King of Scots in the early 14th century. Since the 15th century, the title of Earl of Carrick has automatically been held by the heir apparent to the throne, thus the current holder of the title is Prince William, Duke of Rothesay
.
Early rulers
The ruins of Turnberry Castle on the Carrick coast, former seat of the Earls of Carrick
The earldom emerged in 1186, out of the old
Gille Brigte (Gilbert). As was the custom then, the two brothers shared the lordship and the lands between them. In 1174, they joined with King William the Lion in his invasion of Northumberland
. However, after King William was taken prisoner by the English, the Galwegians broke into rebellion. Uchtred, who remained loyal to the Scottish king, was savagely murdered by Gille Brigte's son Máel Coluim, and Gille Brigte took control of the entirety of Galloway. In 1175, King William was restored to liberty, and he marched an army into Galloway to bring justice upon Gille Brigte. However, he seems to have contented himself with exacting a fine, leaving Gille Brigte to go unharmed.
In 1176, Gille Brigte obtained an agreement with
King Henry II of England, in which he became his vassal; in exchange, he paid the English king the then enormous sum of £919 9s. and gave his son Duncan
(Donnchadh) as a hostage. Gille Brigte then spent the next decade carrying out devastating raids on King William's territory, with the protection of the English.
chevron
Gille Brigte's death in 1185 was the signal for general turmoil amongst the Galwegians.
Carlisle
in preparation for invasion. However, war was averted at a meeting between Roland, William and Henry, when it was agreed that Roland would rule the main part of Galloway, while Gille Brigte's son Duncan would rule the northern section, known as Carrick. Duncan agreed to these terms, and renounced all claims to the Lordship of Galloway, becoming the first Earl of Carrick.
Arms of the Earl of Carrick as depicted in Balliol roll.
Marjorie and Robert were succeeded by their eldest son. When the old House of Dunkeld became extinct, this Robert, known as "the Bruce", became a principal candidate for the throne as the great-great-great-great-grandson of David I. He was crowned at Scone in 1306, causing his Scots titles (Earl of Carrick and Lord of Annandale) to merge into the Crown. The title of Baron Bruce in the Peerage of England, in so far as it existed, "would either have been forfeited in 1306, or after the death ... of ... King David II , 22 Feb 1371, would, according to modern doctrine, have fallen into abeyance between [Robert I's] daughters and coheirs, the sisters of the late King."[4]
Around 1313, King Robert made his younger brother Edward the Earl of Carrick. Edward had no issue, save a natural son he had by Lady Isabella Strathbogie, daughter of
John, Earl of Atholl. The title therefore became extinct on his death at the Battle of Faughart
Alexander, Edward's bastard. However, Alexander was killed the next year at the Battle of Halidon Hill
and the title again became extinct.
In 1368, King David created his great-nephew John Stewart the Earl of Carrick. David died unexpectedly in 1371. He had no children, meaning he was succeeded by his nephew Robert Stewart, John's father. After Robert's death in 1390, John succeeded him, taking the regnal name Robert III; thus the Earldom of Carrick again merged with the Crown.
The title was next held by Robert III's son
Prince or Great Steward of Scotland
. James acceded to the throne in 1406, and his titles merged with the Crown.
In 1469, the Scottish Parliament passed an Act declaring that the eldest son of the king and heir to the throne would automatically hold the earldom, along with the dukedom of Rothesay. After the Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England, the dukedom and earldom have been held by the eldest son and heir apparent of the monarchs of Great Britain. Thus, the current Duke of Rothesay and Earl of Carrick is Prince William, Duke of Rothesay.
Creation of 1628
In 1628, King Charles I created John Stewart the Earl of Carrick. He had already been made Lord Kincleven in 1607, also in the Peerage of Scotland. He was a younger son of Robert, Earl of Orkney, bastard son of King James V; thus, he was Charles's half-great-uncle. This title was deemed not to conflict with the Earldom of Carrick held by the heir to the throne, as it referred not to the province in Ayrshire, but to the lands of Carrick on Eday in Orkney.
John Stewart married Lady Elizabeth Southwell, daughter of Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham, and widow of Sir Robert Southwell. By her, he had one daughter, Margaret. He is also known to have had two natural children: a son, named Henry, and a daughter, whose name is unknown. As he had no legitimate son, his titles became extinct on his death around 1645.
List of holders
Early rulers
Gille Brigte (d. 1185), ruled without comital title
(1292–1314), became King Robert I of Scotland on 1306, died in 1329.
Edward Bruce (1314–1318), Robert's brother, became High-King of Ireland in 1315, died in 1318.
reverted to crown
David Bruce (1328–1330) – became King David II of Scotland in 1329, died in 1371.
Alexander de Brus, Earl of Carrick
(1330–1333), illegitimate son of Edward Bruce, died in 1333.
Eleanor Bruce, daughter of Alexander, married William de Cunningham.
reverted to crown
Stewart earls
Robert Stewart, Earl of Carrick (1316–1390) [reigned as King Robert II of Scotland from 1371 to his death as the first monarch of the House of Stewart]
Edward of Westminster (1453–1471) Prince of Wales (1454–1471) Duke of Cornwall (1454–1471)
From the 1469 Act of Scottish Parliament, the Earldom of Carrick and the Dukedom of Rothesay was to be automatically held by the "first-born Prince of the King of Scots."
James (1473–1513) Duke of Rothesay (1473–1488) later King James IV of Scots
