Earl of Moray
Encyclopedia
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The title Earl of Moray has been created several times 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...
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Prior to the formal establishment of the peerage, Earl of Moray, numerous individuals ruled the kingdom of Moray or Mormaer of Moray
Mormaer of Moray
The Mormaerdom or Kingdom of Moray was a lordship in High Medieval Scotland that was destroyed by King David I of Scotland in 1130. It did not have the same territory as the modern local government council area of Moray, which is a much smaller area, around Elgin...
until 1130 when the kingdom was destroyed by David I of Scotland
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
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History of the Earldom of Moray
For the history of the earlier kingdom of Moray, see article: Mormaer of MorayMormaer of Moray
The Mormaerdom or Kingdom of Moray was a lordship in High Medieval Scotland that was destroyed by King David I of Scotland in 1130. It did not have the same territory as the modern local government council area of Moray, which is a much smaller area, around Elgin...
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The province of Moray's importance as part of the kingdom of Scotland was demonstrated during the years of major warfare between 1296 and 1340. The province was relatively untouched by direct fighting and Royal-led English armies penetrated Moray on only three occasions in 1296, 1303 and 1335, and significant English occupation occurred only in 1296–97. This security meant that it was a vital refuge and recruitment ground for the Scottish guardians between 1297 and 1303, and provided Robert I of Scotland
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
with a base and allies during his northern campaign against the Comyns and their allies in 1307–08. The province was forced to submit to Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1303 and Robert I of Scotland therefore clearly recognized the significance of Moray for the security of his realm. In 1312 Robert I re-established the Earldom of Moray for his nephew, Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray. The new earldom included all of the old province and the crown lands of the Laich or coastal area of Moray.
Thomas's son John Randolph was killed in 1346, leaving no heir and the other noble families including the Comyns, Strathbogies and Morays had all disappeared from or left the province by between 1300 and 1350. With the absence of noble leaders, power fell to lesser figures who functioned in kin-based groups such as the Clan Donnachaidh of Atholl and the Chattan Confederation
Chattan Confederation
Clan Chattan or the Chattan Confederation is a confederation of 16 Scottish clans who joined for mutual defence or blood bonds. Its leader was the chief of Clan Mackintosh.-Origins:The origin of the name Chattan is disputed...
which centred on Badenoch. This drew in lords and men from outside of the province, from further south such as the Dunbars
Clan Dunbar
-Origins of the Clan:The Clan Dunbar descends from Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria, grandson of Crínán of Dunkeld and Seneschal of the Isles and nephew to King Duncan I of Scotland, who became Earl of Northumberland after his father’s death. William the Conqueror deprived Gospatric of the title in...
and Stewarts who staked their claims. In 1372, the Earldom of Moray was divided between them with John Dunbar receiving the coastal districts and Alexander Stewart, favourite son of Robert II of Scotland
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...
being made lord of Badenoch in the uplands.
The division of Moray led to local conflict which was exacerbated by the activities of local kindreds and the eastward spread of the Gaelic superpower, the Lord of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
. The activities of the islesmen and kindreds in the service of Alexander Stewart made Moray the area of greatest conflict between the revived power of Gaelic Scotland and the structured society under the crown established during the previous centuries. Churchmen and burgesses made repeated complaints about the attacks of raiding cateran
Cateran
The term cateran historically referred to a band of fighting men of a Scotland Highland clan; hence the term applied to the Highland, and later to any, marauders or cattle-lifters....
s, the most notable being the burning of Elgin Cathedral
Elgin Cathedral
Elgin Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, sometimes referred to as The Lantern of the North is a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, north-east Scotland. It was established in 1224 on an area of ground granted by Alexander II that was close to the River Lossie and outside of the burgh of...
by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch, in a dispute with the Bishop of Moray.
Scotland's rulers were slow to react to the problems in the earldom of Moray. Their response was largely indirect and the governor, Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, campaigned in the region in 1405 and 1411. James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
did the same in 1428 and 1429. They preferred to rely on a Lieutenant, Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar
Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar
-Biography:He was an illegitimate son of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan and probably Mairead inghean Eachann.Alexander held the Earldom of Mar and the Lordship of the Garioch in right of his first wife Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar . Alexander's marriage to Isabella followed his capture of...
