Duke of Montrose

Coat of arms of the Duke of Montrose (second award)

Duke of Montrose is a hereditary British title of nobility awarded twice in the Peerage of Scotland . It is named after the city of Montrose in Scotland.

The Dukes' family seat is in Auchmar near Loch Lomond . The holder of the title is also the chief of Clan Graham .

Awards and subordinate titles

First award in 1488

The first bestowal of the title took place on May 18, 1488, to David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford , who had held almost all important state offices in Scotland. He was King James III. loyal to and the first Scot to receive a dukedom without being a member of the royal family.

In the same year King Jacob IV recognized him from the title, but Lindsay awarded it again the next year with the stipulation that the dignity could not be inherited. With Lindsay's death in December 1495, the Dukedom therefore went out.

He had inherited the title Earl of Crawford , created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1398, from his father in 1443 , which he passed on to his son on his death.

Second award 1707

The second bestowal took place on April 24, 1707 in the Peerage of Scotland to James Graham, 4th Marquess of Montrose . As chairman of the Scottish Privy Council, he had contributed significantly to the creation of the Act of Union . Along with the Dukedom, he was given the subordinate titles Marquess of Graham and Buchanan , Earl of Kincardine , Viscount of Dundaff and Lord Aberuthven, Mugdock and Fintry .

As early as 1684 he inherited the following subordinate titles from his father, all of which also belong to the Peerage of Scotland: 11th Lord Graham , created in 1415 for his ancestor William Graham , 8th Earl of Montrose , on March 3, 1505 for his great-grandson William Graham, 4th Lord Graham , created, as well as 4th Marquess of Montrose , 4th Earl of Kincardine and 4th Lord Graham and Mugdock , on May 6, 1644 for his great-great-great-grandson the famous military leader James Graham, 5th Earl of Montrose .

His eldest son David Graham was raised to Earl Graham and Baron Graham , of Belford in the County of Northumberland on May 23, 1722 . The award was made with the special addition that in the absence of male descendants, the titles could also be inherited by his younger brothers. Since he died childless in 1731 and before his father, his brother William Graham inherited his title, who also succeeded his father as 2nd Duke in 1742. The two titles Earl Graham and Baron Graham belong to the Peerage of Great Britain and, in contrast to his Scottish titles, gave the Duke a seat and vote in the House of Lords until 1999 .

The eldest son of the respective duke carries as a probable title heir ( Heir Apparent ) the courtesy title Marquess of Graham and Buchanan , his eldest son that of an Earl of Kincardine and his eldest son, i.e. the great grandson of the duke, the title Viscount Dundaff .