Countess Of Mar
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There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the
Peerage of Scotland The Peerage of 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 1707, Treaty of Union, the Kingdom of Scots and the ...
, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by
Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar Margaret Alison of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar (born 19 September 1940), is a Scottish hereditary peer and politician. She was a crossbencher, crossbench member of the House of Lords from 1975 to 2020 and was one of List of excepted hereditary peer ...
, who is also
clan chief The Scottish Gaelic word means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief (''ceannard ci ...
of
Clan Mar Clan Mar is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). pp. 2 ...
. The seventh creation is currently held by James Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie, who is also
clan chief The Scottish Gaelic word means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief (''ceannard ci ...
of
Clan Erskine Clan Erskine is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Publish ...
. The earldom is an ancient one. The first named earl is Ruadrí, who is known to have been alive in 1128, though an unnamed earl is mentioned as being present at the
Battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf () took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse- Irish alliance comprising the forces of Sigtrygg Silkbea ...
in 1014. In 1435 the earldom was seized by
King James II James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685, until he was deposed in the 1688 Glori ...
(16 October 1430 – 3 August 1460), and was then granted to several royal children, who produced no heirs. The sixth creation was for James Stewart, illegitimate son of King James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542), who was stripped of the title after a rebellion in 1565. The title was granted to John Erskine, a descendant of the original earls. In 1866, the previous Earl died childless, and it was unclear whether the earldom should pass to his
heir male In inheritance, a hereditary successor is a person who inherits an indivisible title or office after the death of the previous title holder. The hereditary line of succession may be limited to heirs of the body, or may pass also to collateral ...
, or
heir general In English law, heirs of the body is the principle that certain types of property pass to a descendant of the original holder, recipient or grantee according to a fixed order of kinship. Upon the death of the grantee, a designated inheritance s ...
. This led to the two decisions by the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
, which created the two earldoms. In 1875, the House ruled that the earldom given to John Erskine in 1565 was the seventh creation, not a continuation of the first, and that it should pass to heirs male. In 1885, however, the House passed and Parliament enacted the ''Earldom of Mar Restitution Act'', which declared that the first creation of the earldom still existed, and was held by the heir general of the original earls. Several earls of Mar have been prominent in Scottish history. In particular, John Erskine (d. 1572) served as Regent of Scotland after the abdication of
Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...
, and John Erskine (1675–1732) was a Jacobite commander who fled to France. Lionel Erskine-Young, 29th Earl of Mar (1891–1965) was a co-founder of the
Royal Stuart Society The Royal Stuart Society, founded in 1926, is the largest extant Jacobite organisation in the United Kingdom. Its full name is The Royal Stuart Society and Royalist League, although it is best known simply as the "Royal Stuart Society". It acknow ...
to continue support for the
Jacobite succession The Jacobite succession is the line through which Jacobites believed that the crowns of England, Scotland, and Ireland should have descended, applying male preference primogeniture, since the deposition of James II and VII in 1688 and his deat ...
.


History

The earldom takes its name from Mar, an ancient province of Scotland running west from Aberdeen along the River Dee beyond
Braemar Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee, sitting at an elevation of . The Gaelic ''Bràigh Mhàrr'' p ...
("upper Mar") to the
Mar Lodge Estate Mar Lodge Estate is a highland estate in western Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which has been owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) since 1995. Its principal building, Mar Lodge, is about west of the village of Braemar. The esta ...
. Mar expanded north past the River Don to become the region of Marr, which merged with
Buchan Buchan is a coastal district in the north-east of Scotland, bounded by the Ythan and Deveron rivers. It was one of the original provinces of the Kingdom of Alba. It is now one of the six committee areas of Aberdeenshire. Etymology The ge ...
to form the county of
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...
.


