Earl of Morton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earldom of Morton |
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Arms of Douglas, Earls of Morton:Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Argent a man's heart Gules ensigned of an imperial crown proper, on a chief Azure three mullets of the first (for Douglas); 2nd and 3rd, Argent three piles issuing from the chief Gules, and in chief two mullets of the field (Douglas of Dalkieth and Lochleven).
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| Creation date | 1548 |
| Monarch | Mary |
| Peerage | Peerage of Scotland |
| First holder | James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton |
| Present holder | Stewart Douglas, 22nd Earl of Morton |
| Heir apparent | John Douglas, Lord Aberdour |
| Subsidiary titles | Lord Aberdour |
| Seat(s) | Dalmahoy Farms |
| Former seat(s) | Aberdour Castle Dalmahoy Conaglen House |
| Motto | Lock sicker (be sure) |
The title Earl of Morton is a special noble rank in Scotland. It was first created in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with this title, the rank of Lord Aberdour was also given. This second title is often used by the oldest son and future heir of the Earl of Morton.
The main home of the Earls of Morton is Dalmahoy Farms. This estate is located near Kirknewton in West Lothian, Scotland.
Contents
History of the Earls of Morton
The Douglas Family of Dalkeith
The Douglas family of Dalkeith came from Andrew Douglas of Hermiston. He was a younger son of Archibald I, Lord of Douglas. Andrew's son, William Douglas of Hermiston, signed an important document called the Ragman Roll in 1296. William's son, James Douglas of Lothian, had two sons: Sir William Douglas and Sir John Douglas.
Sir William Douglas was known as the Knight of Liddesdale. He gained control of the lands of Dalkeith in Midlothian in 1341. He also got the lands of Aberdour in Fife in 1342. After Sir William's death, these lands went to his nephew, James Douglas. James's position was confirmed by the Earl of Douglas before 1370. The lands of Dalkeith and Aberdour were joined into one large estate in 1386. Their main castle was Dalkeith Castle, with Aberdour Castle as a second home.
The Earldom of Morton is Created
The 4th Lord Dalkeith, also named James Douglas, became the head of his family's lands around 1457. In 1458, he was given the noble title of Earl of Morton. This happened before his marriage to Joanna, who was the daughter of King James I.
The title "Lord Dalkeith" then became a lesser title held by the Earls of Morton. It was used as a special title for the oldest son and future Earl. However, the Dalkeith title and lands were sold in 1642. The 7th Earl sold them to the Earl of Buccleuch.
When James Douglas was to become Earl of Morton in 1458, there was a small argument. Some people said the lands of Mortoun belonged to someone else. But the King's Chancellor explained that the new Earl's title came from a different area called Mortoun in Caldercleir. It was not from the Mortoun lands in Nithsdale.
In 1538, King James V called the 3rd Earl to the Privy Council. This was because the Earl had not paid his feudal dues (taxes owed to the King). In 1540, the Earl was sent away to Inverness. He signed a paper giving his lands to his relative, Robert Douglas of Lochleven. Robert then had to give the lands to King James V.
After King James V died in 1542, the Earl of Morton got his lands back. This included Aberdour. In return, the sons of George Douglas of Pittendreich and the Earl of Arran were to marry Morton's daughters. Pittendreich's son, James (1525–1581), married the main heiress, Elizabeth. He became the 4th Earl in 1553.
The 4th Earl of Morton became a powerful leader in Scotland. He served as the Regent for the young King James VI and I starting in 1572. A Regent is someone who rules for a child king until the king is old enough. However, when King James VI grew up, the 4th Earl faced serious accusations related to the death of the King's father, Lord Darnley. Because of these political events, the 4th Earl lost his title and was executed in 1581.
The Earldom was taken away between 1581 and 1586. But John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell (1552–1593), who was related to the 4th Earl, was made Earl of Morton in 1581. He used the title until his death. Then, Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus (1555–1588) was confirmed as the 5th Earl of Morton in 1586.
However, Lord Maxwell's claim to the title was brought back in 1587 and 1592. This meant two families thought they were the rightful Earls of Morton. This caused a conflict that continued for some time. Eventually, Lord Maxwell's claim failed, and the Douglas family kept the Earldom.
Lords of Dalkeith (1341)
- William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale
- James Douglas, 1st Baron Dalkeith
- James Douglas, 2nd Baron Dalkeith
- James Douglas, 3rd Baron Dalkeith
- James Douglas, 4th Baron Dalkeith (became Earl of Morton in 1458)
Earls of Morton (1458)
- James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton (died 1493)
- John Douglas, 2nd Earl of Morton (died 1513)
- James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton (died 1548)
- James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (around 1516–1581)
- John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell (1552–1593), briefly held the title.
- Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Morton (around 1555–1588)
- William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton (1540–1606)
- William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton (1582–1648)
- Robert Douglas, 8th Earl of Morton (died 1649)
- William Douglas, 9th Earl of Morton (died 1681)
- James Douglas, 10th Earl of Morton (died 1686)
- James Douglas, 11th Earl of Morton (died 1715)
- Robert Douglas, 12th Earl of Morton (died 1730)
- George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton (1662–1738)
- James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton (around 1703–1768)
- Sholto Charles Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton (1732–1774)
- George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton (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 (born 1952).
The person who will inherit the title next is the current Earl's son, John David Sholto Douglas, Lord Aberdour (born 1986).
Historical Homes of the Earls
The Earls of Morton have lived in several important places over the centuries. These include:
- Aberdour Castle, Fife
- Aberdour House, Fife
- Dalkeith House, Midlothian
- Dalmahoy House, Edinburgh
- Loch Leven Castle, Kinross
- Morton Castle, Dumfries and Galloway
See also
- Baron Penrhyn, a title created for the younger brother of the 17th Earl.
- Clan Douglas
