The ancient mormaership of Caithness was originally held as a fief of Scotland by the Norse Earl of Orkney. The earliest name of a holder is Donnchad, but the first of renown was Thorfinn I of Orkney and his sons Skuli and Lodvi. It then passes to Lodvi’s son Sigurd. In 1014, Malcolm II of Scotland confirmed Thorfin II in the position, Thorfin being a maternal grandson of the King. The next name is Madadhan, created mormaer under Duncan I c.1030. Thorfin’s sons Paul and Erlend jointly held the title c.1056. There are references then to Ottar, followed by Haakon, son of Paul, then Harold (recognised by David I), Ragnald (d.1158), Erlend son of Harold, Harold II, son of Erlend’s wife Margaret, daughter of Haakon, and Madach, 1^st Earl of Atholl. Harold Maddadson ruled jointly with Harald the Young, grandson of Ragnald, but had the latter killed in 1198. King William I then appointed Ragnvald IV, the King of Man, to the post, but Harold ousted him and was followed by his sons John and David. Their line ends at this point and the title passed via Harald the Young’s sister, who married Gillebride, 2^nd Earl of Angus. Their son Magnus became Jarl of Orkney and succeeded to the Caithness title in 1232. The exact sequence Magnus was followed by his son Malcolm, then Malcolm’s son John, who swore fealty to Edward I of England.

In the Peerage of Scotland, the title Earl of Caithness was first granted to Malise (or Maol Iosa), 8th Earl of Strathearn, in 1334. He inherited the earldom of Orkney from Gillebride’s daughter Maud, and with it, of Caithness. He lost his Strathearn title after the Battle of Halidon Hill, although remaining the owner of the associated territories. His northern lands were split between his grandson Alexander de l’Arde, who took Caithness, and his son-in-law Erengisle Sunesson, who took Orkney. In 1375 Alexander sold the earldom back to the monarchy.

Earls of Caithness (1375)

1^st Earl of Caithness, David Stewart, b.1356-1360, a.1375, d.1389

Son of King Robert II and his second wife Eupheme de Ross, Countess of Moray. He was made Earl Palatine of Strathearn in 1371 and 1^st Earl of Caithness in 1375.

2^nd Earl (Countess) of Caithness, Euphemia Stewart, b.b.1375, a.1389, d.1434

Daughter of the 1^st Earl. She abdicated the earldom of Caithness in 1402 to her uncle.

3^rd Earl of Caithness, Walter Stewart, b.c.1360, a.1402, d.1437

Younger brother of the 1^st Earl. He was also created 1^st Earl of Atholl in 1404. He was instrumental in obtaining the release of his nephew, James I, and was made Great Justiciar and Earl of Strathearn in 1427. In 1428 he resigned the earldom in favour of his son Alexander, only to regain it after Alexander’s death. He turned against the King and joined in the conspiracy which led to the King’s assassination in 1437. However, with little political support, the conspirators were quickly arrested, attainted and put to death.

4^th Earl of Caithness, Alexander Stewart, b.b.1404, a.1430, d.1431

Son of the 3^rd Earl and Margaret Barclay (b.b.1368, d.1404), daughter of Sir David Barclay, Lord of Brechin.

Earls of Caithness (1452)

1^st Earl of Caithness, George Crichton, b.b.1427, a.1452, d.1454

Cousin of William Crichton, future Lord High Chamberlain of Scotland, George Crichton became a close advisor to James I and one of the most powerful nobles in the country. He was promoted to Sheriff of West Lothian and Keeper of Linlithgow Palace and Blackness Castle and involved in the violent disputes with the Douglas Clan that ended in civil war. The Crichtons were temporarily out of power after the King took the Douglas side, but when William Crichton was rewarded for arranging the King’s marriage to Marie of Gueldres by being made High Chamberlain, George Crichton was created 1^st Earl of Caithness and Lord High Admiral of Scotland. When William died in 1453, George was forced to name the King as the heir to most of his lands. His son James Crichton held Blackness Castle against the King’s forces but he also died shortly afterwards, bringing the reign of the Crichtons to an end.