9th–14th centuries

The first Mormaer of Mar is usually regarded as Ruadrí (
fl. ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...
1131), mentioned in the
Book of Deer The ''Book of Deer'' () (Cambridge University Library, MS. Ii.6.32) is a 10th-century Latin Gospel Book with early 12th-century additions in Latin, Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It contains the earliest surviving Gaelic writing from Scotland ...
. Some modern sources give earlier mormaers, i.e. ''Muirchertach'' ( Latinized as ''Martachus'') and ''Gartnait'' (sometimes ''Gratnach''), mentioned respectively in charters of the reigns of king Máel Coluim III (relating to the
Céli Dé The Culdees (; ) were members of ascetic Christian monastic and eremitical communities of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England in the Middle Ages. Appearing first in Ireland and then in Scotland, subsequently attached to cathedral or collegiate ...
establishment of Loch Leven) and king
Alexander I Alexander I may refer to: * Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon from 495 to 454 BC * Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus * Alexander I Theopator Euergetes, surnamed Balas, ruler of the Seleucid Empire 150-145 BC * Pope Alex ...
(relating to the monastic establishment of
Scone A scone ( or ) is a traditional British and Irish baked good, popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is usually made of either wheat flour or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often ...
), though in these cases certain identification with a particular province is difficult. The accounts of the
Battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf () took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse- Irish alliance comprising the forces of Sigtrygg Silkbea ...
in some of the
Irish annals A number of Irish annals, of which the earliest was the Chronicle of Ireland, were compiled up to and shortly after the end of the 17th century. Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days. Over ti ...
name
Domnall mac Eimín meic Cainnig Donald is a Scottish masculine given name. It is derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterp ...
, Mormaer of Mar, as among those killed in 1014 alongside
Brian Boru Brian Boru (; modern ; 23 April 1014) was the High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014. He ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and is likely responsible for ending Vikings, Viking invasio ...
. The Mormaerdom comprised the larger portion of modern
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...
, extending from north of the River Don southward to the
Mounth The Mounth ( ) is the broad upland in northeast Scotland between the Highland Boundary and the River Dee, at the eastern end of the Grampians. Name and etymology The name ''Mounth'' is ultimately of Pictish origin. The name is derived from ...
hills. Its principal seats were Migvie and
Doune of Invernochty The Doune of Invernochty is a 12th-century castle in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, of which only earthworks survive. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) note that it is "one of the fine ...
. The Mormaerdom may initially have alternated between two kin-groups, represented respectively by Morggán, and by Gille Críst. Gilchrist succeeded Morgund, but was himself succeeded by Donnchadh (Duncan), son of Morgund. On the other hand, we do not know Gilchrist's parentage, and chronologically he could have been an elder brother of Donnchadh. No definite succession of earls appears till the 13th century, and from the middle of the 13th century the earls were recognized as among "the seven earls of Scotland". There was a settlement in around 1230 between Donnchadh and Thomas Durward, grandson, apparently, of Gilchrist, by which Durward had, it is said, £300 of land, a very large amount, which was scattered around the earldom, particularly at Fichlie, near Kildrummy, and Lumphanan in the lowland area. He also had Urquhart, but that probably had nothing to do with the earldom. Donnchadh got the title of Mormaer and the wealthier and militarily more useful upland parts of
Mar Mar, mar or MAR may refer to: Culture * Mar (title), or Mor, an honorific in Syriac * Earl of Mar, an earldom in Scotland * Mar., an abbreviation for March, the third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar * Biblical abbreviation for the ...
. Earl Thomas died childless in 1374, but the earldom passed via Donnchadh's daughter
Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...
to her husband William, Earl of Douglas.


15th century

While the eleventh (by some counts) holder of the title, William and Margaret's daughter
Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar ( 13601408) was Countess of Mar. Life Isabel was the sister of the famous James 2nd Earl of Douglas and Earl of Mar, who died leading the Scots to victory at the Battle of Otterburn, and daughter of William Do ...
, was alone at
Kildrummy Castle Kildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Though ruined, it is one of the most extensive castles dating from the 13th century to survive in eastern Scotland, and was the seat of the Earls of Mar. It is owne ...
, Alexander Stewart, following in the steps of his father the "Wolf of Badenoch" and his uncle Robert, Duke of Albany, murdered Sir Malcolm Drummond, Earl of Mar, captured Kildrummy Castle and forced Mar's widow Isabel Douglas, to marry him. He also forced her to sign a charter on 12 August 1404 yielding the earldom to him and his heirs. She revoked the charter later that year, but on marrying him, she gave him the earldom for life with remainder to ''her'' heirs. The King confirmed her last action the next year. In 1426, Stewart resigned the title so that he could be granted a new one by the King, the new title being more "legitimate". The King did so, but specified that the earldom and associated lands would revert to the Crown upon the death of the Earl. In 1435, the Earl died, and Robert, Lord Erskine claimed the title, but the King claimed its lands under the specifications of reversion made in the patent. The issue remained unresolved until 1457, when James II obtained a court order declaring the lands as crown possessions. Thereafter, he bestowed the title on his son
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
, who died without heirs in 1479. It was next granted to James' other son,
Alexander, Duke of Albany Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany (7 August 1485), was a Scottish prince and the second surviving son of King James II of Scotland. He fell out with his older brother, King James III, and fled to France, where he unsuccessfully sought help. In 1 ...
, but the title was then declared forfeit because of Alexander's alliances with the English. James III created his son
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
Earl of Mar in 1486, upon whose death in 1503 the title became extinct again.


