Earl of Lennox

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Original coat of arms of the Earls of Lennox

Earl of Lennox was a hereditary British title in the Peerage of Scotland .

In the Middle Ages , the title was synonymous with Mormaer of Lennox . The Earls were originally regents of the long-standing Mormaer - or Earldom of Lennox in the Kingdom of Scotland .

history

The first Mormaer is usually Alwin (also Ailín , Alpin or Alun ), even if the series of Mormaers indicates earlier names. The last Mormaer from the original family was Isabella of Lennox , who married Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany . Since all of her four sons died before her and left no legitimate heirs, the title expired when Isabella's death in 1458.

After the Lennox line became extinct, the title of Earl of Lennox was given to John Stewart, 1st Lord Darnley . This had already been raised to Lord Darnley in 1460 . Both titles expired when, in 1571, when the 4th Earl died, he passed on to his grandson, King James VI. , fell and merged with the crown. King James VI bestowed the titles of Earl of Lennox and Lord Darnley in 1572 to his uncle, Charles Stewart , his father's younger brother. After his death in 1576 the king bestowed both titles in 1578 on his great-uncle Robert Stewart , the second son of the 3rd Earl . He renounced the title on March 5, 1580 in favor of the crown and received the title Earl of March in return . On the same day, the title of Earl of Lennox with the subordinate title of Lord Darnley, Aubigny and Dalkeith was re-bestowed his nephew Esmé Stewart , who was also elevated to Duke of Lennox on August 5, 1581 . The earl title was henceforth listed as a subordinate title of the duke and finally expired when the 6th duke died on December 12, 1672.

List of the Earls of Lennox

Mormaers of Lennox / Gaelic Earls of Lennox

Earls of Lennox, second bestowal (1488)

Earls of Lennox, third bestowal (1572)

Earls of Lennox, fourth bestowal (1578)

Earls of Lennox, fifth bestowal (1580)

literature

  • Michael Brown: Earldom and Kindred. The Lennox and Its Earls, 1200-1458 . In: Steve Boardman, Alasdair Ross (ed.): The Exercise of Power in Medieval Scotland, c.1200–1500 . Four Courts Press, Dublin, Portland 2003, ISBN 978-1-85182-749-7 , pp. 201-224 .
  • Cynthia J. Neville: Native Lordship in Medieval Scotland: The Earldoms of Strathearn and Lennox, c. 1140-1365 . Four Courts Press, Dublin, Portland 2005.
  • John Anderson: The Celtic Earls of Lennox . In: James Balfour Paul (Ed.): The Scots Peerage . tape 5 : Innermeath-Mar . David Douglas, Edinburgh 1908, p. 324–343 (English, Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).

Web links