, the son of the Wolf of Badenoch. When the Earl of Mar
Earl of Mar
The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
died in 1435, a power vacuum allowed the Lords of the Isles to dominate Moray from the 1430s to the 1450s. The crown's earldom was restricted to the coastal areas of Moray and was held by lords whose resources lay elsewhere. The last of these once-loyal lords were the Clan Douglas
Clan Douglas
Clan Douglas is an ancient Scottish kindred from the Scottish Lowlands taking its name from Douglas, South Lanarkshire, and thence spreading through the Scottish Borderland, Angus, Lothian and beyond. The clan does not currently have a chief, therefore it is considered an armigerous clan.The...
, Earls of Douglas
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland...
who were forfeited in 1455, after the Battle of Arkinholm
Battle of Arkinholm
The Battle of Arkinholm was fought on May 1, 1455, at Arkinholm near Langholm in Scotland, during the reign of King James II of Scotland.Although a small action, involving only a few hundred troops, it was the decisive battle in a civil war between the king and the Black Douglases, the most...
against the king and a new power emerged in the province. The Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
, Earls of Huntly secured Badenoch in 1452 and occupied Moray three years later. The crown refused to allow the Gordons the provincial dominance of the Randolphs, but they remained chief lords of the area from the 15th century onwards, but under the possession of the crown royal line.
The earldom eventually descended to Elizabeth Stewart, 7th Countess of Moray, whose husband was also recognised as Earl. However, when her husband, James, was killed in battle against the Sovereign
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
in 1455, his title was attained
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
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The next grant was made to James Stewart
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (1501 creation)
James Stewart, Earl of Moray was the illegitimate son of James IV of Scotland and his mistress Janet Kennedy. He was created Earl of Moray in 1501, and was young enough to avoid fighting at the disastrous Battle of Flodden Field in 1513. He went on to have a varied relationship with his...
, the son of King James IV
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
. He, however, died without children, and the title became extinct. The title was next given to George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estates in 1524 at age 10...
. Gordon fell out of royal favour, and in 1462, he was killed and his title forfeited.
The most recent creation was in favour of another James Stewart
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray
James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray , a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V, was Regent of Scotland for his nephew, the infant King James VI of Scotland, from 1567 until his assassination in 1570...
, the illegitimate son of King James V
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
. Other Scottish titles associated with this creation are: Lord Abernethy and Strathearn (created 1562), Lord Doune (1581) and Lord St Colme (1611). Furthermore, Lord Moray holds the title Baron Stuart (1796), of Castle Stuart in the County of Inverness; since it is in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
, it entitled the Earls of Moray to sit in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
until the passage of the Peerage Act 1963
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 is the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permitted peeresses in their own right and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, and which allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be "disclaimed".-Background:The Act resulted largely from the...
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Perhaps the most well-known Earl of Moray was James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray
James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray
James Stewart , 2nd Earl of Moray was a Scottish nobleman, the son of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune. The 2nd Earl was murdered by George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, as the culmination of a vendetta...
, the husband of Elizabeth Stewart, 2nd Countess of Moray
Elizabeth Stuart, 2nd Countess of Moray
Elizabeth Stuart, 2nd Countess of Moray suo jure , was the daughter of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray and Agnes Keith.On 23 January 1581, she married James Stewart, son of the first Lord Doune, and they had five children:...
, who held the earldom jure uxoris (by right of his wife), as he was the subject of a famous ballad, "The Bonny Earl O'Moray". He was also a direct male-line descendant of 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...
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The family seat is Doune Lodge, near Doune
Doune
Doune is a burgh in the district of Stirling, Scotland, on the River Teith. Doune's postal address places the town in Perthshire, although geographically it lies within the District of Stirling, and administratively Doune is under the control of Stirling Council...
, Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
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Mormaers of Moray
- Findláech mac RuaidríFindláech of MorayFindláech of Moray was the King or Mormaer of Moray, ruling from some point before 1014 until his death in 1020....
(before 1014–1020) - Máel Coluim mac Maíl BrigtiMáel Coluim of MorayMáel Coluim of Moray was King or Mormaer of Moray , and, as his name suggests, the son of a Máel Brigte...
(1020–1029) - Gille Coemgáin mac Maíl BrigtiGille Coemgáin of MorayGilla Coemgáin was the King or Mormaer of Moray, a semi-autonomous kingdom centred around Inverness that stretched across the north of Scotland. Unlike his two predecessors, he is not called King of Scotland in his death notice, but merely Mormaer...
(1029–1032) - Mac Bethad mac FindláichMacbeth of ScotlandMac Bethad mac Findlaích was King of the Scots from 1040 until his death...
, (Macbeth, King of Scotland) (1032–1057) - Lulach mac Gille CoemgáinLulach of ScotlandLulach mac Gille Coemgáin was King of Scots between 15 August 1057 and 17 March 1058.He appears to have been a weak king, as his nicknames suggest...
(1057–1058) - Máel Snechtai mac LulaichMáel Snechtai of MorayMáel Snechtai of Moray was the ruler of Moray, and, as his name suggests, the son of Lulach, King of Scotland.He is called on his death notice in the Annals of Ulster, "Máel Snechtai m...
(1058–1078/1085) - ?
- ÓengusÓengus of MorayÓengus of Moray was the last King of Moray of the native line, ruling Moray in what is now northeastern Scotland from some unknown date until his death in 1130....
(?–1130) - ? William fitz DuncanWilliam fitz DuncanWilliam fitz Duncan was a Scottish prince, a territorial magnate in northern Scotland and northern England, a general and the legitimate son of king Donnchad II of Scotland by Athelreda of Dunbar.In 1094, his father Donnchad II was killed by Mormaer Máel Petair of...
(1130s–1147)- To Scottish Crown.
Earls of Moray, First Creation (1314)
- Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray (d. 1332)
- Thomas Randolph, 2nd Earl of MorayThomas Randolph, 2nd Earl of MorayThomas Randolph, 2nd Earl of Moray , a Scottish military commander, held his title for just 23 days.The son of Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray, a companion-in-arms of King Robert the Bruce, he succeeded his father on July 20, 1332....
(d. 1332) - John Randolph, 3rd Earl of MorayJohn Randolph, 3rd Earl of MorayJohn Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray was an important figure in the reign of David II of Scotland, and was for a time joint Regent of Scotland.-Family:...
(d. 1346)
Earls of Moray, Second Creation (1372)
- John Dunbar, 4th Earl of Moray (d. 1391)
- Thomas Dunbar, 5th Earl of MorayThomas Dunbar, 5th Earl of MorayThomas Dunbar, 5th Earl of Moray inherited the title before 15 February 1392. In 1388 he displaced Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan as the provider of protection to Alexander Bur, Bishop of Moray and his church lands—following Buchan's burning of Elgin Cathedral in 1390 this agreement was...
(d. 1422?) - Thomas Dunbar, 6th Earl of Moray (d. ?)
- James Dunbar, 7th Earl of Moray (d. 1429)
- Elizabeth Dunbar, 8th Countess of Moray (d. 1485) (forfeit 1455)
- Archibald Douglas, Earl of MorayArchibald Douglas, Earl of MorayArchibald Douglas, Earl of Moray was a Scottish nobleman during the reign of King James II of Scotland. He was one of the five brothers from the Black Douglas family who clashed with the king....
(d. 1455), brother of the 8th and 9th Earls of DouglasEarl of DouglasThis page is concerned with the holders of the extinct title Earl of Douglas and the preceding feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, son of Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland...
(acceded 145?), her 1st husband - James Crichton, 2nd Lord Crichton and Earl of Moray (d. 1454) (acceded 1452), the husband of her sister
- Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray
Earls of Moray, Third Creation (1501)
- James Stewart, Earl of MorayJames Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (1501 creation)James Stewart, Earl of Moray was the illegitimate son of James IV of Scotland and his mistress Janet Kennedy. He was created Earl of Moray in 1501, and was young enough to avoid fighting at the disastrous Battle of Flodden Field in 1513. He went on to have a varied relationship with his...
