The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a toisech.
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The etymology is variously debated as "Great Steward" (incorporating Gaelic and Picto-Latin), or "Sea Lord" (perhaps defenders against Vikings). Historians do not know if the institution was Gaelic or Pictish. It is notable mormaer occurs only in the post-Pictish period, so it is difficult to sustain any argument for Pictish origins. There is also debate whether mormaer was simply the east-coast equivalent of kinglet (Gaelic: ruirí or rí). For the earliest periods, there is uncertainty about the exact difference between a mormaer and a toisech (Modern Scottish Gaelic tòiseach 'chief'). The earliest Scottish Latin sources use thanus (thane) for toisech. This word was adopted from the Anglo-Saxon lands to the south. It is possible both thanus, comes, mormaer, and toisech, all originally meant similar things, or at least were not part of a stratified hierarchy.
The office of mormaer is first mentioned in the context of the Battle of Corbridge (918), in the Annals of Ulster. The first individual named mormaer was Dubacan mac Indrechtaich, one of the companions of Amlaib, the son of King Causantín II (Constantine II). His death at the Battle of Brunanburh (937) is recorded in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba. He is mentioned as Mormair Oengusa (Mormaer of Angus).
Another three mormaers are named, though without provinces, in the Annals of Tigernach, s.a. 976. However, the earliest mormaers of each province are generally only hazily, if at all, known until the 12th century, by which time mormaer is being referred to in Latin documents as comes. From the 12th century, eight 'old' mormaer dynasties are known to be hereditary, continuous and no longer fragmentary, and also additionally the dynasties of Charraig. Dunbarra, Cataidh, and Moireabh had yet older dynasties.
Pre-12th century dynasties:
'Traditional' mormaerdoms (established dynasty in the 12th century, but not proven earlier):
'Outsider':
much later, creation in the 13th century:
This has led to the erroneous impression that "Mormaerdoms" were scrapped and replaced by "Earldoms." In fact, Comes (literally Companion, in the feudal age Count, which word derives from it) is just a Franco-Latin word used on the British Isles to render either Mormaer or Earl into Latin (with French). For instance, several Irish sources call King Robert Bruce Mormaer (of Carrick) in the 14th century. As this is not an Irish word, it is clear that the word is being used by the Scots for the office. Moreover, the term is still recorded as being used for the "Earl" of Lennox a century later. On the other hand, the West Germanic word Earl is not recorded as being in use in Scotland until the mid-14th century, and then only in an English literary text.
As a result, scholars now recognize that Mormaer was the vernacular word used by the Gaels. Earl on the other hand is an English or Scots translation, alien to the Gaelic tradition.
A Mormaerdom was not simply a regional lordship, it was a regional lordship with official comital rank. This is why other lordships, many of them more powerful, such as those of Lords of Galloway, Argyll and Innse Gall, are not and were not called Mormaerdoms or Earldoms.
This list does not include Orkney, which was a Norwegian Earldom, and became ruled by Scotland in the 15th century. Sutherland might be included, but it was created only late, and for a possibly foreign family (see Earl of Sutherland)
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