Peerage of Scotland

Last updated

The Peerage of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic : Moraireachd na h-Alba; Scots : Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, the Kingdom of Scots and the Kingdom of England were combined under the name of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was introduced in which subsequent titles were created.

Contents

Scottish Peers were entitled to sit in the ancient Parliament of Scotland. After the Union, the Peers of the old Parliament of Scotland elected 16 Scottish representative peers to sit in the House of Lords at Westminster. The Peerage Act 1963 granted all Scottish Peers the right to sit in the House of Lords, but this automatic right was revoked, as for all hereditary peerages (except those of the incumbent Earl Marshal and Lord Great Chamberlain), when the House of Lords Act 1999 received the Royal Assent.

Unlike most peerages, many Scottish titles have been granted with remainder to pass via female offspring (thus an Italian family has succeeded to and presently holds the earldom of Newburgh [1] ), and in the case of daughters only, these titles devolve to the eldest daughter rather than falling into abeyance (as is the case with ancient English baronies by writ of summons). Unlike other British peerage titles, Scots law permits peerages to be inherited by or through a person who was not legitimate at birth, but was subsequently legitimised by their parents marrying later. [2] [3]

The ranks of the Scottish Peerage are, in ascending order: Lord of Parliament, Viscount, Earl, Marquess and Duke. Scottish Viscounts differ from those of the other Peerages (of England, Great Britain, Ireland and the United Kingdom) by using the style of in their title, as in Viscount of Oxfuird. Though this is the theoretical form, most Viscounts drop the "of". The Viscount of Arbuthnott and to a lesser extent the Viscount of Oxfuird still use "of".

Scottish Barons rank below Lords of Parliament, and although considered noble, their titles are incorporeal hereditaments. At one time feudal barons did sit in parliament. However, they are considered minor barons and not peers because their titles can be hereditary, or bought and sold.

In the following table of the Peerage of Scotland as it currently stands, each peer's highest ranking title in the other peerages (if any) are also listed. Those peers who are known by a higher title in one of the other peerages are listed in italics.

Extant dukedoms

ShieldTitleCreationOther Dukedom or higher titlesTitle used in the House of Lords prior to the Peerage Act 1963 Monarch
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Shield of Arms of the Duke of Rothesay.svg
The Duke of Rothesay 1398Since 1603, usually Prince of Wales as the heir to the throne
Duke of Cornwall in the Peerage of England.
King Robert III
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Douglas-Hamilton COA.svg
The Duke of Hamilton 12 September 1643 Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Duke of Brandon King Charles I
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Arms of the Duke of Buccleuch.svg
The Duke of Buccleuch 20 April 1663 Flag of England.svg Earl of Doncaster King Charles II
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Duke of Richmond CoA.svg
The Duke of Lennox 9 September 1675 Duke of Richmond in the Peerage of England.
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Arms of the Duke of Buccleuch.svg
The Duke of Queensberry 3 February 1684 Duke of Buccleuch in the Peerage of Scotland.
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Arms of Campbell, Duke of Argyll.svg
The Duke of Argyll 23 June 1701 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Duke of Argyll King William III and II
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Baron Sundridge
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Baron Hamilton of Hameldon
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Arms of George Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl.svg
The Duke of Atholl 30 January 1703 Queen Anne
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Graham-Montrose arms.svg
The Duke of Montrose 24 April 1707 Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Earl Graham
Coronet of a British Duke.svg
Coat of arms of the Duke of Roxburghe.svg
The Duke of Roxburghe 25 April 1707 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Earl Innes

Extant marquessates

ShieldTitleCreationOther Marquessate or higher titlesTitle used in the House of Lords prior to the Peerage Act 1963 Monarch
Coronet of a British Marquess.svg
Marquess of Huntly arms.svg
The Marquess of Huntly 17 April 1599 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron MeldrumKing James VI and I
Coronet of a British Marquess.svg
Arms of the Marquess of Queensberry.svg
The Marquess of Queensberry 11 February 1682 King Charles II
Coronet of a British Marquess.svg
Marquess of Tweeddale arms.svg
The Marquess of Tweeddale 17 December 1694 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Tweeddale King William III and II
Coronet of a British Marquess.svg
Ker.svg
The Marquess of Lothian 23 June 1701 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Ker of Kersehugh

