Lord High Admiral of Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Offices of State
of the Kingdom of Scotland
before the Union with England
in 1707.
The office was one of considerable power, also known as Royal Scottish Admiralty, including command of the King's ships and sailors (see Royal Scottish Navy) and inspection of all sea ports, harbours, and sea coasts. The Admiral appointed judges to decide causes relating to maritime affairs, including both civil and criminal jurisdiction, and juridsiction over creeks, fresh and navigable waterways. The duties were exercised through Vice-Admirals and Admirals-Depute, later called Judge Admirals.
Apart from occasional earlier references, the office seems to have originated in the early 15th century and was held by once held by Sir Robert Logan of Grugar, later also of Restalrig
and the Earls of Bothwell and the Dukes of Lennox. It was one of the heritable offices that Charles II
gave to his illegitimate son Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and Lennox
.
The earliest surviving records of the Scottish High Court of Admiralty date from 1557, convened under the authority of the Earl of Bothwell
, in Edinburgh or Leith. Although all maritime causes in Scotland below a river's first bridge were in its view, it was inferior to the Court of Session, and its authority was contested by the Court of Justiciary in criminal matters. The Court was formally to be held, fenced, within the sea-flood and wherever it was actually held the Admiral would declare that to be the case. The judges were Bothwell's two vice-admirals, men otherwise unknown who were almost certainly professional lawyers rather than mariners.
By the Act of Union 1707 all admiralty jurisdictions were placed under the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain or Commissioners of the Admiralty
. Nevertheless the Vice-Admiral of Scotland who received his commission from the Crown continued to appoint the Judge Admiral (until 1782) and Admirals-depute and to rank as an Officer of the Crown
.
The Public Offices (Scotland) Act 1817 provided that no person thereafter appointed as Vice Admiral should receive a salary. The Admiralty Court
in Edinburgh
was abolished in 1830 and the Court of Session granted subject-matter jurisdiction
.
Great Officer of State
In the United Kingdom, the Great Officers of State are traditional Crown ministers, who either inherit their positions or are appointed to exercise certain largely ceremonial functions. Separate Great Officers exist for England and Scotland, and formerly for Ireland...
of the Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
before the Union with England
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
in 1707.
The office was one of considerable power, also known as Royal Scottish Admiralty, including command of the King's ships and sailors (see Royal Scottish Navy) and inspection of all sea ports, harbours, and sea coasts. The Admiral appointed judges to decide causes relating to maritime affairs, including both civil and criminal jurisdiction, and juridsiction over creeks, fresh and navigable waterways. The duties were exercised through Vice-Admirals and Admirals-Depute, later called Judge Admirals.
Apart from occasional earlier references, the office seems to have originated in the early 15th century and was held by once held by Sir Robert Logan of Grugar, later also of Restalrig
Restalrig
Restalrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located east of the city centre, west of the A199 road, and to the east of Lochend, with which it overlaps. Restalrig Road is the main route through the area, running from London Road at Jock's Lodge, to Leith Links at the south edge of...
and the Earls of Bothwell and the Dukes of Lennox. It was one of the heritable offices that Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
gave to his illegitimate son Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and Lennox
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Aubigny was the illegitimate son of Charles II of England and his mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth....
.
The earliest surviving records of the Scottish High Court of Admiralty date from 1557, convened under the authority of the Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney , better known by his inherited title as 4th Earl of Bothwell, was hereditary Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He is best known for his association with and subsequent marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third husband...
, in Edinburgh or Leith. Although all maritime causes in Scotland below a river's first bridge were in its view, it was inferior to the Court of Session, and its authority was contested by the Court of Justiciary in criminal matters. The Court was formally to be held, fenced, within the sea-flood and wherever it was actually held the Admiral would declare that to be the case. The judges were Bothwell's two vice-admirals, men otherwise unknown who were almost certainly professional lawyers rather than mariners.
By the Act of Union 1707 all admiralty jurisdictions were placed under the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain or Commissioners of the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
. Nevertheless the Vice-Admiral of Scotland who received his commission from the Crown continued to appoint the Judge Admiral (until 1782) and Admirals-depute and to rank as an Officer of the Crown
Great Officer of State
In the United Kingdom, the Great Officers of State are traditional Crown ministers, who either inherit their positions or are appointed to exercise certain largely ceremonial functions. Separate Great Officers exist for England and Scotland, and formerly for Ireland...
.