16th–18th centuries

The title was once again created in 1562, for James, Earl of Moray, son of
James V James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...
, but he, too, could not produce a qualified heir. Moray rebelled in 1565 (see
Chaseabout Raid The Chaseabout Raid was a rebellion by James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, against his half sister, Mary, Queen of Scots, on 26 August 1565, over her marriage to Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. The rebels also claimed to be acting over other causes i ...
) in protest at the marriage of
Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...
, and
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1546 – 10 February 1567) was King of Scotland as the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, from 29 July 1565 until his murder in 1567. Lord Darnley had one child with Mary, the future James VI of Scotland and I ...
. Consequently, Queen Mary restored (or created) the earldom of Mar for John, Lord Erskine, heir to the Lord Erskine, heir of the ancient Earls through a cousin of Isabel, who quarrelled with James II about the Earldom. His son, also named
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
, recovered the Mar estates, alienated by the Crown during the long period that his family had been out of possession. John, the 23rd (or 6th Earl counting from 1565) was attainted for rebellion in 1716 (he was also created
Duke of Mar The Jacobite peerage, Jacobite title of Duke of Mar was conferred on John Erskine, Earl of Mar (1675–1732), John Erskine, 6th/23rd Earl of Mar, by the Jacobitism, Jacobite pretender James Francis Edward Stuart, James III and VIII. He was creat ...
in the
Jacobite Peerage The Jacobite peerage includes those peerages created by James II and VII, and the subsequent Jacobite pretenders, after James's deposition from the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland following the Glorious Revolution of 1688. These creati ...
s of Scotland and Ireland, and Earl of Mar in the Jacobite Peerage of England), and the Earldom remained forfeit for over a century.


19th century

In 1824, the Earldom was restored by Act of Parliament ( 5 Geo. 4. c. 59) to John Francis Erskine, the heir of the attainted Earl, in his 83rd year. His grandson, the ninth Earl, successfully claimed inheritance the earldom of Kellie and associated titles in 1835. At the death of the 26th Earl of Mar and eleventh Earl of Kellie in 1866, the Earldom of Kellie and the family's estates passed to Walter Erskine, the cousin of the late Earl, and his
heir male In inheritance, a hereditary successor is a person who inherits an indivisible title or office after the death of the previous title holder. The hereditary line of succession may be limited to heirs of the body, or may pass also to collateral ...
. Meanwhile, it was assumed that the Earldom of Mar passed to John Francis Goodeve, the late Earl's nephew, and his
heir general In English law, heirs of the body is the principle that certain types of property pass to a descendant of the original holder, recipient or grantee according to a fixed order of kinship. Upon the death of the grantee, a designated inheritance s ...
. Goodeve changed his name to Goodeve Erskine; his claim was agreed upon by all. He even participated in the election of
Scottish representative peer This is a list of representative peers elected from the Peerage of Scotland to sit in the House of Lords after the Acts of Union 1707 abolished the unicameral Parliament of Scotland, where all Scottish Peers had been entit ...
s for the Peerage of Scotland. However, the Earl of Kellie submitted a petition to the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
asking that the Earldom of Mar be declared his, dying before it could be considered. His son, the thirteenth Earl of Kellie, renewed the petition, and the Lords referred it to their Committee on Privileges. The petition made a number of claims: *The original Earldom of Mar was a territorial title rather than a title of peerage and was therefore "indivisible." (In other words, the territory could not be separated from the title.) *Alexander Stewart obtained a new royal charter for the Earldom, rather than receiving it in right of his wife Isabel. *After the death of Alexander Stewart, his lands were passed to the sovereign in accordance with the charter, and thereafter were disposed of by the Crown. *As the territorial earldom was "indivisible", upon the termination of the territory, the earldom must have ended also. *Therefore, since the territorial earldom had already become non-existent, the 1565 grant was ''not'' a revival of that title. Rather, it was a totally new creation, this time in the form of a peerage title. *Since the instrument of the 1565 grant cannot be found, the presumption ought to be that the earldom passes to heirs-male, and not to heirs-general. Thus, the Earl of Kellie is entitled to the Earldom of Mar as he is the late Earl of Mar's heir male, while John Goodeve Erskine was an heir-general. Goodeve Erskine had different ideas, however. He portrayed the Crown's takeover of the territorial earldom not as pursuant to a charter, but rather as an act of tyranny. He argued: *James I, in a tyrannical act, seized the lands of Alexander Stewart, when these should have passed to Robert, Lord Erskine. *The "true" earls never agreed to terminate their claim to the earldom. *The 1565 grant was a restitution of the old territorial earldom rather than a new creation. *Because the title is a restoration of a territorial earldom, and because the territorial earldom could pass to heirs-general, John Goodeve Erskine was the rightful heir, being the late Earl of Mar's heir-general. The House of Lords Committee on Privileges ruled in 1875, to the dissatisfaction of many, that the Earldom of Mar was newly created in 1565, passed only to heirs-male, and therefore belonged to the Earl of Kellie, and not to Goodeve Erskine. The
Lord Chancellor The Lord Chancellor, formally titled Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The lord chancellor is the minister of justice for England and Wales and the highest-ra ...
, Roundell Palmer, 1st Baron Selborne, declared it to be "final, right or wrong, and not to be questioned". However, there was a sentiment that the Lords had decided wrongly. A bill was brought to Parliament, to allow Goodeve Erskine to assume the title, and was passed without dissent. The Earldom of Mar Restitution Act 1885 ( 48 & 49 Vict. c. 48) declared that because of the doubts relating to the 1565 creation, it would be assumed that there are ''two'' Earldoms of Mar. The Earldom created in 1565 would be held by the Earl of Kellie. The ancient earldom, however, was declared to be still in existence, and was given to John Goodeve Erskine. For the purposes of precedence, it is assumed that the earldom held by Goodeve Erskine's heirs was created in 1404.


