Earl of Ross

For the Irish peer, see Ralph Gore, 1st Earl of Ross.

Not to be confused with Earl of Rosse.

The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland.

Earldom of Ross
Creation date	12th century
Peerage	Peerage of Scotland
First holder	Ferquhard
Last holder	Charles
Former seat(s)	Balnagown Castle

Origins and transfers

In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made a separate earldom in the mid 12th century, when Malcolm MacHeth is found designated Earl of Ross. Malcolm had earlier been imprisoned at Roxburgh for rebelling against David I, but when Malcolm's brother-in-law Somerled invaded Scotland, David was forced to relent and grant the earldom unto Malcolm.

The title was later granted by William the Lion to Floris III of Holland in 1161 upon Floris's marriage to William's sister Ada of Huntingdon.^{[citation needed]} However, Floris held the title only in a nominal sense, as he took no active part in the governance of Ross. The title seems not to have been passed on, for in 1291 Floris's descendant is found complaining that he had been deprived of the earldom.

The true founder was the famous Ferquhard, from the Irish Ó Beólláin (O'Beolain, Boland, Bolan) family. This Ferquhard was the son of the lay parson of the monastery of Applecross, and was hence known as MacIntagart, meaning "son of the priest". In 1215 the newly crowned Alexander II was forced to suppress a rebellion in Moray and Ross. Ferquhard sided with the king, and captured the rebel leaders, before beheading them and presenting their heads to Alexander. For this he was knighted. He was created Earl of Ross in the 1220s, probably in 1226.

The line of Ferquhard continued until the death of William, 5th Earl of Ross, in 1372. William had two daughters, the eldest of which, Euphemia, married Sir Walter Leslie, who then became jure uxoris Earl of Ross. The Leslies continued to hold the earldom until another heiress, also named Euphemia. This Euphemia was a sickly girl, who suffered from a hunchback. Though she was nominally Countess of Ross, Ross's governance was carried out by her grandfather, the ruthless and ambitious Robert, Duke of Albany. Euphemia's uncle Donald, Lord of the Isles, had a superior claim by right of his wife, Mariota Leslie. He feared Albany would take not only Ross but more. So, in 1411, he invaded Ross with 10,000 men and won the Battle of Dingwall and the Battle of Harlaw.^[1]

In 1415 Euphemia was persuaded or forced to resign the earldom in favor of Albany's son, John. However, the Albany Stewarts would meet their downfall when King James I returned to Scotland in 1424. Robert was believed to have murdered James's brother David, who was King Robert III's heir. And he sought to capture James, the last living son. In addition, while James was in prison in London, Albany did nothing to try and free him. In revenge James had the entire family forfeited and executed (with the exception of James the Fat who escaped to Ireland). By then, the earldom had officially passed to Alexander Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, who continued to hold it until John forfeited it in the 1470s.

In 1481 James III granted the earldom unto his second son, also named James. James had already been made Marquis of Ormond at his baptism. In 1487 his earldom was raised to a dukedom, and he was granted the additional titles Earl of Ardmenach and Lord of Ardmannoch, Brechin and Navarre. James entered the clergy, and thus never married or had issue. He died in 1503, and all his titles became extinct.

The fourth creation was on 20 May 1565, for Henry, Lord Darnley, who was also created Lord Ardmannoch. Shortly thereafter he was created Duke of Albany. After his murder at Kirk o' Field, he was succeeded by his infant son James, whose accession as James VI a few months later returned the titles to the Crown.

Upon the investiture of Charles Stuart as Duke of Albany on 2 December 1600, he was also granted the Marquisate of Ormonde, the Earldom of Ross, and the Lordship of Ardmannoch. Charles's elder brother Henry died unexpectedly in 1612, and he became Prince of Wales as heir apparent to the throne. He acceded as king in 1625, and the titles again reverted to the Crown.

Ross currently has no earl, but it is possible the title will one day be revived for a member of the royal family. There was speculation that the title might be revived for Prince Harry; it was not.^[2]

List of Earls of Ross

Early mormaers/earls of Ross

Arms of the Earls of Ross (ancient):Gules, three lions rampant argent.

