Earl of Angus
Encyclopedia
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus
. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland
, is currently held by the Duke of Hamilton
.
doms, with the earliest attested Mormaer, Dubacan of Angus
, known to have lived in the early 10th century, as recorded in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
. Despite this, the Mormaers of Angus are among the most obscure of all. After the death of Mormaer Maol Chaluim, in probably about 1240, the Mormaerdom passed through his daughter to Gilbert de Umfraville.
Angus was, according to the doubtful and legendary text de Situ Albanie
, one of the seven original mormaerdoms of the Pict
ish kingdom of Alba
, said to have been occupied by seven brothers, of whom Angus (Oengus) was the eldest. The Gaelic male line ended with Matilda
(fl.
1240), countess of Angus in her own right, who married, in 1243, Gilbert de Umfraville.
, Berwickshire
, obtained the title Earl of Angus in a new line after the forfeiture of the de Umfraville line, though the latter family continued to use the title in England. This Stewart line ended with Margaret Stewart
, countess of Angus in her own right, and widow of Thomas, Earl of Mar
.
(married to the sister of her husband), Margaret Stewart, Countess of Mar and Angus, became the mother of George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
(c. 1380–1403), and secured a charter of her estates for her son, to whom in 1389 the title was granted by King Robert II
. He was taken prisoner at Homildon Hill in 1402, and died in captivity in England. Archibald "Bell-the-Cat"
(1453–1514) the powerful adversary of James III
, was his great-grandson.
William Douglas (1589–1660) 11th Earl of Angus, was created Marquis of Douglas in 1633. He resigned the title of Earl of Angus, having it recreated with the marquessate, so he was the 1st Earl of Angus in the new creation. He outlived his son Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus (c.1609–1655) and was succeeded by Archibald's son James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas (1646–1699). James' son and heir Archibald Douglas was created Duke of Douglas, Marquess of Angus and Abernethy, Viscount of Jedburgh Forest, and Lord Douglas of Bonkill, Prestoun and Robertoun on 10 April 1703. He died without leaving an heir and the titles acquired with the dukedom became extinct. All his other titles devolved to his distant cousin the 7th Duke of Hamilton, whose descendents hold them still.
used by the eldest son of the Marquis of Douglas)
For later Earls of Angus and Marquises of Douglas, see Duke of Hamilton
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
, is currently held by the Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...
.
Mormaers
Angus is one of the oldest attested MormaerMormaer
The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a toisech.-Origin:...
doms, with the earliest attested Mormaer, Dubacan of Angus
Dubacan of Angus
Dubacan of Angus is usually regarded as one of the earliest attested Mormaers. He is mentioned as Dubucan filius Indrechtaig mormair Oengusa in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, and it is told that he died along with his lord, Amlaib, son of Caustantín II at the Battle of Brunanburh Dubacan of...
, known to have lived in the early 10th century, as recorded in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, or Scottish Chronicle, is a short written chronicle of the Kings of Alba, covering the period from the time of Kenneth MacAlpin until the reign of Kenneth II . W.F...
. Despite this, the Mormaers of Angus are among the most obscure of all. After the death of Mormaer Maol Chaluim, in probably about 1240, the Mormaerdom passed through his daughter to Gilbert de Umfraville.
Angus was, according to the doubtful and legendary text de Situ Albanie
De Situ Albanie
De Situ Albanie is the name given to the first of seven Scottish documents found in the so-called Poppleton Manuscript, now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris...
, one of the seven original mormaerdoms of the Pict
PICT
PICT is a graphics file format introduced on the original Apple Macintosh computer as its standard metafile format. It allows the interchange of graphics , and some limited text support, between Mac applications, and was the native graphics format of QuickDraw.The original version, PICT 1, was...
ish kingdom of Alba
Kingdom of Alba
The name Kingdom of Alba pertains to the Kingdom of Scotland between the deaths of Donald II in 900, and of Alexander III in 1286 which then led indirectly to the Scottish Wars of Independence...
, said to have been occupied by seven brothers, of whom Angus (Oengus) was the eldest. The Gaelic male line ended with Matilda
Matilda, Countess of Angus
Matilda of Angus was the daughter of Maol Choluim, Earl or Mormaer of Angus and as his heiress was countess of the province in her own right.She was first married to John Comyn, but his early death in France in 1242 meant that a new husband was needed to control the dispersed Earldom. The man...
(fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1240), countess of Angus in her own right, who married, in 1243, Gilbert de Umfraville.
Stewart earls
John Stewart of BonkyllJohn Stewart, 1st Earl of Angus
Sir John Stewart, 1st Earl of Angus & suo jure uxoris Lord of Abernethy was a medieval Scottish nobleman.Stewart was the son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Bonkyll, grandson of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland and an unknown mother. Sir Alexander died c...
, Berwickshire
Berwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
, obtained the title Earl of Angus in a new line after the forfeiture of the de Umfraville line, though the latter family continued to use the title in England. This Stewart line ended with Margaret Stewart
Margaret Stewart, 4th Countess of Angus
Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus and Mar was Countess of Angus and Lady Abernethy in her own right. Her father was Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus....
