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Earl of Fife

October 17, 2023

The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife was the ruler of the province of Fife in medieval Scotland, which encompassed the modern counties of Fife and Kinross. Due to their royal ancestry, the earls of Fife were the highest ranking nobles in the realm, and had the right to crown the king of Scots.

Earldom of Fife
Creation date11th century?
PeeragePeerage of Scotland
First holderEthelred
Last holderMurdoch
Extinction date1425
Seat(s)Macduff's Castle

Held by the MacDuff family until it passed by resignation to the Stewarts, the earldom ended on the forfeiture and execution of Murdoch Stewart in 1425. The earldom was revived in 1759 with the style of Earl Fife for William Duff, a descendant of the MacDuffs. His great-great-grandson, the 6th Earl Fife, was made Earl of Fife in 1885 and Duke of Fife in 1889.

Medieval earldom Edit

 
Macduff's Castle, seat of the Earls of Fife

Mormaer of Fife Edit

The mormaers of Fife, by the 12th century, had established themselves as the highest ranking native nobles in Scotland. They frequently held the office of Justiciar of Scotia - highest brithem in the land - and enjoyed the right of crowning the kings of the Scots. The Mormaer's function, as with other medieval Scottish lordships, was partly kin-based. Hence, in 1385, the Earl of Fife, seen as the successor of the same lordship, is called capitalis legis de Clenmcduffe (Lord of the Law of the Children of Macduff).

The first earl was Alexander Scrymgeour (died 1306). Alexander served under William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. He was the official and hereditary banner bearer for the king and was awarded title of earl and the demesne of Fife for services rendered. The lordship existed in the Middle Ages until its last earl, Murdoch (Muireadhach), Duke of Albany, was executed by James I of Scotland.

Chief of Clan Macduff Edit

The deputy or complementary position to mormaer or earl of Fife was leadership as Chief (ceann) of Clan MacDuff (clann meic Duibh). There is little doubt that the style MacDuib, or Macduff, derives from the name of King Cináed III mac Duib, and ultimately from this man's father, King Dub (d. 966).[1] Compare, for instance, that Domhnall, Lord of the Isles, signed a charter in 1408 as MacDomhnaill. The descendants of Cináed III adopted the name in the same way that the descendants of Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig called themselves Uí Briain, although it does seem that at least initially MacDuff was a style reserved for the man who held the Mormaership of Fife.

The chieftaincy of the clan was not always held by the mormaer, especially after the mormaerdom became subject to the laws of feudal primogeniture in the reign of Donnchadh I. For example, at the Battle of Falkirk, it is the head of the clan who led the men of Fife, rather than the Mormaer.

End of Macduff line Edit

The Macduff line continued without interruption until the time of Isabella, the only child of Donnchad (Duncan) IV, Earl of Fife, and his wife Mary de Monthermer. She succeeded her father as suo jure Countess of Fife on his death in 1358, making her one of the most eligible maidens in Scotland. She married four times, but all her husbands died within a few years of their marriage. In 1371 she was persuaded to name Robert Stewart, Earl of Menteith (later Duke of Albany) as her heir, who was her brother-in-law by her second marriage to Walter Stewart. He thus succeeded her as twelfth Earl of Fife on her death in 1389. Duke Robert was succeeded as Duke of Albany, Earl of Fife, etc. by his son Murdoch in 1420. Duke Murdoch was forfeited and executed in 1425, due to his father's part in the death of Prince David, Duke of Rothesay. Thus the earldom of Fife came to an end.

Coat of arms Edit

 
Seal of Scone Abbey, made c. 1250. The Earl of Fife's shield is shown at the bottom-left, displaying the early striped version

The arms of the earldom of Fife are "or, a lion rampant gules," that is, a red lion rampant on gold. These arms are testament to the earls' royal connection, as they differ from the king's arms only in the exclusion of the flowered border, or royal tressure; in fact it is possible that the royal arms are actually a differenced version of those of the earl.[2] The device of a lion is attested for the first time on the seal of the tenth earl, but had probably been used for a long time before this, though some early seals show a different shield, bearing pallets, or vertical stripes.[3]

The arms of the earl of Fife are the basis for the arms of Fife Council, which show a knight on horseback in full armorial regalia, his shield, helm and the caparison of his horse bedecked with red lions.[2] The Fife lion also appears in the first quarter of the duke of Fife's arms.[4]

