th Chief of Clan Grant.
Francis William Ogilvie-Grant, 10th Earl of Seafield, styled Viscount Reidhaven from 1884 to 1888, was a Scottish peer who emigrated to New Zealand.
Trevor Ogilvy-Grant, 4th Baron Strathspey was a New Zealand-born Scottish peer, who upon becoming Lord Strathspey in 1915 emigrated to Britain and took his seat in the House of Lords.
Caroline Stuart, Countess of Seafield, styled as the Countess Dowager from 1884 to 1911, was a member of the Scottish aristocracy. She was suo jure proprietor of the Seafield estates following the death of her son in 1884, and thus was de facto Chieftainess of Clan Grant. She has been described as the "last of the great feudal chiefs."
James Ogilvy, 5th Earl of Findlater and 2nd Earl of Seafield was a Scottish peer.
James Ogilvy, 3rd Earl of Findlater was a Scottish peer.
References
Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, [pageneeded]
Italics: This title is held by a peer who holds another earldom of higher precedence.
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