The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton. The family seat is Dalmahoy Farms,

Morton Morton may refer to: People * Morton (surname) * Morton (given name) Fictional * Morton Koopa, Jr., a character and boss in ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' * A character in the ''Charlie and Lola'' franchise * A character in the 2008 film '' Horton H ...

near Kirknewton, West Lothian.

History

Douglases of Dalkeith

The Douglases of Dalkeith are descended from

Andrew Douglas of Hermiston Sir Andrew Douglas of Hermiston (d. bef. 1277) was a medieval Scottish nobleman. Life Although it cannot be proven except circumstantially, Douglas appears to be the son of Archibald, Lord of Douglas (c.1198-1238) by his wife Margaret Crawford ...

(or ''Herdmanston'') (d.b. 1277), younger son of

Archibald I, Lord of Douglas Archibald of Douglas (before 1198 – died c. 1238) was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of William of Douglas. Life The earliest attestation of his existence is in a charter of confirmation dated prior to 1198. This charter of Jocelin ...

(fl. c. 1198–1238). He was succeeded by his son William Douglas of Hermiston, a signatory of the Ragman Roll in 1296. William of Hermiston's son, James Douglas of Lothian succeeded his father and produced two sons, Sir William Douglas and Sir John Douglas. Sir William Douglas, known as the ''Knight of Liddesdale'' or the ''Flower of Chivalry'' obtained the privileges of the barony of Dalkeith, in Midlothian, in 1341, and the barony of Aberdour, in Fife, in 1342. Following his murder at the hands of his godson

William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (c. 1323 – 1 May 1384) was a Scottish nobleman, peer, magnate, and head of the Black Douglas family. Under his leadership, the Black Douglases continued their climb to pre-eminence in Scottish politics ...

, both baronies passed to his nephew, James Douglas, 1st Lord Dalkeith. James Douglas was confirmed in this position when his title was ratified by the Earl of Douglas prior to 1370. The lands of Dalkeith, and Aberdour, in Fife, were combined as a single barony in 1386, with the principal seat at Dalkeith Castle, and a secondary residence at Aberdour Castle.Apted, p.5 James was the brother of Nicholas Douglas, 1st Lord of Mains.

Earldom of Morton

The 4th Lord Dalkeith succeeded to his estates upon the resignation of his father c. 1457 and in 1458 was raised to the peerage as Earl of Morton, prior to his marriage to

Joanna Joanna is a feminine given name deriving from from he, יוֹחָנָה, translit=Yôḥānāh, lit=God is gracious. Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna. Other forms of the name in English are Jan, Jane, Janet, Janice ...

, the deaf and dumb daughter of King James I. Lord Dalkeith was then a subsidiary title held by the Earls of Morton, and used as a courtesy title for the eldest son and heir, until the title and estates of Dalkeith were sold to the

Earl of Buccleuch Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

by the 7th Earl in 1642. When in 1458, James Douglas, lord Dalkeith, was to receive the name 'Morton' for his intended earldom, a protest was presented against this creation, asserting correctly that the lands of Mortoun belonged heritably to his step-grandmother, Janet Borthwick, widow of Sir James Douglas, known as 1st Lord of Dalkeith, and to her son William Douglas (progenitor of the

Whittingehame Whittingehame is a parish with a small village in East Lothian, Scotland, about halfway between Haddington and Dunbar, and near East Linton. The area is on the slopes of the Lammermuir Hills. Whittingehame Tower dates from the 15th century an ...

branch of the Douglases), to which the Chancellor answered that "Lord Dalkeith was not to receive his title in the Earldom for the lands of Mortoun lying in the Lordship of Niddisdale but for the lands of Mortoun in the territory of Caldercleir". In 1538, James V summoned the 3rd Earl before the Privy Council for non-payment of his feudal dues, and in 1540 the Earl was banished to Inverness.Apted, p.6 Morton reached

Brechin Brechin (; gd, Breichin) is a city and former Royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin was described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese (which continues today ...

, in Angus, where he signed a deed resigning his lands to his kinsman Robert Douglas of Lochleven, who was then compelled to resign the lands in turn to James V. After James V's death in late 1542, George Douglas of Pittendreich and the Earl of Arran assisted Morton in reclaiming his lands, including Aberdour. In return their sons were to marry two of Morton's three daughters. Pittendreich's son James (1525–1581) married the heiress, Elizabeth, and succeeded to the earldom in 1553. The 4th Earl of Morton became Regent of Scotland in 1572, for the infant

James VI and I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

.Apted, p.7 However, once James VI reached the age of majority, the 4th Earl was implicated in the murder of James' father,

Lord Darnley Lord Darnley is a noble title associated with a Scottish Lordship of Parliament, first created in 1356 for the family of Stewart of Darnley and tracing a descent to the Dukedom of Richmond in England. The title's name refers to Darnley in Sco ...

