Lord Holyroodhouse facts for kids

The title of Lord Holyroodhouse was a special rank in the Peerage of Scotland. A "peerage" is like a system of noble titles, such as dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons, that are passed down through families. This particular title was connected to the famous Holyrood area in Edinburgh, Scotland.

How the Title Began

Around 1559, a big change called the Scottish Reformation happened in Scotland. During this time, Holyrood Abbey, which was a church building, stopped being controlled by the church. Its lands and the right to be its "abbot" (the head of an abbey) were bought by a man named Adam Bothwell.

In 1583, Adam Bothwell gave these lands to his son, John Bothwell. John then changed the old abbey buildings into a house and called it Holyrood House.

In July 1593, a special title was created for John Bothwell: Lord Holyroodhouse. At first, this title was not meant to be passed down through his family. It was given to him because he was a Senator of the College of Justice, which was a high legal position.

A Hereditary Title

On December 20, 1607, King James VI of Scotland made the title of Lord Holyroodhouse "hereditary." This meant it could now be passed down from father to son.

However, the title did not last long. The second Lord Holyroodhouse died in 1638. After his death, the title became "dormant." A dormant title means that no one is officially holding it, but it could potentially be claimed by a rightful heir in the future. Some records suggest the title might have become dormant even earlier, in 1609, when the first Lord Holyroodhouse passed away without children.

Later Attempts to Claim the Title

Many years later, in 1704, a man named Alexander Bothwell of Glencorse tried to claim the title. He said he was the rightful heir, but his claim was turned down because his family tree (called a "pedigree") was not correct.

Then, in 1734, Alexander's oldest son, Henry, tried again. He sent a request to the king, presenting a different family tree. The king accepted Henry's claim and sent it to the House of Lords (a part of the British Parliament) for approval. However, the Lords never took any action on it.

Even though the House of Lords did not officially approve his claim, Henry used the title of Lord Holyroodhouse for the rest of his life. But when he died, none of his sons tried to claim the title, and none of them had sons to pass it on to. Still, because there were other male relatives alive, the title was still considered dormant, not completely "extinct" (meaning it could never be claimed again).

It's important to know that by 1671, the original Holyroodhouse estate had been rebuilt by the king to create the grand Holyrood Palace. So, the people trying to claim the title in the 1700s were mostly hoping to get some money from the king for using the land, rather than actually getting the old estate back.

Lords Holyroodhouse (1607)

• John Bothwell, Lord Holyroodhouse (died 1609)
• John Bothwell, 2nd Lord Holyroodhouse (died 1638)

(The title is currently dormant)