Earls of Carrick (1186)

1^st Earl of Carrick, Duncan, b.b.1185, a.c.1186, d.1250

Duncan, or Donnchadh, was the son of Gille Brigte, Lord of Galloway. When Duncan was very young, Galloway was taken by his cousin Lochlann. In compensation, Carrick, part of the Galloway territories, was created as an earldom for him.

2^nd Earl of Carrick, Neil, b.c.1202, a.1250, d.1256

Son of the 1^st Earl. He had no sons, and so the earldom transferred to his only daughter.

3^rd Earl (Countess) of Carrick, Margaret (or Marjorie), b.b.1250, a.1256, d.1292

Daughter of the 2^nd Earl and Margaret Stewart (b.c.1206, d.?), daughter of Walter Stewart, 3^rd High Steward of Scotland. She first married Adam of Kilconquhar, who became earl by right of marriage. However, he died on Crusade and she then married Robert le Brus (b.1243, d.1304), soon to be Lord of Annandale.

4^th Earl of Carrick, Robert Bruce, b.1274, a.1292, d.1329

Oldest surviving son of Marjorie, Countess of Carrick and Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale. When Marjorie died, her husband resigned the earldom in favour of his son, who would later become King of Scotland.

Earls of Carrick (1313)

1^st Earl of Carrick, Edward Bruce, b.b.1292, a.1313, d.1318

Edward was the son of the Countess of Carrick and Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick by marriage and Lord of Annandale. He was King Robert Bruce’s younger brother, and was installed as Earl of Carrick and Lord of Galloway. He fought alongside his brother all during the Scottish Wars of Independence, capturing English-held castles, and had a major role at the Battle of Bannockburn. After Bannockburn, Edward led a Scottish invasion of Ireland in order to open up a second front against the English. With his lieutenant, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, he defeated the Earl of Ulster, and with the support of several Irish kings and lords, declared himself King of Ireland. He then progressed southwards, making alliances and defeating armies on the way. Bypassing Dublin, he continued to Kells, where he won a major victory against Roger Mortimer, English Earl of March. However, the famine of 1317 caused a suspension of progress, and the following year, Edward was killed at the Battle of Faughart, fighting against John of Birmingham. With this, the Gaelic revival against the Anglo-Irish incomers failed.

Earls of Carrick (1328)

1^st Earl of Carrick, David Bruce, b.1323-1324, a.1328, d.1370-1371

Son of Robert Bruce, 4^th Earl of Carrick, and Lady Elizabeth de Burgh (b.c.1280, d.1327), daughter of Richard de Burgh, 2^nd Earl of Ulster . He was created 1^st Earl of Carrick as a child, and succeeded to the Crown soon after.

Earls of Carrick (c.1330)

1^st Earl of Carrick, Alexander Bruce, b.b.1317, a.c.1330, d.1333

Son of Edward Bruce, 1^st Earl of Carrick and Isabella de Strathbogie (b.?, d.1317), daughter of John of Strathbogie, 9^th Earl of Atholl. He died at the Battle of Halidon Hill, when Edward III of England and Edward Balliol defeated the Scots under Archibald Douglas, Guardian of the Realm.

Earls of Carrick (1362)

1^st Earl of Carrick, William Cunynghame, b.?, a.1362, c.1390

The Cunningham family from North Ayrshire had distinguished themselves in the service of Robert Bruce, and owned extensive estates, including Kilmaurs and Glencairn. Sir William was created 1^st Earl of Carrick, later but resigned the earldom. His grandson Alexander Cuninghame became 1^st Earl of Glencairn.

Earls of Carrick (1368)

1^st Earl of Carrick, John Stewart, b.1337, a.1368, d.1406

Oldest son of King Robert II. He later succeeded his father as King under the name Robert III.

Earls of Carrick (1390)

1^st Earl of Carrick, David Stewart, b.1378, a.1390, d.1402

Son of King Robert III. He was later made Duke of Rothesay and Earl of Atholl.

In 1469, the Scottish Parliament passed an Act that settle the titles of Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron Renfrew (the latter not strictly a peerage) on the eldest son of the monarch, and this continued after the Union. The only exception to this was in the case given below.

Earls of Carrick (1602)

1^st Earl of Carrick, Robert Bruce Stuart, b.1602, a.1602, d.1602

Third son of King James VI & I and Anne of Denmark. Shortly after his birth he was created 1^st Duke of Kintyre & Lorne, 1^st Marquess of Wigtown, 1^st Earl of Carrick and Lord of Annerdail, even though the title of Earl of Carrick should have been naturally assumed by the oldest son Henry Frederick Stuart. It may be supposed that the title was temporarily switched in the knowledge that young Robert would die soon afterwards, which in fact he did after another 25 days.

Earls of Carrick (1628)

1^st Earl of Carrick, John Stewart, b.?, a.1628, d.1643-1646

John Stewart was the son of Robert Stewart, 1^st Earl of Orkney, himself an illegitimate son of King James V, and Lady Janet Kennedy. He was created 1^st Lord Kincleven in 1607 and 1^st Earl of Carrick in Orkney, in 1628. On his death his titles became extinct.

An earldom of Carrick in the Peerage of Ireland was created in 1748, and is extant.