Titleholders


Early earls

*Cainnech (?) *Eimen (?) * Domnall (died 1014 ( Clontarf) *— *Muirchertach (?) (fl. 1115) * Ruadrí, Earl of Mar (fl. 1130s) * Gille Chlerig, Earl of Mar (fl. 1140s) *
Morggán, Earl of Mar Morggán of Mar is the first Mormaer or Earl of Mar to appear in history as "more than a characterless name in a witness-list.".Oram, "The Earls and Earldom of Mar", p. 47 He is often known as ''Morgrund'' or ''Morgan''. His father was Gille ...
(died before 1183) *
Gille Críst, Earl of Mar Gille Críst of Mar is the fourth-known mormaer of Mar, from 1183 to 1203. His relationship to the previous mormaer, Morggán, is not totally clear, but Gille Críst was not the son of Morggán, and so his succession could probably be explained ...
(died c. 1203) *
Donnchadh, Earl of Mar Donnchadh of Mar (Anglicized as Duncan) is the fifth known Mormaer of Mar, 1203–1244. Donnchadh was the son of Morggán and Agnes. Donnchadh benefited from the introduction of feudal primogeniture as a custom, as it enabled him and his kin t ...
(died c. 1244) *
Uilleam, Earl of Mar William of Mar, also known by the name Uilleam mac Dhonnchaidh (Anglicized as "William, Duncan's son"), was the mormaer of Mar in medieval Scotland from 1244 to 1276. His father was Donnchadh of Mar. Uilleam was responsible for the construction ...
(died c. 1276) *
Domhnall I, Earl of Mar Domhnall I, Earl of Mar, also known by the name Domhnall mac Uilleim (Anglicized as "Donald, William's son"), was the seventh known mormaer of Mar in medieval Scotland, ruling from the death of his father, Uilleam of Mar, in 1276 until his own ...
(died c. 1301) *
Gartnait, Earl of Mar Gartnait of Mar, Earl of Mar – Gartnait mac Domhnall, 8th Mormaer (or Earl) of Mar, was a Scottish noble during the first War of Scottish Independence (1296–1328). His name is sometimes rendered as Gartney or Gratney. A son of Domhnall I, E ...
(died c. 1305) *
Domhnall II, Earl of Mar Domhnall II, Earl of Mar (date of birth unknown but prior to 130511 August 1332) was briefly Regent of Scotland during the minority of David II, King of Scotland. Domhnall's father was Gartnait, Earl of Mar. His mother's identity is uncertain, ...
(died 1332) *
Thomas, Earl of Mar Thomas, Earl of Mar, (c. 1330–1377) was a 14th-century Earl of Mar, an earldom located in the County of Aberdeen, Scotland. He is sometimes styled Mormaer of Mar since ''mormaer'' was the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the English word earl. ...
(died 1374) *
Margaret, Countess of Mar Margaret of Mar (died c. 1391) was Countess of Mar, an ancient earldom in Scotland, in her own right. Life She was a daughter of Domhnall II of Mar and became Countess of Mar in her own right after the death of her brother Thomas, 9th Earl ...
(died c. 1391) ** William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Mar, ''
jure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title '' suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could beco ...
'' Earl of Mar (1327–1384) **
James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar (c. 1358 – 5 or 19 August 1388) was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland. Early life He was the eldest son and heir of William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas and Marg ...
, ''
jure matris ''Jure matris'' (''iure matris'') is a Latin phrase meaning "by right of his mother" or "in right of his mother". It is commonly encountered in the law of inheritance when a noble title or other right passes from mother to son. It is also used in ...
'' Earl of Mar (1358-k.1388
Battle of Otterburn The Battle of Otterburn, also known as the Battle of Chevy Chase, took place according to Scottish sources on 5 August 1388, or 19 August according to English sources, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scots and Eng ...
) *
Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar ( 13601408) was Countess of Mar. Life Isabel was the sister of the famous James 2nd Earl of Douglas and Earl of Mar, who died leading the Scots to victory at the Battle of Otterburn, and daughter of William Do ...
(c. 1360–1408) **
Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar Alexander Stewart (c. 13751435) was a Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish nobleman and warlord. An illegitimate grandson of Robert II of Scotland, he was originally the Earl of Moray, becoming the Earl of Mar from 1405. He acquired the earldom throug ...
(c. 1375–1435), second husband of Isabel Douglas (died 1408); recognised as Earl ''jure uxoris'' from marriage in 1404.