Earls Fife (1759) Edit

Main article: Earl Fife

The earldom of Fife was resurrected in 1759 for William Duff, after he proved his descent from the original earls of Fife. This title was in the Peerage of Ireland, notwithstanding that Fife is in Scotland; the "of" was also excluded, as was "not unfrequently" the case in the Irish Peerage.[5]

Earls of Fife (1885) Edit

 
Arms of Alexander Duff, 6th Earl Fife (1849–1912), created Earl of Fife in 1885 and Duke of Fife in 1889
Main article: Duke of Fife

The title of Earl of Fife in the peerage of the United Kingdom was created in 1885 by Queen Victoria for Alexander Duff, 6th Earl Fife (1849–1912).[6]

In 1889, Duff married Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Louise. Queen Victoria elevated him to the dignity of Duke of Fife in the peerage of the United Kingdom.[7] In 1900, Queen Victoria created a second dukedom of Fife for him which could pass to his daughters and their heirs male. After his death in 1912, the dukedom of Fife created in 1900 passed to his eldest daughter, Princess Alexandra, while his other titles, including the 1885 earldom of Fife and the 1889 dukedom of Fife, became extinct.

List of holders Edit

Mormaers of Fife Edit

Earls Fife Edit

Dukes of Fife Edit

Family tree Edit

Notes Edit

  1. ^ John Bannerman, "MacDuff of Fife" p. 24.
  2. ^ a b Patton, David (1977). Arms of the County Councils of Scotland. Port Charlotte: Argyll Reproductions Ltd.
  3. ^ MacDonald, William (1904). Scottish Armorial Seals. Edinburgh: William Green and Sons.
  4. ^ "Fife, Duke of (UK, 1900)". Cracroft's Peerage. 2013.
  5. ^ The Complete Peerage, vol. II, p. 462, note (a)
  6. ^ "No. 25490". The London Gazette. 14 July 1885.
  7. ^ "No. 25958". The London Gazette. 27 July 1889.

References Edit

  • Grant, Rev'd Alexander, "The Ancient Earls of Fife", in Sir James Balfour Paul (ed.) The Scots Peerage, Volume IV, (Edinburgh, 1907), pp. 1–15
  • Bannerman, John, "MacDuff of Fife," in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G.W.S. Barrow, (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 20–38
  • Barrow, G. W. S., Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, (Edinburgh, 1988)
  • Barrow, G.W.S. Earl's of Fife in the 12th Century, (Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1952–53), pp. 51–61.
  • Lawrie, Sir Archibald C., Early Scottish Charters Prior to A.D. 1153, (Glasgow, 1905), no. XXXVI, pp. 28–31, pp. 283–84
  • Roberts, John L., Lost Kingdoms: Celtic Scotland and the Middle Ages, (Edinburgh, 1997)