(c. 1499–1544)
Earls of Moray, Fourth Creation (1549)
- George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly, Earl of MorayGeorge Gordon, 4th Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estates in 1524 at age 10...
(1514–1562) until 1560
Earls of Moray, Fifth Creation (1562)
- James Stewart, 1st Earl of MorayJames Stewart, 1st Earl of MorayJames Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray , a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V, was Regent of Scotland for his nephew, the infant King James VI of Scotland, from 1567 until his assassination in 1570...
(c. 1531–1570) - Elizabeth Stewart, 2nd Countess of Moray (d. 1591)
- James Stewart, 2nd Earl of MorayJames Stewart, 2nd Earl of MorayJames Stewart , 2nd Earl of Moray was a Scottish nobleman, the son of James Stewart, 1st Lord Doune. The 2nd Earl was murdered by George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, as the culmination of a vendetta...
(d. 1592) - James Stewart, 3rd Earl of Moray (d. 1638)
- James Stewart, 4th Earl of Moray (d. 1653)
- James Stuart, Lord Doune
- Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of MorayAlexander Stuart, 5th Earl of MoraySir Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray KT , was a Scottish nobleman who remained loyal to Roman Catholic James VII of Scotland .-Biography:...
(d. 1701)- James Stuart, Lord Doune (d. 1685)
- Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of MorayCharles Stuart, 6th Earl of MorayCharles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray was the son of Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray and his wife, Emilia Balfour. He acceeded to his father's titles in 1701 and died, unmarried, in 1735. He was succeeded by his brother, Francis.-Notes:*http://www.thepeerage.com/p2510.htm#i25097...
(d. 1735) - Francis Stuart, 7th Earl of MorayFrancis Stuart, 7th Earl of MorayFrancis Stuart, 7th Earl of Moray was the son of Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray and his wife, Emilia Balfour. He married Jean Elphinstone, daughter of John Elphinstone, 4th Lord Balmerinoch and Christiana Montgomerie. He succeeded to his brother Charles's titles when he died unmarried in...
(d. 1739) - James Stuart, 8th Earl of MorayJames Stuart, 8th Earl of MorayJames Stuart, 8th Earl of Moray KT was the son of Francis Stuart, 7th Earl of Moray.In 1734, he married Grace Lockhart, a granddaughter of the 9th Earl of Eglington and they had one child:...
(1708–1767) - Francis Stuart, 9th Earl of Moray (1737–1810)
- Francis Stuart, 10th Earl of MorayFrancis Stuart, 10th Earl of MoraySir Francis Stuart, 10th Earl of Moray KT was the son of Francis Stuart, 9th Earl of Moray.On 26 February 1795, he married Lucy Scott, daughter of General John Scott, and they had two children:...
(1771–1848) - Francis Stuart, 11th Earl of Moray (1795–1859)
- John Stuart, 12th Earl of MorayJohn Stuart, 12th Earl of MorayJohn Stuart, 12th Earl of Moray , styled The Honourable John Stuart between 1810 and 1859, was a Scottish soldier and politician.-Background:...
(1797–1867) - Archibald George Stuart, 13th Earl of Moray (1810–1872)
- George Philip Stuart, 14th Earl of Moray (1816–1895)
- Edmund Archibald Stuart, 15th Earl of Moray (1840–1901)
- Francis James Stuart, 16th Earl of Moray (1842–1909)
- Morton Gray Stuart, 17th Earl of Moray (1855–1930)
- Francis Douglas Stuart, 18th Earl of Moray (1892–1943)
- Archibald John Morton Stuart, 19th Earl of Moray (1894–1974)
- Douglas John Moray Stuart, 20th Earl of Moray (1928–2011)
- John Douglas Stuart, 21st Earl of Moray (b. 1966)
The heir apparent is his son James Douglas Stuart, Lord Doune (b. 2002)
External links
- Moray Estates Development Company, which manages the family properties