in 1567, and was executed in 1581.Apted, p.8 The earldom was forfeited between 1581 and 1586, although the nephew-in-law of the 4th earl (also grandson of the 3rd earl), John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell (1552–1593) was created Earl of Morton in 1581, and continued to use the title until his death. Although Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus (1555–1588) was confirmed as 5th Earl of Morton in 1586,Apted, p.9 Lord Maxwell's title of Morton, which had been revoked in 1585, was revived in 1587 and 1592. As a result, two families were in possession of the Earldom, and a conflict arose. This continued into the time of the 7th Earl of Morton (1582–1648), when John Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell (c. 1586–1613), also claimed the earldom. Lord Maxwell, however, was forfeited in 1609 and his rights then failed, his titles and estates being restored in 1618 to his brother Robert, with the title of

Earl of Nithsdale Earl of Nithsdale was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1620 for Robert Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell, with remainder to heirs male. He was made Lord Maxwell, Eskdale and Carlyle at the same time. The title of Lord Maxwell had be ...

(1620) in lieu of Morton.

Lords of Dalkeith (1341)

William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale Sir William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale (–1353), also known as the Knight of Liddesdale and the Flower of Chivalry, was a Scottish nobleman and soldier active during the Second War of Scottish Independence. Family and early life Douglas' f ...

* James Douglas, 1st Baron Dalkeith * James Douglas, 2nd Baron Dalkeith * James Douglas, 3rd Baron Dalkeith * James Douglas, 4th Baron Dalkeith (created Earl of Morton 1458)

Earls of Morton (1458)

* James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton (d. 1493) * John Douglas, 2nd Earl of Morton (d. 1513) * James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton (d. 1548) ("abeyant" 1548) *

James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c. 1516 – 2 June 1581, aged 65) was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he won the civil war that had b ...

(c. 1516–1581) (abeyance terminated 1550, forfeited 1580/81) * John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell (1552–1593), a grandson of the 3rd Earl, succeeded briefly as Earl of Morton. * Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Morton (c. 1555–1588), also 8th

Earl of Angus The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the Duke's eldest son. Histor ...

(forfeiture reversed 1586) *

William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton (c. 1540 – 1606) was the son of Robert Douglas of Lochleven and Margaret Erskine, a former mistress of James V of Scotland. Career Connections Sir William's half-brother from his mother's liaison with the k ...

(1540–1606) * William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton (1582–1648) *

Robert Douglas, 8th Earl of Morton Robert Douglas, Earl of Morton (died 12 November 1649) was a Scottish nobleman and Earl of Morton. He was the son of William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton and Lady Anne Keith, daughter of George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal. In 1627, he married Anne ...

(d. 1649) *

William Douglas, 9th Earl of Morton William Douglas, Earl of Morton (died before 1 November 1681) was a Scottish nobleman and Earl of Morton. He was the son of Robert Douglas, 8th Earl of Morton, and Anne Villiers. He succeeded as the 9th Earl of Morton on 12 November 1649. Willi ...

(d. 1681) *

James Douglas, 10th Earl of Morton James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...

(d. 1686) * James Douglas, 11th Earl of Morton (d. 1715) * Robert Douglas, 12th Earl of Morton (d. 1730) * George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton (1662–1738) *

James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, KT, PRS (1702 – 12 October 1768) was a Scottish astronomer and representative peer who was president of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh from its foundation in 1737 until his death. He also became ...

(c. 1703–1768) * Sholto Charles Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton (1732–1774) *

George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton, KT, FRS, FRSE, FSA (3 April 1761 – 17 July 1827) was a British nobleman. Life He was the son of Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton, and Katherine Hamilton. He succeeded to the title Earl of Morton in 17 ...

(1761–1827) * George Sholto Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton (1789–1858) * Sholto John Douglas, 18th Earl of Morton (1818–1884) * Sholto George Douglas, 19th Earl of Morton (1844–1935) * Sholto Charles John Hay Douglas, 20th Earl of Morton (1907–1976) * John Charles Sholto Douglas, 21st Earl of Morton (1927–2016) * John Stewart Sholto Douglas, 22nd Earl of Morton (b. 1952). The

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

is the present holder's son John David Sholto Douglas, Lord Aberdour (b. 1986).

Seats

Historical residences of the Earl of Morton include: * Aberdour Castle, Fife *Aberdour House, Fife * Dalkeith House, Midlothian * Dalmahoy House, Edinburgh *

Loch Leven Castle Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–13 ...

, Kinross * Morton Castle, Dumfries and Galloway

Notes

References

*Apted, Michael (1996) ''Aberdour Castle''. HMSO. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Morton Earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland Noble titles created in 1458 Noble titles created in 1581