Earls of Caithness (1455)

1^st Earl of Caithness, William Sinclair, b.b.1418, a.1455, d.1480

Son of Henry Sinclair, 2^nd Earl of Orkney, and Egidia Douglas (b.b.1388, d.a.1438), a grand-daughter of both Archibald Douglas, 3^rd Earl of Douglas and King Robert II. He succeeded to the title 3^rd Earl of Orkney c.1420-1421. He held the post of Lord Admiral of Scotland, and in that post he conveyed Princess Margaret to France to marry the Dauphin, later King Louis XI. He was created 1^st Lord St Clair in 1449, and in 1453 he founded the collegiate church of Rosslyn in Midlothian, and was responsible for the construction of the now world-renowned chapel there. He was also Lord High Chancellor from 1454 to 1458. He received the earldom of Caithness in 1455, along with the title of 1^st Lord Berriedale, in settlement of a claim to the lordship of Nithsdale. However, in 1470, King James III claimed the earldom of Orkney for the crown, and Sinclair resigned under duress. He received Ravenscraig Castle in Fife in exchange. In 1476, he resigned the earldom of Caithness in favour of his third son William, while passing the lordship to his eldest son, also William (who he considered not worthy of the earldom), from his first marriage to Lady Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of Archibald Douglas, 4^th Earl of Douglas.

2^nd Earl of Caithness, William Sinclair, b.b.1476, a.1476, d.1513

Son of the 1^st Earl and Marjory Sutherland (b.b.1443, d.?). He died at Flodden.

3^rd Earl of Caithness, John Sinclair, b.b.1510, a.1513, d.1529

Son of the 2^nd Earl and Margaret Keith (b.b.1497, d.?). He was killed while leading an invasion of Orkney in an attempt to assert his claim to the lordship thereof.

4^th Earl of Caithness, George Sinclair, b.1527, a.1529, d.1582

Son of the 3^rd Earl and Elizabeth Sutherland (b.b.1510, d.1527). He had the reputation of being an extremely unpleasant individual, not least resting on the fact that he arranged for the poisoning of John Gordon, 11^th Earl of Sutherland and his wife, taking control of the heir, Alexander Gordon, marrying him off to his own daughter Lady Barbara Sinclair, and installing himself in Dunrobin Castle. He then considered removing the heir of Sutherland entirely and replacing him with his own second son. Fortunately, Alexander Gordon escaped his confinement. In revenge, Caithness sent his eldest son John Sinclair (b.c.1543, d.1575) to besiege the town of Dornoch and its castle, who were known to be strong supporters of the Sutherlands. Several years later, in 1576, Caithness had his own son arrested and imprisoned for not laying sufficient waste to Dornoch, and he died after seven years of confinement in Girnigo Castle when he was poisoned by his keepers. Caithness was also involved in the plot to kill Lord Darnley, but was also happy to sit on the jury during the trial of James Hepburn, 4^th Earl of Bothwell, for the same crime.

5^th Earl of Caithness, George Sinclair, b.1566, a.1582, d.1642-1643

Grandson of the 4^th Earl and Elizabeth Graham (b.?, d.1576), daughter of William Graham, 2^nd Earl of Montrose, and son of John Sinclair, Master of Caithness (b.c.1543, d.1575) and Lady Jean Hepburn (b.b.1547, d.1599), daughter of Patrick Hepburn, 3^rd Earl of Bothwell (she had previously been married to John Stewart, 1^st Lord Darnley, an illegitimate son of James V). He started his reign by personally murdering the two men responsible for his father’s death. He spent much of the next few decades alternately making peace or making war with the Earl of Sutherland, mediated at times by the Earl of Huntly, and also causing trouble for the Earl of Orkney. He was also not averse to criminal activity and was responsible for flooding the north of Scotland with counterfeit coins. In response, Sir Robert Gordon, brother of the Earl of Sutherland, was commissioned to arrest the offender, one Arthur Smith, and in trying to halt the arrest, John Sinclair, nephew of Caithness, was killed. A council in Edinburgh agreed to forgo any criminal prosecution as long as Caithness and Sutherland resolved all disputes between them. Caithness was also responsible for turning in John Maxwell, 8^th Lord Maxwell (for whom see the earls of Nithsdale), his wife’s cousin, to the authorities in order to curry favour at Court. In 1614 Caithness quelled a rebellion in Orkney and was made a Privy Counsellor. However the following year he was involved in another dispute over land that ended in a charge of fire-raising and resulted in him being heavily fined, his son William Sinclair imprisoned as surety. He was eventually declared rebel in 1621 and it was his recently released son who obtained a commission to bring him to book. He fled to Scandinavia and his principal castle’s were handed over to the Crown, though he later returned and lived the rest of his long life in relative obscurity.

