Master (Peerage of Scotland)

Last updated

The heir apparent or heir presumptive to a Scottish peerage is known as a Master, or a Mistress if the heir is female. The heir's style is "The Master of [Peerage]" or "The Mistress of [Peerage]".

Contents

If the master is an heir apparent, and the peerage has a subsidiary title that could be used as a courtesy title, then the styling of Master is usually forgone. However, if the person is an heir presumptive, or if the peerage has no subsidiary title, then Master/Mistress is a common styling. However, because the word Mistress is quite archaic, many women choose not to use the style Mistress and instead use the regular styling, e.g. Lady Mary Smith or The Honourable Mary Smith.

Although regarded today as a form of courtesy title, the Mastership is a noble dignity in its own right, and originally conferred rights of attendance in the Parliament of Scotland. As a result, Masters were ineligible for election to the British House of Commons for Scottish constituencies after the Acts of Union 1707. Masters whose elections were declared void on this basis included four elected in the 1708 British general election, who each briefly attended parliament. Members of Parliament would be disqualified upon becoming the eldest (living) son of a Scottish peer, and a by-election would be held for the vacant seat. Therefore, they were denied the right to sit in both houses of the British Parliament. This practice was ended by the Scottish Reform Act 1832, and the Masters could be elected MPs like their English counterparts thereafter.

Members of British Parliament disqualified for being a Master

MP disqualifiedConstituencyFatherYear of electionYear of disqualificationNotes
William, Lord Haddo Aberdeenshire George Gordon, 1st Earl of Aberdeen 1708 1708
James, Lord Johnstone Dumfriesshire & Linlithgowshire William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale 17081708Returned by two constituencies; disqualified for both
John, Master of Sinclair Dysart Burghs Henry St Clair, 10th Lord Sinclair 17081708
William, Lord Strathnaver Tain Burghs John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland 17081708
Charles, Earl of Drumlanrig Dumfriesshire Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry 1747 1754Disqualified upon becoming the eldest living son of his father
John, Marquess of Lorne Glasgow Burghs John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll 1744 (by election)1761Disqualified when his father succeeded to the peerage; later returned as MP for Dover
Francis, Lord Elcho Haddington Burghs Francis Wemyss Charteris, soi disant 7th Earl of Wemyss 1780 1787Disqualified when his father assumed the peerage; later it was found out that the title was under forfeiture and his father not a Scottish peer at all

People who currently hold the dignity of Master or Mistress

Related Research Articles

There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. The seventh creation is currently held by James Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie, who is also clan chief of Clan Erskine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord of Parliament</span> Lowest rank of Scottish nobility

A Lord of Parliament was the holder of the lowest form of peerage, entitled as of right to take part in sessions of the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland. Since that Union in 1707, it has been the lowest rank of the Peerage of Scotland, ranking below a viscount. A Lord of Parliament is said to hold a Lordship of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Rothes</span> Scottish peer title

Earl of Rothes is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1458 for George Leslie, 1st Lord Leslie. He had already been created Lord Leslie in 1445, also in the Peerage of Scotland. His grandson, the third Earl, having only succeeded his elder brother in March 1513, was killed at the Battle of Flodden on 9 September of the same year. His son, the fourth Earl, served as an Extraordinary Lord of Session. Lord Rothes was also tried for the murder of Cardinal Beaton but was acquitted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Kellie</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland

The title Earl of Kellie or Kelly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1619 for Sir Thomas Erskine, who was Captain of the Guard and Groom of the Stool for James VI. It is named after Barony of Kellie in Fife, Scotland. Since 1875, it has been held jointly with the Earldom of Mar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Buchan</span> Title of nobility in the United Kingdom

The Mormaer or Earl of Buchan was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male line. The earldom had three lines in its history, not counting passings from female heirs to sons. Today, it is held by the Erskine family as a peerage. The current holder is Harry Erskine, 18th Earl of Buchan. Subsidiary titles are Lord Cardross and Lord Auchterhouse and Baron Erskine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Kintore</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland

Earl of Kintore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1677 for Sir John Keith, third son of William Keith, 6th Hereditary Earl Marischal of Scotland and Chief of Clan Keith. He was made Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. At the death of William, the 4th Earl, in 1761, the Earldom and Lordship became dormant, as no-one could prove a claim to them. In 1778, it was decided that the Earldom, Lordship and Chieftaincy of Clan should pass to Anthony Adrian Falconer, Lord Falconer of Halkerton, who changed his surname to Keith-Falconer. The Lordship Falconer of Halkerton and the Earldom of Kintore and Lordship Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall remained united until 1966, when, at the death of the 10th Earl, the Lordship Falconer of Halkerton became dormant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Leven</span>

Earl of Leven is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1641 for Alexander Leslie. He was succeeded by his grandson Alexander, who was in turn followed by his daughters Margaret and Catherine. Thereafter, there was a dispute relating to succession to the title between David Melville and John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes. However, in 1681, Melville's claim was admitted after the Duke of Rothes died. In 1707, Melville succeeded to the title Earl of Melville, and thereafter the earldoms have been united.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscount of Arbuthnott</span> Scottish title peerage

Viscount of Arbuthnott is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1641, along with the subsidiary title Lord Inverbervie, for Sir Robert Arbuthnott. The Viscount of Arbuthnott is the hereditary chief of Clan Arbuthnott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Lucas</span> Barony in the Peerage of England

Baron Lucas is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The second creation is extant and is currently held with the title Lord Dingwall in the Peerage of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Kinloss</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland

Lord Kinloss is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1602 for Edward Bruce, later Master of the Rolls, with remainder to his heirs and assigns whatsoever. In 1604 he was also made Lord Bruce of Kinloss, with remainder to his heirs male, and in 1608 Lord Bruce of Kinloss, with remainder to any of his heirs. He was succeeded by his son, the second Lord, who was killed in a duel in 1613.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Napier</span> Title used by Sir Archibald Napier from 1627

Lord Napier, of Merchistoun, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1627 for Sir Archibald Napier, 1st Baronet. Earlier that year, he already held the Napier Baronetcy, of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian, created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The titles remained united until 1683, when the Baronetcy became dormant. It was revived in the early 19th century and is now held by another branch of the Napier family. Between 1683 and 1686, the Lords of Napier also held the Nicolson Baronetcy, of Carnock in the County of Stirling, and since 1725 the Scott Baronetcy, of Thirlestane in the County of Selkirk, both baronetcies created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The latter is still held today. Additionally, the tenth Lord was created Baron Ettrick, of Ettrick in the County of Selkirk in the Peerage of the United Kingdom on 16 July 1872.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Polwarth</span>

Lord Polwarth, of Polwarth in the County of Berwick, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1690 for Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth, 2nd Baronet, Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1696 to 1702. In 1697 he was further created Lord Polwarth, of Polwarth, Redbraes and Greenlaw, Viscount of Blasonberrie and Earl of Marchmont, also in the Peerage of Scotland. Upon the death of his grandson, the third Earl, the creations of 1697 became dormant (unclaimed).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscount Mountgarret</span> Title in the peerage of Ireland

Viscount Mountgarret is a title in the Peerage of Ireland.

Archibald Primrose, 1st Earl of Rosebery PC was a Scottish politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar</span> British peer (born 1940)

Margaret Alison of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, is a Scottish hereditary peer and politician. She was a crossbench member of the House of Lords from 1975 to 2020 and was one of 92 hereditary peers elected to remain in the Lords in 1999. She is the holder of the original earldom of Mar, the oldest peerage title in the United Kingdom. She is the only suo jure countess and was the only female hereditary peer in the House of Lords from 2014 to 2020. She is also a farmer and former specialist goats cheesemaker in Great Witley, Worcestershire.

Katharine Ingrid Mary Isabel Fraser, 22nd Lady Saltoun,, is a British peer. She is the daughter of Alexander Ramsay of Mar and Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun. As the granddaughter of Princess Patricia of Connaught, she is a second cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and a distant relative of the British royal family.

Lord Cardross is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, since 1695 a subsidiary title of the earldom of Buchan. It was created in 1606 for John Erskine, Earl of Mar, with remainder to his heirs male and assignees whatsoever and with the power to nominate his successor. In 1617 he nominated his second son by his second wife Marie Stewart, Henry Erskine, Master of Cardross, to be his successor in the lordship of Cardross. The Earl of Mar died in 1634 and was succeeded in the earldom of Mar by his son by his first wife, John, and in the lordship of Cardross by his grandson David Erskine, the second Lord Cardross, the son of Henry, Master of Cardross, who had died in 1628. The second Lord was a supporter of The Engagement and was barred from sitting in Parliament in 1649. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the third Lord. He emigrated to North America to escape religious persecution and established a colony in what is now Carolina. His son, the fourth Lord, succeeded his kinsman in the earldom of Buchan in 1695. However, it was not until 1698 that his claim was established by the Scottish Parliament. For further history of the title, see Earl of Buchan.

Mariota, Countess of Ross was the daughter of Euphemia I, Countess of Ross and her husband, the crusading war-hero Walter Leslie, Lord of Ross. Upon the death of her brother, Alexander Leslie, Earl of Ross, she became the heiress presumptive of her niece Euphemia II, Countess of Ross although her husband Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles pressed Mariota's superior claim to the earldom.

John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine was a Scottish nobleman.

John Lindsay, 8th Lord Lindsay PC, was a Scottish landowner.

References

  1. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003), Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, vol. 3 (107th ed.), Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, p. 3965, ISBN   978-0-9711966-2-9  (Cited at thePeerage.com, which accessed 29 July 2020){{citation}}: External link in |postscript= (help)CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  2. ibid. : volume 2, page 2602
  3. ibid.: volume 1, page 605
  4. ibid.: volume 1, page 1232
  5. ibid.: volume 1, page 1385
  6. Mosley, Charles, ed. (1999), Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, vol. 1 (106th ed.), Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, p. 99, ISBN   978-1-57958-083-4  (Cited at thePeerage.com, which accessed 29 July 2020){{citation}}: External link in |postscript= (help)CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  7. Burke's Peerage, 107th edition, volume 1, page 1450
  8. ibid.: volume 3, page 3510
  9. ibid.: volume 2, page 2415
  10. ibid.: volume 3, page 3567
  11. Notices, The Telegraph, London, UK, 26 August 2011 (Cited at thePeerage.com, which accessed 29 July 2020)
  12. Peerage News, no page specified (Cited at thePeerage.com, which accessed 29 July 2020)
  13. Burke's Peerage, 107th edition, volume 2, page 2426
  14. ibid.: volume 2, page 2859
  15. Notices, The Telegraph, London, UK, date not cited (Cited at thePeerage.com, which accessed 29 July 2020)
  16. Burke's Peerage, 107th edition, volume 1, page 326
  17. ibid.: volume 3, page 3383
  18. NEWS > Year 2003 > April (Retrieved 24 June 2005; archived 26 May 2005 and accessed 29 July 2020)
  19. Burke's Peerage, 107th edition, volume 3, page 3167