Earl of Leven (pronounced "''Lee''-ven") is a title in the
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...
. It was created in 1641 for
Alexander Leslie
Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven (15804 April 1661) was a Scottish soldier in Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland b ...
. He was succeeded by his grandson Alexander, who was in turn followed by his daughters Margaret and Catherine (who are usually not included in the numbering of the Earls). Thereafter, there was a dispute relating to succession to the title between David Melville and John Leslie, 1st Duke of Rothes. However, in 1681, Melville's claim was admitted after the Duke of Rothes died. In 1707, Melville succeeded to the title
Earl of Melville
Earl of Melville is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1690 for the Scottish soldier and statesman George Melville, 4th Lord Melville. He was made Lord Raith, Monymaill and Balwearie and Viscount of Kirkcaldy at the same tim ...
, and thereafter the earldoms have been united.
The other titles held by the Earl are: Viscount of Kirkaldie (created 1690), Lord Melville of Monymaill (1616), Lord Balgonie (1641), Lord Raith, Monymaill and Balwearie (1690). All are in the Peerage of Scotland.
The heir apparent to the Earldoms is styled Lord Balgonie.
The family seat is
Glenferness House, near
Nairn
Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the tradit ...
,
Highland
Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
.
Earls of Leven (1641)
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Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven
Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven (15804 April 1661) was a Scottish soldier in Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland b ...
(c. 1580–1661)
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Alexander Leslie, 2nd Earl of Leven (c. 1637–1664)
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Margaret Leslie, Countess of Leven (died 1674)
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Catherine Leslie, Countess of Leven (1663–1676)
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David Melville, later Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven, 2nd Earl of Melville (1660–1728)
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David Leslie, 4th Earl of Leven, 3rd Earl of Melville (1717–1729)
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Alexander Leslie, 5th Earl of Leven, 4th Earl of Melville (died 1754)
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David Leslie, 6th Earl of Leven, 5th Earl of Melville (1722–1802)
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Alexander Leslie-Melville, 7th Earl of Leven, 6th Earl of Melville (1749–1820)
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David Leslie-Melville, 8th Earl of Leven, 7th Earl of Melville (1785–1860)
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John Thornton Leslie-Melville, 9th Earl of Leven, 8th Earl of Melville (1786–1876)
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Alexander Leslie-Melville, 10th Earl of Leven, 9th Earl of Melville (1817–1889)
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Ronald Ruthven Leslie-Melville, 11th Earl of Leven, 10th Earl of Melville (1835–1906)
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John David Melville, 12th Earl of Leven, 11th Earl of Melville (1886–1913)
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Archibald Alexander Leslie-Melville, 13th Earl of Leven, 12th Earl of Melville (1890–1947)
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Alexander Robert Leslie-Melville, 14th Earl of Leven, 13th Earl of Melville (1924–2012)
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Alexander Ian Leslie-Melville, 15th Earl of Leven, 14th Earl of Melville (born 1984)
The
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.
...
is the present holder's uncle Hon. Archibald Ronald Leslie-Melville (born 1957).
The heir presumptive's heir presumptive is the present holder's first cousin once removed James Hugh Leslie-Melville (born 1960), grandson of the 13th Earl.
The heir presumptive's heir presumptive's heir is his elder son John Alistair Leslie-Melville (born 1991).
See also
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Melville House
Melville House is a 1697 house that lies to the south side of the Palace of Monimail near Collessie in Fife, Scotland. It has been a school and a training base for Polish soldiers who had arrived in Scotland after the 51st Highland Division ...
*
Melville family
Melville is a surname and a given name.
The surname has two different origins: Scottish and Irish. In Scotland, the name is a habitational name, originally of Norman origin, derived from any of several places called Malleville in Normandy. The ...
References
Sources
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External links
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www.theherald.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leven
Earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland
1641 establishments in Scotland
Noble titles created in 1641
Scottish people of Hungarian descent