• Malcolm MacHeth (died 1168)
• With the crown
• Ferquhar (died 1249)
• William I (died 1274)
• William II (died 1323)
• Hugh, Earl of Ross (died 1333) (from whom descend the chiefs of Clan Ross).
• William (died 1372)
• Euphemia I (died c. 1394)
  • Married Sir Walter Leslie
• Alexander Leslie (died 1402)
• Euphemia II (died c. 1424) (resigned c. 1415)
• John Stewart, (died 1424)
• Mariota (died c. 1429) (sister of Alexander Leslie, Earl of Ross)
  • m. Donald, Lord of the Isles
• Alexander of Islay (died 1448)
• John of Islay (died c. 1498) (forfeited 1476)

Earls of Ross, creation of 1481

• James Stewart (1476–1504)

Earls of Ross, creation of 1565

• Henry Stuart (1546–1567) (later Duke of Albany and King of Scotland)
• James Stuart (1566–1625) (later King of Scotland and King of England)

Earls of Ross, creation of 1600

• Charles Stuart (1600–1649) (became king in 1625)

Family tree

v t e Earls of Ross family tree
Fearchar mac an t-sagairt Earl of Ross <1225 - 1251 William Earl of Ross 1251 - 1274 William Earl of Ross 1274 - 1323 Hugh Earl of Ross 1323 - 1333 Elizabeth of Rowallan Robert II King of Scotland Queen Euphemia William Earl of Ross 1336 - 1372 Robert III King of Scotland Anabella Drummond Muriel Keith Robert Stuart Duke of Albany Earl of Buchan Margaret Graham Countess of Menteith Alexander the Wolf of Badenoch Earl of Ross de jure uxoris Euphemia Countess of Ross suo jure 1372 - 1394 Walter Leslie Lady Margaret Stewart John Macdonald Lord of the Isles James I King of Scotland Joan Beauford John Stewart Earl of Buchan & Ross 1415 Lady Isabel Stewart Alexander Leslie Earl of Ross ~1395 - 1402 Mary Leslie Countess of Ross suo jure 1415 - 1435 Donald Macdonald Lord of the Isles James II King of Scotland Marie of Gueldres Euphemia Leslie Countess of Ross suo jure 1402 - 1415 Alexander Macdonald Lord of the Isles & Earl of Ross ~1435 - 1449 James III King of Scotland Margaret of Denmark Princess Mary Stewart James 1st Lord Hamilton John Macdonald Lord of the Isles & Earl of Ross 1449 - 1475 James IV King of Scotland Margaret Tudor Elizabeth Hamilton Matthew Stewart Earl of Lennox James V King of Scotland Mary of Guise John Stewart Earl of Lennox Elizabeth Stewart Matthew Stuart Earl of Lennox Lady Margaret Douglas Mary, Queen of Scots Henry Stuart Lord Darnley 1565 - 1566/7 James I King of England, Ireland & Scotland 1567 - 1600 Charles I King of England, Ireland & Scotland 1600 - 1649
descendant of Fearchar, Earl of Ross   descendant of Robert II King of Scotland   Earl or Countess of Ross   marriage   descendant of Fearchar, Earl of Ross   descendant of Robert II King of Scotland dates indicate time period as Earl or Countess of Ross
Notes: Suo jure is Latin for "in her own right". It is used following the title of a noblewoman to specify that she holds the title independently of her husband. De jure uxoris is Latin for "by right of his wife". It denotes a title of nobility that is used by a man because his wife holds the office or title suo jure.
References: "Document 1/7/113 (_RRS_, iii, no. 110)". People of Medieval Scotland. Retrieved 20 April 2020. Baldwin, John (1986). "The Earldom of Ross and the Lordship of the Isles". Firthlands of Ross and Sutherland (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Society for Northern Studies. p. 64. ISBN 0-9505994-4-1. OCLC 16692908. Bain, Robert (1899). History of the ancient province of Ross (The County Palatine of Scotland) from the earliest times to the present time. Dingwall: Pefferside Press. pp. 80–82 – via Internet Archive.

v t e  Family tree of the: Earls of Angus, Earls of Avondale, Earls of Douglas, Marquesses of Douglas, Earls of Forfar, Earls of Ormond and Marquesses of Ormond, Earls of Ross and Dukes of Ross

