Clan Lyon is a

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure recognised ...

.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The

Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (SCSC) is the organisation that represents the Chiefs of many prominent Scottish Clans and Families. It describes itself as "the definitive and authoritative body for information on the Scottish Clan System ...

). Published in 1994. Pages 202 - 203.

History

Origins of the clan

Genealogist Sir Iain Moncreiffe stated that the Lyons were a family of Celtic origin and that they were descended from a younger son of the

Clan Lamont Clan Lamont (; gd, Clann Laomainn ) is a Highland Scottish clan. The clan is said to descend from Ánrothán Ua Néill, an Irish prince of the O'Neill dynasty, and through him Niall Noigíallach, High King of Ireland. Clan Ewen of Otter, Clan ...

. However it is more generally accepted that the Lyons descend from a French family called de Léon. At the end of the eleventh century the de Leons had come north with Edgar, son of

Malcolm III of Scotland Malcolm III ( mga, Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, label= Medieval Gaelic; gd, Maol Chaluim mac Dhonnchaidh; died 13 November 1093) was King of Scotland from 1058 to 1093. He was later nicknamed "Canmore" ("ceann mòr", Gaelic, literally "big head ...

to fight against his uncle, Donald Bane. Edgar was victorious and the de Leons received lands that were later called

Glen Lyon Glen Lyon ( gd, Gleann Lìomhann) is a glen in the Perth and Kinross region of Scotland. It is the longest enclosed glen in Scotland and runs for from Loch Lyon in the west to the village of Fortingall in the east. This glen was also kno ...

in Perthshire. In 1105 Roger de Leonne witnessed a charter from Edgar to

Dunfermline Abbey Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...

14th, 15th and 16th centuries

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 ...

granted to Sir John Lyon, who was known as the ''White Lyon'' due to his complexion, the thanage of Glamis and five years later he was made

Chamberlain of Scotland Holders of the office of Lord Chamberlain of Scotland are known from about 1124. It was ranked by King Malcolm as the third great Officer of State, called ''Camerarius Domini Regis'', and had a salary of £200 per annum allotted to him. He ancien ...

. Sir John Lyon married king Robert's daughter, Princess Jean Stewart which brought him the lands of Tannadice on the River Esk. Lyon was also granted the barony of Kinghorn, however he was later killed in a quarrel with Sir James Lindsay of Crawford. Sir John Lyon's son, another John Lyon further strengthened the royal ties by marrying a granddaughter of Robert II. John's son, Patrick Lyon was created

Lord Glamis Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

in 1445. He became Master of the Household of Scotland and a Privy Councillor. He had previously been sent to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

as a hostage in 1424 for the ransom of

James I of Scotland James I (late July 139421 February 1437) was King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III and Annabella Drummond. His older brother David, Duke of ...

John Lyon, 6th Lord Glamis John Lyon, 6th Lord Glamis (died 1528) was a Scottish nobleman. He was the second son of John Lyon, 4th Lord Glamis, and succeeded his brother as Lord Glamis in 1505. He married Janet Douglas (died 17 July 1537) Janet was falsely charged with ...

was a quarrelsome man with a quick temper. He married

Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis (c. 1498 – 17 July 1537) was a Scottish noblewoman accused of witchcraft, who was executed by burning during the reign of James V of Scotland. Treason and charges of witchcraft The Douglas family was far from favou ...

, granddaughter of

Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus (c. 1449October 1513), was a Scottish nobleman, peer, politician, and magnate. Tradition has accorded him the nickname Archibald 'Bell-the-Cat' due to his association with the 1482 rebellion against Jam ...

who was known as ''Bell the Cat'', and after Douglas died she suffered terribly for the hatred that

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV and Margaret Tudor, and du ...

had towards all of the name of Douglas. Lady Glamis was accused of witchcraft and despite speaking boldly in her own defense, she was burnt at the stake on castle hill in

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

on 3 December 1540. Her young son was also sentenced to death when he came of age, however the king died before he had grown up and so he avoided the death sentence and was released. The king had taken possession of

Glamis Castle Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis (, ) in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public. Glamis Castle has been the home of the Lyon family since the 14th century, thoug ...

and plundered it.