Extant earldoms

ShieldTitleCreationOther Earldom or higher titlesTitle used in the House of Lords prior to the Peerage Act 1963 Monarch
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Earl of Sutherland (modern).svg
The Earl of Sutherland 1230 King Alexander II
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Lindsay (Earl Crawford).svg
The Earl of Crawford 21 April 1398 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Wigan King Robert II
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the Earl of Mar.svg
The Earl of Mar 1404 King Robert III
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Hay, Earl of Erroll.svg
The Earl of Erroll 12 June 1452 King James II
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the Earl of Caithness.svg
The Earl of Caithness 28 August 1455
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Leslie, Earl of Rothes.svg
The Earl of Rothes 20 March 1457
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the House Douglas of Morton.svg
The Earl of Morton 14 Mar 1458
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Buchan(Erskine) COA.svg
The Earl of Buchan 1469 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Erskine King James III
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Eglinton and Winton arms.svg
The Earl of Eglinton 3 January 1507 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Earl of Winton
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Ardrossan King James IV
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Blason Murdoch Stuart (1362-1425) Duc d'Albany.svg
The Earl of Moray 30 January 1562 Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Baron Stuart Queen Mary I
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Mar and Kellie arms.svg
The Earl of Mar 22 July 1565
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the House of Douglas-Home.svg
The Earl of Home 4 March 1605 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Douglas King James VI and I
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Perth arms.svg
The Earl of Perth 4 March 1605
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.svg
The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 10 July 1606 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Bowes
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Baillie-Hamilton, Earl of Haddington.svg
The Earl of Haddington 20 March 1619
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Mar and Kellie arms.svg
The Earl of Kellie 12 March 1619 Earl of Mar (1565) in the Peerage of Scotland.
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the House Stewart of Galloway.svg
The Earl of Galloway 19 September 1623 Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Baron Stewart of Garlies
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Lauderdale arms.svg
The Earl of Lauderdale 14 March 1624
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Earl of Lindsay (11th Earl).svg
The Earl of Lindsay 8 May 1633 King Charles I
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Loundoun (Abney-Hastings) COA.svg
The Earl of Loudoun 12 May 1633
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Hay-Drummond, Earl of Kinnoull.svg
The Earl of Kinnoull 25 May 1633 Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Baron Hay of Pedwardine
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Coats of Arms of the Bruce family (Earl of Elgin).svg
The Earl of Elgin 21 June 1633 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Elgin
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Charteris-Wemyss, Earls of Wemyss and March.svg
The Earl of Wemyss 25 June 1633 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Wemyss
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Dalhousie arms.svg
The Earl of Dalhousie 29 June 1633 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Ramsay
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the earl of Airlie.svg
The Earl of Airlie 2 April 1639
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Leven COA.svg
The Earl of Leven 11 October 1641
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Dysart COA.svg
The Earl of Dysart 3 August 1643
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of James Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Baron Selkirk of Douglas.svg
The Earl of Selkirk 4 August 1646
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
John Carnegie, 1st Earl of Northesk.svg
The Earl of Northesk 1 November 1647
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of the Earl of Southesk.svg
The Earl of Kincardine 26 December 1647 Earl of Elgin in the Peerage of Scotland.
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Lindsay (Earl Crawford).svg
The Earl of Balcarres 9 January 1651 Earl of Crawford in the Peerage of Scotland. King Charles II
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Scrymgeour arms.svg
The Earl of Dundee 8 September 1660 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Glassary
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Blason de la famille Rospigliosi.svg
The Earl of Newburgh 31 December 1660
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Johnstone.svg
The Earl of Annandale and Hartfell 23 April 1662
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Dundonald new.svg
The Earl of Dundonald 12 May 1669
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Kintore COA.svg
The Earl of Kintore 20 June 1677 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Viscount Stonehaven
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Stonehaven
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Dunmore COA.svg
The Earl of Dunmore 16 August 1686 King James VII and II
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Leven COA.svg
The Earl of Melville 8 April 1690 Earl of Leven in the Peerage of Scotland. King William II and III
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Orkney COA.svg
The Earl of Orkney 3 January 1696
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Charteris-Wemyss, Earls of Wemyss and March.svg
The Earl of March 20 April 1697 Earl of Wemyss in the Peerage of Scotland.
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Seafield arms.svg
The Earl of Seafield 24 June 1701
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of Stair COA.svg
The Earl of Stair 8 April 1703 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Oxenfoord Queen Anne
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Arms of Primrose, Earl of Rosebery.svg
The Earl of Rosebery 10 April 1703 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Earl of Midlothian
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Rosebery
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Earl of glasgow.svg
The Earl of Glasgow 12 April 1703 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Fairlie

