Earl of Lauderdale

(Redirected from Countess of Lauderdale)

Earl of Lauderdale is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The current holder of the title is Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale.

Earldom of Lauderdale
Creation date1624
Created byJames VI and I
PeeragePeerage of Scotland
First holderJohn Maitland, 2nd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane
Present holderIan Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale
Heir apparentJohn Douglas Maitland, Master of Lauderdale, Viscount Maitland
Subsidiary titlesViscount of Lauderdale
Viscount Maitland
Lord Maitland of Thirlestane
Lord Thirlestane and Boulton
Former seat(s)Thirlestane Castle
Arms of the Earls of Lauderdale as shown in Brown's The Peerage of Scotland, 1834

History

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The title was created in 1624 for John Maitland, 2nd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire. The second Earl was created Duke of Lauderdale and by popular naming represented the "L" in the Cabal ministry, an acronym which amounted to the first major, perennial delegation of power from the monarch to a cabinet. When he died without male issue, the dukedom became extinct. The earldom passed to his brother Charles, 3rd Earl. Charles married, in 1652, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Lauder of Haltoun and by this marriage came into that family's great estates.

Other titles associated with the earldom are: Viscount of Lauderdale (created 1616), Viscount of Maitland (1624), Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1590) and Lord Thirlestane and Boulton (1624). All of these titles are in the Peerage of Scotland. The Earl of Lauderdale is the hereditary chief of Clan Maitland. The eldest son is the Master of Lauderdale. The title Viscount Maitland is sometimes used as a courtesy title for the Earl's eldest son and heir.

The Earl of Lauderdale, as Bearer for the Sovereign of the Sovereign's National Flag for Scotland, one of the Officers of the Royal Household in Scotland, has the right to bear the saltire for the Sovereign.

The historical family seat is Thirlestane Castle, near Lauder in Scotland, home of Captain the Hon. Gerald Maitland-Carew and his family. He is the eldest son of Lady Sylvia Maitland – who became wife to the 6th Baron Carew – she was the eldest of two children of the 15th Earl of Lauderdale; her brother was killed in action in North Africa, aged 27 and left three daughters. Therefore the earldom passed to a cadet branch and the castle passed down the more direct female line.

Notable wives and Maitland descendants

Lords Maitland of Thirlestane (1590)

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Earls of Lauderdale (1624)

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Duke of Lauderdale (1672)

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also created Earl of Guilford and Baron Petersham in the Peerage of England in 1674

  • John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale (same person as above)

All three titles created for him became extinct upon his death.

Earls of Lauderdale (1624; reverted)

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The heir apparent is the present holder's son, John Douglas Maitland, Viscount Maitland (b. 1965). His uncle, the next in line, is the Rev. Hon. Sydney Milivoje Maitland (b. 1951). Both are childless.[1]
Next in succession to the peerages is the line of the Maitland baronets, descended from the 5th son of the 6th earl. The presumed current baronet is Charles Alexander Maitland (b. 1986),[n 1] the present earl's sixth cousin twice removed (see descent below).[1]

Line of succession (Earls of Lauderdale and Maitland baronets, of Clifton, simplified)
  •   Charles Maitland, 6th Earl of Lauderdale (c. 1688–1744)
    • Hon. Richard Maitland (1724–1772)
      • Patrick Maitland (1770–1821)
        • Frederick Colthurst Maitland (1808–1876)
          •   Frederick Maitland, 13th Earl of Lauderdale (1840–1924)
            • Sydney George William Maitland (1869–1946)
              •   Patrick Maitland, 17th Earl of Lauderdale (1911–2008)
                •   Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale (b. 1937)[1]
                  • (1). John Douglas Maitland, Viscount Maitland (b. 1965)[1]
                • (2). Hon. Sydney Milivoje Maitland (b. 1951)[1]
    •   Sir Alexander Maitland, 1st Baronet (1728–1820)
      •   Sir Alexander Charles Gibson-Maitland, 2nd Baronet (1755–1848)
        • Alexander Maitland (1787–1828)
          • George Ramsay Maitland (1821–1866)
            •   Sir John Nisbet Maitland, 5th Baronet (1850–1936)
              •   Sir George Ramsay Maitland, 7th Baronet (1882–1960)
                •   Sir Alexander Keith Maitland, 8th Baronet (1920–1963)
                  •   Sir Richard John Maitland, 9th Baronet (1952–1994)
                    • (1,3). Charles Alexander Maitland, presumed 10th Baronet (b. 1986)[3]
                  • (2,4). Robert Ramsay Maitland (b. 1956)[3]
                    • (3,5). Harry Robert Maitland (b. 1986)[3]
                    • (4,6). John Richard Maitland (b. 1992)[3]
                • John Ramsay Maitland (1924–2012)
                  • (5,7). David Ramsay Maitland (b. 1954)[3]
                  • James Maitland (1957–2014)
                    • (6,8). Alexander Findlay Maitland (b. 1989)[3]
                    • (7,9). Charles Percy Maitland (b. 1991)[3]
                  • (8,10). Keith John Maitland (b. 1969)[3]
                • James Maitland (1927–2016)
                  • (9,11). Alexander Henry Maitland (b. 1964)[3]

The simplified chart above lists those individuals in the line of succession who are nearest in consanguinity to the present earl; there are further heirs in descent from the 2nd Baronet, the 1st Baronet and from other younger sons of the 6th earl.

[1][3][4][5]

Arms

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Coat of arms of the Earl of Lauderdale
 
Crest
A Lion sejant affrontée Gules ducally crowned proper in his dexter paw a sword of the last hilted and pommelled Or and in his sinister a Fleur-de-lys Azure.
Escutcheon
Or a Lion rampant Gules couped at all his joints if the field within the Royal Tressure Azure in a Dexter Canton Argent a Saltire Azure surmounted of an Inescutcheon Or charged with a Lion rampant within a Double Tressure flory counterflory Gules.
Supporters
On either side an Eagle proper.
Motto
Consilio Et Animis (By wisdom and courage).
Other elements
Behind the shield on Staffs in saltire proper two representations of the Sovereign's National Flag of Scotland (Cross of St Andrew) fringed Or roped and tasseled of the last (Insignia of Office of the Bearer for the Sovereign of the Sovereign's National Flag of Scotland).
Symbolism
The Arms of the Earls of Lauderdale are canting as they represent a mutilated lion, forming a pun on the name Maitland; as Hereditary National Flag Bearers, the Earls of Lauderdale are entitled to use the Banner of Scotland in their Arms.

Notes

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  1. ^ Has not established his claim to the baronetcy, which is listed as dormant as of 2023.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Morris, Susan; Bosberry-Scott, Wendy; Belfield, Gervase, eds. (2019). "Lauderdale, Earl of". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 1 (150th ed.). London: Debrett's Ltd. pp. 2113–2121. ISBN 978-1-999767-0-5-1.
  2. ^ "Official Roll of the Baronetage". Standing Council of the Baronetage. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Morris, Susan; Bosberry-Scott, Wendy; Belfield, Gervase, eds. (2019). "Maitland (UK) 1818, of Clifton, Midlothian". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 2 (150th ed.). London: Debrett's Ltd. pp. 5031–5033. ISBN 978-1-999767-0-5-1.
  4. ^ Butler, Alfred T., ed. (1925). "Lauderdale". Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage (83rd ed.). London: Burke Publishing Co. Ltd. pp. 1363–1367.
  5. ^ Butler, Alfred T., ed. (1925). "Maitland". Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage (83rd ed.). London: Burke Publishing Co. Ltd. pp. 1512–1513.

Sources

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