6^th Earl of Caithness, George Sinclair, b.b.1639, a.1642-1643, d.1676

Great-grandson of the 5^th Earl (who had lived to a ripe old age) and Lady Jean Gordon (b.?, d.c.1615), daughter of George Gordon, 5^th Earl of Huntly, grandson of William Sinclair, Lord Berriedale (b.?, d.1633-1643) and Margaret Sinclair, grand-daughter of Henry Sinclair, 5^th Lord St Clair, and on of John Sinclair (b.?, d.1639) and Lady Jean Mackenzie (b.?, d.1648), daughter of Colin Mackenzie, 1^st Earl of Seaforth. He signed all his lands and titles to Sir John Campbell, to whom he owed substantial monies, and was created 1^st Earl of Caithness. However in 1681, some years after Sinclair’s death, the earldom was confirmed in law as passing to the Sinclair male-heir, with Sir John compensated by being created 1^st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland.

7^th Earl of Caithness, George Sinclair, b.?, a.1681, d.1698

Grandson of the 5^th Earl and son of Francis Sinclair and Elizabeth Fraser, a daughter of Andrew Fraser, 1^st Lord Fraser. There continued to be conflict over lands between Caithness and the new Earl of Breadalbane until that earl sold all of his estates that lay within the Caithness area.

8^th Earl of Caithness, John Sinclair, b.?, a.1698, d.1705

Grandson of James Sinclair (b.b.1575, d.?), younger brother of the 5^th Earl, and Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of Robert Stewart, 1^st Earl of Orkney, son of another James Sinclair and Jean Stewart (b.?, d.1662), a grand-daughter of Sir Alexander Stewart of Garlies, ancestor of the earls of Galloway.

9^th Earl of Caithness, Alexander Sinclair, b.c.1684, a.1705, d.1765

Son of the 8^th Earl and Jean Carmichael. He was the last surviving peer of any Scottish Parliament prior to the Union with England. He died without issue.

10^th Earl of Caithness, William Sinclair, b.1727, a.1772, d.1779

Again, the family tree had to be retraced a few generations to provide an heir. John Sinclair (b.b.1575, d.1627), youngest brother of the 5^th Earl, married Janet Sutherland. Their son James Sinclair married Janet Bruce. Their son William Sinclair of Rattar (b.?, d.1663) married Elizabeth Sinclair. Their son John Sinclair (b.?, d.1714) married another Elizabeth Sinclair, daughter of Sir William Sinclair of Mey, 2^nd Baronet Sinclair of Canisbay. Their son, another John Sinclair (b.?, d.1733), married Janet Sinclair, and their son became the 10^th Earl, although it was not until 1772 that he was fully recognised as such by the House of Lords.

11^th Earl of Caithness, John Sinclair, b.?, a.1779, d.1789

Son of the 10^th Earl and Barbara Sinclair (b.?, d.1793) (there being substantial intermarriage within the Sinclair clan by this time). John Sinclair fought in the American War of Independence, and attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the 76^th Foot Regiment. He died relatively young, leaving another trawl through the family tree to find the next heir, who happened to be the then current 7^th Baronet Sinclair of Mey.

Baronets Sinclair of Canisbay (1631)

1^st Baronet Sinclair, James Sinclair, b.?, a.1631, d.1662

Great-grandson of George Sinclair, 4^th Earl of Caithness and Elizabeth Graham, grandson of George Sinclair (b.?, d.1616) and Margaret Forbes, daughter of William Forbes, 7^th Lord Forbes, and son of Sir William Sinclair (b.?, d.c.1643) and Katherine Ross (b.?, d.1603).

2^nd Baronet Sinclair, William Sinclair, b.?, a.1662, d.?

Son of the 1^st Baronet and Elizabeth Leslie, daughter of Sir Patrick Leslie of Lindores.

3^rd Baronet Sinclair, James Sinclair, b.?, a.?, d.?

Son of the 2^nd Baronet and Margaret Mackenzie (b.?, d.1692), daughter of George Mackenzie, 2^nd Earl of Seaforth.

4^th Baronet Sinclair, James Sinclair, b.?, a.?, d.1732

Son of the 3^rd Baronet and Jane Sinclair, sister to the 7^th Earl of Caithness.

5^th Baronet Sinclair, James Sinclair, b.1715, a.1732, d.1760

Son of the 4^th Baronet and Mary Sutherland, daughter of James Sutherland, 2^nd Lord Duffus.