Extant viscountcies

ShieldTitleCreationOther Viscountcy or higher titlesMonarch
Coronet of a British Viscount.svg
Arms of Philip Plantagenet Cary.svg
The Viscount Falkland 10 November 1620 King James VI and I
Coronet of a British Viscount.svg
Arms Viscount of Arbuthnott (shield).svg
The Viscount of Arbuthnott 16 November 1641 King Charles I
Coronet of a British Viscount.svg
Viscount of Oxfuird arms.svg
The Viscount of Oxfuird 19 April 1651 King Charles II

Extant Lords of Parliament

ShieldTitleCreationOther Lordship or higher titlesMonarch
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Lord Forbes arms.svg
The Lord Forbes 1442 King James III
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of the Lord Gray.svg
The Lord Gray 1445
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Coat of arms of Fraser of Cowie and Durris.svg
The Lord Saltoun 1445
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of Lord Sinclair.svg
The Lord Sinclair 1449
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Borthwick arms.svg
The Lord Borthwick 1452
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Fraser of lovat arms.svg
The Lord Lovat 1464 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Lovat King James III
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Lord Sempill arms.svg
The Lord Sempill 1488 King James IV
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of Fitzalan-Howard, Lord Herries of Terregles.svg
The Lord Herries 1490
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of the Lord Elphinstone.svg
The Lord Elphinstone 14 January 1510 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Elphinstone
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of the Lord Torphichen.svg
The Lord Torphichen 24 January 1564 Queen Mary I
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
The Lord Kinloss 2 February 1602 King James VI and I
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of Lord Balfour of Burleigh.svg
The Lord Balfour of Burleigh 16 July 1607
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
The Lord Dingwall 8 June 1609 Baron Lucas in the Peerage of England.
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Lord Napier arms.svg
The Lord Napier 4 May 1627 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Ettrick King Charles I
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Fairfax of Cameron arms.svg
The Lord Fairfax of Cameron 18 October 1627
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Lord Reay arms.svg
The Lord Reay 20 June 1628
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of Erskine-Murray, Lord Elibank.svg
The Lord Elibank 18 March 1643
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of Hamilton (Lord Belhaven and Stenton).svg
The Lord Belhaven and Stenton 15 December 1647
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Lord Rollo arms.svg
The Lord Rollo 10 January 1651 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Baron Dunning King Charles II
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Arms of the house of Hepburne-Scott, Lord Polwarth.svg
The Lord Polwarth 26 December 1690 King William II and III

See also

Related Research Articles

Peerages in the United Kingdom form a legal system comprising both hereditary and lifetime titles, composed of various ranks, and within the framework of the Constitution of the United Kingdom form a constituent part of the legislative process and the British honours system. The British monarch is considered the fount of honour and is notionally the only person who can grant peerages, though there are many conventions about how this power is used, especially at the request of the British government. The term peerage can be used both collectively to refer to the entire body of titled nobility, and individually to refer to a specific title. British peerage title holders are termed peers of the Realm.