Earls of Mar, first creation (1404) (as decided by Act of Parliament in 1885)

Other title: Lord Garioch (1320) * Robert Erskine, 1st Lord Erskine, (). Deemed 13th Earl of Mar by 1885 Act, with precedence from 1404. * Thomas Erskine, 2nd Lord Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar () * Alexander Erskine, 3rd Lord Erskine, 15th Earl of Mar () * Robert Erskine, 4th Lord Erskine, 16th Earl of Mar () * John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar () * John Erskine, 6th Lord Erskine, 18th and 1st Earl of Mar (). Deemed to have been created Earl of Mar by the House of Lords in 1875, and restored to the first creation of the earldom by Act of Parliament in 1885 . * John Erskine, 19th and 2nd Earl of Mar (–1634) * John Erskine, 20th and 3rd Earl of Mar (–1654) * John Erskine, 21st and 4th Earl of Mar () * Charles Erskine, 22nd and 5th Earl of Mar (1650–1689) * John Erskine, 23rd and 6th Earl of Mar (1675–1732). Attainted 1716. ** ''
Thomas Erskine, Lord Erskine Thomas Erskine, Lord Erskine (1705 – 16 March 1766) was a Scottish 18th century politician. He was the son of John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar. He could not inherit the title of Earl of Mar due to the Attainder, Writ of Attainder for treason p ...
'' (–1766) * John Francis Erskine, 24th and 7th Earl of Mar (1741–1825). Restored to earldom in 1824. * John Thomas Erskine, 25th and 8th Earl of Mar (1772–1828) * John Francis Miller Erskine, 26th and 9th Earl of Mar, 11th Earl of Kellie (1795–1866). Established his right to the earldom of Kellie in 1835. * John Francis Erskine Goodeve-Erskine, 27th Earl of Mar (1836–1930). Confirmed as Earl of Mar of the first creation by Act of Parliament in 1885. * John Francis Hamilton Sinclair Cunliffe Brooks Forbes Goodeve-Erskine, 28th Earl of Mar (1868–1932) * Lionel Walter Erskine-Young, 29th Earl of Mar (1891–1965) * James Clifton of Mar, 30th Earl of Mar (1914–1975) * Margaret Alison of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar () The
heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
is the present holder's daughter Susan Helen of Mar, Mistress of Mar ().


Earls of Mar and Garioch, third creation (1459)

* John Stewart, 1st Earl of Mar and Garioch (died 1479) **Lands granted to James III's favourite, Robert Cochrane, in 1480 (died 1482).