, countess of Angus in her own right, and widow of Thomas, Earl of Mar
Thomas, Earl of Mar
Thomas of Mar was a 14th century Mormaer of Mar . He was a son of Domhnall II of Mar.Thomas became Earl of Mar whilst still a child living in the Kingdom of England, and it took several years for Thomas to return to the Kingdom of Scotland and take charge of his inheritance...
.
Douglas earls
As a result of an illicit affair with her brother in law, William Douglas, 1st Earl of DouglasWilliam Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas was a Scottish magnate.-Early Life:William Douglas was the son of Sir Archibald Douglas and Beatrice Lindsay, and nephew of "Sir James the Good", Robert the Bruce's trusted deputy...
(married to the sister of her husband), Margaret Stewart, Countess of Mar and Angus, became the mother of George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus was born at Tantallon Castle, East Lothian, Scotland. The bastard son of William, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus and Lady Abernethy in her own right....
(c. 1380–1403), and secured a charter of her estates for her son, to whom in 1389 the title was granted by King Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
. He was taken prisoner at Homildon Hill in 1402, and died in captivity in England. Archibald "Bell-the-Cat"
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus , was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He became known as "Bell the Cat"...
(1453–1514) the powerful adversary of James III
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
, was his great-grandson.
William Douglas (1589–1660) 11th Earl of Angus, was created Marquis of Douglas in 1633. He resigned the title of Earl of Angus, having it recreated with the marquessate, so he was the 1st Earl of Angus in the new creation. He outlived his son Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus (c.1609–1655) and was succeeded by Archibald's son James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas (1646–1699). James' son and heir Archibald Douglas was created Duke of Douglas, Marquess of Angus and Abernethy, Viscount of Jedburgh Forest, and Lord Douglas of Bonkill, Prestoun and Robertoun on 10 April 1703. He died without leaving an heir and the titles acquired with the dukedom became extinct. All his other titles devolved to his distant cousin the 7th Duke of Hamilton, whose descendents hold them still.
Mormaers/early Earls of Angus
- ?
- Indrechtach?, fl. early 10th century
- DubacanDubacan of AngusDubacan of Angus is usually regarded as one of the earliest attested Mormaers. He is mentioned as Dubucan filius Indrechtaig mormair Oengusa in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, and it is told that he died along with his lord, Amlaib, son of Caustantín II at the Battle of Brunanburh Dubacan of...
, d. 937 - ?
- CuncarCuncar of AngusCuncar of Angus was Mormaer of Angus somewhere in the mid or later 10th century, which makes it quite possible that he was the successor of Dubacan. One divergent source calls him thanus , but otherwise he is comes...
, fl. mid-10th century - ?
- Gille BrigteGille Brigte, Earl of AngusGille Brigte of Angus is one of the earliest attested Mormaers of Angus. He was possibly a descendant of Dubacan of Angus.Gille Brigte is recorded as a witness to a charter dating to 1150. He probably fathered both Adam and Gille Críst...
, fl. 1150 - AdamAdam, Earl of AngusAdam , ruled from sometime prior to 1189 as Mormaer of Angus. Almost nothing is known of him, but it is fairly certain that he was the son of Gille Brigte, the previous Mormaer. He died young and was succeeded by his younger brother Gille Críst.-Bibliography:* Roberts, John L., Lost Kingdoms: Celtic...
, fl. 1189
- Gille CrístGille Críst, Earl of AngusGilla Críst of Angus, ruled until 1206 as Mormaer of Angus. He was a son of Gille Brigte of Angus and younger brother of Adam of Angus.Almost nothing is known of him, except that he married Marjorie of Huntingdon, the daughter of Henry, Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne, and that he was...
, ?–1206 - DonnchadhDonnchadh, Earl of AngusDonnchadh of Angus, ruled from 1206 until 1214 as Mormaer of Angus. Little is known about his life, but seems to have been dead by 1214.-Bibliography:* Roberts, John L., Lost Kingdoms: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages, , pp. 53-4...
, 1206–1214 - Maol CholuimMaol Choluim, Earl of AngusMáel Coluim, Earl of Angus, ruled roughly 1214–1240, was mormaer of Angus, and the last of his family in the male line with title over that province.He married Mary, daughter and heiress of Humphrey de Berkeley...
, 1214–1240 - MatildaMatilda, Countess of AngusMatilda of Angus was the daughter of Maol Choluim, Earl or Mormaer of Angus and as his heiress was countess of the province in her own right.She was first married to John Comyn, but his early death in France in 1242 meant that a new husband was needed to control the dispersed Earldom. The man...
(or Maud)- m. Gilbert de Umfraville, jure uxoris Earl of Angus
- Gilbert de Umfraville, Earl of Angus (Earl: 1246–1307)
- Robert de Umfraville, Earl of AngusRobert de Umfraville, Earl of AngusRobert de Umfraville, 8th Earl of Angus was an Anglo-Norman baron in Northumberland and the eighth Earl of Angus. He was the second son of Gilbert de Umfraville and Elizabeth Comyn, daughter of Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan....