The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisions of Peerages in the United Kingdom. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are duke, marquess, earl, viscount and baron. As of 2016, there were 135 titles in the Peerage of Ireland extant: two dukedoms, ten marquessates, 43 earldoms, 28 viscountcies, and 52 baronies. However, these titles have no official recognition in the Republic of Ireland, with Article 40.2 of the Constitution of Ireland forbidding the state conferring titles of nobility and stating that an Irish citizen may not accept titles of nobility or honour except with the prior approval of the Irish government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peerage Act 1963</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Peerage Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits women peeresses and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed.

The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in the United Kingdom in total.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquess of Huntly</span>

Marquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing marquessate in Scotland, and the second-oldest in the British Isles; only the English marquessate of Winchester is older. The Marquess holds the following subsidiary titles: Lord Gordon of Strathaven and Glenlivet and Earl of Aboyne, and Baron Meldrum, of Morven in the County of Aberdeen.

The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself replaced by the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1801.

The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain. New peers continued to be created in the Peerage of Ireland until 1898

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Shrewsbury</span> Title in the English peerage

Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the Peerage of England. The second earldom dates to 1442. The holder of the Earldom of Shrewsbury also holds the title of Earl of Waterford (1446) in the Peerage of Ireland and Earl Talbot (1784) in the Peerage of Great Britain. Shrewsbury and Waterford are the oldest earldoms in their peerages held by someone with no higher title, and as such the Earl of Shrewsbury is sometimes described as the premier earl of England and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Lords Act 1999</span> UK law removing hereditary peerage from the House of Lords

The House of Lords Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats ; the Act removed such a right. However, as part of a compromise, the Act did permit ninety-two hereditary peers to remain in the House. Another ten were created life peers to enable them to remain in the House.

<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 Stair</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland

Earl of Stair is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for the lawyer and statesman John Dalrymple, 2nd Viscount of Stair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Cathcart</span> Earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl Cathcart is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

The hereditary peers form part of the peerage in the United Kingdom. As of August 2023, there are 805 hereditary peers: 30 dukes, 34 marquesses, 189 earls, 110 viscounts, and 442 barons.

The history of the British peerage, a system of nobility found in the United Kingdom, stretches over the last thousand years. The current form of the British peerage has been a process of development. While the ranks of baron and earl predate the British peerage itself, the ranks of duke and marquess were introduced to England in the 14th century. The rank of viscount came later, in the mid-15th century. Peers were summoned to Parliament, forming the House of Lords.

The British peerage is governed by a body of law that has developed over several centuries. Much of this law has been established by a few important cases, and some of the more significant of these are addressed in this article.

In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the Dukedom of Edinburgh awarded for life to Prince Edward in 2023, all life peerages conferred since 2009 have been created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 with the rank of baron and entitle their holders to sit and vote in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as age and citizenship. The legitimate children of a life peer appointed under the Life Peerages Act 1958 are entitled to style themselves with the prefix "The Honourable", although they cannot inherit the peerage itself. Prior to 2009, life peers of baronial rank could also be so created under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 for senior judges.

The British nobility is made up of the peerage and the (landed) gentry. The nobility of its four constituent home nations has played a major role in shaping the history of the country, although the hereditary peerage now retain only the rights to stand for election to the House of Lords, dining rights there, position in the formal order of precedence, the right to certain titles, and the right to an audience with the monarch. More than a third of British land is in the hands of aristocrats and traditional landed gentry.

By-elections to the House of Lords occur when vacancies arise among seats assigned to hereditary peers due to death, resignation, or disqualification. Candidates for these by-elections are limited to holders of hereditary peerages, and their electorates are made up of sitting Lords; in most cases the electorate are those sitting hereditary peers of the same party affiliation as the departed peer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork</span> British hereditary peer and member of the House of Lords (born 1945)

John Richard Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork and 15th Earl of Orrery is a British hereditary peer and a member of the House of Lords, where he sits as a Crossbencher. Boyle was an officer in the Royal Navy and then had a career in the sugar industry before inheriting his titles in 2003.

References

  1. "Representative Peers of Scotland". The Scottish Review. 25: 357. 1895.
  2. "LEGITIMATION (SCOTLAND) BILL [H.L.]". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 5 December 1967.
  3. Lauderdale Peerage Claim, House of Lords, 1884–1885