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Clan Erskine

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Clan Erskine
Arascain ("air an sgian" - upon the knife)
Crest: On a chapeau Gules furred Ermine a hand holding up a skene in pale Argent, hilted and pommelled or.
MottoJe Pense Plus (I think more)[1]
Profile
RegionLowlands
Chief
James Thorne Erskine,
The 14th Earl of Mar and
the 16th Earl of Kellie
Historic seatAlloa Tower
Allied clans

Clan Erskine is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands.[2]

History

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Origins of Clan Erskine

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The surname Erskine was originally derived from the lands of Erskine, which is an area to the south of the River Clyde in Renfrew.[2] The name is believed to be ancient or Old British for green rising ground.[2]

As early as the reign of Alexander II of Scotland, Henry de Erskine was proprietor of the barony.[2] In about 1226 Henry was a witness to a charter by the Earl of Lennox of the patronage and tithes of Rosneath to Paisley Abbey.[2]

Wars of Scottish Independence

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John de Irskyn was amongst the Scottish nobles who submitted to Edward I of England and appears on the Ragman Rolls of 1296.[2] His son, another Sir John de Irskyn had three daughters.[2] The eldest daughter married Thomas Bruce, the brother of king Robert the Bruce.[2] Sir John de Irskyn's second daughter married Walter, the High Steward of Scotland.[2]

14th century

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The Erskines were staunch supporters of the Clan Bruce.[2] Sir Robert de Erskine was an illustrious and renowned figure of his time.[2] David II of Scotland appointed him keeper of the strategic Stirling Castle.[2] In 1350 Sir Robert Erskine was appointed as Chamberlain of Scotland and justicar north of the Forth.[2] Erskine was also one of the nobles who established the succession to the throne of Robert II of Scotland, who was a grandson of the great Robert the Bruce and the first monarch of the Stewart dynasty in 1371.[2]

15th and 16th centuries

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In the mid 15th century when Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar died the Clan Erskine chief claimed the title, which was one of the great Celtic titles.[2] Stewart had claimed the title through his wife, the Countess of Mar. Sir Robert Erskine, who had been created Lord Erskine claimed the title through his descent from the Countess of Mar.[2] Erskine's claim was refused by the king who said that the title belonged to the crown because the last male holder had been a Stewart.[2] However the Erskines became guardians to the young James IV of Scotland despite this dispute with the king.[2] Five successive generations of Erskines were guardians of the royals.[2]

In 1497 Alexander Erskine, third Lord Erskine constructed Alloa Tower, a massive tower that would be the seat of the clan chiefs for the next three hundred years.[2] The third Lord Erskine's son was killed in 1513 at the Battle of Flodden.[2] John Erskine, fifth Lord Erskine was guardian and tutor of James V of Scotland.[2]

Mary, Queen of Scots had spent the first five years of her life around Alloa and Stirling Castle. She later bestowed upon the sixth Lord Erskine the title of Earl of Mar.[2] Erskine was descended from Elyne, daughter of Gratney, 7th Earl of Mar.[3] Although the Erskine chiefs are Earls of Mar and Kellie there is a separate Countess of Mar (chief of Clan Mar), who is a member of the Council of the Chiefs.[2]

The seventh Lord Erskine took part in the Raid of Ruthven in 1582, in which the young James VI of Scotland was placed in the hands of an extremist faction of Protestant nobility for nearly a year.[2] As a result, Erskine was exiled but was later restored to royal favour and in 1616 was made Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.[2]

17th century & Civil War

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In 1615 Chief John Erskine, 20th Earl of Mar was appointed governor of Edinburgh Castle.[3] He supported Charles I.[3] Lord Erskine fought for the royalists at the Battle of Kilsyth in 1645.[3] The family estates were forfeited for their support of the royalists but were later restored by Charles II in 1660.[3]

