Lord Borthwick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lordship of Borthwick |
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| Creation date | 12 June 1452 |
| Monarch | King James II of Scotland |
| Peerage | Peerage of Scotland |
| First holder | William Borthwick |
| Present holder | John Hugh Borthwick, 24th Lord Borthwick |
| Heir presumptive | Hon. Henry Borthwick of Glengelt, Master of Borthwick |
| Remainder to | the 1st Lord's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten. |
| Subsidiary titles | Hereditary Royal Falconer of Scotland Chief of the Name and Arms of Borthwick |
The title of Lord Borthwick is a very old and important noble title in Scotland. It is part of the Peerage of Scotland, which is a group of noble titles created by Scottish kings.
The Borthwick family has a long history. Some stories say the first family member came to Scotland from Hungary around the year 1057. This was with Queen Margaret, during the time of King Malcolm Canmore.
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The First Lords Borthwick
The first person to be called Lord Borthwick was Sir William de Borthwick of that Ilk. He became a Lord of Parliament, which meant he was an important noble with a special place in the Scottish Parliament. The exact date he received this title is not perfectly clear, but many believe it was around 1452, during the reign of King James II.
It's interesting that many of the first Lords Borthwick were named William. In fact, six of the first seven Lords had this name!
The second Lord Borthwick was an ambassador to England. He also served as the Master of the Household for King James III. This was a very important job, overseeing the royal home.
The third Lord Borthwick might have died at the famous Battle of Flodden in 1513, though some historians disagree. His son, the fourth Lord, became a guardian to the young King James V. This shows how trusted and important the Borthwick family was.
The Title Becomes Dormant
The ninth Lord Borthwick was a supporter of the King during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a big conflict in Britain. When he died in 1675, there were no direct male heirs from the third Lord's family line. Because of this, the title became "dormant." This means the title still existed, but no one was officially holding it or using it.
For the next 87 years, the title remained dormant. However, the right to the title passed to other male relatives of the Borthwick family. These family members were considered the "de jure" Lords, meaning they had the legal right to the title, even if they weren't officially recognized yet.
One of these "de jure" Lords was a colonel in the army. He was sadly killed in a battle called the Battle of Ramillies in 1706. Another relative, Henry Borthwick, also fought in this battle and died from his wounds.
Reclaiming the Title
Over many years, different members of the Borthwick family tried to claim the title. They had to present their case to the House of Lords in Britain, which is a part of the Parliament.
In 1762, Henry Borthwick's claim was accepted, and he officially became the fourteenth Lord Borthwick. But when he died in 1772, the title became dormant again.
More family members tried to claim the title in the 1800s. Finally, in 1870, Cunninghame Borthwick's claim was accepted by the House of Lords. He became the nineteenth Lord Borthwick. He even served as a Scottish Representative Peer in the House of Lords for a few years.
After him, the title became dormant again in 1910. It wasn't until 1986 that John Henry Stuart Borthwick had his claim accepted. He became the twenty-third Lord Borthwick.
The Current Lord Borthwick
As of 2017[update] the title is held by John Hugh Borthwick, 24th Lord Borthwick. He is the twenty-fourth person to hold this ancient title, taking it over in 1996. He is also the Chief of Clan Borthwick, which means he is the main leader of the Borthwick family. He also holds other old titles like Baron of Heriotmuir and Laird of Crookston.
The family's historic home is Borthwick Castle, located near Borthwick, Midlothian. Today, the castle is leased out and used as a special place for events and gatherings.
The person who is expected to inherit the title next is the current Lord's twin brother, James Henry Alexander Borthwick of Glengelt. He is known as the Master of Borthwick.
Coat of Arms
The Borthwick family has a special design called a coat of arms. It helps to identify their noble family. The description of their coat of arms is: Argent, three cinquefoils sable. This means it's a silver shield with three black five-leafed shapes on it.
Lords Borthwick (since 1452)
Here are the people who have officially held the title of Lord Borthwick:
- William Borthwick, 1st Lord Borthwick (died 1484)
- William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick (died 1513)
- William Borthwick, 3rd Lord Borthwick (died 1543)
- John Borthwick, 4th Lord Borthwick (died 1566)
- William Borthwick, 5th Lord Borthwick (died 1582)
- James Borthwick, 6th Lord Borthwick (1570–1599)
- John Borthwick, 7th Lord Borthwick (died 1623)
- John Borthwick, 8th Lord Borthwick (1616–1675) (title became dormant in 1675)
- Henry Borthwick, 14th Lord Borthwick (died 1772) (title confirmed in 1762; became dormant again in 1772)
- Cunninghame Borthwick, 19th Lord Borthwick (1813–1885) (title confirmed in 1870)
- Archibald Patrick Thomas Borthwick, 20th Lord Borthwick (1867–1910) (title became dormant in 1910)
- John Henry Stuart Borthwick, 23rd Lord Borthwick (1905–1996) (title confirmed in 1986)
- John Hugh Borthwick, 24th Lord Borthwick (born 1940)
Images for kids
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The grave of Cunninghame, 19th Lord Borthwick.
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The grave of Henry Borthwick, a "de jure" Lord Borthwick.
