Lord Abernethy
Encyclopedia
The Lord of Abernethy was from the 12th century to the 14th century the hereditary holder of the church and lands of the Scottish monastery
at Abernethy. It gradually evolved alongside the title Abbot of Abernethy, displacing that term in extant sources by the end of the 13th century. It was held by the descendants of Gille Míchéil, Earl of Fife
.
As Lord Abernethy, it is subsidiary title of the Dukes of Hamilton and Brandon
. The Mormaer
s and Earls of Fife had enjoyed the privilege of crowning new Kings of Scots. Following the failure of the main MacDuff line, and after the execution of the Stewart Murdoch, Earl of Fife in 1425, the privilege fell back to the second line of MacDuffs, those of Abernethy.
Through them this honour was regarded as passing to the Douglas Earls of Angus, notably at the coronation of James III
in 1460 when George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
proclaimed "There! Now that I have set it upon your Grace's head,let me see who will be so bold as to move it."
This continuity has survived to the current era, most notably at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
in 1953, when the then Lord Abernethy and Angus, Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
bore and presented the Crown of Scotland
to the Queen at St. Giles' Cathedral
. Hamilton's son the 15th Duke
, and the 16th Duke
performed similar duties at the opening of Scottish Parliament
s since 1999.
. The abbacy may have been held by Áed (called Hugo or Eggu and other Latinised forms), son of Gille Míchéil, but the lay-abbacy is first attested when Áed's son Orm is confirmed in possession of abbacy by King William of Scotland
in the 1170s, in condition for making concessions favorable to the King's new monastic establishment at Arbroath Abbey
. The title of Abbot disappears in the sources during the abbacy of Laurence, with the title of dominus predominating:
Following the death of Alexander Abernethy, the title passed to his daughter Margaret who married John Stewart of Bonkyll, who assumed the title, as well as being granted the forfeited Earldom of Angus
.
and Lady of Abernethy, had an illegitimate son by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
. In a charter of 1389, Lady Angus transferred the titles of Earl of Angus and the Lordships of Abernethy and Bonkyll to her child.
For further Lords of Abernethy please see:
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
at Abernethy. It gradually evolved alongside the title Abbot of Abernethy, displacing that term in extant sources by the end of the 13th century. It was held by the descendants of Gille Míchéil, Earl of Fife
Gille Míchéil, Earl of Fife
Mormaer Gille Míchéil, is the second man we know for certain to have been Mormaer of Fife from 1130 to 1133, although it is unlikely he actually was the second. He had at least one son, called Aed...
.
As Lord Abernethy, it is subsidiary title of the Dukes of Hamilton and Brandon
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...
. The Mormaer
Mormaer
The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a toisech.-Origin:...
s and Earls of Fife had enjoyed the privilege of crowning new Kings of Scots. Following the failure of the main MacDuff line, and after the execution of the Stewart Murdoch, Earl of Fife in 1425, the privilege fell back to the second line of MacDuffs, those of Abernethy.
Through them this honour was regarded as passing to the Douglas Earls of Angus, notably at the coronation of James III
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
in 1460 when George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, Lord Douglas, Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest was a Scottish Nobleman. He was the son of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus and Margaret Hay of Yester. Known as the Great Earl of Angus, he succeeded to the Earldom following the death of his childless brother James...
proclaimed "There! Now that I have set it upon your Grace's head,let me see who will be so bold as to move it."
This continuity has survived to the current era, most notably at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1953, when the then Lord Abernethy and Angus, Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton
Air Commodore Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton and 11th Duke of Brandon, KT, GCVO, AFC, PC, DL, FRCSE, FRGS, was a Scottish nobleman and pioneering aviator....
bore and presented the Crown of Scotland
Crown of Scotland
The Crown of Scotland is the crown used at the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland. Remade in its current form for King James V of Scotland in 1540, the crown is part of the Honours of Scotland, the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the United Kingdom...
to the Queen at St. Giles' Cathedral
St. Giles' Cathedral
St Giles' Cathedral, more properly termed the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to...
. Hamilton's son the 15th Duke
Angus Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton
Angus Alan Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 15th Duke of Hamilton and 12th Duke of Brandon was the premier peer of Scotland...
, and the 16th Duke
Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton
Alexander Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton and 13th Duke of Brandon , styled Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale from birth till 2010, is a Scottish nobleman and the Premier Peer of Scotland.-Life and education:...
performed similar duties at the opening of Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
s since 1999.
Lay abbots and lords of Abernethy
The lay abbots of Abernethy were descendants of Gille Míchéil, Earl of FifeGille Míchéil, Earl of Fife
Mormaer Gille Míchéil, is the second man we know for certain to have been Mormaer of Fife from 1130 to 1133, although it is unlikely he actually was the second. He had at least one son, called Aed...
. The abbacy may have been held by Áed (called Hugo or Eggu and other Latinised forms), son of Gille Míchéil, but the lay-abbacy is first attested when Áed's son Orm is confirmed in possession of abbacy by King William of Scotland
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
in the 1170s, in condition for making concessions favorable to the King's new monastic establishment at Arbroath Abbey
Arbroath Abbey
Arbroath Abbey, in the Scottish town of Arbroath, was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion for a group of Tironensian Benedictine monks from Kelso Abbey. It was consecrated in 1197 with a dedication to the deceased Saint Thomas Becket, whom the king had met at the English court...
. The title of Abbot disappears in the sources during the abbacy of Laurence, with the title of dominus predominating:
- Orm de Abernethy (fl.FloruitFloruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1170s) - Laurence de Abernethy (fl. 1190s)
- Hugh de Abernethy (d. 1291)
- Alexander de AbernethyAlexander de AbernethyAlexander de Abernethy was a Scottish baron. He was a descendant of lay abbots of Abernethy; his grandfather Laurence, great-grandson of Gillemichael, Earl of Fife, was the first to style himself Lord...
(d. c. 1315)
Following the death of Alexander Abernethy, the title passed to his daughter Margaret who married John Stewart of Bonkyll, who assumed the title, as well as being granted the forfeited Earldom of Angus
Earl of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is currently held by the Duke of Hamilton.-Mormaers:...
.
Douglas lords of Abernethy
His granddaughter Margaret Stewart, 4th Countess of AngusMargaret Stewart, 4th Countess of Angus
Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus and Mar was Countess of Angus and Lady Abernethy in her own right. Her father was Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus....
and Lady of Abernethy, had an illegitimate son by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas was a Scottish magnate.-Early Life:William Douglas was the son of Sir Archibald Douglas and Beatrice Lindsay, and nephew of "Sir James the Good", Robert the Bruce's trusted deputy...
. In a charter of 1389, Lady Angus transferred the titles of Earl of Angus and the Lordships of Abernethy and Bonkyll to her child.
- George Douglas, 1st Earl of AngusGeorge Douglas, 1st Earl of AngusGeorge Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus was born at Tantallon Castle, East Lothian, Scotland. The bastard son of William, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus and Lady Abernethy in her own right....
, Lord of Abernethy and Bonkyll (1380–1403), upon his betrothal to Princess Mary, daughter of Robert III of ScotlandRobert III of ScotlandRobert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
For further Lords of Abernethy please see:
- Earl of AngusEarl of AngusThe Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is currently held by the Duke of Hamilton.-Mormaers:...
- Duke of HamiltonDuke of HamiltonDuke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...