The title of High Steward or Great Steward is that of an officer who controls the domestic affairs of a royal household. In the 12th century King
David I of Scotland
David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Modern: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and later King of Scotland from 1124 to 1153. The youngest son of Malcolm ...
gave the title to
Walter fitz Alan
Walter FitzAlan (1177) was a twelfth-century English baron who became a Scottish magnate and Steward of Scotland. He was a younger son of Alan fitz Flaad and Avelina de Hesdin. In about 1136, Walter entered into the service of David I, King of ...
, a nobleman from
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
, whose descendants adopted the surname "Steward", later "Stewart" and later founded the royal
House of Stewart
The House of Stuart, originally spelt Stewart, was a dynasty, royal house of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland and later Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain. The family name comes from ...
. A junior branch of the Stewart family descended from the younger son of
Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland
Alexander Stewart (about 1220-1282), known as Alexander of Dundonald, was a Scottish magnate who in 1241 succeeded his father as hereditary High Steward of Scotland.
Origins
He was the son of Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland.
Care ...
(d.1283), namely "
Stewart of Darnley", paternal ancestors of King James I & VI, lived for several generations in France, when the name became spelt in the French manner "Stuart" and "Dernelé". In 1371
Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland inherited the throne of Scotland via his mother and became King
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, he was the first monarch of the House of St ...
, when the title or office of High Steward of Scotland merged into the crown. However it was re-granted by the monarch to his elder son and heir apparent, together with the 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 R ...
(created 1398),
Baron of Renfrew (created 1404),
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 Bruce, ...
(created 1186) and
Lord of the Isles
The Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles
( gd, Triath nan Eilean or ) is a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title w ...
(created c. 875). Thus, currently, the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
is High Steward of Scotland, sometimes known as the
Prince and Great Steward of Scotland
Prince and Great Steward of Scotland are two of the titles of the heir apparent to the throne of the United Kingdom. The current holder of these titles is Prince William, who bears the other Scottish titles of Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick ...
.
High Stewards of Scotland, c. 1150–present
*
Walter Fitz-Alan, 1st High Steward of Scotland c. 1150–1177
*
Alan Fitzwalter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland
Alan fitz Walter (1140 – 1204) was hereditary High Steward of Scotland and a crusader.
Life
Alan was the son and heir of Walter fitz Alan, by his spouse Eschina, who was possibly a member of a family from the south of Scotland. From 1178, ...
1177–1204
*
Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland
Walter Steward of Dundonald (died 1246) was 3rd hereditary High Steward of Scotland and Justiciar of Scotia.
He was the eldest son of Alan fitz Walter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland but which wife of Alan's was his mother is not clear. He was ...
1204–1246
*
Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland
Alexander Stewart (about 1220-1282), known as Alexander of Dundonald, was a Scottish magnate who in 1241 succeeded his father as hereditary High Steward of Scotland.
Origins
He was the son of Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland.
Care ...
1246–1283
*
James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland
James Stewart (c. 1260 - 16 July 1309) was the 5th Hereditary High Steward of Scotland and a Guardian of Scotland during the First Interregnum.
Origins
He was the eldest surviving son of Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland (d. 1283 ...
1283–1309
*
Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland
Walter Stewart (G. W. S. Barrow, ‘Stewart family (per. c.1110–c.1350)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004.9 April 1327) was the 6th Hereditary High Steward of Scotland and was the father of King Rob ...
1309–1327
*
Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland (Robert II of Scotland) 1327–1371
*
John Stewart, 8th High Steward of Scotland (Robert III of Scotland) c. 1371–1390
*
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 Ea ...
1398–1402
*
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (James I of Scotland) 1402–1406
*
Alexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
Alexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (16 October 1430 – 16 October 1430) was the eldest of a pair of twins. He died in infancy, and his younger twin brother became James II of Scotland. The twins were born in Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh.
The ...
1430
*
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (James II of Scotland) 1430–1437
*
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (James III of Scotland) 1453–1460
*
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (James IV of Scotland) 1473–1488
*
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1507–1508
*
Arthur Stewart, Duke of Rothesay
James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauch ...
1509–1510
*
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (James V of Scotland) 1512–1513
*
James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1540–1541
*
James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay (James VI & I) 1566–1567
*
Henry Frederick Stuart, Duke of Rothesay (Prince of Wales) 1594–1612
*
Charles Stuart, Duke of Rothesay (Charles I) 1612–1625
*
Charles Stuart, Duke of Rothesay (Charles II) 1630–1649
*
James Francis Edward Stuart, Duke of Rothesay 1688–1689
*
George Augustus, Duke of Rothesay (George II) 1714–1727
*
Frederick Louis, Duke of Rothesay (Prince of Wales) 1727–1751
*
George, Duke of Rothesay (George IV) 1762–1820
*
Albert Edward, Duke of Rothesay (Edward VII) 1841–1901
*
George, Duke of Rothesay (George V) 1901–1910
*
Edward, Duke of Rothesay (Edward VIII) 1910–1936
*
Charles, Duke of Rothesay (Charles III) 1952–2022
*
William, Duke of Rothesay 2022–
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart
Constitution of the United Kingdom
Political office-holders in Scotland
Lists of office-holders in Scotland
Positions within the British Royal Household
Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom
Scotland, High Steward of
High Stewards of Scotland