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List of heirs to the Scottish throne facts for kids

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This article lists the people who were next in line to become the King or Queen of Scotland. These people are called "heirs." If the ruler died, the heir would take the throne. Those who actually became the ruler later on are shown in bold in the tables below. We won't include babies who didn't survive long after birth.

Sometimes, the Crown of Scotland could pass through the female line, meaning a daughter could inherit the throne. However, in the old days (the Middle Ages), it was not always certain if a queen would be accepted as the ruler on her own.

Sometimes, the person who was supposed to be the next ruler didn't actually get the throne. This could happen if someone else took over, or if there were no more heirs. These breaks in the line of succession are noted in the tables.

Scotland's Heirs: 1124 to 1290

This section covers the heirs to the Scottish throne from 1124 to 1290.

Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir Reason Ceased to be heir Reason Monarch
Henry, Earl of Huntingdon Heir apparent Son 23 April 1124 Father became king 12 June 1152 Died David I
Malcolm Heir apparent Grandson 12 June 1152 Father died 24 May 1153 Became king
William, Earl of Northumbria Heir presumptive Younger brother 24 May 1153 Brother became king 9 December 1165 Became king Malcolm IV
David, Earl of Huntingdon Heir presumptive Younger brother 9 December 1165 Brother became king 1193 King's daughter born William I
Margaret Heiress presumptive Eldest daughter 1193 Born 24 August 1198 King's son born
Alexander Heir apparent Son 24 August 1198 Born 4 December 1214 Became king
Margaret, Countess of Kent Heiress presumptive Elder sister 4 December 1214 Brother became king 4 September 1241 King's son born Alexander II
Alexander Heir apparent Son 4 September 1241 Born 8 July 1249 Became king
Margaret, Countess of Kent Heiress presumptive Aunt 8 July 1249 Nephew became king 25 November 1259 Died Alexander III
Isabella, Countess of Norfolk Heiress presumptive Aunt 25 November 1259 Sister died 28 February 1261 King's daughter born
Margaret Heiress presumptive Daughter 28 February 1261 Born 21 January 1264 King's brother born
Alexander Heir apparent Eldest son 21 January 1264 Born 28 January 1284 Died
Margaret Heiress presumptive Granddaughter 28 January 1284 Uncle died 19 March 1286 Became queen
No clear heir from 1286 to 1290 Margaret

Scotland's Heirs: 1292 to 1296

Here are the heirs during a short period in the late 1200s.

Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir Reason Ceased to be heir Reason Monarch
Edward Heir apparent Eldest son 17 November 1292 Father became king 10 July 1296 Father gave up throne John

Scotland's Heirs: 1306 to 1371

This section covers the heirs during the time of Robert the Bruce and David II.

Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir Reason Ceased to be heir Reason Monarch
No clear heir from 1306 to 1315 Robert I
Edward, Earl of Carrick Heir presumptive Younger brother 27 April 1315 Declared heir 14 October 1318 Died
No clear heir from Oct to Dec 1318
Robert Heir presumptive Grandson 3 December 1318 Declared heir 5 March 1324 King's son born
David, Earl of Carrick Heir apparent Eldest son 5 March 1324 Born 7 June 1329 Became king
Robert, High Steward of Scotland Heir presumptive Nephew 7 June 1329 Uncle became king 22 February 1371 Became king David II

Scotland's Heirs: 1371 to 1707

This section lists the heirs from the late 1300s up to 1707, when Scotland and England joined to form Great Britain.

Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir Reason Ceased to be heir Reason Monarch
No clear heir from Feb to Mar 1371 Robert II
John, Earl of Carrick Heir apparent Eldest son 27 March 1371 Declared heir 19 April 1390 Became king
David, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 19 April 1390 Father became king 26 March 1402 Died Robert III
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Son 26 March 1402 Brother died 4 April 1406 Became king
Robert, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive Uncle 4 April 1406 Nephew became king 3 September 1420 Died James I
Murdoch, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive First cousin 3 September 1420 Father died 25 May 1425 Died
Walter, Earl of Atholl Heir presumptive Uncle 25 May 1425 Nephew died 16 October 1430 King's son born
Alexander, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 16 October 1430 Born 1430 Died
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Son 1430 Brother died 21 February 1437 Became king
Walter, Earl of Atholl Heir presumptive Granduncle 21 February 1437 Grandnephew became king 26 March 1437 Died James II
No clear heir from 1437 to 1451
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 10 July 1451 Born 3 August 1460 Became king
Alexander, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive Younger brother 3 August 1460 Brother became king 17 March 1473 King's son born James III
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 17 March 1473 Born 11 June 1488 Became king
James, Duke of Ross Heir presumptive Younger brother 11 June 1488 Brother became king 12 January 1504 Died James IV
John, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive First cousin 12 January 1504 Cousin died 21 February 1507 King's son born
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 21 February 1507 Born 27 February 1508 Died
John, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive First cousin 27 February 1508 King's son died 20 October 1509 King's son born
Arthur, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Son 20 October 1509 Born 14 July 1510 Died
John, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive First cousin 14 July 1510 King's son died 10 April 1512 King's son born
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Son 10 April 1512 Born 9 September 1513 Became king
John, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive First cousin 9 September 1513 Cousin became king 30 April 1514 King's brother born James V
Alexander, Duke of Ross Heir presumptive Younger brother 30 April 1514 Born 18 December 1515 Died
John, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive First cousin 18 December 1515 Cousin died 2 July 1536 Died
James Hamilton, Earl of Arran Heir presumptive Second cousin 2 July 1536 Cousin died 22 May 1540 King's son born
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 22 May 1540 Born 21 April 1541 Died
James Hamilton, Earl of Arran Heir presumptive Second cousin 21 April 1541 King's son died 8 December 1542 King's daughter born
Mary Heiress presumptive Daughter 8 December 1542 Born 14 December 1542 Became queen
James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault Heir presumptive Second cousin 14 December 1542 Cousin became queen 19 June 1566 Queen's son born Mary I
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Son 19 June 1566 Born 24 July 1567 Became king
James Hamilton, Earl of Arran Heir presumptive Second cousin 24 July 1567 Cousin became king 22 January 1575 Died James VI
James Hamilton, Earl of Arran Heir presumptive Third cousin 22 January 1575 Father died 19 February 1594 King's son born
Henry Frederick, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 19 February 1594 Born 6 November 1612 Died
Charles, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Son 6 November 1612 Brother died 27 March 1625 Became king
Elizabeth, Electress Palatine Heiress presumptive Elder sister 27 March 1625 Brother became king 29 May 1630 King's son born Charles I
Charles, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Eldest son 29 May 1630 Born 30 January 1649 Became king
James, Duke of Albany Heir presumptive Younger brother 30 January 1649 Brother became king 6 February 1685 Became king Charles II
Mary, Princess of Orange Heiress presumptive Elder daughter 6 February 1685 Father became king 10 June 1688 King's son born James VII
James, Duke of Rothesay Heir apparent Son 10 June 1688 Born 11 April 1689 Father removed from throne
William II Mutual heirs Husband 11 May 1689 New law passed 28 December 1694 Became sole monarch Mary II
Mary II Wife Died William II
Princess Anne of Denmark Heiress apparent Sister-in-law and first cousin 28 December 1694 Sister died 8 March 1702 Became queen
No clear heir from 1702 to 1707 Anne

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