18th century and Jacobite risings

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John Erskine, Earl of Mar was known as bobbing John due to his change of political allegiance in accordance with the needs of survival that was not unknown to the Scottish nobility.[2] He had been a supporter of the Union, however when he attended court in London in 1714 he was not offered the post of Secretary of State for Scotland, which he considered to be an insult.[2] He returned to his ancestral lands and raised the standard of James VIII (The Old Pretender), and called out his own clansmen and all loyal supporters of the House of Stuart.[2] Erskine had soon gathered an army of over ten thousand clansmen.[2] The earl led his army of Jacobites at the Battle of Sheriffmuir against the Duke of Argyll, which was fought on 13 November 1715.[2] The battle was inconclusive although Argyll claimed victory.[2] The Jacobite rising was a failure and Erskine, Earl of Mar fled to France.[2] His title and lands were forfeited and in 1724 were purchased by another branch of the family.[2] The earl had received the Jacobite title of Mar but this was abandoned in 1824 when the Erskines were restored to the earldom of Mar.[2] The earldom of Kellie became united with the earldom of Mar in 1835.[2] Kellie had originally been bestowed in 1619 on a younger son of the chiefly line.[2]

Clan Chief

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The current Chief of Clan Erskine is James Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar who descends from the Earls of Mar, seventh Creation (1565) (as deemed by the House of Lords in 1875). He is chief of the name and arms of Erskine.[4]

The Clan Mar now has a separate chief, Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who descends from the Earls of Mar, first creation (1404) (as deemed by Act of Parliament in 1885). She is chief of the name and arms of Mar.[5]

Tartan

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Tartan image Notes
Areskyn tartan, as published in 1842 in Vestiarium Scoticum.

Clan Castles

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ [1] scotclans.com. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak 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). Published in 1994. Pages 132 - 133.
  3. ^ a b c d e 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). Published in 1994. Pages 266 - 267.
  4. ^ Search for Chief of Clan Erskine Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine clanchiefs.org. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  5. ^ Search for Chief of Clan Mar Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine clanchiefs.org. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
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Family tree

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Family tree of Clan Erskine.
EARLS OF MAR, 1404
Robert Erskine
1st Lord Erskine
13th Earl of Mar
(died 1452)
Thomas Erskine
2nd Lord Erskine
14th Earl of Mar

(died 1493)
Alexander Erskine
3rd Lord Erskine
15th Earl of Mar
(died 1509)
Robert Erskine
4th Lord Erskine
16th Earl of Mar
(died 1513)
John Erskine
5th Lord Erskine
17th Earl of Mar

(died 1552)
EARLS OF MAR,
1565
John Erskine
18th Earl of Mar
1st Earl of Mar

(died 1572)
Hon.
Alexander Erskine
of Gogar

(died 1592)
EARLS OF KELLIE,
1619
John Erskine
19th Earl of Mar
2nd Earl of Mar

(1558–1634)
Thomas Erskine
1st Earl of Kellie

(1566-1639)
Erskine baronets
of Alva
John Erskine
20th Earl of Mar
3rd Earl of Mar

(1585–1653)
James Erskine
6th Earl of Buchan

died 1640
Mary Douglas
6th Countess of Buchan

(died 1628)
Sir
Charles Erskine
of Alva
1st Baronet

(Ancestor of
Earls of Rosslyn)
(died 1690)
Alexander Erskine
Viscount Fentoun
(died 1633)
Erskine baronets
of Cambo
John Erskine
21st Earl of Mar
4th Earl of Mar

(died 1668)
James Erskine
7th Earl of Buchan

(died 1664)
Henry Erskine
Master of Cardross

(1672-1745)
Thomas Erskine
2nd Earl of Kellie
(1615-1643)
Alexander Erskine
3rd Earl of Kellie

(1615-1677)
Sir
Charles Erskine
of Cambo
1st Baronet
(died 1677)
Charles Erskine
22nd Earl of Mar
5th Earl of Mar

