The Mormaer or Earl of Atholl was the title of the holder of a medieval

comital Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

lordship straddling the

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 ...

province of Atholl (''Ath Fodhla''), now in northern

Perthshire Perthshire ( locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the nor ...

. Atholl is a special

Mormaer In early medieval Scotland, a mormaer was the Gaelic name for a regional or provincial ruler, theoretically second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a '' Toísech'' (chieftain). Mormaers were equivalent to English earls or Continen ...

dom, because a King of Atholl is reported from the Pictish period. The only other two Pictish kingdoms to be known from contemporary sources are

Fortriu Fortriu ( la, Verturiones; sga, *Foirtrinn; ang, Wærteras; xpi, *Uerteru) was a Pictish kingdom that existed between the 4th and 10th centuries. It was traditionally believed to be located in and around Strathearn in central Scotland, but is ...

and

Circinn Circin was a Pictish territory recorded in contemporary sources between the 6th and 9th centuries, located north of the Firth of Tay and south of the Grampian mountains within modern-day Scotland. It is associated with the nominative plural form ...

. Indeed, the early 13th century document known to modern scholars as the ''

de Situ Albanie ''De Situ Albanie'' (or ''dSA'' for short) is the name given to the first of seven Scottish documents found in the so-called Poppleton Manuscript, now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. It was probably written sometime between 1202 ...

'' repeats the claim that Atholl was an ancient Pictish kingdom. In the 11th century, the famous Crínán of Dunkeld may have performed the role of Mormaer. Royal connections continued with Máel Muire, who was the son of King Donnchad I, and the younger brother of Máel Coluim III mac Donnchada. Matad was perhaps the most famous of the Mormaers, fathering Harald Maddadsson, a notorious rebel of the Scottish King and perhaps the first Gael to rule

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) nort ...

Earl of Orkney Earl of Orkney, historically Jarl of Orkney, is a title of nobility encompassing the archipelagoes of Orkney and Shetland, which comprise the Northern Isles of Scotland. Originally founded by Norse invaders, the status of the rulers of the Nor ...

. The line of Máel Muire and Crínán came to an end when Forbhlaith, the daughter of Mormaer Henry married

David de Hastings David de Hastings (or David Hastings) (c. 1190 – 1247 or 1269), jure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or titl ...

. The latter marriage produced a daughter, Ada, who married into the Strathbogie family, a semi-Normanized Gaelic family with Fife origins. The Strathbogies ruled until the

Wars of Independence This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence. List See also * Lists of active separatist movements * List of civil wars * List of ...

, when the Campells took over. It finally passed to the

Stewarts Stewart's or Stewarts can refer to: *Stewart's Fountain Classics, brand of soft drink ** Stewart's Restaurants, chain of restaurants where the soft drink was originally sold * Stewart's wilt, bacterial disease affecting maize * Stewart's (departmen ...

Early Mormaers/Earls of Atholl

* Dubdon (

fl. ''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...

960s) *Duncan II MacDonachadh 970s1010 * Crínán? (died 1045) *? * Máel Muire, Earl of Atholl (fl. 1130s), son of

Duncan I of Scotland Donnchad mac Crinain ( gd, Donnchadh mac Crìonain; anglicised as Duncan I, and nicknamed An t-Ilgarach, "the Diseased" or "the Sick"; c. 1001 – 14 August 1040)Broun, "Duncan I (d. 1040)". was king of Scotland ('' Alba'') from 1034 to 1040. ...

* Matad, Earl of Atholl (died 1151x1161), son of Máel Muire of Scotland * Máel Coluim, Earl of Atholl (died 1190s), son of Matad, Earl of Atholl * Henry, Earl of Atholl (died 1211) son of Máel Coluim, Earl of Atholl * Isabella, Countess of Atholl ** m. Thomas of Galloway (died 1232) ** m. (?)

Alan Durward Alan Hostarius (or Alan Durward) ( gd, Ailean Dorsair) (died after 1264, or in 1275) was the son of Thomas de Lundin, a grandson of Gille Críst, Mormaer of Mar. His mother's name is unknown, but she was almost certainly a daughter of Máel ...

* Padraig, Earl of Atholl (died 1241) * Forbhlaith, Countess of Atholl ** m.

* Ada, Countess of Atholl (died 1264) m.

John de Strathbogie John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

* David de Strathbogie, 8th Earl of Atholl (died 1270) * John de Strathbogie, 9th Earl of Atholl (died 1306) *

David II Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl Sir David II Strathbogie (died 28 December 1326) was Earl of Atholl, Constable of Scotland, and Chief Warden of Northumberland. The eldest son and heir of John Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl by his wife Marjory (or Margaret) daughter of Donald, 1 ...

(died 1326) (forfeited) After David II, two of others of his name claimed the lordship, though neither exercised it: **

David III Strathbogie, titular Earl of Atholl David of Strathbogie (c. 1309 – 30 November 1335) was a 14th-century Anglo-Scottish noble. He was born the son and heir of Sir David II Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, Constable of Scotland (who had been banished by Robert the Bruce) and Chief Wa ...

(died 1335) **

David IV Strathbogie, titular Earl of Atholl David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

(died 1369)

Earls of Atholl; Second creation (1320)

* John Campbell, 1st Earl of Atholl (died 1333) inherited the property confiscated from David II Strathbogie in about 1320, but died without issue

Earls of Atholl; Third creation (1341)

* William Douglas, 1st Earl of Atholl (died 1353) resigned his earldom upon or shortly after creation

Earls of Atholl; Fourth creation (1342)

:''Other titles:

Earl of Strathearn Earl or Mormaer of Strathearn is a title of Scottish nobility, referring to the region of Strathearn in southern Perthshire. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mor ...

