Earl of Fife

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 date	11th century?
Peerage	Peerage of Scotland
First holder	Ethelred
Last holder	Murdoch
Extinction date	1425
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

 

Macduff's Castle, seat of the Earls of Fife

Mormaer of Fife

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

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

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

 

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)

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)

 

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

Mormaers of Fife

• ? Giric mac Cináeda meic Duib
• ?
• Macduib (= Shakespeare's MacDuff) (fl. 1057–1058)
• Causantín, Mormaer of Fife, (fl. 1095–1128)
  • See Mormaer Beth and Ethelred of Scotland for common confusion here
• Gille Míchéil, 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)
• Colbán, 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

• 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

• 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

v t e Family 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 Fife Donnchad (Duncan/Dunecan) II d. 1204 Earl of Fife Máel Coluim (Maol Choluim, Malcolm) I 1204–1228 Earl of Fife Donnchadh Máel Coluim (Malcolm) II (c. Early 13th century–1266) Earl of Fife Colban c. 1247–1253–1270/1272 Earl of Fife Donnchadh (Duncan) III (1270/1272–1288) Earl of Fife Robert II of Scotland 1316–1390 King of Scotland Donnchadh (Duncan) IV 1289–1353 Earl of Fife Robert III of Scotland c. 1337–1406 King of Scotland m1. Walter Stewart c. 1338–1362 Earl of Fife jure uxoris Isabella MacDuff c. 1320–1389 Countess of Fife suo jure Robert Stewart c. 1340–1420 Duke of Albany, Earl of Fife, Earl of Menteith, Earl of Buchan, Earl of Atholl m2. Thomas Bisset d. 1366 Earl of Fife jure uxoris m3. John Dunbar (d. before 1371) Earl of Fife jure uxoris Murdoch Stewart 1362–1425 Earl of Fife Duke of Albany David Carnegie of Colluthie 1559–1598 Earl of Southesk, 1633 David Carnegie 1575–1658 1st Earl of Southesk Earl of Northesk, 1662 John Carnegie 1611–1667 1st Earl of Northesk James Carnegie (before 1583–1669) 2nd Earl of Southesk Alexander Carnegie (d. 1681/82) David Carnegie d. 1669 2nd Earl of Northesk Robert Carnegie (before 1649–1688) 3rd Earl of Southesk David Carnegie d. 1708 1st Baronet David Carnegie 1643–1688 3rd Earl of Northesk Patrick Carnegie of Lour (after 1643–1743) Charles Carnegie 1661–1699 4th Earl of Southesk James Carnegie 1673–1729 2nd Baronet David Carnegie 1675–1729 4th Earl of Northesk Patrick Carnegie of Lour 1684–1729 Viscount Macduff and Baron Braco, 1735 Earl Fife, 1759 William Duff 1697–1763 1st Earl Fife, Viscount Macduff, and Baron Braco James Carnegie 1692–1730 5th Earl of Southesk James Carnegie 1716–1765 de jure 6th Earl of Southesk David Carnegie 1701–1741 5th Earl of Northesk George Carnegie 1716–1792 6th Earl of Northesk Patrick Carnegie of Lour 1720–1799 Earldom of Southesk attainted, 1716 Baron Fife (GB), 1790 James Duff 1729–1809 2nd Earl Fife, Viscount Macduff, Baron Braco, and Baron Fife (GB) Alexander Duff 1731–1811 3rd Earl Fife, Viscount Macduff, and Baron Braco David Carnegie 1753–1805 de jure 7th Earl of Southesk William Carnegie 1756–1831 7th Earl of Northesk Patrick Carnegie of Lour 1757–1819 Baron Fife (GB) extinct, 1809 Baron Fife (UK), 1827 James Duff 1776–1857 4th Earl Fife, Viscount Macduff, and Baron Braco Baron Fife (UK) Alexander Duff 1777–1851 James Carnegie 1799–1849 de jure 8th Earl of Southesk William Hopetoun Carnegie 1794–1878 8th Earl of Northesk Alexander Carnegie 1793–1862 Baron Fife (UK) extinct, 1809 Baron Skene, 1857 Southesk attainder reversed, 1855 Queen Victoria 1819–1901 James Duff 1814–1879 5th Earl Fife and Viscount Macduff, and Baron Braco, 1st Baron Skene James Carnegie 1827–1905 9th Earl of Southesk Alexander Carnegie 1829–1900 King Edward VII 1841–1910 Prince Arthur 1850–1942 Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Charles Noel Carnegie 1854–1941 10th Earl of Southesk George John Carnegie 1843–1891 9th Earl of Northesk Earl of Fife, 1885 Duke of Fife (Scotland), 1889 Duke of Fife (UK) and Earl of Macduff, 1900 King George V 1865–1936 Louise, Princess Royal 1867–1931 Duchess of Fife Alexander William George Duff 1849–1912 1st Duke of Fife (Scot), Duke of Fife (UK), Earl of Macduff, Earl of Fife (1885), Marquess of Macduff, 6th Earl Fife, Viscount Macduff, and Baron Braco, 2nd Baron Skene Dukedom of Fife (Scot), Marquessate of Fife, Earldom Fife (1759), Earldom of Fife (1885), Viscountcy of Macduff, and Baronies of Braco and Skene extinct, 1912 David John Carnegie 1865–1921 10th Earl of Northesk Douglas George Carnegie 1870–1937 Charles Carnegie 1864–1928 Prince Arthur of Connaught 1883–1938 Princess Alexandra 1891–1959 2nd Duchess of Fife (UK) and Countess of Macduff suo jure Maud Carnegie 1893–1945 Countess of Southesk Charles Alexander Bannerman Carnegie 1893–1992 11th Earl of Southesk David Ludovic George Hopetoun Carnegie 1901–1963 11th Earl of Northesk John Douglas Carnegie 1895–1975 12th Earl of Northesk Patrick Carnegy 1893–1969 Prince Alastair Arthur (later Alistair Windsor) 1914–1943 Duke of Connaught and Strathearn James George Alexander Bannerman Carnegie 1929–2015 3rd Duke of Fife and Earl of Macduff, 12th Earl of Southesk Robert Andrew Carnegie 1926–1994 13th Earl of Northesk Patrick Charles Carnegy b. 1940 15th Earl of Northesk Colin Carnegy b. 1942 Heir presumptive to the Earldom of Northesk David Charles Carnegie b. 1961 4th Duke of Fife and Earl of Macduff, 13th Earl of Southesk David John MacRae Carnegie 1954–2010 14th Earl of Northesk Charles Carnegie b. 1989 styled Earl of Southesk Lord George Carnegie b. 1991 Lord Hugh Carnegie b. 1993 Heir apparent

Notes

1. John Bannerman, "MacDuff of Fife" p. 24.
2. 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

• 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

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