List of lord high admirals of Scotland facts for kids

The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was a very important job in the Kingdom of Scotland. It was one of the "Great Officers of State" before Scotland joined with England in 1707. This role gave the person in charge a lot of power over Scotland's seas and ships.

What the Lord High Admiral Did

The Lord High Admiral was like the head of the navy for the King of Scots. They were in charge of all the King's ships and sailors. This role was also known as the Royal Scottish Admiralty.

Protecting Scotland's Coasts

The Admiral had to check all the seaports, harbors, and coastlines. They made sure everything was safe and running smoothly. They also looked after rivers that ships could use.

Maritime Law and Justice

The Admiral could choose judges to handle cases about sea matters. This included both civil cases (disputes between people) and criminal cases (serious law-breaking). These duties were carried out by other officials called Vice-Admirals and Admirals-Depute. Later, these officials were known as Judge Admirals.

History of the Role

The job of Lord High Admiral probably started in the early 1400s. Some important people held this position. These included Sir Robert Logan and members of the Earls of Bothwell and the Dukes of Lennox families.

A Royal Gift

The role was sometimes passed down through families. King Charles II even gave this important job to his son, Charles Lennox.

Early Court Records

The oldest records of Scotland's main sea court, the High Court of Admiralty, are from 1557. This court was led by the Earl of Bothwell. It handled all sea-related cases in Scotland. The court's judges were usually professional lawyers, not sailors.

Changes After 1707

In 1707, Scotland and England joined together. This was called the Act of Union. After this, all sea-related legal powers went to the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain.

The Vice-Admiral of Scotland

Even after the Union, a role called the Vice-Admiral of Scotland continued. This person was chosen by the King or Queen. They still appointed the Judge Admiral until 1782. The Vice-Admiral was also considered an important "Officer of the Crown."

End of the Admiralty Court

In 1817, a law said that future Vice Admirals would not get a salary. The special Admiralty Court in Edinburgh was closed in 1830. After that, the main Scottish court, the Court of Session, took over all sea-related cases.

List of Lord High Admirals

• The 1st Earl of Orkney
• George, 1st Earl of Caithness (Third Creation)
• William, 1st Earl of Caithness (Fourth Creation)
• The 1st Duke of Montrose
• The 1st Duke of Albany
• Sir Robert Logan of Grugar, later also of Restalrig 1400
• The 1st Earl of Crawford before 1403
• The 1st Earl of Bothwell appointed 1488.
• The 1st Earl of Arran sailed with royal fleet 1502, 1504–5, 1513
• The 5th Earl of Angus
• The 5th Lord Maxwell
• The 2nd Earl of Bothwell appointed 1508 in succession to his father.
• The 3rd Earl of Bothwell appointed 1513, duties performed by Patrick Hepburn, Prior of St. Andrews.
• The 4th Earl of Bothwell appointed 1556.
• The 4th Earl of Morton appointed 1568.
• The 1st Earl of Bothwell (Second Creation) appointed 1581, confirmed 1587.
• The 2nd Duke of Lennox appointed 1591.
• The 4th Duke of Lennox 1626
• The 2nd Earl of Kincardine 1668
• James, Duke of York and Albany 1673
• The Duke of Hamilton 1692
• Charles, 1st Duke of Richmond and 1st Duke of Lennox 1694
• The 1st Duke of Montrose 1702
• The 4th Earl of Wemyss 1706–1707, thereafter Vice-Admiral

List of Vice Admirals

• 1708 The 4th Earl of Wemyss
• 1714 The 9th Earl of Rothes
• 1727 The 3rd Duke of Queensberry
• 1729 The 2nd Earl of Stair
• 1733 The 13th Earl of Morton
• 1738 The 5th Earl of Findlater
• 1764 The 3rd Earl of Hyndford
• 1767 The 4th Duke of Queensberry
• 1776 The 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland
• 1782 Lord William Gordon, son of The 3rd Duke of Gordon
• The 1st Earl Cathcart