Clan Maitland
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Clan Maitland is a Lowland Scottish clan.
History
Origins of the clan
The name Maitland is of Norman origin and was originally spelt Mautalent, Mautalen, Matulant or Matalan, it translates as "evil genius".[2] It is claimed that the Maitlands descend from one of the companions of William the Conqueror who later settled in Northumberland.[3] The name is found on numerous early charters as Matulant, Mautalant and Maltalant.[3] It has been suggested that it was a nickname meaning 'bad' or 'poor wit', however Alexander Nisbet gives Quasi mutilatus in bello which means As if mutilated in war.[3]
During the reign of Alexander III of Scotland, Sir Richard Matulant acquired the lands of Thirleston, Blyth and Hedderwick.[3] He became one of the most considerable barons in the Scottish Borders.[3] He had come into ownership of Thirlestane by his marriage to Avicia, heiress to Thomas de Thirlestane.
Wars of Scottish Independence
Sir William Mautlant de Thirlstane supported
William's son, Robert Maitland, surrendered Dunbar Castle to the Earl of Douglas and as a result escaped from being involved in the ruin of his uncle, John.[3] The heir of Sir Robert Maitland was William Maitland of Letherington who received a charter confirming his lands of Blyth, Hedderwick and Tollus.[3]
16th century and Anglo-Scottish wars
William Maitland's great-grandson was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.[3][4] The heir of the Maitland knight killed at Flodden was Sir Richard Maitland who was appointed a judge of the Court of Session and Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland.[3]
Sir Richard Maitland's eldest son was
17th century and Civil War
The only son of John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane was created the first Earl of Lauderdale in 1616.[3] John Maitland, 1st Earl of Lauderdale was President of the Council and a Lord of Session.[3] His son was John Maitland, 2nd Earl of Lauderdale who was created Duke of Lauderdale in 1672.[3] The Duke had fought for Charles II of England at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 where he was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London for nine years.[3] After the Restoration he had risen to become the most powerful man in Scotland and was created a Duke in 1672.[3] However he was also the first and last Duke of Lauderdale.[3] The Duke employed Sir William Bruce to convert his Thirlestane Castle into a renaissance palace.[3]
18th century and Jacobite risings
During the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Jacobite leader, Charles Edward Stuart stayed at Thirlestane and his army camped in the parklands after their victory at the Battle of Prestonpans, however the Maitlands were not noted Jacobites and as a result escaped forfeiture.[3]
19th century and Napoleonic wars
At the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, General Sir Peregrine Maitland commanded the Foot Guards.[3] Napoleon later surrendered to Captain Frederick Maitland of the Royal Navy.[3] In 1828 the Maitland Club was founded which was a text publication society named after Richard Maitland who was chief of the clan in the 16th century.[5]
Clan Chief
After the death on 2 December 2008 of
Clan Castles
- Thirlestane Castle is the prime Maitland property in Scotland.
- Tibbers Castle lands were granted 23 August 1369 to john Mautaland of Thirlestane by the Earl of March, whose sister Agnes he married at about that time. His son, Sir Robert Mautaland obtained a crown charter of the land.
- Blantyre-Stewarts; now seat of Dukes of Hamiltonsince 1946.
Ham House, Richmond, Surrey, property of the Countess of Dysart and Duchess of Lauderdale was largely furnished and decorated by the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale, but remained in the ownership of the Countess and subsequent Earls of Dysart.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Clan Maitland Profile scotclans.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-923482-0.
- ^ ISBN 0-00-470547-5.
- ^ Guthrie, William (1767). A General History of Scotland. Vol. 4. Paternoster Row, London: A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts. pp. 371-372. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ Martin, John I (1834). A Bibliographical Catalogue of Books Privately Printed, Including Those of the Bannatyne, Maitland and Roxburghe Clubs, and of the Private Presses at Darlington, Auchinleck, Lee Priory (etc.). Payne and Foss. p. 406. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ Standing Council of the Baronetage: the official roll of the baronets Archived 6 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine
