Great Seal of Scotland: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|National seal of Scotland}}{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}} |
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| ⚫ | The Great Seal of Scotland allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the monarch wishes to make official. The earliest seal impression, in the Treasury of [[Durham Cathedral]], is believed to be the Great Seal of [[Duncan II]] and dates to 1094. |
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[[File:The Great Seal of Scotland under HM Elizabeth II.jpg|thumb|350px|The Great Seal of Scotland under [[Elizabeth II]] in red [[beeswax]].]] |
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| ⚫ | The '''Great Seal of Scotland''' ({{lang-gd|Seala Mòr na h-Alba}}) is a principal [[national symbol]] of [[Scotland]] that allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the monarch wishes to make official. The earliest [[Seal (emblem)|seal]] impression, in the Treasury of [[Durham Cathedral]], is believed to be the Great Seal of [[Duncan II of Scotland|Duncan II]] and dates to 1094. |
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Strictly, the Great Seal of Scotland was abolished by the [[Act of Union 1707]] which provided that |
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The current [[Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland]] is the [[First Minister of Scotland]] and it is considered as one of the highest honours of that office. |
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{{PoliticsScotland}} |
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| ⚫ | The |
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==History== |
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| ⚫ | The Great Seal is administered by the |
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===Kingdom of Scotland=== |
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The [[Chancellor of Scotland|chancellor]] had the custody of the King's Seal. <ref>See list for years AD1057-1794, pp. 78–82 in "A political index to the histories of Great Britain and Ireland" by Robert Beatson: https://archive.org/stream/apoliticalindex02beatgoog#page/n88/mode/2up</ref> The register of the Great Seal of Scotland is Scotland's oldest national record having served as a means by which the Monarch signs official documents in Scotland and documents relating to [[Scots law]] for over 700 years.<Ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ros.gov.uk/our-registers/register-of-great-seal | title=Register of the Great Seal }}</ref> |
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===Treaty of Union and devolution=== |
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[[File:First Minister Alex Salmond with Great Seal of Scotland (9931854076).jpg|thumb|right|[[First Minister of Scotland|First Minister]] and [[Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland|Keeper of the Great Seal]] [[Alex Salmond]] with the Seal of Scotland]] |
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| ⚫ | Strictly, the continuation of the Great Seal of Scotland was guaranteed by the [[Treaty of Union]] which provided that "a Seal in Scotland after the Union be alwayes kept and made use of in all things relating to private Rights or Grants, which have usually passed the Great Seal of Scotland, and which only concern Offices, Grants, Commissions, and private Rights within that Kingdom". Hence, the [[Scotland Act 1998]] refers to the current seal as "the seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and made use of in place of the Great Seal of Scotland". Nevertheless, the seal is still commonly referred to as the Great Seal of Scotland. |
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Section 12 of the [[Treason Act 1708]], still in force today, makes it [[treason]] in Scotland to counterfeit the seal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/apgb/Ann/7/21/section/XII|title=Treason Act 1708|website=www.legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | The design of the Great Seal is a responsibility of the [[Lord Lyon King of Arms]]. The reverse of the seal shows the monarch on horseback, but is not changed from reign to reign—the current version is that engraved in 1911 for the accession of [[King George V]].{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} The obverse is inscribed "ELIZABETH II D G BRITT REGNORVMQVE SVORVM CETER REGINA CONSORTIONIS POPULORUM PRINCEPS F D" and the figure on it is the same as on the [[Great Seal of the Realm|Great Seal of the United Kingdom]].<ref>The inscription is abbreviated Latin for "Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the Britains and of Her Other Kingdoms Queen, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, Defender of the Faith". See [[Great Seal of the Realm]].</ref> |
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| ⚫ | The Great Seal is administered by the keeper of the Great Seal, one of the [[Great Officers of State]]. From 1885 this office was held by the [[secretary for Scotland]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/48-49/61/section/8/enacted|title=Secretary for Scotland Act 1885|website=www.legislation.gov.uk}}</ref> later the [[Secretary of State for Scotland]]. It transferred in 1999 to the [[first minister of Scotland]],<ref>Scotland Act 1998, section 45(7)</ref> whose place in the [[order of precedence in Scotland]] is determined by his or her office as keeper of the Great Seal. In practice the Seal is in the custody of the keeper of the Registers of Scotland, who has been appointed as deputy keeper. |
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==Features of the Great Seal== |
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[[File:First Minister - Great Seal donated to Glasgow Womens Library.jpg|thumb|right|180px|The Great Seal of Scotland during the [[premiership of Nicola Sturgeon]]]] |