External links Edit

  • Stirnet: "Fife1"
  • (via Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

October 17, 2023
earl, fife, mormaer, fife, ruler, province, fife, medieval, scotland, which, encompassed, modern, counties, fife, kinross, their, royal, ancestry, earls, fife, were, highest, ranking, nobles, realm, right, crown, king, scots, earldom, fifecreation, date11th, c. The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife was the ruler of the province of Fife in medieval Scotland which encompassed the modern counties of Fife and Kinross Due to their royal ancestry the earls of Fife were the highest ranking nobles in the realm and had the right to crown the king of Scots Earldom of FifeCreation date11th century PeeragePeerage of ScotlandFirst holderEthelredLast holderMurdochExtinction date1425Seat s Macduff s CastleHeld by the MacDuff family until it passed by resignation to the Stewarts the earldom ended on the forfeiture and execution of Murdoch Stewart in 1425 The earldom was revived in 1759 with the style of Earl Fife for William Duff a descendant of the MacDuffs His great great grandson the 6th Earl Fife was made Earl of Fife in 1885 and Duke of Fife in 1889 Contents 1 Medieval earldom 1 1 Mormaer of Fife 1 2 Chief of Clan Macduff 1 3 End of Macduff line 2 Coat of arms 3 Earls Fife 1759 4 Earls of Fife 1885 5 List of holders 5 1 Mormaers of Fife 5 2 Earls Fife 5 3 Dukes of Fife 6 Family tree 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksMedieval earldom Edit nbsp Macduff s Castle seat of the Earls of FifeMormaer of Fife Edit The mormaers of Fife by the 12th century had established themselves as the highest ranking native nobles in Scotland They frequently held the office of Justiciar of Scotia highest brithem in the land and enjoyed the right of crowning the kings of the Scots The Mormaer s function as with other medieval Scottish lordships was partly kin based Hence in 1385 the Earl of Fife seen as the successor of the same lordship is called capitalis legis de Clenmcduffe Lord of the Law of the Children of Macduff The first earl was Alexander Scrymgeour died 1306 Alexander served under William Wallace and Robert the Bruce He was the official and hereditary banner bearer for the king and was awarded title of earl and the demesne of Fife for services rendered The lordship existed in the Middle Ages until its last earl Murdoch Muireadhach Duke of Albany was executed by James I of Scotland Chief of Clan Macduff Edit The deputy or complementary position to mormaer or earl of Fife was leadership as Chief ceann of Clan MacDuff clann meic Duibh There is little doubt that the style MacDuib or Macduff derives from the name of King Cinaed III mac Duib and ultimately from this man s father King Dub d 966 1 Compare for instance that Domhnall Lord of the Isles signed a charter in 1408 as MacDomhnaill The descendants of Cinaed III adopted the name in the same way that the descendants of Brian Boruma mac Cennetig called themselves Ui Briain although it does seem that at least initially MacDuff was a style reserved for the man who held the Mormaership of Fife The chieftaincy of the clan was not always held by the mormaer especially after the mormaerdom became subject to the laws of feudal primogeniture in the reign of Donnchadh I For example at the Battle of Falkirk it is the head of the clan who led the men of Fife rather than the Mormaer End of Macduff line Edit The Macduff line continued without interruption until the time of Isabella the only child of Donnchad Duncan IV Earl of Fife and his wife Mary de Monthermer She succeeded her father as suo jure Countess of Fife on his death in 1358 making her one of the most eligible maidens in Scotland She married four times but all her husbands died within a few years of their marriage In 1371 she was persuaded to name Robert Stewart Earl of Menteith later Duke of Albany as her heir who was her brother in law by her second marriage to Walter Stewart He thus succeeded her as twelfth Earl of Fife on her death in 1389 Duke Robert was succeeded as Duke of Albany Earl of Fife etc by his son Murdoch in 1420 Duke Murdoch was forfeited and executed in 1425 due to his father s part in the death of Prince David Duke of Rothesay Thus the earldom of Fife came to an end Coat of arms Edit nbsp Seal of Scone Abbey made c 1250 The Earl of Fife s shield is shown at the bottom left displaying the early striped versionThe arms of the earldom of Fife are or a lion rampant gules that is a red lion