561:
433:
changed dramatically over the course of the late 12th century, and by the early 13th century the position had evolved into one that was inherited, normally through the male line, and whose power was largely limited to a territorial "earldom", managed and exploited in a manner similar to that of other
361:: although sons did sometimes succeed their fathers, often they did not, and the position seems to have been occupied by the most powerful member of the most powerful kin-group within a province, sometimes alternating between different branches of a family or switching between different kin-groups.
397:
did not necessarily hold a large proportion of the land within the province in their own right: land was also held by the King, was granted out by the King to secular vassals, or was held by large religious foundations or other powerful lords. Land held by a
326:
was responsible for raising and leading the army of the province, offered protection to those within the province beyond that afforded by their kin-groups, heard and decided upon accusations of theft, and had the right to collect
339:
was the ultimate head of the provincial community and a focal point of its power, his authority was not absolute and could only be exercised in cooperation with other powerful local figures, including
532:
dynasties: Cataidh/Caithness, Charraig/Carrick, Dunbarra/Dunbar and
Moireabh/Moray. After the 12th century, eight other dynasties are known to be hereditary, continuous and no longer fragmentary.
576:, which was a Norwegian Earldom, and became ruled by Scotland in the 15th century. Sutherland might be included, but it was created only late (circa 1230), and for a possibly foreign family (see
540:
A mormaerdom was not simply a regional lordship, it was a regional lordship with official comital rank. This is why other lordships, many of them more powerful, such as those of
382:
is listed at 150 kine, behind a king at 1,000 kine and equal to the value of a king's son, but only 50% higher than that of a thane at 100 kine. While this implies that a
489:, came to be viewed as a single entity; and land rather than kinship became the main determinant of secular power. The proportion of a province directly controlled by a
142:
in the later Middle Ages as Scots became the language of record. This gradual change in language use from Gaelic to Scots did not mean that
370:– a law code reflecting customs in the Kingdom of Alba in the 10th or 11th centuries – lists socio-legal ranks within society and their
386:
was behind only the King of Scots in rank, it also shows that they were closer in status to a thane than to a king, and that both
461:
held their earldom from the King and were not permitted to enter the land of any other lord. An exception was made for the
134:
as Scots replaced Gaelic as the dominant vernacular language between the late 12th and late 13th centuries, and the word
1321:
1204:
1136:
1117:
1091:
161:
compound form, as despite being a Gaelic form it was used only to refer to nobles of the former
Pictish areas of the
485:
estates, previously split between those he controlled as head of a kindred and those controlled in his capacity as
322:. This remained their primary role, with military, fiscal and judicial elements, until the late 12th century. The
366:
271:
1157:
262:
17:
516:
s of each province are generally only hazily, if at all, known until the 12th century, by which time
565:
599:
335:) from settlements within the province as a source of revenue for their activities. Although the
1182:
743:"Approaching the Pictish language: historiography, early evidence and the question of Pritenic"
122:
when listed as a witness in a document recorded in the Gaelic language in 1130 or 1131, and as
1152:
115:
1316:
1197:
675:
435:
315:
1240:
266:
292:
8:
660:
249:
230:
34:
1295:
1290:
1167:
577:
549:
304:
85:
1172:
1162:
1326:
1270:
1132:
1113:
1087:
655:
645:
613:
594:
589:
541:
1275:
1190:
1063:
665:
584:
390:
and thane were considered to be a noble rank, neither were simply royal officials.
340:
276:
258:
235:
158:
1245:
742:
670:
640:
618:
545:
506:
447:
319:
240:
162:
42:
1260:
1250:
1235:
1230:
650:
635:
604:
573:
494:
474:
439:
296:
89:
46:
253:, which listed them as fighting in Ireland in 976. The first individual named
1310:
1280:
1225:
502:
146:
was a new title, however, and it was unrelated to changes in the role of the
1177:
1285:
1255:
462:
1067:
454:, as Scots gradually replaced Gaelic as the dominant vernacular language.
45:
name for a regional or provincial ruler, theoretically second only to the
1265:
358:
188:
meaning "steward", but the first element could be either "great" (Gaelic
31:
349:
568:. The map is a rough guide only, and not intended to be 100% accurate.
51:
1153:
The
Complete Peerage, 2nd edition, Volume I, Page 140 'Earl of Angus'
1052:"Statehood and lordship in 'Scotland' before the midtwelfth century"
406:, or from their role of leader of their own kin-group. In Latin the
247:
s are named, though without their provinces being specified, in the
1051:
197:
630:
378:
to the kin of a victim of that rank in the event of a killing. A
328:
166:
1212:
169:. As late as the 15th century Irish sources were using the word
626:
498:
375:
344:
126:
in a charter recorded in Latin between 1127 and 1131. The word
560:
212:
could therefore mean either "great steward" or "sea steward".
521:
98:
93:
60:
393:
Despite being the leading power within their province, the
80:
63:, and the term is often translated into English as 'earl'.
56:
465:, but this right was expressly separated from his role as
552:, are not, and were not, called mormaerdoms or earldoms.