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One side features the current reigning monarch, while the other depicts the Royal Arms as used in Scotland.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ros.gov.uk/our-registers/register-of-great-seal | title=Register of the Great Seal }}</ref> Under the authority of an Order in Council made on 10 September 2022, following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, the existing seal continues to be used until another seal is prepared and authorised by King Charles III.<ref>[https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-09-10-Twelve-Orders-in-Council.pdf Orders made at the Accession Council, 10 September. See page 12.]</ref> |
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==List of Keepers of the Great Seal== |
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{{Main|Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland}} |
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==Register== |
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Records of charters under the Great Seal of Scotland from 1306 to 1668 are published in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (''Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum'').<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/research-guides/research-guides-a-z/chancery-records|title= NRS Website - Chancery Records |website=www.nrscotland.gov.uk|date= 31 May 2013 }}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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* [[Director of Chancery]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* https://archive.org/stream/registrummagnisi07scot#page/n5/mode/2up |
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{{Scotland topics}} |
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[[Category:National seals|Scotland]] |
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[[Category:Government of Scotland]] |
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[[Category:Political office-holders in Scotland]] |
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[[Category:Lists of Scottish people]] |
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[[Category:Scots law]] |
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[[Category:National symbols of Scotland]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:13, 8 May 2024
The Great Seal of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Seala Mòr na h-Alba) is a principal national symbol of Scotland that allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the monarch wishes to make official. The earliest seal impression, in the Treasury of Durham Cathedral, is believed to be the Great Seal of Duncan II and dates to 1094.
The current Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland is the First Minister of Scotland and it is considered as one of the highest honours of that office.
| This article is part of a series within the Politics of the United Kingdom on the |
| Politics of Scotland |
|---|
 |
History[edit]
Kingdom of Scotland[edit]
The chancellor had the custody of the King's Seal. [1] The register of the Great Seal of Scotland is Scotland's oldest national record having served as a means by which the Monarch signs official documents in Scotland and documents relating to Scots law for over 700 years.[2]
Treaty of Union and devolution[edit]
.jpg)
Strictly, the continuation of the Great Seal of Scotland was guaranteed by the Treaty of Union which provided that "a Seal in Scotland after the Union be alwayes kept and made use of in all things relating to private Rights or Grants, which have usually passed the Great Seal of Scotland, and which only concern Offices, Grants, Commissions, and private Rights within that Kingdom". Hence, the Scotland Act 1998 refers to the current seal as "the seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and made use of in place of the Great Seal of Scotland". Nevertheless, the seal is still commonly referred to as the Great Seal of Scotland.
Section 12 of the Treason Act 1708, still in force today, makes it treason in Scotland to counterfeit the seal.[3]
The design of the Great Seal is a responsibility of the Lord Lyon King of Arms. The reverse of the seal shows the monarch on horseback, but is not changed from reign to reign—the current version is that engraved in 1911 for the accession of King George V.[citation needed] The obverse is inscribed "ELIZABETH II D G BRITT REGNORVMQVE SVORVM CETER REGINA CONSORTIONIS POPULORUM PRINCEPS F D" and the figure on it is the same as on the Great Seal of the United Kingdom.[4]
The Great Seal is administered by the keeper of the Great Seal, one of the Great Officers of State. From 1885 this office was held by the secretary for Scotland,[5] later the Secretary of State for Scotland. It transferred in 1999 to the first minister of Scotland,[6] whose place in the order of precedence in Scotland is determined by his or her office as keeper of the Great Seal. In practice the Seal is in the custody of the keeper of the Registers of Scotland, who has been appointed as deputy keeper.
Features of the Great Seal[edit]
One side features the current reigning monarch, while the other depicts the Royal Arms as used in Scotland.[7] Under the authority of an Order in Council made on 10 September 2022, following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, the existing seal continues to be used until another seal is prepared and authorised by King Charles III.[8]
List of Keepers of the Great Seal[edit]
Register[edit]
Records of charters under the Great Seal of Scotland from 1306 to 1668 are published in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum).[9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ See list for years AD1057-1794, pp. 78–82 in "A political index to the histories of Great Britain and Ireland" by Robert Beatson: https://archive.org/stream/apoliticalindex02beatgoog#page/n88/mode/2up
- ^ "Register of the Great Seal".
- ^ "Treason Act 1708". www.legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ The inscription is abbreviated Latin for "Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the Britains and of Her Other Kingdoms Queen, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, Defender of the Faith". See Great Seal of the Realm.
- ^ "Secretary for Scotland Act 1885". www.legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ Scotland Act 1998, section 45(7)
- ^ "Register of the Great Seal".
- ^ Orders made at the Accession Council, 10 September. See page 12.
- ^ "NRS Website - Chancery Records". www.nrscotland.gov.uk. 31 May 2013.