John Lyon, 8th Lord Glamis John Lyon, 8th Lord Glamis (died 1578) was a Scottish nobleman, judge and Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. Life He was the eldest son of John Lyon, 7th Lord Glamis, by his wife, Janet Keith, daughter of Robert Keith, Master of Marischal, and si ...

renounced his allegiance to

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...

and served under the Regents Moray and Lennox. The 8th Lord was made

Lord Chancellor of Scotland The Lord Chancellor of Scotland, formally the Lord High Chancellor, was a Great Officer of State in the Kingdom of Scotland. Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower s ...

and also

Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland The Great Seal of Scotland ( gd, Seala Mòr na h-Alba) is a principal national symbol of Scotland that allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix ...

. The 9th Lord Glamis was captain of the Royal Guard and a Privy Councillor to James VI of Scotland. He was created Earl of Kinghorne, Viscount Lyon and Baron Glamis in 1606.

17th century and Civil War

John Lyon, 2nd

Earl of Kinghorne 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", particular ...

was a close personal friend of James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose. Lyon was with Montrose in 1638 when he subscribed to the National Covenant. Lyon accompanied Montrose on his early campaigns in defense of the Covenant, however he did not support him when he chose to fight for

Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after hi ...

. As a result, Lyon's estates were almost ruined for supporting the Army of the Covenant. Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne paid off the debts that he had inherited from his father and was later able to enlarge Glamis Castle.

18th century and Jacobite risings

The 3rd Earl's son,

John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (16631712) was a Scottish nobleman and peer. He was the son of Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. He married Elizabeth Stanhope on 21 September 1691 and was succeeded as Earl by h ...

was a member of the Privy Council but opposed the 1707

Treaty of Union The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new state of Great Britain, stating that the Kingdom of England (which already included Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland were to be "United i ...

. During 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. At Braemar, Aberdeenshire ...

, his son was a Jacobite who fought at the Battle of Sheriffmuir and died defending his regiment's colours.

James Francis Edward Stuart James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs, was the son of King James II and VII of England, Scotland and Ireland, and his second wife, Mary of Modena. He was Prince of Wales fro ...

(the Old Pretender) stayed at Glamis in 1716 and amongst the relics of the castle today are a sword and watch that belonged to him. During the

Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took ...

the

Duke of Cumberland Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British Royal Family, named after the historic county of Cumberland. History The Earldom of Cumberland, created in 1525, became extinct in 1643. The dukedom ...

stayed at Glamis on his march to the Battle of Culloden, but it is said that he was much less welcome.

Clan chiefs

Current Chief (''assumed'') - Simon Patrick Bowes-Lyon, 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1987-2016 – Rt Hon Michael Fergus Bowes-Lyon, DL, 18th

Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne is a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was first created as Earl of Kinghorne in the Peerage of Scotland in 1606 for Patrick Lyon. In 1677, the designation of the earldom c ...

1972–1987 – Rt Hon Fergus Michael Claude Bowes-Lyon, 17th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1949–1972 – Timothy Patrick Bowes-Lyon, 16th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1944–1949 – Rt Hon Patrick Bowes-Lyon, 15th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1904–1944 – Rt Hon Claude George Bowes-Lyon, KG, KT, GCVO, TD, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1865–1904 – Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1846–1865 – Thomas Lyon-Bowes, 12th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1820–1846 – Thomas Lyon-Bowes, 11th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1776–1820 – John Lyon-Bowes, 10th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1753–1776 – John Bowes, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1735–1753 – Thomas Lyon, 8th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1728–1735 – James Lyon, 7th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1695–1712 – Charles Lyon, 6th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1712–1715 – John Lyon, 5th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1695–1712 – John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1646–1695 – Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1615–1646 – John Lyon, 2nd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne 1606–1615 – Patrick Lyon, 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne

Clan castle

The seat of the chief of Clan Lyon is at

in Angus, Scotland.

Clan arms

Quarterly, 1st & 4th, argent, a lion ''rampant'' ''azure'', armed and langued ''gules'', within a double tressure flory counterflory of the Second (Lyon); 2nd & 3rd, ermine, three bows stringed paleways Proper (Bowes); ''en surtout'' an inescutcheon ''azure'', thereon a rose ''argent'', barbed ''vert'' and seeded ''or'', ensigned with the Imperial Crown Proper, within a double tressure flory counterflory of the Second, the said inescutcheon ensigned with an Earl’s coronet Proper (the said honourable augmentation being limited to the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and to the heirs succeeding him in his said Earldom).

References

{{Scottish clans

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...