Marquesses_And_Dukes_Of._Montrose

Marquesses And Dukes Of. Montrose David Lindsay, 5th earl of Crawford (c. 1 44 o - 1 495), was created duke of Montrose in 1488 (the first dukedom conferred in Scotland on a person not of royal blood), as a reward for remaining loyal to James III. during the rebellion of Angus and Prince James. Montrose was deprived of his dukedom by James IV., but it was restored in 1489 for life only. On his death in 1495 the title therefore became extinct.

In 1505, William, 4th Lord Graham, whose wife Annabella Drummond was the duke's niece, was created earl of Montrose; and this title was held by his descendants till 1644, when James Graham, 5th earl, was created marquess of Montrose and earl of Kincardine. This was the celebrated marquess of Montrose (q.v.) of the Civil War, whose son and successor, James (c. 1631-1669), was known as "the Good Marquess." The latter refused to vote at the trial of his hereditary enemy the marquess of Argyll in 1661, admitting that he could not act impartially in such a matter; and the two noblemen afterwards became firm friends. The good marquess died in 1669, and was succeeded by his son James, 3rd marquess of Montrose (d. 1684). The 4th marquess, son of the last mentioned, who was also named James (d. 1742), was lord high admiral of Scotland in 1705, and lord president of the council in 1706. He was an ardent supporter of the Hanoverian succession; he also favoured the union of Scotland with England, for his services in regard to which he was created duke of Montrose and marquess of Graham in 1707, becoming in the same year one of the first representative peers of Scotland in the parliament of Great Britain. He was one of the regents of the kingdom on the death of Queen Anne, and was appointed a secretary of state by George I. He took an active part in suppressing the Jacobite rising in 1715, after which he was made keeper of the great seal in Scotland. He died in 1742. During his lifetime his son David was raised to the peerage of Great Britain with the title of Earl Graham; and on David's death without issue in 1731 this earldom passed under a special remainder to his brother William (c. 1710-1790), who on his father's death in 1742 succeeded to the dukedom also. William's son James, 3rd duke of Montrose (1755-1836), held office in Pitt's administrations in 1783 and 1804, and in that of the duke of Portland in 1807. He obtained the annulment of the law prohibiting Highlanders from wearing the kilt. He was succeeded by his son James (1799-1874), who held office under the earl of Derby in 1852, and again in 1858 and 1866, and was father of Douglas Beresford Malise Ronald, 5th duke (b. 1852). In 1853 James Lindsay, 24th earl of Crawford, claimed the title of duke of Montrose on the ground that the patent granted to his ancestor David Lindsay in 1488 (see above) had not been effectively rescinded, but his petition was dismissed by the House of Lords.