Earl of Nithsdale was 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 1620 for Robert Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell, with remainder to heirs male. He was made Lord Maxwell, Eskdale and Carlyle at the same time. The title of Lord Maxwell had been created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1445 for Herbert Maxwell. Some confusion in the numbering of the Lords Maxwell has arisen from the second Lord's surrender of his barony during his lifetime in favour of his son, who then pre-deceased him. Some authorities refer to the son only as "the Master of Maxwell", but he is more usually counted as the third Lord Maxwell.Sir James Balfour Paul, ''

The Scots Peerage ''The Scots Peerage'' is a nine-volume book series of the Scottish nobility compiled and edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, published in Edinburgh from 1904 to 1914. The full title is ''The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert ...

'', volume VI (David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1909), at pages 477-479 The fourth Lord Maxwell was killed at the

Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...

in 1513. The 8th Lord Maxwell was beheaded in Edinburgh in 1613 for a revenge killing. On the second Earl of Nithdale's death in 1667, the titles were inherited by John Maxwell, 7th Lord Herries of Terregles, who became the third Earl. He was the great-grandson of Sir John Maxwell, the second son of Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell. His grandson, the fifth Earl, was involved in the

Jacobite rising of 1715 The Jacobite rising of 1715 ( gd, Bliadhna Sheumais ; or 'the Fifteen') was the attempt by James Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the exiled Stuarts The House of Stuart, ori ...

and attainted with his titles forfeited. However, Lord Nithsdale made a celebrated escape from the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

by changing clothes with his wife's maid the day before he was due to be executed. The Lordship of Herries of Terregles was later restored to his descendants and remains extant.

Lords Maxwell (1445)

* Herbert Maxwell, 1st Lord Maxwell (died c. 1454) *

Robert Maxwell, 2nd Lord Maxwell Earl of Nithsdale was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1620 for Robert Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell, with remainder to heirs male. He was made Lord Maxwell, Eskdale and Carlyle at the same time. The title of Lord Maxwell had be ...

(died c. 1485) * John Maxwell, 3rd Lord Maxwell (d. 1484 dvp) * John Maxwell, 4th Lord Maxwell (c. 1476 – 1513) *

Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell (1493 – 9 July 1546) was a member of the Council of Regency (1536) of the Kingdom of Scotland, Regent of the Isle of Arran and like his father before him patriarch of the House of Maxwell/Clan Maxwell. A distingui ...

(1493–1546) * Robert Maxwell, 6th Lord Maxwell (died c. 1553) * Robert Maxwell, 7th Lord Maxwell (1551–1555), aged four years *

John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell (24 April 1553 – 7 December 1593) was a Scottish Catholic nobleman. In 1581 he was created Earl of Morton, and in 1587 he travelled to Spain where he took part in the planning of the Spanish Armada. Biography Th ...

(1553–1593), briefly the

Earl of Morton The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morto ...

, between 1581 and 1586 * John Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell (1583–1613) * Robert Maxwell, 10th Lord Maxwell (1586–1646) (created Earl of Nithsdale in 1620)

Earls of Nithsdale (1620)

Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale (after 1586 – May 1646), was a Scottish nobleman. He succeeded his brother as 10th Lord Maxwell in 1613, and was created Earl of Nithsdale in 1620. General of Scots in Danish-Norwegian service during the ...

(1586–1646) * Robert Maxwell, 2nd Earl of Nithsdale (1620–1667) * John Maxwell, 3rd Earl of Nithsdale (died 1677) *

Robert Maxwell, 4th Earl of Nithsdale The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

(1628–1696) *

William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale {{Infobox noble, type , name = William Maxwell , title = 5th Earl of Nithsdale , image = , caption = , alt = , CoA = , more = no , succession ...

(1676–1744) (attainted 1716 and peerages forfeit)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nithsdale * 1620 establishments in Europe Forfeited earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland

Nithsdale Nithsdale (''Srath Nid'' in Scottish Gaelic), also known as Strathnith, Stranith or Stranit, is the strath or dale of the River Nith in southern Scotland. Nithsdale was one of the medieval provinces of Scotland. The provinces gradually lost th ...

Clan Maxwell

Lords Maxwell (1445)

Earls of Nithsdale (1620)

See also

References