Lord Lovat

Last updated

Lord Lovat
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Fraser of lovat arms.svg
Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Azure three fraises Argent; 2nd & 3rd: Argent three antique crowns Gules.
Creation date1458
Created by James III
Peerage Peerage of Scotland
First holder Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat
Present holder Simon Fraser, 16th Lord Lovat
Heir presumptiveHon. Jack Fraser, Master of Lovat
Subsidiary titlesBaron Lovat
Seat(s)Beaufort Lodge
Balblair House [1]
Former seat(s) Beaufort Castle
MottoJe suis prest
(I am ready)
Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat - Project Gutenberg eText transparent.png
Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat. Engraving c. 1715 Jacobite broadside - Engraving of Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat (c. 1667-1747).jpg
Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat. Engraving c. 1715

Lord Lovat (Scottish Gaelic : Mac Shimidh) [2] is a title of the rank Lord of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1458 for Hugh Fraser by summoning him to the Scottish Parliament as Lord Fraser of Lovat, although the holder is referred to simply as Lord Lovat. It was a separate title from the Scottish feudal lordship of Lovat, already held by the highland Frasers. In 1837 they were created a third title, Baron Lovat, of Lovat in the County of Inverness, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The holder is separately and independently the Chief of the highland Clan Fraser of Lovat.

Contents

The first Lord Lovat was one of the hostages for James I of Scotland on his return to Scotland in 1424, and in 1431 he was appointed high sheriff of the county of Inverness. The second Lord Lovat, Thomas, held the office of Justiciary of the North in the reign of James IV of Scotland, and died 21 October 1524.

The title descended in a direct line for nine sequential generations from 1458 until the death of the ninth Lord in 1696. He was succeeded by his great-uncle, the tenth Lord. In 1697 the latter's son, Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, known as Simon "the Fox", kidnapped and forcibly married the late ninth Lord's widow, the former Lady Amelia Murray, only daughter of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl. Lady Lovat's powerful family, the Murrays, were angered, and prosecuted Fraser, who fled the country. Fraser was convicted in absentia, attainted, and sentenced to death. Fraser supported the Government against the Jacobite rising of 1715 and was rewarded by being pardoned for his crimes. In 1730, he won litigation to confirm his title of Lord Lovat. In 1745 Lord Lovat participated in the Jacobite rising of 1745 (the ‘45) against the Crown and was sentenced to death. He was beheaded on 9 April 1747, aged 80, on Tower Hill in London, the last man to be executed in this manner. His titles were forfeit. Fraser had been created Duke of Fraser, Marquess of Beaufort, Earl of Stratherrick and Upper Tarf, Viscount of the Aird and Strathglass and Lord Lovat and Beaulieu in the Jacobite Peerage of Scotland by James Francis Edward Stuart (titular King James III of England and VIII of Scotland) in 1740.

His eldest son and namesake General Simon Fraser of Lovat became a general in the British Army. He obtained a full pardon but was not restored to the title. His younger brother Archibald Campbell Fraser was a colonel in the Army and would have succeeded but for the attainder. On his death in 1815 the title was claimed by his kinsman Thomas Fraser, a descendant of Thomas Fraser, second son of the fourth Lord. In 1837 he was created Baron Lovat, of Lovat in the County of Inverness, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The attainder of the eleventh Lord was reversed in 1854, and Thomas Fraser became the twelfth Lord Lovat. He was succeeded by his son, the thirteenth Lord, who served as Lord Lieutenant of Inverness. His eldest son, the fourteenth Lord, was a soldier and politician and notably held office as Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs from 1926 to 1927. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the fifteenth Lord. He was a prominent soldier and distinguished himself during the Second World War. As of 2017 the titles are held by his grandson, the sixteenth Lord, who succeeded in 1994.

The Conservative politician Sir Hugh Fraser was the younger son of the fourteenth Lord. Another member of the family was Sir Ian Fraser, Chairman of Rolls-Royce Motors. He was the son of Hon. Alastair Thomas Joseph Fraser, younger son of the thirteenth Lord.

