Clan Lennox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clan Lennox |
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Crest: Two broadswords in saltire behind a swan's head and neck all Proper.
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| Motto | I'll defend | ||
| Profile | |||
| Plant badge | A rose slipped Gules | ||
| Chief | |||
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| Edward Lennox of that Ilk and Woodhead, | |||
| Chief of the Name and Arms of Lennox. | |||
| Seat | Leintwardine, UK | ||
| Historic seat | Lennox Castle | ||
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Clan Lennox is a famous Scottish clan from the Lowlands of Scotland. The leaders of the clan were originally the Earls of Lennox. However, this important title later passed to other noble families. This happened because the title went through a female heir in the 1400s and 1500s. After that, the leadership of the clan moved to the Lennox of Woodehead family branch.
Contents
Discovering Clan Lennox History
Where Did Clan Lennox Begin?
The old earldom of Lennox was a huge area. It covered all of Dumbartonshire and large parts of Perthshire, Renfrewshire, and Stirlingshire. In Scottish Gaelic, Leven-ach means a smooth stream. The ancient Celtic leaders of Levenax became the Earls of Lennox.
Historians have different ideas about how the earldom started. It was definitely around by the 1100s. One idea is that a Saxon baron named Arkyll received land from Malcolm III of Scotland. He married a Scottish woman, and their son was Ailín I, Earl of Lennox. Other historians believe the earldom was given to David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon by his brother, William the Lion. They think the Lennox family became important later.
Fighting for Scottish Freedom
By the late 1200s, the Earls of Lennox were among the most powerful nobles in Scotland. Malcolm, the 5th Earl of Lennox, strongly supported Robert the Bruce's claim to be the King of Scotland.
In 1296, Malcolm led his Lennox men into England. They attacked the city of Carlisle. Malcolm also promised loyalty to Edward I of England, signing the Ragman Rolls. But he later became one of Robert the Bruce's strongest supporters. He fought hard for Scotland's independence from England.
Changes in the 1400s and 1500s
Malcolm's son was at the crowning of Robert II of Scotland. But he died two years later without any sons. So, the earldom went to his daughter, Margaret, Countess of Lennox. It then passed to her husband, Walter de Fasselane. Margaret and Walter gave the title back to the Crown. But it was given again to their son, Duncan, Earl of Lennox.
Duncan, Earl of Lennox, had a daughter named Isabella, Countess of Lennox. She married Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany. When James I of Scotland returned from being held captive in England, Earl Duncan faced big trouble. The king disliked anyone connected to Albany's father, who had caused problems in Scotland. Earl Duncan, who was eighty years old, was beheaded in May 1425.
Isabella of Lennox was put in Tantallon Castle. Her son, Walter de Levenax, was also imprisoned. Later, Isabella was allowed to return to her home on Inchmurrin island in Loch Lomond.
After this, many families argued over who should be the Earl of Lennox. Isabella had two sisters, Margaret and Elizabeth. Both had descendants who claimed the large Lennox lands. From Margaret came the Menteiths of Rusky. From Elizabeth came the Stewarts of Darnley.
In 1488, John Stewart, Lord Darnley, took the title of Earl of Lennox. His son, Matthew Stewart, was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. The title stayed with the Stewarts of Darnley. This continued until Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, who was married to Mary, Queen of Scots, was killed in 1567. Mary herself was executed in 1587.
The Earl of Lennox title then went to the young James VI of Scotland. He later gave it to his uncle, Charles Stuart. The title then passed to Esmé Stewart, who became Duke of Lennox in 1581. Later, it went to Charles II of England. From him, it passed to his son, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond.
The Lennoxes of Woodhead
A part of Clan Lennox, called the Lennoxes of Woodhead, had a disagreement with the Clan Kincaid in the 1570s. This disagreement is interesting to historians. This is because a marriage with the Lennox family later helped the Kincaid name become an independent clan again in the 1900s.
The 1800s and Clan Leadership
In the 1800s, the Lennox of Woodhead family lived at Lennox Castle. They claimed they should be the next Earls of Lennox. While they didn't get the earldom title, they were officially recognized as the chiefs of the Lennox family name.
The Lennoxes of Woodhead sold Lennox Castle in 1927 to the city of Glasgow. Their new home became Downton Castle, near Ludlow, England. This castle was sold in 1979. The Lennox family sold all their old family lands in the mid-1980s. They are still the current chiefs of Clan Lennox today.
Who is the Clan Chief?
- The current Chief is Edward Lennox of that Ilk and Woodhead. He is the Chief of the Name and Arms of Lennox.
- The clan's coat of arms shows a silver shield with a red "saltire" (an X shape) and four red roses.
Clan Lennox Society
On May 31, 2017, the Lennox clan chief created a group for the clan. It is simply called "Clan Lennox." He chose officers and an international group of commissioners to help lead it. The main person in charge of running the clan is called the Clan Chamberlain. The first chamberlain is Gordon Lennox, a lawyer from Glasgow, Scotland. You can find out more at their website: https://clanlennox.org.
Clan Castles
Many castles have been connected to Clan Lennox over time. Here are a few:
- Antermony Castle: Near Milton of Campsie, this castle site was first owned by the Flemmings. It later passed to the Lennox family.
- Balcorrach Castle: Near Milngavie, Dunbartonshire, this castle was held by a branch of the Lennox family. They were descendants of Donald, son of Duncan, the 8th Earl of Lennox.
- Balloch Castle: In Dumbartonshire, this castle was owned by the original Earls of Lennox until 1425. It then went to the Stewarts of Darnley, who became Earls of Lennox.
- Woodhead Castle: Near Milngavie, Dunbartonshire, this castle was held by the Lennox of Balcorrach family in 1572. Woodhead Castle became a ruin when the nearby Lennox Castle was built in 1840. Lennox Castle was sold in 1927, and the family moved to England.
Clan Tartan
| Tartan image | Notes |
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This is the Lennox tartan or Lennox District tartan. It was copied from an old portrait from the 1500s. This portrait was believed to be of the Countess of Lennox. She was the mother of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, who married Mary, Queen of Scots. The tartan was recreated by D. W. Stewart in his book Old and Rare Scottish Tartans, published in 1893. Scottish Tartans World Register #935 |
See also