6^th Baronet Sinclair, John Sinclair, b.?, a.1760, d.1774

Son of the 5^th Baronet and Margaret Sinclair.

7^th Baronet Sinclair, James Sinclair, b.1766, a.1774, d.c.1823

Son of the 6^th Baronet and Charlotte Sutherland, sister of James Sutherland, 5^th Lord Duffus. In 1793 he was deemed to be the rightful 12^th Earl of Caithness.

Earls of Caithness (1455, continued)

12^th Earl of Caithness, James Sinclair, b.1766, a.1793, d.c.1823

He held the post of Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness from 1794 to 1823, was a Representative Peer from 1807 to 1818 and was also Postmaster General from 1811 to 1823.

13^th Earl of Caithness, Alexander Campbell Sinclair, b.1790, a.1823, d.1855

Son of the 12^th Earl and Jean Campbell (b.c.1769, d.1853), whose mother was also a Sinclair. He held the post of Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness from 1823 to 1855.

14^th Earl of Caithness, James Sinclair, b.1821, a.1855, d.1881

Son of the 13^th Earl and Frances Harriet Leigh (b.b.1798, d.1854). He was a Representative Peer from 1858 to 1868 and served as a Lord-in-Waiting (government whip in the House of Lords) for two periods during this time. In 1866 he was created 1^st Baron Barrogill of Barrogill Castle in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He held the post of Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness from 1856 to 1881. A respected scientist and inventor, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1862.

15^th Earl of Caithness, George Philips Alexander Sinclair, b.1858, a.1881, d.1889

Son of the 14^th Earl and Louisa Georgina Philips (b.1827, d.1870), daughter of Sir George Richard Philips, 2^nd Baronet Philips of Weston. He reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Caithness Artillery Volunteers. He died young and without children, and the UK Barony became extinct.

16^th Earl of Caithness, James Augustus Sinclair, b.1827, a.1889, d.1891

Again the reigning line dried up, and the next holder is found via Robert Sinclair (b.?, d.c.1709), a younger brother of the 2^nd Baronet Sinclair of Mey. He married Anne Sinclair (of the Rattar branch of the family). Their son John Sinclair (b.?, d.1728) married Elizabeth Sinclair. Their son James Sinclair (b.1718, d.1793) married Elizabeth Dunbar (b.?, d.1782). Their son George Sinclair (b.1749, d.1779) married Elizabeth Sutherland. Their son Lieutenant-Colonel John Sinclair (b.1778, d.1841) married Euphemia Buchan (b.1798, d.1872) and their son succeeded to the title of 16^th Earl of Caithness. Prior to inheriting the title, he had previously been a banker and chartered accountant.

17^th Earl of Caithness, John Sutherland Sinclair, b.1857, a.1891, d.1914

Son of the 16^th Earl and Janet Macleod (b.1829, d.1906).

18^th Earl of Caithness, Norman Macleod Buchan, b.1862, a.1914, d.1947

Younger brother of the 17^th Earl. He reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Gordon Highlanders. In 1913, he changed his name from Sinclair to Buchan (his paternal grandmother’s name) in order to become 16^th Laird of Auchmacoy. He was a Representative Peer from 1918 to 1929 and he was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1919. He had five daughters, so the earldom went to the closest male relative.

19^th Earl of Caithness, James Roderick Sinclair, b.1906, a.1947, d.1965

Grandson of the 16^th Earl and son of the Reverend Charles Augustus Sinclair (b.1865, d.1944) and Mary Ann Harman (b.?, d.1938). A soldier during the Second World War with the Gordon Highlanders, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour, received a Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.), and was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.). He served in the far east after the War, becoming Commander of the 51^st Infantry Brigade, and was a Representative Peer from 1950 to 1958. In 1955 he was admitted into the Royal Company of Archers. After leaving the army, he was appointed Regimental Colonel for the Gordon Highlanders.

20^th Earl of Caithness, Malcolm Ian Sinclair, b.1948, a.1965

Son of the 19^th Earl and Madeleine Gabrielle de Pury (b.?, d.1990), both parents on their second marriage. An active Representative Peer in the House of Lords, he has held many ministerial positions, including the office of Paymaster-General between 1989 and 1990. He was also made a Privy Counsellor in 1990. As well as being 20^th Earl, he is also 20^th Lord Berriedale and 15^th Baronet Sinclair of Canisbay, and he is Chief of Clan Sinclair.

The courtesy title for the heir is Lord Berriedale.

(Last updated: 23/08/2009)