Baronetage of Nova Scotia
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The Baronetage of Nova Scotia was devised in 1624 as a means of settling the plantation of that province. King James I announced his intention of creating 100 baronets, each of whom was to support six colonists for two years (or pay 2000 marks in lieu thereof) and also to pay 1000 marks to Sir William Alexander, to whom the province had been granted by charter in 1621.
James died before this scheme could be implemented, but it was carried out by his son Charles I, who created the first Scottish baronet on 28 May 1625, covenanting in the creation charter that the baronets of Scotland or of Nova Scotia should never exceed 150, that their heirs apparent should be knighted on coming of age (21), and that no one should receive the honour who had not fulfilled the conditions, viz, paid 3000 marks towards the plantation of the colony. Four years later the king wrote to the contractors for baronets, recognizing that they had advanced large sums to Sir William Alexander for the plantation on the security of the payments to be made by future baronets, and empowering them to offer a further inducement to applicants; and on the same day he granted to all Nova Scotia baronets the right to wear about their necks, suspended by an orange tawny ribbon, a badge bearing an azure saltire with a crowned inescutcheon of the arms of Scotland and the motto Fax mentis honestae gloria. As the required number, however, could not be completed, Charles announced in 1633 that English and Irish gentlemen might receive the honor, and in 1634 they began to do so. Yet even so, he was only able to create a few more than 120 in all. In 1638 the creation ceased to carry with it the grant of lands in Nova Scotia, and on the union with England (1707) the Scottish creations ceased, English and Scotsmen alike receiving thenceforth baronetcies of Great Britain.
Many baronets also hold peerage titles; these have been listed below. For a complete list of all baronetcies, see List of Baronetcies.