The family seats are Beaufort Lodge and Balblair House, near Beauly, Inverness-shire.

Clan Fraser of Lovat

The Lordship of Lovat has for some time been linked to the Chiefship of Clan Fraser of Lovat. The former family seat was Beaufort Castle in northern Scotland. The numbering of the Scottish Lordship used by Clan Fraser of Lovat differs from the legal numbering in that it ignores the attainder of 1747–1854, with the result that the 16th Lord is termed by them "18th Lord Lovat". [3] [4] [5]

Fraser lands are shown in blue. Beaufort Castle and Lovat are to the left of the V/Inverness of the Fraser Lands. This map is accurate to the acts of parliament 1587 & 1594. Click to enlarge. Fraser lands 1587.JPG
Fraser lands are shown in blue. Beaufort Castle and Lovat are to the left of the V/Inverness of the Fraser Lands. This map is accurate to the acts of parliament 1587 & 1594. Click to enlarge.

Lairds of Lovat

According to John Anderson and Alexander Mackenzie

19th century historians John Anderson, writing in 1825, and Alexander Mackenzie, writing in 1896, list the Lairds of Lovat as follows, [6] [7] but this is different to modern research as given by the Clan Fraser of Lovat organization. [8]

According to James Balfour Paul

James Balfour Paul writing in 1908 in his The Scots Peerage gives the following Fraser Lairds of Lovat before the family succeeded as Lords Lovat: [9]

According to the modern Clan Fraser of Lovat

The modern Clan Fraser of Lovat records the Lairds of Lovat as follows: [8]

Lords Fraser of Lovat (1458); Barons Lovat of Lovat (1837)

Mackenzie also records the names of the subsequent Lords Lovat differently, [7] when compared to the accepted modern version given below. [8] Anderson lists the same lineage as given below, but his designation of which sons actually succeeded to the title of the Lordship is different, [6] when compared to the accepted modern version given below. [8] Bernard Burke, in his 1869 A Genealogical And Heraldic Dictionary of The Peerage And Baronetage of The British Empire, lists the first two Lords as Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat and Hugh Fraser, 2nd Lord Lovat with Hugh Fraser, 3rd Lord Lovat, [10] being the same person listed as Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat in the accepted modern version given below. [8] [9] The Clan Fraser of Lovat organization also recognises the two sons of the 11th Lord Lovat, Simon and Archibald, as the 12th and 13th Lords Lovat respectively, ignoring the attainder for the 11th Lord having supported the Jacobite rising of 1745 and therefore they recognize the current 16th Lord Lovat as the 18th Lord Lovat. [8] The following is also in accordance with James Balfour Paul's 1908 volume 5 of The Scots Peerage which lists the aforementioned Simon and Archibald as the "de jure" 12th and 13th Lords Lovat before reverting to Thomas Alexander Fraser, 12th Lord Lovat proper who was from the Fraser of Strichen cadet branch. [9]

The heir presumptive is the present holder's brother Hon. Jack Hugh Fraser, Master of Lovat (b. 1984)

Arms

Coat of arms of Lord Lovat
Fraster of Lovat Achievement.svg
Adopted
c. 1253
Crest
Issuant from a ducal coronet Or, a stag's head erased;
Torse
Mantling gules and ermine, for a peer of the UK
Helm
Upon a coronet of a baron of the UK/Lord of Parliament of Scotland Proper, the helm of a nobleman argent with bars or.
Escutcheon
Blazon: Quarterly 1st & 4th Azure three fraises Argent 2nd & 3rd Argent three antique crowns Gules.
Supporters
two stags;
Motto
JE SUIS PREST
Badge
Clan member crest badge - Clan Fraser of lovat.svg Clan member crest badge - Clan Fraser of lovat.svg
Symbolism

  • "Strawberry" in French is fraise (feminine), and its pronunciation is close to that of Fraser. The strawberry plant, used in the coat of arms of the Fraser Clan of the Scottish Lowlands as well as in the Frasers of Lovat in the Highlands, is called a fraisier.
  • The Fraser motto, "Je suis prest" uses an ancient spelling. In modern French spelling, the "s" has disappeared and a circumflex is on top of the "e" ("je suis prêt").


