Principals of the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

Robert Rollock, first principal of the University of Edinburgh

* 1586

Robert Rollock Robert Rollock (c. 15558 or 9 February 1599) was Scottish academic and minister in the Church of Scotland, and the first regent and first principal of the University of Edinburgh. Born into a noble family, he distinguished himself during ...

(Regent from 1583 to 1586) * 1599

Henry Charteris Henry Charteris the younger (1565–1628) was a Scottish minister and Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1599 to 1620. Life He was the eldest son of Henry Charteris, Printer to the King in Scotland (this status allowed printing of Bibl ...

* 1620

Patrick Sands Patrick Sands (–1635) was the third Principal of the University of Edinburgh, serving from 1620 until demitting office in 1622. Life He was educated as a member of the original class to enter the University of Edinburgh on its opening in 15 ...

* 1622 Robert Boyd * 1623 John Adamson (died in office in 1652 but the original successor,

William Colvill William Colvill, sometimes spelt William Colville (c.1612–1675) was a 17th-century Scottish minister of the Church of Scotland and scholar and was the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1662 to 1675. Life Colvill was educated ...

, unable to take the position until 1662) * 1653 Robert Leighton * 1662

* 1675 Andrew Cant * 1685 Alexander Monro * 1690

Gilbert Rule Gilbert Rule (c. 1629 – 1701) was a nonconformist Church of Scotland minister and the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1690 to 1701. Early life Rule was born about 1629, probably in Edinburgh, where his brother, Archibald, was one o ...

* 1703

William Carstares William Carstares (also Carstaires) (11 February 164928 December 1715) was a minister of the Church of Scotland, active in Whig politics. Early life Carstares was born at Cathcart, near Glasgow, Scotland, the son of the Rev. John Carstares, a ...

* 1716

William Wishart (primus) William Wishart (1660–1729) was a Church of Scotland minister and the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1716 to 1728. He is not to be confused with his son William Wishart (secundus), who was subsequently the Principal of Edinburgh Unive ...

* 1730 William Hamilton * 1732 James Smith * 1736

William Wishart (secundus) William Wishart (secundus) (1691/92–1753) was a Scottish clergyman who served as the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1736 to 1753. He served as Moderator of the General Assembly for the Church of Scotland in 1745. Life He was born in L ...

* 1754 John Gowdie * 1762 William Robertson * 1793

George Husband Baird George Husband Baird FRSE FSAScot (13 July 1761 – 14 January 1840) was a Scottish minister, educational reformer, linguist and the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1793 to 1840. In 1800 he served as Moderator of the Church of Sc ...

* 1840

John Lee John Lee may refer to: Academia * John Lee (astronomer) (1783–1866), president of the Royal Astronomical Society * John Lee (university principal) (1779–1859), University of Edinburgh principal * John Lee (pathologist) (born 1961), English ...

* 1859

David Brewster Sir David Brewster KH PRSE FRS FSA Scot FSSA MICE (11 December 178110 February 1868) was a British scientist, inventor, author, and academic administrator. In science he is principally remembered for his experimental work in physical optics ...

* 1868 Alexander Grant * 1885

William Muir Sir William Muir (27 April 1819 – 11 July 1905) was a Scottish Orientalist, and colonial administrator, Principal of the University of Edinburgh and Lieutenant Governor of the North-West Provinces of British India. Life He was born at Gl ...

* 1903 William Turner * 1916

Alfred Ewing Sir James Alfred Ewing MInstitCE (27 March 1855 − 7 January 1935) was a Scottish physicist and engineer, best known for his work on the magnetic properties of metals and, in particular, for his discovery of, and coinage of the word, ''hys ...

* 1929

Thomas Henry Holland Sir Thomas Henry Holland (22 November 1868 – 15 May 1947) was a British geologist who worked in India with the Geological Survey of India, serving as its director from 1903 to 1910. He later worked as an educational administrator at Edi ...

* 1944

John Fraser John Fraser may refer to: Politics *John Simon Frederick Fraser (1765–1803), commanded the Fraser Fencibles in Ireland and was (M.P.) for Inverness-shire *John James Fraser (1829–1896), 5th Premier of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, 18 ...

* 1948 Edward Victor Appleton * 1965

Michael Swann Michael Meredith Swann, Baron Swann, FRS, FRSE (1 March 1920 – 22 September 1990) was a British molecular and cell biologist. He was appointed chairman of the BBC, awarded a knighthood and subsequently a life peerage. Early life Swann was b ...

* 1974 Hugh Robson * 1979 John Harrison Burnett * 1987 David Smith * 1994

Stewart Sutherland Stewart Ross Sutherland, Baron Sutherland of Houndwood, (25 February 1941 – 29 January 2018) was a Scottish academic and public servant and one of Britain's most distinguished philosophers of religion. He sat as a crossbencher in the House of L ...

* 2002

Timothy O'Shea Sir Timothy Michael Martin O'Shea (born 28 March 1949, Hamburg, Germany) is a British computer scientist and academic. He was the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 2002 to 2018. Biography O'Shea grew up in L ...

* 2018 Peter Mathieson

External links

University website
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Principals Of The University Of Edinburgh * Principals

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...