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Earls of Scotland

An earl's coronet

Current Scottish Earldoms

Extinct, Dormant and Surrendered Scottish Earldoms

Originally there were seven Earldoms in Scotland, these representing the seven provinces (each one consisting of two districts) of the Pictish Kingdom into which, prior to the ninth century, "transmarine Scotland", i.e. the country north of the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde, was divided.  These provinces were:  (1) Angus, now co. Forfar, with Mearns, now co. Kincardine; (2) Athole with Gowry, now the north and east part of Perthshire;  (3) Strathearn with Menteith, now the southern part of Perthshire;  (4) Fife with Fothreve, both of which now form the county of Fife;  (5) Mar with Buchan, now together forming Aberdeenshire and Banffshire; (6) Moray with Ross, now forming Inverness-shire and Ross-shire;  and (7) Caithness with Sutherland.  The district on the west being the Kingdom of Dalriada (now part of Argyllshire) was not originally part of the Seven but in the tenth century the province of Argyll was added, which included not only the Dalriada, but the entire western seaboard of Scotland as far north as the old province of Caithness, which latter province was then omitted as it had previously passed into the hands of the Norwegians.  The ruler of each of these districts originally bore the title of "Ri" (i.e. King), being inferior only to the "Ard-Ri" (i.e. High King);  but in the tenth century (with the exception of Argyll, and occasionally of Moray) each such ruler was styled "Mormaer" (i.e. Great Maer or Steward).  It was in the foundation charter of the Abbey of Scone dated 1114/5 that the Mormaers of most of these provinces occur for the first time under the name of Earls.

From the time when the Celtic King Malcolm III (1057-98) had married the Saxon Princess Margaret, there had been an increasing Saxon influence in the government of the Celtic provinces, while the object of King David I (1124-53) was to introduce the feudal system of Norman England into Scotland, and adapt her institutions to feudal forms.  The relation of the Old Celtic Earls, or Mormaers, towards the Crown gradually changed to that of feudal lords, holding their lands as an Earldom of the Crown.  The creation of six additional Earls, namely Menteith, Garioch, Lennox, Ross, Carrick and Caithness formed part of the feudalising scheme.

Scottish Earldoms ceased to be created with the Act of Union in 1707.

An Earl is styled the "Right Honourable" and he is officially addressed by the Crown as "Our Right Trusty and Right Well Beloved Cousin".  This mode of address started in the reign of King Henry IV, who through his immediate family was related or allied to every Earl in the kingdom.  When an Earl or any other peer is a member of the Privy Council the word "Counsellor" is placed before his name, for instance:  "Elizabeth......To Our Right Trusty and Right Well Beloved Cousin and Counsellor, David George Coke Patrick, Earl of Airlie.....Greeting!".

He bears also, upon some occasions, the title of "Most Noble and Puissant Prince".

In common with all peers, Earls are entitled to both coronation and parliamentary robes.  The Coronation Robe, which, as the name suggests, is worn only at the Coronation of the Sovereign, is of crimson velvet, edged with white fur and having three rows of ermine on the white fur cape.  Countesses are entitled to wear coronation robes similar to those of an Earl, these being edged with a three inch border of white fur with a train a yard and a half on the ground.  The Parliamentary Robe of Estate of an Earl (or of a Countess in her own right), which is worn for the State Opening of Parliament or by those taking part in the ceremony of Introduction of a new peer, is of fine scarlet cloth lined with taffeta.  It is trimmed with three guards (or bands) of ermine and gold lace, and is tied at the left shoulder with a white ribbon.

Coronet - A circle of silver gilt, surmounted by eight silver balls raised upon points with gold strawberry leaves between the points; a cap of crimson velvet, turned up ermine, thereon a golden tassel.

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