rampant on gold These arms are testament to the earls royal connection as they differ from the king s arms only in the exclusion of the flowered border or royal tressure in fact it is possible that the royal arms are actually a differenced version of those of the earl 2 The device of a lion is attested for the first time on the seal of the tenth earl but had probably been used for a long time before this though some early seals show a different shield bearing pallets or vertical stripes 3 The arms of the earl of Fife are the basis for the arms of Fife Council which show a knight on horseback in full armorial regalia his shield helm and the caparison of his horse bedecked with red lions 2 The Fife lion also appears in the first quarter of the duke of Fife s arms 4 Earls Fife 1759 EditMain article Earl Fife The earldom of Fife was resurrected in 1759 for William Duff after he proved his descent from the original earls of Fife This title was in the Peerage of Ireland notwithstanding that Fife is in Scotland the of was also excluded as was not unfrequently the case in the Irish Peerage 5 Earls of Fife 1885 Edit nbsp Arms of Alexander Duff 6th Earl Fife 1849 1912 created Earl of Fife in 1885 and Duke of Fife in 1889Main article Duke of Fife The title of Earl of Fife in the peerage of the United Kingdom was created in 1885 by Queen Victoria for Alexander Duff 6th Earl Fife 1849 1912 6 In 1889 Duff married Queen Victoria s granddaughter Princess Louise Queen Victoria elevated him to the dignity of Duke of Fife in the peerage of the United Kingdom 7 In 1900 Queen Victoria created a second dukedom of Fife for him which could pass to his daughters and their heirs male After his death in 1912 the dukedom of Fife created in 1900 passed to his eldest daughter Princess Alexandra while his other titles including the 1885 earldom of Fife and the 1889 dukedom of Fife became extinct List of holders EditMormaers of Fife Edit Giric mac Cinaeda meic Duib Macduib Shakespeare s MacDuff fl 1057 1058 Causantin Mormaer of Fife fl 1095 1128 See Mormaer Beth and Ethelred of Scotland for common confusion here Gille Micheil Mormaer of Fife 1130 1133 Donnchadh I Earl of Fife 1133 1154 Donnchadh II Earl of Fife 1154 1204 Maol Choluim I Earl of Fife 1204 1228 Maol Choluim II Earl of Fife 1228 1266 Colban Earl of Fife 1266 1270 1272 Donnchadh III Earl of Fife 1270 1272 1288 Donnchadh IV Earl of Fife 1288 1353 considered by King David II to have forfeited the earldom Sir William Ramsay of Colluthie Earl of Fife 1358 c 1360 created by King David II Isabella Countess of Fife 1361 1371 daughter of Donnchadh IV was persuaded to resign the earldom to Robert Stewart Earl of Fife 1371 1420 Murdoch Stewart Duke of Albany Earl of Fife 1420 1425 Earls Fife Edit William Duff 1st Earl Fife c 1696 1763 James Duff 2nd Earl Fife 1729 1809 Alexander Duff 3rd Earl Fife 1731 1811 James Duff 4th Earl Fife 1776 1857 James Duff 5th Earl Fife 1814 1879 Dukes of Fife Edit Alexander Duff 6th Earl Fife 1st Duke of Fife 1849 1912 Princess Alexandra 2nd Duchess of Fife 1891 1959 James Carnegie 3rd Duke of Fife 1929 2015 David Carnegie 4th Duke of Fife b 1961 Family tree EditvteFamily tree Earls of Fife Dukes of Fife Earls of Southesk and Earls of Northesk Mormaers Earls of Fife Scot Donnchad Duncan I 1113 1154 Earl of FifeDonnchad Duncan Dunecan II d 1204 Earl of FifeMael Coluim Maol Choluim Malcolm I 1204 1228 Earl of FifeDonnchadhMael Coluim Malcolm II c Early 13th century 1266 Earl of FifeColban c 1247 1253 1270 1272 Earl of FifeDonnchadh Duncan III 1270 1272 1288 Earl of FifeRobert II of Scotland 1316 1390 King of ScotlandDonnchadh Duncan IV 1289 1353 Earl of FifeRobert III of Scotland c 1337 1406 King of Scotlandm1 Walter Stewart c 1338 1362 Earl of Fife jure uxorisIsabella MacDuff c 1320 1389 Countess of Fife suo jureRobert Stewart c 1340 1420 Duke of Albany Earl of Fife Earl of Menteith Earl of Buchan Earl of Athollm2 Thomas Bisset d 1366 Earl of Fife jure uxorism3 John Dunbar d before 1371 Earl of Fife jure uxorisMurdoch Stewart 1362 1425 Earl of FifeDuke of AlbanyDavid Carnegie of Colluthie 1559 1598 Earl of Southesk 1633David Carnegie 1575 1658 1st Earl of SoutheskEarl of Northesk 1662John Carnegie 1611 1667 1st Earl of NortheskJames Carnegie before 1583 1669 2nd Earl of SoutheskAlexander Carnegie d 1681 82 David Carnegie d 1669 2nd Earl of NortheskRobert Carnegie before 1649 1688 3rd Earl of SoutheskDavid Carnegie d 1708 1st BaronetDavid Carnegie 1643 1688 3rd Earl of NortheskPatrick