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.

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 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 The Peerage Act 1963 granted all Scottish Peers the right to sit in the House of Lords, but this automatic right was revoked, as for all hereditary peerages (except those of the incumbent Earl Marshal and Lord Great Chamberlain), when the House of Lords Act 1999 received the Royal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

  •   Subsidiary title.
  •   Secondary dukedom in the Peerage of Scotland.
Shield Title Creation Other Dukedom or higher titles Title used in the House of Lords prior to the Peerage Act 1963 Monarch

The Duke of Rothesay 1398 Since 1603, usually Prince of Wales as the heir to the throne
Duke of Cornwall in the Peerage of England.
King Robert III

The Duke of Hamilton 12 September 1643 Kingdom of Great Britain Duke of Brandon King Charles I

The Duke of Buccleuch 20 April 1663 Kingdom of England Earl of Doncaster King Charles II

The Duke of Lennox 9 September 1675 Duke of Richmond in the Peerage of England.

The Duke of Queensberry 3 February 1684 Duke of Buccleuch in the Peerage of Scotland.

The Duke of Argyll 23 June 1701 United Kingdom Duke of Argyll King William III and II
Kingdom of Great Britain Baron Sundridge
Kingdom of Great Britain Baron Hamilton of Hameldon

The Duke of Atholl 30 January 1703 Queen Anne

The Duke of Montrose 24 April 1707 Kingdom of Great Britain Earl Graham

The Duke of Roxburghe 25 April 1707 United Kingdom Earl Innes

Extant marquessates

Shield Title Creation Other Marquessate or higher titles Title used in the House of Lords prior to the Peerage Act 1963 Monarch

The Marquess of Huntly 17 April 1599 United Kingdom Baron Meldrum King James VI and I

The Marquess of Queensberry 11 February 1682 King Charles II

The Marquess of Tweeddale 17 December 1694 United Kingdom Baron Tweeddale King William III and II

The Marquess of Lothian 23 June 1701 United Kingdom Baron Ker of Kersehugh

Extant earldoms

  •   Secondary earldom in the Peerage of Scotland.
Shield Title Creation Other Earldom or higher titles Title used in the House of Lords prior to the Peerage Act 1963 Monarch

The Earl of Sutherland 1230 King Alexander II

The Earl of Crawford 21 April 1398 United Kingdom Baron Wigan King Robert II

The Earl of Mar 1404 King Robert III

The Earl of Erroll 12 June 1452 King James II

The Earl of Caithness 28 August 1455

The Earl of Rothes 20 March 1457

The Earl of Morton 14 Mar 1458

The Earl of Buchan 1469 United Kingdom Baron Erskine King James III

The Earl of Eglinton 3 January 1507 United Kingdom Earl of Winton
United Kingdom Baron Ardrossan King James IV

The Earl of Moray 30 January 1562 Kingdom of Great Britain Baron Stuart Queen Mary I

The Earl of Mar 22 July 1565

The Earl of Home 4 March 1605 United Kingdom Baron Douglas King James VI and I

The Earl of Perth 4 March 1605

The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 10 July 1606 United Kingdom Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
United Kingdom Baron Bowes

The Earl of Haddington 20 March 1619

The Earl of Kellie 12 March 1619 Earl of Mar (1565) in the Peerage of Scotland.

The Earl of Galloway 19 September 1623 Kingdom of Great Britain Baron Stewart of Garlies

The Earl of Lauderdale 14 March 1624

The Earl of Lindsay 8 May 1633 King Charles I

The Earl of Loudoun 12 May 1633

The Earl of Kinnoull 25 May 1633 Kingdom of Great Britain Baron Hay of Pedwardine

The Earl of Elgin 21 June 1633 United Kingdom Baron Elgin

The Earl of Wemyss 25 June 1633 United Kingdom Baron Wemyss

The Earl of Dalhousie 29 June 1633 United Kingdom Baron Ramsay

The Earl of Airlie 2 April 1639

The Earl of Leven 11 October 1641

The Earl of Dysart 3 August 1643

The Earl of Selkirk 4 August 1646 Presently disclaimed.

The Earl of Northesk 1 November 1647

The Earl of Kincardine 26 December 1647 Earl of Elgin in the Peerage of Scotland.

The Earl of Balcarres 9 January 1651 Earl of Crawford in the Peerage of Scotland. King Charles II

The Earl of Dundee 8 September 1660 United Kingdom Baron Glassary

The Earl of Newburgh 31 December 1660

The Earl of Annandale and Hartfell 23 April 1662

The Earl of Dundonald 12 May 1669

The Earl of Kintore 20 June 1677 United Kingdom Viscount Stonehaven
United Kingdom Baron Stonehaven

The Earl of Dunmore 16 August 1686 King James VII and II

The Earl of Melville 8 April 1690 Earl of Leven in the Peerage of Scotland. King William II and III

The Earl of Orkney 3 January 1696

The Earl of March 20 April 1697 Earl of Wemyss in the Peerage of Scotland.

The Earl of Seafield 24 June 1701

The Earl of Stair 8 April 1703 United Kingdom Baron Oxenfoord Queen Anne

The Earl of Rosebery 10 April 1703 United Kingdom Earl of Midlothian
United Kingdom Baron Rosebery

The Earl of Glasgow 12 April 1703 United Kingdom Baron Fairlie

Extant viscountcies

Shield Title Creation Other Viscountcy or higher titles Monarch

The Viscount Falkland 10 November 1620 King James VI and I

The Viscount of Arbuthnott 16 November 1641 King Charles I

The Viscount of Oxfuird 19 April 1651 King Charles II

Extant Lords of Parliament

  •   Subsidiary title.
Shield Title Creation Other Lordship or higher titles Monarch

The Lord Forbes 1442 King James III

The Lord Gray 1445

The Lord Saltoun 1445

The Lord Sinclair 1449

The Lord Borthwick 1452

The Lord Lovat 1464 United Kingdom Baron Lovat King James III

The Lord Sempill 1488 King James IV

The Lord Herries 1490

The Lord Elphinstone 14 January 1510 United Kingdom Baron Elphinstone

The Lord Torphichen 24 January 1564 Queen Mary I

The Lord Kinloss 2 February 1602 King James VI and I

The Lord Balfour of Burleigh 16 July 1607

The Lord Dingwall 8 June 1609 Baron Lucas in the Peerage of England.

The Lord Napier 4 May 1627 United Kingdom Baron Ettrick King Charles I

The Lord Fairfax of Cameron 18 October 1627

The Lord Reay 20 June 1628

The Lord Elibank 18 March 1643

The Lord Belhaven and Stenton 15 December 1647

The Lord Rollo 10 January 1651 United Kingdom Baron Dunning King Charles II

The Lord Polwarth 26 December 1690 King William II and III

See also

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
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