Earl of Angus (Stewart line), 1329 John Stewart (d. 1331) 1st Earl of Angus, Lord of Bonkyl, Lord of Abernethy jure uxoris William the Hardy (1243–1298) Lord of Douglas Thomas Stewart (b. before 1331-1361) 2nd Earl of Angus Archibald Douglas (d. 1333) James Douglas "the Good" (c. 1286–1330) Lord of Douglas Earl of Douglas, 1358 Robert III of Scotland (c. 1337–1406) Margaret Stewart (d. 1417) 3rd Countess of Angus, Lady of Abernethy, Lady of Bonkyll William Douglas (c. 1323–1384) 1st Earl of Douglas Archibald Douglas "the Grim" (c. 1330 – c. 1400) 3rd Earl of Douglas, Earl of Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Douglas, Lord of Bothwell Earl of Angus transferred from the Stewarts to the Douglasses when Margaret resigned her title in deference to her son, 1389 Earl of Avondale and Lord Balveny, 1437 James I (1394–1437) Princess Mary of Scotland George Douglas (1380–1430) 1st Earl of Angus, Lord of Abernethy, Lord of Bonkyll James Douglas (c. 1358–1388) 2nd Earl of Douglas, Earl of Mar Archibald Douglas "Tyneman" (c. 1369–1424) Duke of Touraine, 4th Earl of Douglas, Earl of Wigtown, 13th Lord of Douglas, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Douglas, Lord of Bothwell m. Margaret of Carrick, daughter of Robert III James Douglas (1371–1443) 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale, 1st Lord Balveny William Douglas (1398–1437) 2nd Earl of Angus Douglases of Drumlanrig Archibald Douglas (c. 1391–1439) Duke of Touraine, 5th Earl of Douglas, Earl of Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Douglas, Lord of Bothwell, Lord of Selkirk and Ettrick Forest, Eskdale, Lauderdale, Liddesdale and Annandale, Count of Longueville, Seigneur de Dun-le-roi Earl of Ormond (Scotland) (1st creation), 1445 James II (1430–1460) James Douglas (1428–1446) 3rd Earl of Angus George Douglas (c. 1427–1463) 4th Earl of Angus William Douglas (c. 1424–1440) Duke of Touraine, 6th Earl of Douglas, Earl of Wigtown, Lord of Galloway, Lord of Bothwell, Lord of Selkirk and Ettrick Forest, Eskdale, Lauderdale, and Annandale, Count of Longueville, Seigneur de Dun-le-roi William Douglas (1425–1452) 8th Earl of Douglas, 2nd Earl of Avondale, 2nd Lord Balveny James Douglas (1426–1491) 9th Earl of Douglas, 3rd Earl of Avondale, 3rd Lord Balveny Hugh Douglas (d. 1455) Earl of Ormond Earldom of Douglas and Earldom of Avondale forfeit, 1491 Eardom of Ormand forfeit, 1455 James III (1451/1452–1448) Archibald Douglas (c. 1449–1513) 5th Earl of Angus Marquess of Ormond (Scotland) (1st creation), 1476 Earl of Ross, 1481 Duke of Ross, 1488 James IV (1473–1513) James Stewart (1476–1504) Duke of Ross, Marquess of Ormond, Earl of Ross George Douglas (1469–1513) styled Master of Angus William Douglas of Glenbervie (1473–1513) Dukedom of Ross (1488 creation), Marqessate of Ormond (1st creation) and Earldom of Ross (1481 creation) extinct, 1504 Duke of Ross (2nd creation), 1514 James V (1512–1542) Alexander Stewart (1514–1515) Duke of Ross Archibald Douglas (1490–1557) 6th Earl of Angus George Douglas of Pittendreich (d. 1552) Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie (1513–1570) Dukedom of Ross (2nd creation) extinct, 1515 Earl of Ross (1565 creation) Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587) Henry Stuart (1546–1567) Duke of Albany, 1st Earl of Ross, Lord Darnley, Lord Ardmannoch David Douglas (c. 1515–1558) 7th Earl of Angus William Douglas (1533–1591) 9th Earl of Angus James VI and I (1566–1625) 2nd Earl of Ross Archibald Douglas (1555–1588) 8th Earl of Angus, Earl of Morton William Douglas (1553–1611) 10th Earl of Angus Earldom of Ross (1565 creation), merged with the crown Marquess of Ormond (Scotland) (2nd creation), Earl of Ross, and Lord Ardmannoch, 1600 Marquess of Douglas (1st creation), 1633 Elizabeth Stuart (1596–1662) Charles Stuart (1600–1649) Marquess of Ormond, Earl of Ross Later King Charles I of England and Scotland William Douglas (1589–1660) 1st Marquess of Douglas, 11th Earl of Angus Marquessate of Ormand (2nd creation) and Earldom of Ross (1600 creation) merged with the Crown, 1625 Earl of Ormond (Scotland) (2nd creation), 1651 Sophia of Hanover (1630–1714) Archibald Douglas (1609–1655) 1st Earl of Ormond Earl of Forfar (1st creation), 1661 King George I (1660–1727) James Douglas (c. 1646–1700) 2nd Marquess of Douglas, 12th Earl of Angus Archibald Douglas (1653–1712) 2nd Earl of Ormond, 1st Earl of Forfar Duke of Douglas, Marquess of Angus and Abernethy, Viscount of Jedburgh Forest, Lord Douglas of Bonkill, Prestoun, and Robertoun, 1703 King George II (1683–1760) Archibald Douglas (1694–1761) 1st Duke of Douglas, Marquess of Angus and Abernethy, and Viscount of Jedburgh Forest, Lord Douglas of Bonkill, Prestoun, and Robertoun, 3rd Marquess of Douglas, 13th Earl of Angus Archibald Douglas (1692–1715) 3rd Earl of Ormond, 2nd Earl of Forfar Dukedom of Douglas, Marquessate of Angus and Abernethy, and Viscountcy of Jedburgh Forest, Lordship Douglas of Bonkill, Prestoun, and Robertoun extinct, 1761 Marquessate of Douglas, and earldom of Angus passed to James Hamilton, 7th Duke of Hamilton Earldoms of Ormond and Forfar extinct, 1715 Frederick (1707–1751) Prince of Wales King George III (1683–1760) Edward Augustus (1767–1820) Duke of Kent and Strathearn Queen Victoria (1819–1901) King Edward VII (1841–1910) Duke of Clarence and Avondale and Earl of Athlone, 1890 Prince Albert Victor (1864–1892) Duke of Clarence and Avondale, Earl of Athlone King George V (1865–1936) Dukedom of Clarence and Avondale and Earldom of Athlone extinct, 1892 King George VI (1895–1952) Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) Earl of Forfar (2nd creation), 2019 Prince Edward (b. 1964) Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Forfar