Carnegie of Lour after 1643 1743 Charles Carnegie 1661 1699 4th Earl of SoutheskJames Carnegie 1673 1729 2nd BaronetDavid Carnegie 1675 1729 4th Earl of NortheskPatrick Carnegie of Lour 1684 1729 Viscount Macduff and Baron Braco 1735Earl Fife Ire 1759William Duff 1697 1763 1st Viscount Macduff 1st Baron Braco 1st Earl FifeJames Carnegie 1692 1730 5th Earl of SoutheskJames Carnegie 1716 1765 de jure 6th Earl of SoutheskDavid Carnegie 1701 1741 5th Earl of NortheskGeorge Carnegie 1716 1792 6th Earl of NortheskPatrick Carnegie of Lour 1720 1799 Earldom of Southesk attainted 1716Baron Fife GB 1790James Duff 1729 1809 2nd Earl Fife 2nd Viscount Macduff 2nd Baron Braco Baron Fife GB Alexander Duff 1731 1811 3rd Earl Fife 3rd Viscount Macduff 3rd Baron BracoDavid Carnegie 1753 1805 de jure 7th Earl of SoutheskWilliam Carnegie 1756 1831 7th Earl of NortheskPatrick Carnegie of Lour 1757 1819 Baron Fife GB extinct 1809Baron Fife UK 1827James Duff 1776 1857 4th Earl Fife 4th Viscount Macduff 4th Baron Braco Baron Fife UK Alexander Duff 1777 1851 James Carnegie 1799 1849 de jure 8th Earl of SoutheskWilliam Hopetoun Carnegie 1794 1878 8th Earl of NortheskAlexander Carnegie 1793 1862 Baron Fife UK extinct 1809Baron Skene 1857Southesk attainder reversed 1855Queen Victoria 1819 1901 James Duff 1814 1879 5th Earl Fife 1st Baron SkeneJames Carnegie 1827 1905 9th Earl of SoutheskAlexander Carnegie1829 1900Earl of Fife UK 1885Duke of Fife 1889King Edward VII 1841 1910 Prince Arthur 1850 1942 Duke of Connaught and StrathearnAlexander Duff 1849 1912 6th Earl Fife Earl of Fife UK Duke of Fife Scot 1st Duke of Fife UK Marquess of Macduff 1st Earl of MacduffCharles Noel Carnegie 1854 1941 10th Earl of SoutheskGeorge John Carnegie 1843 1891 9th Earl of NortheskDukedom of Fife Scot Marquessate of Fife Earldom of Fife UK Viscountcy of Macduff and the Baronies of Braco and Skene extinct 1912King George V 1865 1936 Louise Princess Royal 1867 1931 Duchess of FifeDavid John Carnegie 1865 1921 10th Earl of NortheskDouglas George Carnegie 1870 1937 Charles Carnegie 1864 1928 Prince Arthur of Connaught 1883 1938 Princess Alexandra 1891 1959 2nd Duchess of Fife suo jure 2nd Countess of Macduff suo jurePrincess Maud 1893 1945 Countess of SoutheskCharles Alexander Bannerman Carnegie 1893 1992 11th Earl of SoutheskDavid Ludovic George Hopetoun Carnegie 1901 1963 11th Earl of NortheskJohn Douglas Carnegie 1895 1975 12th Earl of NortheskPatrick Carnegy 1893 1969 Prince Alastair Arthur later Alistair Windsor 1914 1943 Duke of Connaught and StrathearnJames George Alexander Bannerman Carnegie 1929 2015 3rd Duke of Fife 3rd Earl of Macduff 12th Earl of SoutheskRobert Andrew Carnegie 1926 1994 13th Earl of NortheskPatrick Charles Carnegy b 1940 15th Earl of NortheskColin Carnegy b 1942 Heir presumptive to the Earldom of NortheskDavid Charles Carnegie b 1961 4th Duke of Fife 4th Earl of Macduff 13th Earl of SoutheskDavid John MacRae Carnegie 1954 2010 14th Earl of NortheskCharles Carnegie b 1989 Earl of SoutheskLord George Carnegie b 1991 Lord Hugh Carnegie b 1993 Heir apparentNotes Edit John Bannerman MacDuff of Fife p 24 a b Patton David 1977 Arms of the County Councils of Scotland Port Charlotte Argyll Reproductions Ltd MacDonald William 1904 Scottish Armorial Seals Edinburgh William Green and Sons Fife Duke of UK 1900 Cracroft s Peerage 2013 The Complete Peerage vol II p 462 note a No 25490 The London Gazette 14 July 1885 No 25958 The London Gazette 27 July 1889 References EditGrant Rev d Alexander The Ancient Earls of Fife in Sir James Balfour Paul ed The Scots Peerage Volume IV Edinburgh 1907 pp 1 15 Bannerman John MacDuff of Fife in A Grant amp K Stringer eds Medieval Scotland Crown Lordship and Community Essays Presented to G W S Barrow Edinburgh 1993 pp 20 38 Barrow G W S Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland Edinburgh 1988 Barrow G W S Earl s of Fife in the 12th Century Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 1952 53 pp 51 61 Lawrie Sir Archibald C Early Scottish Charters Prior to A D 1153 Glasgow 1905 no XXXVI pp 28 31 pp 283 84 Roberts John L Lost Kingdoms Celtic Scotland and the Middle Ages Edinburgh 1997 External links EditStirnet Fife1 University of Glasgow Genealogical chart of mormair earls of Fife showing use of Gaelic names via Internet Archive Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Earl of Fife amp oldid 1178599554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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