Earl of Balcarres is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1651 for Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Lord Balcarres. Since 1848, the title has been held jointly with the

Earldom of Crawford Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll. Early history Sir David Lindsay, wh ...

, and the holder is also the hereditary

clan chief The Scottish Gaelic word means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief (''ceannard c ...

Clan Lindsay Clan Lindsay is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands. History Origins of the clan The Lindsays were prominent in both England and Scotland from the late 11th century. The name most likely derives from the region of Lindsey in England (the ...

. The first earl's father was created Lord Lindsay of Balcarres on 27 June 1633. He was the grandson of the 9th Earl of Crawford. The second Lord Lindsay succeeded his father in 1642. A prominent supporter of

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

, he was further elevated as Earl of Balcarres and Lord Lindsay of Balneil in 1651. During the rule of

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...

, the first earl died in exile in Breda in 1659. He was succeeded by Charles, his third but first surviving son, who in turn was succeeded by his younger brother, the third earl. In his youth, the third earl was a courtier of King Charles II after the restoration of the monarchy, but later became devoted to King

James VII James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

. He fled to Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye after the Glorious Revolution when it was discovered he was part of a plot to restore James to the English throne. He returned to Scotland around 1701 and was received at the court of Queen Anne. He was stripped of his annuity during the revolution, but not his titles. In January 1808, the ancient

, held by members of another branch of the Lindsay family since 1398, became dormant after the death of the

George Lindsay-Crawford, 22nd Earl of Crawford Major General George Lindsay-Crawford, 22nd Earl of Crawford (31 January 1758 – 30 January 1808), was a Scottish peer and soldier. He served in the British Army and was Lord Lieutenant of Fife. He was born on 31 January 1758 at Bourtree Hill, ...

. In 1843,

James Lindsay, 7th Earl of Balcarres James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford and 7th Earl of Balcarres (24 April 1783 – 15 December 1869) was an Earl in the Peerage of Scotland. Biography James Lindsay was born on 24 April 1783 at Balcarres House in Fife, the son of Alexander ...

, put forward his claim, based on the research of his eldest son Alexander.Barker, Nicolas (1978) ''Bibliotheca Lindesiana: the Lives and Collections of Alexander William, 25th Earl of Crawford and 8th Earl of Balcarres, and James Ludovic, 26th Earl of Crawford and 9th Earl of Balcarres''. London: for Presentation to the Roxburghe Club, and published by Bernard Quaritch In 1848, the House of Lords allowed the claim. It was held that the seventh Earl's father, the sixth Earl, was the lawful (''

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...

'') successor to the earldom of Crawford (though he did not claim it). Therefore, the sixth Earl of Balcarres was posthumously declared the twenty-third Earl of Crawford, and his son, the seventh Earl of Balcarres, became the twenty-fourth Earl of Crawford. Thereafter, the two earldoms have remained united. The family seat is Balcarres House, near

Colinsburgh Colinsburgh is a village in east Fife, Scotland, in the parish of Kilconquhar. History The village is named after Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres (1652–1722), who gave the land on which it was built. It was here that the first meeting of ...

, Fife.

Lords Lindsay of Balcarres (1633)

David Lindsay, 1st Lord Balcarres David Lindsay, 1st Lord Lindsay of Balcarres (baptised 17 March 1587 – died March 1642) was a Scottish nobleman. He was born in Edinburgh, the son of John Lindsay of Balcarres, Lord Menmuir and Marion Guthrie. He married Lady Sophia Seton, daug ...

(1587–1642) * Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Lord Balcarres (1618–1659), created Earl of Balcarres in 1651

Earls of Balcarres (1651)

Alexander Lindsay, 1st Earl of Balcarres Alexander Lindsay, 1st Earl of Balcarres (6 July 1618 – 30 August 1659) was a Scottish nobleman and courtier. Biography Lindsay was the eldest son of David Lindsay, 1st Lord Balcarres, and grandson of John Lindsay, Lord Menmuir. In April 1640 ...

(1618–1659) ( Anna Mackenzie, Countess of Belcarres)Rosalind K. Marshall, ‘Mackenzie, Anna , countess of Balcarres and countess of Argyll (c.1621–1707)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 200
accessed 29 Nov 2014
/ref> *

Charles Lindsay, 2nd Earl of Balcarres Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

(1650–1662) * Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres (1652–1722) *

Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Balcarres Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Balcarres (died 25 July 1736) was a Scottish peer. Alexander Lindsay was born the son of Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres and Lady Margaret Campbell. He inherited his title on the death of his father in 1722. He ...

(d. 1736) *

James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres (14 November 1691 – 20 February 1768) was a Scottish peer, the son of Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres and Lady Margaret Campbell, daughter of the Earl of Loudoun. He became the 5th Earl of Balcarres on ...

(1691–1768) *

Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres and ''de jure'' 23rd Earl of Crawford (18 January 175227 March 1825) was the son of James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres. He was a general in the British Army. Early life He entered the army at the ag ...

(1752–1825), ''de jure'' 23rd Earl of Crawford (unclaimed) *

(1783–1869), declared 24th Earl of Crawford in 1848 ''See

Earl of Crawford Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll. Early history Sir David Lindsay, who ...

for the remaining Earls of Balcarres''

Lords Lindsay of Balcarres (1633)

Earls of Balcarres (1651)

References

See also