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat</span> Scottish Jacobite and Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat (1667–1747)

Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, nicknamed the Fox, was a Scottish Jacobite and Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat, known for his feuding and changes of allegiance. In 1715, he had been a supporter of the House of Hanover, but in 1745 he changed sides and supported the Stuart claim on the crown of Great Britain. Lovat was among the Highlanders defeated at the Battle of Culloden and convicted of treason against the Crown, following which he was sentenced to death and subsequently beheaded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat</span> Scottish nobleman

Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, 4th Baron Lovat, was a prominent British Commando during the Second World War and the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat. Known familiarly as Shimi Lovat, an anglicised version of his name in Scottish Gaelic; his clan referred to him as MacShimidh, his Gaelic patronym. During Operation Overlord, he led the Special Service Brigade at Sword Beach and to successfully capture Pegasus Bridge, famously accompanied by his piper, Bill Millin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan MacDonell of Glengarry</span> Scottish clan

Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry is a Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from Glen Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles (25 km) north of Fort William, Highland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Fraser of Lovat</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Fraser of Lovat is a Highland Scottish clan and the principal branch of Clan Fraser. The Frasers of Lovat are strongly associated with Inverness and the surrounding area since the Clan's founder gained lands there in the 13th century. Both the Clan Fraser and the Clan Fraser of Lovat have their own separate clan chiefs who are recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms under Scottish law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Rose</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Rose is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat</span> Scottish nobleman

Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat and 2nd Baron Lovat was a Scottish nobleman and soldier. He was responsible for overseeing the reconstruction of Beaufort Castle, and was the 22nd Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraser of Strichen</span>

The Frasers of Strichen are a branch of the highland Clan Fraser of Lovat, which assumed the chiefship of the clan in the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaufort Castle, Scotland</span> Baronial style mansion built in 1880 and incorporating older building work

Beaufort Castle or Castle Dounie is a Baronial style mansion built in 1880 and incorporating older building work. It is situated on the right bank of the River Beauly near the town of Beauly in Inverness-shire and is 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Kiltarlity and 13 mi (21 km) west of Inverness. There has been a castle on the site since the 12th century. Beaufort is the traditional seat of the Lords Lovat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archibald Campbell Fraser of Lovat</span> British consul at Tripoli and Algiers

Archibald Campbell Fraserof Lovat, was British consul at Tripoli and Algiers, and later colonel of the 1st Inverness local militia. Upon the death of his brother, Simon Fraser (1726–1782), Archibald became the 20th MacShimidh (chief) of Clan Fraser of Lovat, and sat in the House of Commons from 1782 to 1784.

The following is a list of the chiefs of the Clan Fraser of Lovat, in chronological order. The Chiefs of Clan Fraser often use the Gaelic patronym MacShimidh, meaning Son of Simon. Simon is the favoured family name for the Chiefs of Clan Fraser. They are often numbered 1st MacShimidh, 2nd MacShimidh, 3rd MacShimidh, etc. There is some debate on where exactly the numbering should start, as Fraser ties to Lovat land go back at least as far as 1253. The line does not necessarily represent a direct line of descent, though most Chiefs took on their responsibility upon the death of their father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Fraser of Lovat</span> Scottish general in the British Army

Simon Fraser of Lovat was a son of a notorious Jacobite clan chief, but he went on to serve with distinction in the British army. He also raised forces which served in the Seven Years' War against the French in Quebec, as well as the American War of Independence. Simon was the 19th Chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat.

Thomas Alexander Fraser, 12th Lord Lovat and 1st Baron Lovat, KT was a Scottish nobleman. He was the 21st Chief MacShimidh of the Clan Fraser of Lovat, succeeding the notorious Jacobite Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat.

Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis, and 18th chief of the Clan Munro was a 16th-century Scottish chief. He was known as Robert Mor on account of his large stature. He was the eldest son of Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis. Although this Robert Munro is traditionally 15th Baron and 18th overall chief of the clan, he is only the 8th Munro chief that can be proved by contemporary evidence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Munro</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Munro is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically the clan was based in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional origins of the clan give its founder as Donald Munro who came from the north of Ireland and settled in Scotland in the eleventh century, though its true founder may have lived much later. It is also a strong tradition that the Munro chiefs supported Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The first proven clan chief on record however is Robert de Munro who died in 1369; his father is mentioned but not named in a number of charters. The clan chiefs originally held land principally at Findon on the Black Isle but exchanged it in 1350 for Estirfowlys. Robert's son Hugh who died in 1425 was the first of the family to be styled "of Foulis", despite which clan genealogies describe him as 9th baron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Inverness (1715)</span>

The siege of Inverness that took place in November 1715 was part of the Jacobite rising of 1715. The town of Inverness and Inverness Castle were being held by the Clan Mackenzie, led by Sir John Mackenzie of Coul who supported the rebel Jacobite cause. Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat besieged them, supported by men of the Clan Rose and Clan Forbes.

Major James Fraser of Castle Leathers was a Scottish soldier who supported the British-Hanoverian Government during the Jacobite risings of the 18th-century and was an important member of the Clan Fraser of Lovat, a clan of the Scottish Highlands. He is also known for his quarrels with his clan chief, Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat who switched sides several times during the Jacobite risings.

Simon Fraser, 6th Lord Lovat (1570–1633) was a Scottish courtier and landowner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand-off dispute to the lands of Beauly Priory</span>

The dispute over the lands of Beauly Priory took place in about 1577-78 in Beauly, Inverness-shire, Scottish Highlands. It was contested between Colin Cam Mackenzie, 11th of Kintail, chief of Clan Mackenzie and Thomas Fraser of Knockie who was the tutor to the young Simon Fraser, 6th Lord Lovat, chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat. Fraser was supported by Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis.

Simon Fraser, 1st Laird of Lovat was the ancestor and first chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat which is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. He was killed in 1333 at the Battle of Halidon Hill during the Second War of Scottish Independence.

References

  1. ↑ "Balblair House, Beauly". Britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Mac an Tàilleir, Iain. "Ainmean Pearsanta" (docx). Sabhal Mòr Ostaig . Retrieved 15 October 2009.
  3. ↑ "Clan, Fraser, Frasier, Frazer, Frazier, Simpson, Simon, Inverness, Lovat, Scotland, Beauly, Highland, Tweed". Fraserclan-cal.net. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "LOVAT". Thefrasers.com. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "HISTORY OF THE FRASERS IN CANADA – Clan Fraser Society of Canada". Clanfraser.ca. 19 August 1997. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  6. 1 2 Anderson, John (1825). Historical Account of The Family of Frisel or Fraser, Particularly Fraser of Lovat. Edinburgh and Strand, London: William Blackwood and Thomas Cadell . Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  7. 1 2 Mackenzie, Alexander (1896). History of the Frasers of Lovat With Genealogies of The Principal Families of The Name. Inverness: A. & W. Mackenzie. pp.  Contents, 32, 33, 38, 44, 47. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Clan Fraser in Scottish History" (PDF). clanfraser.org. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 Paul, James Balfour (1908). "Fraser, Lord Fraser of Lovat". The Scots Peerage; Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; Containing an Historical And Genealogical Account of The Nobility of That Kingdom. Vol. V. Edinburgh: David Douglas. pp.  518-548. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  10. ↑ Burke, Bernard (1869). A Genealogical And Heraldic Dictionary of The Peerage And Baronetage of The British Empire. 59 Pall Mall, London: Harrison. p.  712 . Retrieved 19 February 2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.