Earl of Moray
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The title Earl of Moray (pronounced "Murry") has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland. Prior to the formal establishment of the peerage, numerous individuals ruled over Moray with the title of mormaer or earl.
It was first bestowed in modern times on Thomas Randolph. It eventually descended to Elizabeth Stewart, 7th Countess of Moray, whose husband was also recognised as Earl. However, when her husband, James, was killed in battle against the Sovereign in 1455, his title was attained.
The next grant was made to James Stewart, the son of King James IV. This Earl, however, died without children, and the title became extinct. The title was next given to George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly. Gordon fell out of royal favour, and in 1462 he was killed and his title was forfeit.
The most recent creation was in favour of another James Stewart, the illegitimate son of King James V. Other Scottish titles associated with this creation are: Lord Abernethy and Strathearn (created 1562), Lord Doune (1581) and Lord St Colme (1611). Furthermore, Lord Moray holds the title Baron Stuart, of Castle Stuart in the County of Inverness; since it is in the Peerage of Great Britain, it entitled the Earls of Moray to sit in the House of Lords until the passage of the Peerage Act 1963.
Perhaps the most well-known Earl of Moray was James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray, the husband of Elizabeth Stewart, 2nd Countess of Moray, who held the Earldom jure uxoris (by right of his wife), as he was the subject of a famous ballad, "The Bonny Earl of Murray" ("Murray" being a variant spelling of "Moray").
The family seat is Doune Lodge, near Doune, Stirling.
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[edit] Mormaers of Moray
- Findláech mac Ruaidrí (before 1014-1020)
- Máel Coluim mac Maíl Brigti (1020-1029)
- Gille Coemgáin mac Maíl Brigti (1029-1032)
- Mac Bethad mac Findláich (1032-1057)
- Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin (1057-1058)
- Máel Snechtai mac Lulaich (1058-1078/1085)
- ?
- Óengus (?-1130)
- ? William fitz Duncan (1130s-1147)
- To Scottish Crown.
[edit] Earls of Moray, First Creation (1314)
- Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray (d. 1332)
- Thomas Randolph, 2nd Earl of Moray (d. 1332)
- John Randolph, 3rd Earl of Moray (d. 1346)
- Vacant, 1346-1472; granted by the parliament of Scone to:
- John Dunbar, 4th Earl of Moray (d. 1391)
- Thomas Dunbar, 5th Earl of Moray (d. 1422?)
- Thomas Dunbar, 6th Earl of Moray (d. ?)
- James Dunbar, 7th Earl of Moray (d. 1429)
- Elizabeth Dunbar, 8th Countess of Moray (d. 1485) (forfeit 1455)
- Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray (d. 1455), brother of the 8th and 9th Earls of Douglas (acceded 145?), her 1st husband
- James Crichton, 2nd Lord Crichton and Earl of Moray (d. 1454) (acceded 1452), the husband of her sister
[edit] Earls of Moray, Second Creation (1359)
[edit] Earls of Moray, Third Creation (1501)
[edit] Earls of Moray, Fourth Creation (1549)
- George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly, Earl of Moray (1514-1562) until 1560
[edit] Earls of Moray, Fifth Creation (1562)
- James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531-1570)
- Elizabeth Stewart, 2nd Countess of Moray (d. 1591)
- James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray (d. 1592)
- James Stewart, 3rd Earl of Moray (d. 1638)
- James Stewart, 4th Earl of Moray (d. 1653)
- Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray (d. 1701)
- Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray (d. 1735)
- Francis Stuart, 7th Earl of Moray (d. 1739)
- James Stuart, 8th Earl of Moray (1708-1767)
- Francis Stuart, 9th Earl of Moray (1737-1810)
- Francis Stuart, 10th Earl of Moray (1771-1848)
- Francis Stuart, 11th Earl of Moray (1795-1859)
- John Stuart, 12th Earl of Moray (1797-1867)
- Archibald George Stuart, 13th Earl of Moray (1810-1872)
- George Philip Stuart, 14th Earl of Moray (1816-1895)
- Edmund Archibald Stuart, 15th Earl of Moray (1840-1901)
- Francis James Stuart, 16th Earl of Moray (1842-1909)
- Morton Gray Stuart, 17th Earl of Moray (1855-1930)
- Francis Douglas Stuart, 18th Earl of Moray (1892-1943)
- Archibald John Morton Stuart, 19th Earl of Moray (1894-1974)
- Douglas John Moray Stuart, 20th Earl of Moray (b. 1928)
Heir-Apparent: His son John Douglas Stuart, Lord Doune (b. 1966)
