Earl of Arran is a title in the
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...
. It is not to be confused with the title
Earl of Arran in the
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...
. The two titles refer to different places: the
Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the histo ...
in Ireland. The Scottish earldom is a subsidiary title of the
Duke of Hamilton, whereas the Irish earldom is a separate title held by the Gore family.
Scottish creations
Feudal Earldom of Arran
![Arran arms](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Arran_arms.svg)
The
feudal Earldom of Arran supposedly had its caput at
Lochranza Castle
Lochranza Castle is an L-plan fortified tower house situated on a promontory in Lochranza, on the northern part of the Isle of Arran in Scotland. Most of the current structure was built in the 16th century.
History
The castle dates from the 1 ...
. The arms of the feudal Earl of Arran are: ''Argent, a lymphad with the sails furled proper flagged gules''. These are quartered today with the arms of Hamilton (''Gules, three cinquefoils ermine'') by the Duke of Hamilton. In a similar fashion the arms of the feudal Earldom of Orkney are quartered by the present Earl of Caithness, the arms of the feudal Barony (or Earldom) of Lorne are now quartered by the Duke of Argyll, and the arms of the feudal
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 ...
are quartered with Clan Stewart by the
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 ...
, all in the form of
Lymphad 200px
A lymphad or galley is a charge used primarily in Scottish heraldry. It is a single-masted ship propelled by oars. In addition to the mast and oars, the lymphad has three flags and a basket. The word comes from the Scottish Gaelic ''long fh ...
s.
In 1997 Willi Ernst Sturzenegger, a Swiss millionaire and owner of the ruined Lochranza Castle, petitioned the Lord Lyon King of Arms to be recognised officially "in the name, style and dignity of Willi Ernst Sturzenegger of Arran, Earl of Arran in the territorial
baronage
{{English Feudalism
In England, the ''baronage'' was the collectively inclusive term denoting all members of the feudal nobility, as observed by the constitutional authority Edward Coke. It was replaced eventually by the term '' peerage''.
Or ...
of Scotland", and for a Grant of Arms with additaments appropriate to him as "Earl of Arran in the territorial baronage of Scotland", on the basis that he had been "infeft" (i.e. enfeoffed) in 1995 in "ALL and WHOLE the Lands and Earldom of Arran in the County of Bute including inter alia the Castle of Lochranza the caput thereof …". In 2006 he further petitioned the Lord Lyon King of Arms for official recognition "in the name, style and dignity of Willi Ernst Sturzenegger of Arran, Feudal Earl of Arran" with appropriate heraldic additaments. This was denied by the Lord Lyon in his 2009 ruling.
See 2009 written report of Lord Lyon King of Arms
/ref>
Peerage title
The title was first created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1467 for Thomas Boyd, who was later attainted for treason. The next creation was in 1503 for James Hamilton, 2nd Lord Hamilton. His grandson was declared insane in 1562 and the title passed to the king's favourite Captain James Stewart in 1581. In 1609, the second Marquess of Hamilton inherited the earldom. In 1643, the third Marquess was made Duke of Hamilton and received a second grant of the earldom of Arran. At the death of the second Duke, the 1503 earldom became dormant (i.e., it was unclaimed), while the 1643 earldom descended along with the dukedom, with which it is still united. For more information on these creations, see the Duke of Hamilton.
Earls of Arran, first creation (1467)
*Thomas Boyd, 1st Earl of Arran
Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran (died c. 1473) was a Scottish nobleman.
Thomas was the son of Robert, 1st Lord Boyd, who was a regent during the minority of King James III of Scotland. His father was able to have Thomas created Earl of Arran and Ba ...
(died ) (forfeit 1469)
Earls of Arran, second and third creations (1503, 1643)
Notes
References
*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arran
1467 establishments in Scotland
1469 disestablishments in Scotland
Forfeited earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland
Dormant earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland
Noble titles created in 1467
Noble titles created in 1503
Noble titles created in 1581
Noble titles created in 1643