910:
353:, the leaders of powerful local kin-groups. The role of
900:
898:
871:
859:
849:
847:
834:
832:
528:. Prior to the 12th century, there were four 'ancient'
291:
to be documented in connection to a specific province.
1110:
The Shape of the State in
Medieval Scotland, 1124–1290
934:
807:
805:
765:
763:
761:
759:
724:
722:
720:
707:
705:
703:
688:
413:– the broad regional division of the kingdom that the
106:), which originally meant "companion". That the words
982:
780:
778:
469:, being held "not as an earl but as the king’s third
314:
was established as the leading figure of each of the
970:
958:
946:
922:
895:
883:
844:
829:
1006:
994:
817:
802:
790:
756:
717:
700:
261:, one of the companions of Amlaib, the son of King
775:
564:This map pertains to the Scotland of the reign of
493:could vary considerably: by 1286 for example, the
138:was exclusively used within Scotland to translate
1102:Lost Kingdoms: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages
55:(chieftain). Mormaers were equivalent to English
1308:
438:of the same name. The 13th century also saw the
243:"did not lose a king or mormaer". Another three
92:words used for the position also referred to in
1030:Early Sources of Scottish History: AD 500–1286
1198:
1042:Broun, Dauvit, "Mormaer," in J. Cannon (ed.)
150:that took place over the same time-period.
114:were equivalent can be seen in the case of
1205:
1191:
357:at this time does not appear to have been
1131:. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
402:could derive either from their status as
265:(Constantine II). Dubacan's death at the
229:is first mentioned in the context of the
559:
446:increasingly used at the expense of the
173:for Scottish earls, instead of the word
1044:The Oxford Companion to British History
424:
14:
1309:
1107:
988:
976:
964:
952:
916:
889:
877:
865:
853:
838:
728:
711:
694:
177:they used for Irish or English earls.
1186:
1126:
1081:
1049:
1012:
1000:
940:
928:
904:
823:
811:
796:
784:
769:
477:inheritance meant that succession to
734:
434:lords, and not coterminous with the
1112:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
555:
505:covered only a small proportion of
421:– the land he controlled directly.
200:form of the word for "sea" (Gaelic
24:
130:was increasingly used in place of
25:
1338:
1146:
417:led – was distinguished from his
184:comes from the Gaelic or Pictish
165:, and was never used to refer to
1216:or Earldoms attested before 1286
1178:Gaelic Notes on the Book of Deer
740:
1022:
1129:From Pictland to Alba 789–1070
367:Leges inter Brettos et Scottos
272:Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
157:may represent a survival of a
13:
1:
681:
481:became linear and stable; a
239:describe how the men of the
7:
1032:, 2 Vols, (Edinburgh, 1922)
666:Mormaerdom/Kingdom of Moray
572:This list does not include
303:recording his death at the
275:, where he is described as
10:
1343:
269:in 937 is recorded in the
220:
215:
1221:
1322:Scottish Gaelic language
1037:The Kingdom of the Scots
676:Mormaerdom of Strathearn
520:is being referred to in
310:By the 10th century the
1084:Scotland: A New History
1082:Lynch, Michael (1992).
623:For the Anglo-Scottish
600:Mormaerdom of Caithness
535:
66:
1108:Taylor, Alice (2016).
1050:Broun, Dauvit (2015).
661:Mormaerdom of Menteith
656:? Mormaerdom of Mearns
569:
473:of Fife". The rise of
374:, the payments due in
180:The second element of
118:, who is described as
84:were respectively the
49:, and the senior of a
1158:Thanes & Thanages
1068:10.3366/inr.2015.0084
750:University of Glasgow
563:
1127:Woolf, Alex (2007).
1028:Anderson, Alan Orr,
646:Mormaerdom of Lennox
595:Mormaerdom of Buchan
590:Mormaerdom of Atholl
425:Territorial earldoms
267:Battle of Brunanburh
27:Scottish noble title
1163:Annals of Tigernach
1104:, (Edinburgh, 1997)
1086:. London: Pimlico.
1039:, (Edinburgh, 2003)
585:Mormaerdom of Angus
250:Annals of Tigernach
231:Battle of Corbridge
116:RuadrĂ, Earl of Mar
1173:Chronicon Scotorum
1100:Roberts, John L.,
919:, pp. 39, 56.
671:Mormaerdom of Ross
641:Mormaerdom of Fife
578:Earl of Sutherland
570:
305:Battle of Clontarf
233:in 918, where the
1304:
1303:
943:, pp. 18–19.
880:, pp. 40–41.
868:, pp. 39–40.
697:, pp. 34–35.
