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Lord Napier facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Baron Napier of Magdala.
Lord Napier arms
The Coat of Arms of the Lord Napier of Merchistoun, Baron Ettrick, and Baronet of Nova Scotia.

The title Lord Napier, of Merchistoun, is a special honor in Scotland. It was first created in 1627 for Sir Archibald Napier. Earlier that year, he also received the Napier Baronetcy. This was a different kind of honor, created in Nova Scotia. For a long time, these two titles were held by the same person.

Later, the Lords Napier also held other important titles. These included the Nicolson Baronetcy and the Scott Baronetcy. The Scott Baronetcy is still held by the family today. In 1872, the tenth Lord Napier also received another title, Baron Ettrick, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

Lord Napier is also the traditional leader, or Clan Chief, of Clan Napier.

The family's main home is Thirlestane Castle, which is near Ettrick in Selkirkshire.

History of the Napier Title

The Napier Family's Beginnings

Lennox arms
The arms of Napier, which are the same as the Earl of Lennox.

The name Napier first appeared in Scotland around 1290. It was in a document from Maol Choluim I, Earl of Lennox. The story says that the name came from King Alexander II of Scotland. After a battle, he told one of the Earls of Lennox that he had na peer (meaning "no equal").

Archibald Napier was the son of John Napier. John Napier was famous for inventing logarithms, which are important in math. Archibald worked for King James VI of Scotland. He was also a judge in the Court of Session.

In 1627, Archibald was given the title of Baronet. This was "of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian". A few months later, he became Lord Napier. When his grandson, the third Lord, passed away in 1683, the Baronetcy title became inactive for a while. However, the Lordship title continued. It passed to his nephew, Sir Thomas Nicolson, who became the 4th Lord Napier.

The Scott Family Connection

Arms of the house of Scott of Buccleuch
The arms of the Scott family of Buccleuch.

The 4th Lord Napier passed away young and had no children. So, the Lordship title went to his aunt, the fifth Lady Napier. Her grandson, the sixth Lord, then inherited the title. He was also the son of Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet of Thirlestane.

In 1725, the sixth Lord Napier also became the third Baronet of Thirlestane. This Scott Baronetcy had been created in 1666 for Francis Scott. Since then, the titles of Lord Napier and Scott Baronet have been held by the same person.

The eighth Lord Napier was a Scottish Representative Peer in the House of Lords. This meant he represented Scotland's nobility in the British Parliament. He also served as the Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire. His son, the ninth Lord, was also a Scottish Representative Peer. He even served as an Ambassador to China in 1833.

The tenth Lord Napier was a very important diplomat. In 1872, he was given the new title of Baron Ettrick. This title gave him and his family a permanent seat in the House of Lords. This continued until 1999. As of 2017, the current holder of the titles is the fifteenth Lord. He inherited the titles from his father in 2012. He is known as "Lord Napier and Ettrick".

Lords Napier (1627) and Barons Ettrick (1872)

Napier Family Members

Nicolson Family Member

Scott Family Members (who adopted the Napier surname)

The person expected to inherit the Lordship of Napier next is the current Lord's daughter, Hon. Sophie Eleanor Rose Napier (born 1999). She is known as the Mistress of Napier.

The person expected to inherit the Barony of Ettrick and the Scott baronetcy is the current Lord's brother, Hon. Nicholas Alexander John Napier (born 1971). His son, Charles Ludovic Percy Napier (born 2005), is next in line after him.

Scott Baronets, of Thirlestane (1666)

  • Sir Francis Scott, 1st Baronet (1645–1712)
  • Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet (around 1680–1725)
  • Sir Francis Scott, 3rd Baronet (around 1702–1773) (He had already become the 6th Lord Napier in 1706.)

See also

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