Earls of Mar and Garioch, fourth creation (1483)

*
Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany (7 August 1485), was a Scottish prince and the second surviving son of King James II of Scotland. He fell out with his older brother, King James III, and fled to France, where he unsuccessfully sought help. In 1 ...
(c. 1454–1485) (forfeit 1483)


Earls of Mar and Garioch, fifth creation (1486)

* John Stewart, 1st Earl of Mar and Garioch (died 1503)


Earls of Mar, sixth creation (1562)

*
James Stewart, Earl of Moray James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531 – 23 January 1570) was a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. At times a supporter of his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the regent of Scotl ...
and Mar (died 1570)


Earls of Mar, seventh creation (1565) (as decided by the House of Lords in 1875)

Other titles:
Earl of Kellie The title Earl of Kellie or Kelly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1619 for Sir Thomas Erskine, who was Captain of the Guard and Groom of the Stool for James VI. It is named after Barony of Kellie in Fife, Scotland. Since 1875, ...
(1619), Viscount of Fentoun (1606),
Lord Erskine The Lordship of Parliament of Erskine (Lord Erskine) was created around 1426 for Sir Robert Erskine. The sixth lord was created Earl of Mar in 1565, with which title (and the earldom of Kellie) the lordship then merged. Lords Erskine (c. 1426) * ...
(1429) and Lord Erskine of Dirleton (1603). For the first ten earls of the seventh creation see the first creation, above. *John Francis Miller Erskine, 11th Earl of Kellie, 9/26th Earl of Mar (1795–1866). Established his right to the earldom of Kellie in 1835. *Walter Coningsby Erskine, 12th Earl of Kellie (1810–1872). Recognized posthumously as 10th Earl of Mar. * Walter Henry Erskine, 13th Earl of Kellie, 11th Earl of Mar (1839–1888) Recognised as Earl of Mar of the seventh creation by Act of Parliament in 1875. * Walter John Francis Erskine, 12th Earl of Mar and 14th Earl of Kellie (1865–1955) *John Francis Hervey Erskine, 13th Earl of Mar and 15th Earl of Kellie (1921–1993) * James Thorne Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie (b. 1949) The
heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
is the present holder's brother, the Hon. Alexander David Erskine, Master of Mar and Kellie (b. 1952), whose heir is his son Alisdair Capel Erskine (b. 1979).


Family tree


In popular culture

"
The Earl of Mar's Daughter "The Earl of Mar's Daughter" (Roud 3879, Child 270) is an English-language folk song. Synopsis The Earl of Mar's daughter saw a lovely bird, and promised it a golden cage if it would come to her. It did, and that night transformed into a prince ...
" is a child ballad documented by
Francis James Child Francis James Child (February 1, 1825 – September 11, 1896) was an American scholar, educator, and folklorist, best known today for his collection of English and Scottish ballads now known as the Child Ballads. Child was Boylston professor ...
. The
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Religion * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...
song "Eleventh Earl of Mar" on their album ''
Wind & Wuthering ''Wind & Wuthering'' is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Genesis (band), Genesis. It was released on 17 December 1976 on Charisma Records and is their last studio album to feature guitarist Steve Hackett. Following the s ...
'' (1977) depicts the failure of the unsuccessful Jacobite campaign and the innocence of the Earl's young son. Mar is one of the provinces in the
board game A board game is a type of tabletop game that involves small objects () that are placed and moved in particular ways on a specially designed patterned game board, potentially including other components, e.g. dice. The earliest known uses of the ...
''
Britannia The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...
''.


See also

*
Clan Erskine Clan Erskine is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Publish ...
*
Clan Mar Clan Mar is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). pp. 2 ...


References


Notes


Bibliography

* Anderson, Alan Orr, ''Early Sources of Scottish History: AD 500–1286'', 2 Vols (Edinburgh, 1922) * Burke's ''Peerage and Baronetage, 105th ed.'' (1978) ISBN (none) * Debrett's ''Peerage and Baronetage 147th ed.'' (2008) * Oram Richard D., "The Earls and Earldom of Mar, c1150–1300", Steve Boardman and Alasdair Ross (eds.) ''The Exercise of Power in Medieval Scotland, c.1200–1500'', (Dublin/Portland, 2003). pp. 46–66 * Roberts, John L., ''Lost Kingdoms: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages'', (Edinburgh, 1997) *


External links


Gaelic Notes on the ''Book of Deer''

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mar Earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland Lists of Scottish people Marr, Scotland
Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ...
Extinct earldoms in the Jacobite Peerage Noble titles created in 1404 Noble titles created in 1459 Noble titles created in 1483 Noble titles created in 1486 Noble titles created in 1562 Noble titles created in 1565