651:Mormaerdom of Mar
542:lords of Galloway
495:Earldom of Atholl
293:Domnall mac EimĂn
16:(Redirected from
1334:
1207:
1200:
1193:
1184:
1183:
1168:Annals of Ulster
1142:
1123:
1097:
1078:
1076:
1074:
1046:, (Oxford, 1997)
1035:Barrow, G.W.S.,
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1004:
998:
992:
986:
980:
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950:
944:
938:
932:
926:
920:
914:
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893:
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869:
863:
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836:
827:
821:
815:
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794:
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773:
767:
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753:
747:
738:
732:
726:
715:
709:
698:
692:
556:List of mormaers
503:Earldom of Angus
497:covered most of
429:The role of the
301:Annals of Ulster
295:is described as
277:Mormaer of Angus
259:Dubacan of Angus
236:Annals of Ulster
21:
1342:
1341:
1337:
1336:
1335:
1333:
1332:
1331:
1307:
1306:
1305:
1300:
1217:
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1149:
1139:
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1094:
1072:
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987:
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951:
947:
939:
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927:
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783:
776:
768:
757:
745:
739:
735:
727:
718:
710:
701:
693:
689:
684:
619:Earl of Carrick
558:
538:
427:
320:Kingdom of Alba
281:Mormair Oengusa
241:Kingdom of Alba
223:
218:
163:Kingdom of Alba
69:
59:or Continental
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
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1148:
1147:External links
1145:
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1033:
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993:
991:, p. 103.
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957:
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931:, p. 344.
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909:
907:, p. 346.
894:
882:
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636:Earl of Dunbar
625:Mormaerdom of
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612:Mormaerdom of
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605:Earl of Orkney
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297:Mormaer of Mar
285:Mormaer Ă“engus
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1003:, p. 25.
1002:
997:
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531:
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524:documents as
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512:The earliest
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47:King of Scots
44:
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19:
1317:Noble titles
1213:
1128:
1109:
1101:
1083:
1071:. Retrieved
1059:
1056:Innes Review
1055:
1043:
1036:
1029:
1023:Bibliography
1008:
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741:Rhys, Guto.
736:
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566:Alexander II
539:
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511:
501:, while the
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463:Earl of Fife
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50:
38:
29:
1214:Mormaerdoms
1062:(1): 1–71.
989:Taylor 2016
977:Taylor 2016
965:Taylor 2016
953:Taylor 2016
917:Taylor 2016
890:Taylor 2016
878:Taylor 2016
866:Taylor 2016
854:Taylor 2016
839:Taylor 2016
729:Taylor 2016
712:Taylor 2016
695:Taylor 2016
479:mormaership
475:patrilinear
204:or Pictish
192:or Pictish
1311:Categories
1296:Sutherland
1291:Strathearn
1013:Broun 2015
1001:Broun 2015
941:Broun 2015
929:Woolf 2007
905:Woolf 2007
824:Woolf 2007
812:Woolf 2007
797:Woolf 2007
785:Lynch 1992
770:Woolf 2007
682:References
550:Innse Gall
359:hereditary
18:Mormaerdom
1241:Caithness
483:mormaer's
419:comitatus
411:provincia
408:mormaer's
316:provinces
307:in 1014.
279:(Gaelic:
153:The word
30:In early
1327:Mormaers
1276:Menteith
459:mormaers
457:By 1221
436:province
350:tòiseach
198:genitive
196:), or a
41:was the
35:Scotland
32:medieval
1246:Carrick
1073:26 June
631:Lothian
614:Carrick
530:mormaer
518:mormaer
514:mormaer
491:mormaer
487:mormaer
467:mormaer
452:mormaer
431:mormaer
415:mormaer
404:mormaer
400:mormaer
395:mormaer
388:mormaer
384:mormaer
380:mormaer
355:mormaer
345:bishops
337:mormaer
329:tribute
324:mormaer
318:of the
312:mormaer
299:in the
289:mormaer
255:mormaer
245:mormaer
227:mormaer
221:Origins
216:History
210:Mormaer
182:mormaer
171:mormaer
167:Ireland
159:Pictish
155:mormaer
132:mormaer
120:mormaer
108:mormaer
104:comites
76:mormaĂr
72:Mormaer
52:ToĂsech
39:mormaer
1271:Mearns
1261:Lennox
1251:Dunbar
1236:Buchan
1231:Atholl
1135:
1116:
1090:
634:, See
627:Dunbar
617:, See
603:, See
574:Orkney
546:Argyll
499:Atholl
448:Gaelic
341:thanes
86:Gaelic
78:) and
61:counts
43:Gaelic
1281:Moray
1226:Angus
746:(PDF)
526:comes
522:Latin
507:Angus
450:term
442:term
440:Scots
283:, or
175:iarla
148:comes
140:comes
124:comes
112:comes
102:(pl.
99:comes
94:Latin
90:Scots
74:(pl.
57:earls
1286:Ross
1256:Fife
1133:ISBN
1114:ISBN
1088:ISBN
1075:2021
610:For
548:and
536:Role
471:maer
444:earl
376:kine
364:The
347:and
333:cĂ in
257:was
202:moro
186:maer
144:earl
136:Earl
128:earl
110:and
88:and
81:earl
67:Name
37:, a
1266:Mar
1064:doi
372:cro
208:).
206:mor
194:már
190:mĂłr
96:as
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1058:.
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846:^
831:^
804:^
777:^
758:^
748:.
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544:,
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343:,
1206:e
1199:t
1192:v
1141:.
1122:.
1096:.
1077:.
1066::
752:.
629:/
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