Clan Erskine
Encyclopedia
Origins of the Name
The surname ErskineErskine (surname)
Erskine is a Scottish surname. The name is derived from a habitational name from a location on the southern bank of the River Clyde, near Glasgow. This place was first recorded in 1225 as Erskin. Early spellings of the place include: Yrskin ; Ireskin ; Harskin , and Irschen...
is derived from the name of Erskine
Erskine
Erskine is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire, and historic county of the same name, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.It lies on the southern bank of the River Clyde, providing the lowest crossing to the north bank of the river at Erskine Bridge connecting the town to Old Kilpatrick...
, an area to the south of the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
and ten miles to the west of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. The name is believed to be ancient or Old British for green rising ground.
In the 13th century during the reign of King Alexander II
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
the first known person of the name Erskine was Henry Erskine who was also the owner of the Barony of Erskine. In modern Scottish Gaelic, the name is spelt Arascain.
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Wars of Scottish Independence
During the Wars of Scottish IndependenceWars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
the Clan Erskine were supporters of King Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
.
15th Century
In 1435 Alexander Stewart, the Earl of MarEarl of Mar
The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
died and Sir Robert Erskine claimed the title. this also made him the chief of Clan Mar
Clan Mar
Clan Mar is a Scottish clan from the Grampian Highlands, sometimes referred to as the Tribe of Mar. The chiefs of the clan held the position of Mormaer of Mar from the 1130s to the early 15th century as the original Earls of Mar...
. However the King withdrew the earldom in 1457 stating that it could only belong to a Royal Stewart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. Ten years later Sir Robert was created the first Lord Erskine. This unlawful succession was finally interrupted by Mary, Queen of Scots, who saw that the rightful heir John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar , regent of Scotland, was a son of John, 5th Lord Erskine, who was guardian of King James V, and afterwards of Mary, Queen of Scots....
was restored.
16th century & Anglo Scottish Wars
During the Anglo-Scottish WarsAnglo-Scottish Wars
The Anglo-Scottish Wars were a series of wars fought between England and Scotland during the sixteenth century.After the Wars of Scottish Independence, England and Scotland had fought several times during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In most cases, one country had attempted to...
the 4th 'Lord Erskine' led the Clan Erskine at the Battle of Flodden Field
Battle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
in 1513 where he was slain.
Mary Queen of Scots had been in the care of the 5th Lord Erskine and when he died she made John Erskine the 6th Lord Erskine the Earl of Mar: John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar , regent of Scotland, was a son of John, 5th Lord Erskine, who was guardian of King James V, and afterwards of Mary, Queen of Scots....
.
18th century & Jacobite Uprisings
At the beginning of the Jacobite Uprisings it seemed likely that the Erskines would support the British government. However the chief of Clan Erskine, John Erskine, 22nd Earl of MarJohn Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd and de jure 6th Earl of Mar, KT , Scottish Jacobite, was the eldest son of the 21st Earl of Mar , from whom he inherited estates that were heavily loaded with debt. By modern reckoning he was 22nd Earl of Mar of the first creation and de jure 6th Earl of Mar of the seventh...
had traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1714 expecting the post of Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. However he was not given the job and as a result he became a Jacobite. He then raised an army of over ten thousand men for the Jacobite cause. This force was not used to its potential during the Battle of Sheriffmuir
Battle of Sheriffmuir
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...
on 13 November 1715 where the Jacobites were defeated. The Earl of Mar then fled Scotland to Saint-Germain
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, whereupon he betrayed his Jacobite associates. He lost his line of the Earldom of Mar and it was not restored until 1824.
Clan Chief
The current Chief of Clan Erskine is James Erskine, 14th Earl of MarJames Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar
James Thorne Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie, DL is a British peer and Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords....
who descends from the Earls of Mar, seventh Creation (1565) (as deemed by the House of Lords in 1875).
The Clan Mar
Clan Mar
Clan Mar is a Scottish clan from the Grampian Highlands, sometimes referred to as the Tribe of Mar. The chiefs of the clan held the position of Mormaer of Mar from the 1130s to the early 15th century as the original Earls of Mar...
now has a separate chief; Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar who descends from the Earls of Mar, first Creation.
Clan Castles
- The House of DunHouse of DunHouse of Dun, together with the adjacent Montrose Basin nature reserve, is a National Trust for Scotland property in Angus, Scotland.The Dun Estate was home to the Erskine family from 1375 until 1980. John Erskine of Dun was a key figure in the Scottish Reformation. The current house was designed...
and the Dun Estate was home to the Clan Erskine family from 1375 until 1980, but archaeological evidence shows that people have lived here for at least 9,000 years. John Erskine of Dun was a key figure in the Scottish Reformation. - Kildrummy CastleKildrummy CastleKildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. Though ruined, it is one of the most extensive castles of 13th century date to survive in eastern Scotland, and was the seat of the Earls of Mar....
was the seat of the Clan Erskine until it was abandoned after the failed Jacobite Uprisings in 1716. - Corgarff CastleCorgarff CastleCorgarff Castle is a castle in Corgarff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Through much of its history Corgarff has been of strategic importance, guarding the quickest route from Deeside to Speyside, a route later followed by the military road from Blairgowrie to Fort George...
was acquired by John Erskine, 18th Earl of MarJohn Erskine, 18th Earl of MarJohn Erskine, 2nd Earl of Mar was a Scottish politician, the only son of John Erskine, 1st Earl of Mar. Together with King James VI of Scotland he was educated by George Buchanan...
in 1626. - Kellie CastleKellie CastleKellie Castle is a castle just outside Arncroach, about 5 kilometres north of Pittenweem in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland.-Early history:The earliest records of Kellie go back to 1150 where it is mentioned in a charter issued by King David I. The first known owner was Robert of London, the...
was purchased by Sir Thomas ErskineThomas Erskine, 1st Earl of KellieSir Thomas Erskine, 1st Earl of Kellie KG was a Scottish peer.-Biography:Thomas Erskine was the eldest surviving son of Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar and Margaret Home....
in 1613. - Dryburgh AbbeyDryburgh AbbeyDryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...
was given to the Earl of MarEarl of MarThe Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
by King James VI of Scotland in 1544. - Alloa TowerAlloa TowerAlloa Tower in Alloa in central Scotland is the surviving part of the medieval residence of the Clan Erskine family, the Earls of Mar.An architect which was involved in the Alloa Tower was John Melvin....
- Dirleton CastleDirleton CastleDirleton Castle is a medieval fortress in the village of Dirleton, East Lothian, Scotland. It lies around west of North Berwick, and around east of Edinburgh...
- Braemar CastleBraemar CastleBraemar Castle is situated near the village of Braemar in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is a possession of the chief of Clan Farquharson and is leased to a local charitable foundation. It is open to the public.-History:...
- Rosslyn Castle
- Dunimarle CastleDunimarle CastleDunimarle Castle is located 1 km west of the centre of the village of Culross in Fife, Scotland. The name 'Dunimarle' means 'castle by the sea', although the original name of the estate was 'Castlehill'.-History:...
, near Culross, Fife, was built by the Erskine family in the 18th century
Representations in popular culture
- Elizabeth Peters' 1976 romantic suspense novel, Legend in Green Velvet, prominently featured a (fictional) member of Clan Erskine, as well as the castle and Clan history.