(Earl: 1307–c. 1314 (forfeit); d. 1325)- Gilbert de Umfraville (d. 1381)
Earls of Angus, Stewart line (1329)
- John Stewart, 1st Earl of AngusJohn Stewart, 1st Earl of AngusSir John Stewart, 1st Earl of Angus & suo jure uxoris Lord of Abernethy was a medieval Scottish nobleman.Stewart was the son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Bonkyll, grandson of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland and an unknown mother. Sir Alexander died c...
(d. 1331) - Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of AngusThomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of AngusThomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus was a medieval Scottish nobleman.He was the son of John Stewart of Bonkyll and Margaret de Abernethy. Stewart was an infant when his father died and inherited his estates and titles in Berwickshire, Abernethy and Angus.In 1353 he married Margaret Sinclair, a...
(d. 1361) - Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus and Mar (d. 1417) (resigned earldom in 1389)
- Thomas, Earl of MarThomas, Earl of MarThomas of Mar was a 14th century Mormaer of Mar . He was a son of Domhnall II of Mar.Thomas became Earl of Mar whilst still a child living in the Kingdom of England, and it took several years for Thomas to return to the Kingdom of Scotland and take charge of his inheritance...
suo jure uxoris Earl of Angus (d. 1374)
Earls of Angus, Douglas line (1389)
- George Douglas, 1st Earl of AngusGeorge Douglas, 1st Earl of AngusGeorge Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus was born at Tantallon Castle, East Lothian, Scotland. The bastard son of William, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus and Lady Abernethy in her own right....
(1378–1402) - William Douglas, 2nd Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 2nd Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman and soldier. The son of George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus and Princess Mary of Scotland, he was a grandson of King Robert III....
(c. 1398–1437) - James Douglas, 3rd Earl of AngusJames Douglas, 3rd Earl of AngusJames Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus, Lord of Liddesdale and Jedburgh Forest was a Scottish Nobleman. He was the son of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus and Margaret Hay of Yester....
(b. 1428–1446) - George Douglas, 4th Earl of AngusGeorge Douglas, 4th Earl of AngusGeorge Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, Lord Douglas, Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest was a Scottish Nobleman. He was the son of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus and Margaret Hay of Yester. Known as the Great Earl of Angus, he succeeded to the Earldom following the death of his childless brother James...
(b. 1429–1462) - Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus , was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He became known as "Bell the Cat"...
(1453–1514)- George Douglas, Master of AngusGeorge Douglas, Master of AngusGeorge Douglas, Master of Angus was a Scottish Nobleman. The son of Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus and Elizabeth Boyd, daughter of Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd, he was born at Tantallon Castle and died at the Battle of Flodden....
(1469–1513)
- George Douglas, Master of Angus
- Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 6th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots...
(1490–1557) - David Douglas, 7th Earl of AngusDavid Douglas, 7th Earl of AngusDavid Douglas, 7th Earl of Angus was the son of George Douglas of Pittendreich and Elizabeth Douglas of the Pittendriech family.David married Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of John Hamilton of Samuelston, sometimes called 'Clydesdale John,' who was a brother of Regent Arran...
(c. 1515–1558) - Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 8th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus and 5th Earl of Morton was the son of David, 7th earl. He succeeded to the title and estates in 1558, being brought up by his uncle, James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, a Presbyterian....
(1556–1588) - William Douglas, 9th Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 9th Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman and zealous supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots.He was the eldest son of Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, Knt., by his spouse Agnes, daughter of William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal, and upon the death of Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of...
(1533–1591) - William Douglas, 10th Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 10th Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus was the son of William, the 9th Earl . He was a direct descendant of King James I through his paternal grandmother, Lady Agnes Keith, a daughter of William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal....
(1552–1611) - William Douglas, 11th Earl of AngusWilliam Douglas, 1st Marquess of DouglasWilliam Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and 11th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman.-Master of Angus:William Douglas, Master of Angus was the eldest son of William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus and his Countess, Elizabeth Oliphant, eldest daughter of Laurence Oliphant, 4th Lord Oliphant...
(1590–1660), (created Marquess of Douglas in 1633, when he resigned the earldom, which was regranted with the marquessate)
Marquises of Douglas (1633)
(after 1633 the Earldom of Angus became a courtesy titleCourtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
used by the eldest son of the Marquis of Douglas)
- William Douglas, 1st Marquis of Douglas (1590–1660)
- James Douglas, 2nd Marquis of Douglas (1646–1700)
- James Douglas, Earl of AngusJames Douglas, Earl of AngusJames Douglas, Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman and soldier.He was born at Douglas Castle, Douglas, South Lanarkshire...
(1671–1692)
- James Douglas, Earl of Angus
- Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of DouglasArchibald Douglas, 1st Duke of DouglasArchibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas was a Scottish nobleman.He was the second son of James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas, by his second marriage...
(1694–1761) (created Duke of Douglas in 1703) (dukedom extinct on his death, earldom and marquessate inherited by James Douglas-Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton)
For later Earls of Angus and Marquises of Douglas, see Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...