The Public Offices (Scotland) Act 1817 provided that no person thereafter appointed as Vice Admiral should receive a salary. The Admiralty Court
Admiralty court
Admiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries and offences.- Admiralty Courts in England and Wales :...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
was abolished in 1830 and the Court of Session granted subject-matter jurisdiction
Subject-matter jurisdiction
Subject-matter jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear cases of a particular type or cases relating to a specific subject matter. For instance, bankruptcy court only has the authority to hear bankruptcy cases....
.
List of Lord High Admirals
- Henry Sinclair, 1st Earl of Orkney
- George Crichton, 1st Earl of CaithnessGeorge Crichton, 1st Earl of CaithnessGeorge Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness , was a Scottish peer.Succeeding his father as sheriff of Linlithgowshire, he was knighted before 1438. In 1441 he was ambassador to the Brittany to negotiate the marriage of James II's sister Isabella...
- William Sinclair, 1st Earl of CaithnessWilliam Sinclair, 1st Earl of CaithnessWilliam Sinclair , 1st Earl of Caithness , 3rd Earl of Orkney , Baron of Roslin was a Scottish nobleman and the builder of Rosslyn Chapel, in Midlothian....
- David Lindsay, 1st Duke of MontroseDavid Lindsay, 1st Duke of MontroseDavid Lindsay, 1st Duke of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman.He was the son of Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Crawford, and inherited the Earldom of Crawford on his father's death in 1453...
- Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of AlbanyAlexander Stewart, 1st Duke of AlbanyAlexander Stewart, Duke of Albany was the second son of King James II of Scotland, and his Queen consort Mary of Gueldres, daughter of Arnold, Duke of Gelderland.-Biography:...
- Sir Robert Logan of Grugar, later also of Restalrig 1400
- David Lindsay, 1st Earl of CrawfordDavid Lindsay, 1st Earl of CrawfordDavid Lindsay, 1st Earl of Crawford was a Scottish peer who was created Earl in 1398. Many historians believe that Lindsay was also the organiser for the Battle of the Clans at Perth in 1396. Additionally, Lindsay was a noted jousting champion who fought the English champion Lord Welles in a...
before 1403 - Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of BothwellPatrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of BothwellPatrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell was Lord High Admiral of Scotland. Under his territorial designation of Sir Patrick Hepburne of Dunsyre, Knt., he was Sheriff of Berwickshire, 15 June 1480...
appointed 1488. - James Hamilton, 1st Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 1st Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran and 2nd Lord Hamilton was a Scottish nobleman and first cousin of James IV of Scotland.-Biography:...
sailed with royal fleet 1502, 1504-5, 1513 - Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of AngusArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus , was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He became known as "Bell the Cat"...
- Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord MaxwellRobert Maxwell, 5th Lord MaxwellRobert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell , A member of the council of Regency of the Kingdom of Scotland. Regent of the Isle of Arran and like his father before head of the clan Maxwell. A distinguished Scottish nobleman, politician, soldier and in 1513 Lord High Admiral...
- Sir Andrew Wood of LargoAndrew Wood of LargoSir Andrew Wood of Largo was a Scottish sea captain. Beginning as a merchant in Leith, he was involved in national naval actions and rose to become Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He was knighted c. 1495...
1489 (to death in 1515/17?) - Sir Andrew BartonAndrew BartonSir Andrew Barton served as High Admiral of the Kingdom of Scotland. Notorious in England and Portugal as a 'pirate', Barton was a seaman who operated under the aegis of a letter of marque on behalf of the Scottish crown, and is therefore more widely described as a privateer...
sailor, killed in action 1511. - Adam Hepburn, 2nd Earl of BothwellAdam Hepburn, 2nd Earl of BothwellAdam Hepburn, 2nd Earl of Bothwell was a Scottish nobleman, who succeeded his father Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell in 1508...
appointed 1508 in succession to his father. - Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of BothwellPatrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of BothwellPatrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell , was the son of Adam Hepburn, Lord Hailes, who died at the Battle of Flodden the year after Patrick's birth.Hepburn was known as the Fair Earl...
appointed 1513, duties performed by Patrick Hepburn, Prior of St. Andrews. - James Hepburn, 4th Earl of BothwellJames Hepburn, 4th Earl of BothwellJames Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney , better known by his inherited title as 4th Earl of Bothwell, was hereditary Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He is best known for his association with and subsequent marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third husband...
appointed 1556. - James Douglas, 4th Earl of MortonJames Douglas, 4th Earl of MortonJames Douglas, jure uxoris 4th Earl of Morton was the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI. He was in some ways the most successful of the four, since he did manage to win the civil war which had been dragging on with the supporters of the exiled Mary, Queen of...
appointed 1568. - Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell appointed 1581, confirmed 1587.
- Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of LennoxLudovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of LennoxLudovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox and 1st Duke of Richmond was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was the son of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox and his wife Catherine de Balsac. Stewart was involved in the Plantation of Ulster in Ireland and the colonization of Maine in New England...
appointed 1591. - James Stuart, 4th Duke of LennoxJames Stewart, 1st Duke of RichmondJames Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox was a Scottish nobleman. He was the eldest son of Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox and his wife Katherine Clifton, 2nd Baroness Clifton....
1626 - Alexander Bruce, 3rd Earl of Kincardine 1668
- James Duke of York 1673
- William Douglas, Duke of HamiltonWilliam Douglas, Duke of HamiltonWilliam Douglas-Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Hamilton, KG, PC , born Lord William Douglas, was the son of William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and his second wife Lady Mary Gordon, a daughter of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly...
1692 - Charles Stewart, 6th Duke of LennoxCharles Stewart, 3rd Duke of RichmondCharles Stewart, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox KG was the only son of George Stewart, 9th Seigneur d'Aubigny and Katherine Howard, daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk...
1694 - James Graham, 1st Duke of MontroseJames Graham, 1st Duke of MontroseJames Graham, 1st Duke and 4th Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish aristocratic statesman in the early eighteenth century....
1702 - David Wemyss, 4th Earl of WemyssDavid Wemyss, 4th Earl of WemyssDavid Wemyss, 4th Earl of Wemyss son of James Wemyss, Lord Burntisland and Margaret Wemyss, 3rd Countess of Wemyss .In his 41 years Earl Wemyss married three times:...
1706-1707, thereafter Vice-Admiral
List of Vice Admirals
- David Wemyss, 4th Earl of WemyssDavid Wemyss, 4th Earl of WemyssDavid Wemyss, 4th Earl of Wemyss son of James Wemyss, Lord Burntisland and Margaret Wemyss, 3rd Countess of Wemyss .In his 41 years Earl Wemyss married three times:...
- John Hamilton-Leslie, 9th Earl of RothesJohn Hamilton-Leslie, 9th Earl of RothesJohn Hamilton Leslie, 9th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman.The eldest son of Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Haddington and Margaret Leslie, 8th Countess of Rothes...
- Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of QueensberryCharles Douglas, 3rd Duke of QueensberryCharles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry, 2nd Duke of Dover, PC was a Scottish nobleman.The son of James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry, 1st Duke of Dover, and Mary Boyle, daughter of Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan, was a Privy Counsellor and Vice Admiral of Scotland.He took up the cause...
- John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of StairJohn Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of StairField Marshal John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair KT PC was a Scottish soldier and diplomat.-Military career:Despite being born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dalrymple spent his early life mostly in the Netherlands and he studied at Leiden University...
- George Douglas, 13th Earl of MortonGeorge Douglas, 13th Earl of MortonGeorge Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton , styled The Honourable George Douglas between 1681 and 1730, was a British peer and politician.-Background:...
- James Ogilvy, 5th Earl of Findlater
- John Carmichael, 3rd Earl of HyndfordJohn Carmichael, 3rd Earl of HyndfordJohn Carmichael, 3rd Earl of Hyndford PC, KT , styled Viscount of Inglisberry between 1710 and 1737, was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat....
- William Douglas, 4th Duke of QueensberryWilliam Douglas, 4th Duke of QueensberryWilliam Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry KT was a Scottish nobleman.Born in Peebles, Queensberry was the only son of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of March, and his wife, Lady Anne Hamilton....
- John Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and HollandJohn Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and HollandJohn Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland KB , styled Lord Glenorchy from 1716 until 1752, was a Scottish nobleman, diplomat and politician.-Background and education:...
- Lord William Gordon, son of Cosmo Gordon, 3rd Duke of GordonCosmo Gordon, 3rd Duke of GordonCosmo George Gordon, 3rd Duke of Gordon KT , styled Marquess of Huntly until 1728, was a Scottish peer....
- William Cathcart, 1st Earl CathcartWilliam Cathcart, 1st Earl CathcartGeneral William Schaw Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart KT, PC, PC , Scottish soldier and diplomatist, was born at Petersham, and educated at Eton.-Military career:...