(1650–1689)
William Erskine
8th Earl of Buchan

(died 1695)
David Erskine
2nd Lord Cardross

(1626-1671)
Alexander Erskine
4th Earl of Kellie
(1677-1710)
Sir
Alexander Erskine
of Cambo
2nd Baronet
John Erskine
23rd Earl of Mar
6th Earl of Mar

(1675–1732)
James Erskine,
Lord Grange

(1679–1754)
Henry Erskine
3rd Lord Cardross

(1650-1693)
Alexander Erskine
5th Earl of Kellie

(died 1756)
Sir
David Erskine
(1695-1769)
Thomas Erskine,
Lord Erskine

(1705–1766)
Lady Frances Erskine
(died 1776)
James Erskine
(died 1785)
David Erskine
9th Earl of Buchan

(1672-1745)
Thomas Erskine
6th Earl of Kellie

(1732-1781)
Archibald Erskine
7th Earl of Kellie
(1736-1795)
Sir
Charles Erskine
(1730-1790)
Thomas Erskine
9th Earl of Kellie

(1745-1828)
Methven Erskine
10th Earl of Kellie
(1750-1829)
John Erskine
24th Earl of Mar
7th Earl of Mar

(1741–1825)
Henry Erskine
10th Earl of Buchan

(1710-1767)
Charles Erskine
8th Earl of Kellie
(1764-1799)
John Erskine
25th Earl of Mar
8th Earl of Mar

(1772–1828)
Henry Erskine
(1776–1846)
David Erskine
11th Earl of Buchan

(1742-1829)
Hon.
Henry Erskine
(1746-1817)
Thomas Erskine
1st Baron Erskine

(1750-1823)
John Erskine
26th Earl of Mar
9th Earl of Mar
11th Earl of Kellie

(1795–1866)
Lady Frances Erskine
(died 1842)
Walter Coningsby Erskine
10th Earl of Mar
12th Earl of Kellie

(1810–1872)
Sir David ErskineHenry Erskine
12th Earl of Buchan

(1783-1857)
David Erskine
2nd Baron Erskine

(1776-1855)
BARON ERSKINE
John Goodeve-Erskine
27th Earl of Mar
(1836–1930)
Lady Frances Goodeve
(1831–1887)
Walter Erskine
11th Earl of Mar
13th Earl of Kellie

(1839–1888)
David Erskine
13th Earl of Buchan

(1815-1899)
Thomas Erskine
3rd Baron Erskine
(1802-1877)
John Erskine
4th Baron Erskine
(1804-1882)
John Goodeve-Erskine
28th Earl of Mar
(1868–1932)
Charles Young
(1862–1898)
Alice Young
(1858–1951)
Walter Erskine
12th Earl of Mar
14th Earl of Kellie

(1865–1955)
Shipley Erskine
14th Earl of Buchan

(1850-1934)
William Erskine
5th Baron Erskine
(1841-1913)
Lionel Erskine-Young
29th Earl of Mar
(1891–1965)
Charles Lane
(1882–1956)
John Erskine,
Lord Erskine

(1895–1953)
Ronald Erskine
15th Earl of Buchan

(1878-1960)
Montagu Erskine
6th Baron Erskine
(1865-1957)
James of Mar
30th Earl of Mar

(1914–1975)
John Erskine
13th Earl of Mar
15th Earl of Kellie

(1921–1993)
Donald Erskine
16th Earl of Buchan

(1899-1984)
David Charles of Mar,
Lord Garioch
(1944–1967)
Margaret of Mar
31st Countess of Mar

(born 1940)
James Erskine
14th Earl of Mar
16th Earl of Kellie

(born 1949)
Hon. Alexander Erskine
Master of
Mar and Kellie
(born 1952)
Malcom Erskine
17th Earl of Buchan

(born 1930)
Susan of Mar
Mistress of Mar
(born 1963)
Alexander Erskine
(born 1979)
Hon.
Alexander Erskine
(born 1990)