Earl of Caithness
|
|
The title Earl of Caithness has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. It was first granted to Malise, 8th Earl of Stratherne, in 1334. The next year, however, all of his titles were declared forfeit for treason.
The next grant was to David Stewart, a younger son of King Robert II of Scotland. His heiress, Euphemia, resigned the title in 1390 in favour of her uncle Walter, 1st Earl of Atholl. Walter himself resigned the title in 1428, in favour of his son Allan, but he retained the earldom of Atholl for himself. Upon Allan's death, Walter again came to hold both earldoms. However, both were lost when he was executed for high treason in 1437, his titles being forfeit.
The third creation of the title was for Sir George Crichton in 1452, but he surrendered the title in the same year. The final creation of the earldom was made in 1455 for William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. He surrendered the Orkney title and all associated lands to James III in 1470, in return for the Castle of Ravenscraig, in Fife. Six years later, he wished to disinherit his eldest son, who was known as "The Waster." Therefore, so that his earldom would not pass to him, he resigned the title in favour of his younger son, William.
George, sixth Earl of the Sinclair line, was the last Earl to cause a disturbance in the normal succession of the title. In 1672, he agreed that, at his death, all of his lands and titles would pass to Sir John Campbell, who was his creditor. In 1677, the sixth Earl died, and King Charles II granted him a patent creating him Earl of Caithness . Later, however, the sixth Earl's heir, also named George, was confirmed in his titles by the law. Therefore, in order to compensate for the loss of the earldom, Charles II created him Earl of Breadalbane and Holland. Thereafter, the earldom of Caithness has passed solely within the Sinclair family, without any further resignations or other irregularities.
The Earl of Caithness also holds the title of Lord Berriedale, which was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1455. That title is used as a courtesy title for the Earl's eldest son and heir.
The family seat is Castle Sinclair, two and a half miles north of Wick, Caithness in the Highland region of Scotland.
| Contents |
Earls of Caithness, First Creation (c. 1334)
- Malise, 8th Earl of Stratherne, 1st Earl of Caithness (d. bef. 1353) (forfeit 1335)
Earls of Caithness, Second Creation (c. 1375)
- David Stewart, 1st Earl of Caithness (d. bef. 1389)
- Euphemia Stewart, 2nd Countess of Caithness (d. 1434) (resigned 1390)
- Walter Stewart, 3rd Earl of Caithness, 1st Earl of Atholl (d. 1437) (resigned c. 1428)
- Allan Stewart, 4th Earl of Caithness (d. 1431)
- Walter Stewart, 3rd Earl of Caithness, 1st Earl of Atholl (d. 1437) (forfeit 1437)
Earls of Caithness, Third Creation (1452)
- George Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness (d. 1455) (resigned 1452)
Earls of Caithness, Fourth Creation (1455)
- William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness (d. 1484) (resigned 1476)
- William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness (d. 1513)
- John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness (d. 1529)
- George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness (d. 1582)
- George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness (1566-1643)
- George Sinclair, 6th Earl of Caithness (d. 1677) (resigned 1672)
- John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland (1635-1717) (resigned 1681)
- George Sinclair, 7th Earl of Caithness (d. 1698)
- John Sinclair, 8th Earl of Caithness (d. 1705)
- Alexander Sinclair, 9th Earl of Caithness (1685-1765)
- William Sinclair, 10th Earl of Caithness (1727-1779)
- John Sinclair, 11th Earl of Caithness (1757-1789)
- James Sinclair, 12th Earl of Caithness (1766-1823)
- Alexander Campbell Sinclair, 13th Earl of Caithness (1790-1855)
- James Sinclair, 14th Earl of Caithness (1821-1881)
- George Philips Alexander Sinclair, 15th Earl of Caithness (1858-1889)
- James Augustus Sinclair, 16th Earl of Caithness (1827-1891)
- John Sutherland Sinclair, 17th Earl of Caithness (1857-1914)
- Norman Macleod Sinclair, 18th Earl of Caithness (1862-1947)
- James Roderick Sinclair, 19th Earl of Caithness (1906-1965)
- Malcolm Ian Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness (b. 1948)