References

1. Keith Norman Macdonald, M.D., in his book Macdonald Bards, says the Earl of Mar’s men, who fought for Albany, were “cut to pieces”. The nearest contemporary record is found in the Irish Annals of Connacht where, under the year 1411, it is stated, “Mac Domnaill of Scotland won a great victory over the Galls of Scotland.” The 2011 article by Iain G. MacDonald, Donald of the Isles and the Earldom of Ross: West-Highland Perspectives on the Battle of Harlaw, also records the victory. According to Donald Gregory, whose manuscripts are cited in the Highland Papers for May 1914, “Macdonald enjoyed the Earldom of Ross all his lifetime without any competition or trouble…but as long as the king was captive in England, the Duke of Albany the Regent used all his power to oppose him and impair his greatness, being vexed he lost the Battle of Harlaw.” (Highland Papers, vol. 1, at p. 34).
2. "Bookies say Prince Harry and Megan could become Earl and Countess of Dumbarton". Daily Record. 24 January 2018.

• Balfour Paul, Sir James. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1909.
• Grant, Alexander. "The Province of Ross and the Kingdom of Alba" in E.J. Cowan and R. Andrew McDonald (eds.) Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era. East Linton: Tuckwell Press, 2000. ISBN 1-86232-151-5.
• McDonald, R. Andrew. "Old and New in the Far North: Ferchar Maccintsacairt and the Early Earls of Ross" in Steve Boardman and Alasdair Ross (eds.) The Exercise of Power in Medieval Scotland, c.1200–1500. Dublin: Four Courts, 2003. ISBN 1-85182-749-8.
• Roberts, John L. Lost Kingdoms: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-7486-0910-5.
• Brown, Peter, publisher, The Peerage of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1834, p. 212.

External links

• Somerled & Earl of Ross
• Malcolm Macbeth, the first Earl of Ross
• Clan Ross
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• History of the Mackenzies, with genealogies of the principal families of the name at Project Gutenberg