(1358, abd. 1369, regained 1370)'' * Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (1316–1390), grandson of

Robert I Robert I may refer to: *Robert I, Duke of Neustria (697–748) *Robert I of France (866–923), King of France, 922–923, rebelled against Charles the Simple *Rollo, Duke of Normandy (c. 846 – c. 930; reigned 911–927) * Robert I Archbishop of ...

, ceased to be Earl of Atholl in 1367, and later became King Robert II in 1371 *

John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl was the second Earl of Atholl. He fought in the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513. Biography He was born after 1475 to John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl and Eleanor Sinclair. He married Lady Janet Campbell, dau ...

, his father resigned the title in favor of John on 31 May 1367; John later became King Robert III of Scotland in 1390.

Earls of Atholl; Fifth creation (1398)

:''Other titles:

Duke of Rothesay Duke of Rothesay ( ; gd, Diùc Baile Bhòid; sco, Duik o Rothesay) is a dynastic title of the heir apparent to the British throne, currently William, Prince of Wales. William's wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, is the current Duchess of Ro ...

(1398) and

Earl of Carrick Earl of Carrick (or Mormaer of Carrick) is the title applied to the ruler of Carrick (now South Ayrshire), subsequently part of the Peerage of Scotland. The position came to be strongly associated with the Scottish crown when Robert the Bruc ...

(c. 1390)'' *

David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay David Stewart (24 October 1378 – 26 March 1402) was heir apparent to the throne of Scotland from 1390 and the first Duke of Rothesay from 1398. He was named after his great-great-uncle, David II of Scotland, and also held the titles of ...

, 1st Earl of Atholl (died 1402), grandson of Robert II, died without issue

Earls of Atholl; Sixth creation (1403)

:''Other titles:

Duke of Albany Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish and later the British royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover. History The Dukedom of Albany was first granted ...

(1398),

Earl of Fife The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife was the ruler of the province of Fife in medieval Scotland, which encompassed the modern counties of Fife and Kinross. Due to their royal ancestry, the earls of Fife were the highest ranking nobles in the r ...

(1371, res. 1372) and Earl of Buchan (1382, res. 1406)'' *

Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340 – 3 September 1420) was a member of the Scottish royal family who served as regent (at least partially) to three Scottish monarchs ( Robert II, Robert III, and James I). A ruthless politician, Albany w ...

, 1st Earl of Atholl (1340–1420), third son of Robert II, was created Earl of Atholl for the life of his brother ( Robert III) only. He therefore lost the earldom upon the death of his brother in 1406.

Earls of Atholl; Seventh creation (1404)

:''Other titles:

Earl of Caithness Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to hav ...

(1375, abd c 1428–1430), Earl of Strathearn (1427 for life), Earl of Caithness (1430) and Baron Cortachy (1409)'' *

Walter Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, Strathearn and Caithness (c. 1360 – 26 March 1437) was a Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert II of Scotland. Stewart advocated for the ransom and return to Scotland of the future king in exile, James I, in 1424. ...

(died 1437), sixth and youngest son of Robert II, was attainted (his honours forfeit) and executed for his part in the murder of

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) * James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) * James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334– ...

Earls of Atholl; Eighth creation (1457)

John Stewart, Earl of Atholl arms, Stirling Castle

:''Other titles: Lord of Balveny (1460)'' *

John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (15 September 1512), also known as Sir John Stewart of Balveny, was a Scottish nobleman and ambassador. Life He was the oldest child of Joan Beaufort, widow of James I of Scotland, and her second husband, Si ...

(1440–1512) (a half-brother of James II ''(from a different Stewart family)'') *

(died 1521), only son of the 1st Earl *

John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atholl (1507–1542) was the son of John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl and Lady Janet Campbell, a daughter of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll and Elizabeth Stewart. The Scottish chronicle writer Robert Lindsay of P ...

(1507–1542), only son of the 2nd Earl *

John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl (died 25 April 1579), called the Fair, was a Scottish nobleman and courtier. He was favoured by Mary, Queen of Scots, but later turned against her. Biography Stewart was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Athol ...

(died 1579), only son of the 3rd Earl * John Stewart, 5th Earl of Atholl (1563–1595), only son of the 4th Earl, died without male issue.

Earls of Atholl; Ninth creation (1596)

:''Other titles:

Lord Innermeath Lord Innermeath is an extinct title in the Peerage of Scotland created c. 1471 for Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Innermeath. Stewart had previously been Lord of Lorne, but resigned that title - which came with substantial comital power - under pressu ...

(1469)'' *

John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (1566–1603) John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (1566-1603) was a Scottish landowner. John Stewart was sixth Lord Innermeath and made Earl of Atholl in 1596. His parents were James Stewart, 5th Lord Innermeath and Helen Ogilvy, a daughter of James Ogilvy, Lo ...

(only son of the 5th Lord Innermeath) *James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl (died 1625) (only son of the 1st Earl, died without issue and both titles became extinct)

Earls of Atholl; Tenth creation (1629)

* John Murray, 1st Earl of Atholl (died 1642) (son of

William Murray, 2nd Earl of Tullibardine William Murray, 2nd Earl of Tullibardine (c. 1574–1626) was a Scottish landowner and courtier. He was the son of John Murray, 1st Earl of Tullibardine and Catherine Drummond, daughter of David, 2nd Lord Drummond. He travelled abroad in 1594 ...

) * John Murray, 3rd Earl of Tullibardine, 2nd Earl of Atholl (1631–1703) (elder son of the 1st Earl; became 2nd Earl of Atholl in 1642, 3rd Earl of Tullibardine in 1670, and created Marquess of Atholl in 1676) * John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl (1660–1724) (eldest son of the 1st Marquess; created Duke of Atholl in 1703)

References

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particul ...

Forfeited earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland