Lords Montgomerie (1445)
1st Lord Montgomerie, Alexander Mongomerie, b.b.1413, a.1445, d.1469-1470
The Montgomerie family were Anglo-Norman,
originally from Lisieux, and related to the Dukes
Normandy. Roger de Montgomery accompanied William the Conqueror to England in
1066 and was made 1st Earl of Shrewsbury. His eldest son, Robert de
Montgomery, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, was involved in the revolt of
1102, lost all of his English lands and returned to Normandy. His youngest
brother Arnulf (b.c.1068, d.c.1120) had taken over
the lordship of Pembroke in Wales from their father and constructed the first
castle there. Though distanced from his brother, he was implicated in the
revolt and lost his lands in England and Wales. However, he had married an Irish
princess, Lafracoth O’Brien, daughter of Murtagh O’Brien, Lord of Munster, and he probably spent the
rest of his life in Ireland. His son Robert de Montgomery (b.c.1120, d.c.1179)
was a vassal of Walter fitzAlan and came to Scotland
in the train of King David I, obtaining the lands of Eaglesham
in Renfrewshire. FitzAlan later became 1st
High Steward of Scotland and Robert married his daughter Marjory. His
descendant Sir John Montgomerie of Ardrossan (b.?, d.1426-1429) controlled large areas of
Ayrshire, and was active in national politics of the time, serving as one of
the hostages for King James I. John’s mother was Elizabeth Eglinton,
whose own mother Egidia Stewart was half-sister to
King Robert II. Elizabeth was the heiress of an old family that had taken its
name from its lands in Cunningham in North Ayrshire. John had several wives in
succession, including Agnes Macdonald (who was probably a daughter of John
Macdonald, Lord of the Isles) and Margaret Maxwell, and it is in dispute as to
which of these was the mother of his son Alexander (though most sources prefer
Agnes). Alexander Montgomerie was made a Privy
Counsellor in 1425 and in 1430 was made Governor of Kintyre & Knapdale. He served several times as a Commissioner to
England and was created 1st Lord Montgomerie
in 1445.
2nd Lord Montgomerie,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.c.1460, a.1470, d.1545
Great-grandson of the 1st Lord and Margaret Boyd, sister of
Robert Boyd, 1st Lord Boyd of Kilmarnock,
grandson of Alexander Montgomerie, Master of Montgomerie (b.c.1420, d.1452) and Elizabeth Hepburn,
sister of Patrick Hepburn, 1st Lord Hepburn of Hailes
(for whom see the earls of Bothwell),
and son of Alexander Montgomerie, Master of Montgomerie (b.c.1440, d.c.1468) and Catherine Kennedy,
daughter of Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy (for whom see the
earls of Cassillis). At
the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488, he took the field
against King James III, and was granted the Island of Arran for life by the new
James IV, although his principal responsibility was to the neighbouring island
of Bute, where he served as Justiciar and as
Constable of Rothesay Castle. He was also made a
Privy Counsellor. In 1506-1507 he was created 1st Earl of Eglinton.
Earls of Eglinton (1507)
1st Earl of Eginton,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.c.1460, a.1507, d.1545
After the disaster of Flodden, he became one
of the Queen Mother’s counsellors, and in 1526 was created Justice-General for
the northern parts of Scotland, and was one of the regents during the King’s
visit to France to get married.
2nd Earl of Eglinton,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.b.1520, a.1545, d.1546
Grandson of the 1st Earl and Lady Helen Campbell, daughter of
Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, and son
of John Montgomerie, Master of Eglinton
(b.b.1490, d.1520) and Elizabeth Edmonstone, daughter
of Sir Archibald Edmondstone of Duntreath.
3rd Earl of Eglinton,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.c.1536, a.1546, d.1585
Son of the 2nd Earl and Mariota
Seton, daughter of George Seton, 3rd Lord Seton (for whom see the
earls of Winton). He fought on the side of Mary Queen
of Scots at the Battle of Langside. He accompanied
Regent Moray to France to retrieve the young Queen Mary after the death of her
husband, and was captured by the English on the return voyage, though later
released. He remained loyal to Mary and fought for her at the Battle of Langside. Taken prisoner, he was condemned for treason, but
by the intercession of Regent Morton he was allowed to submit to James VI. In
1578 he was selected as one of the Lords of the Articles.
4th Earl of Eglinton,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.1563, a.1585, d.1586
Son of the 3rd Earl and Agnes Drummond (b.?,
d.1589-1590), daughter of Sir John Drummond of Inchpeffray
and Margaret Stewart, a daughter of James IV. He died shortly after succeeding
his father, a victim of the longstanding feud with the Cunninghams
of Glencairn.
5th Earl of Eglinton,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.1584, a.1586, d.1612
Son of the 4th Earl and Egidia
Boyd, daughter of Robert Boyd, 5th Lord Boyd (for whom see the earls
of Kilmarnock). He was a favourite of James VI and
in 1594 he was granted all the lands that belonged to the dissolved abbey of Kilwinning, which were then raised to a barony. He married
his second-cousin Margaret Montgomerie (b.c.1589,
d.1616), daughter of the 3rd Earl’s younger son Robert Montgomerie (b.b.1574, d.1596) in 1604, but they were separated
in 1608, and the marriage was annulled in 1612. In 1611, he resigned the
earldom to the Crown and received a new charter, combining the territories of Eglinton and Kilwinning, with
special remainder in favour of his cousin Alexander Seton.
6th Earl of Eglinton,
Alexander Montgomerie, b.1588, a.1612, d.1661
Cousin of the 5th Earl, being the youngest son of Margaret Montgomerie (b.?, d.1624), eldest
child of the 3rd Earl, and Robert Seton, 1st Earl of Winton. He changed his surname from Seton to Montgomerie on receiving his inheritance, receiving royal
recognition in 1615. He attended the funeral of James VI at Westminster Abbey
and was made a Privy Counsellor to Charles I in 1641. He fought on the
Parliamentarians side at the Battle of Marston Moor
in 1644, and was against the Engagement in 1648 but later fought for Charles
II, the Scots having allied themselves to the English Royalists in exchange for
church reform. However, after the Battle of Worcester, which ended the Civil
War with victory for the English Parliamentarians, Eglinton
was imprisoned, and did not gain his release until the Restoration in 1660.
7th Earl of Eglinton,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.1613, a.1661, d.1669
Son of the 6th Earl and Lady Anne Livingstone (b.?, d.1632), daughter of Alexander Livingstone, 1st
Earl of Linlithgow. A loyal supporter of Charles
I, he fought on the opposing side to his father at the Battle of Marston Moor, and his exploits obtained his exclusion from
Cromwell’s Act of Grace. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1661, after the
Restoration.
8th Earl of Eglinton,
Alexander Montgomerie, b.?,
a.1669, d.1701
Son of the 7th Earl and Lady Mary Leslie, daughter of John
Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1679, but was an ardent supporter of
the Revolution and remained a Privy Counsellor under William of Orange.
9th Earl of Eglinton,
Alexander Montgomerie, b.c.1660, a.1701, d.1729
Son of the 8th Earl and Lady Elizabeth Crichton (b.?, d.1675), daughter of William Crichton, 2nd
Earl of Dumfries. He was a Representative Peer from
1710 to 1714 and took an active part in raising regiments in defence of the
Government during the Jacobite Uprising of 1715. He
had at least nine daughters by his three wives until eventually producing three
sons, the first of whom died young.
10th Earl of Eglinton,
Alexander Montgomerie, b.1723, a.1729, d.1769
Son of the 9th Earl and his third wife Susanna Kennedy
(b.c.1690, d.1780), daughter of Sir Archibald Kennedy, 1st Baronet
Kennedy of Culzean, in the county of Ayrshire. He was briefly Grand Master of the Freemasons in Scotland from 1750 to
1751. He was responsible for developing the town of Eaglesham
in Renfrewshire and for introducing farming improvements to his estates in
Ayrshire. He was Governor of Dumbarton Castle from 1759 to 1761, a Lord of the
Bedchamber from 1760 to 1767, and a Representative Peer from 1761 to 1769. He
was killed on his estate in Ardrossan during an
altercation, by an excise officer who had been found to be hunting and killing
game and who had refused to give up his arms. He never married.
11th Earl of Eglinton,
Archibald Montgomerie, b.1726, a.1769, d.1796
Younger brother of the 10th Earl. He was educated at Eton and Winchester College and joined the British
Army as the age of 13 and served as a Cornet before joining the Scots Greys in
1744. In 1757 he raised a battalion, known as Montgomerie’s
Highlanders, which became the 77th Foot Regiment, and as Lieutenant-Colonel
led his regiment to the American Colonies under General Amherst, fighting alongside
George Washington at Fort Duquesne on the Ohio River before leading an
expedition against the Cherokee. He returned to Britain in 1761 and represented
Ayrshire as a Whig MP from 1761 to 1768, becoming Equerry to Queen–Consort Charlotte
at that time until 1769. He also held the offices of Governor of Dumbarton
Castle from 1764 to 1782 and of Edinburgh Castle from 1782 to 1796. He was Colonel
of the 51st Foot Regiment from 1767 to 1795, reaching the rank of
Major-General in 1772, Lieutenant-General in 1777 and latterly General in 1793.
After succeeding his older brother, he held the post of Grand Master of the Kilwinning Lodge from 1771 to 1796 and was elected as a
Representative Peer from 1776 to 1796. He was made Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire
in 1794. He had two daughters but no sons, and the titles and estates passed to
a distant relative.
12th Earl of Eglinton,
Hugh Montgomerie, b.1739, a.1796, d.1819
The succession now passed to a descendant of Colonel James Montgomerie of Coylsfield (b.?, d.1675), younger brother of the 7th Earl. He married
Margaret Macdonald. Their son, Captain Hugh Montgomerie
(b.?, d.1735) married Katherine Arbuckle. Their son
Alexander Montgomerie (b.b.1720, d.1783) married Lillias Montgomerie (b.?, d.1783), daughter of Sir Robert Montgomerie,
5th Baronet Montgomerie of Skelmorlie, and their son inherited the title. As a young
man he fought in the American War of Independence, but returned to Great
Britain to take office as a Whig MP for Ayrshire, which he held from 1780 to 1796.
He was also Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire from 1796 to 1819. He provided funds to
construct a new harbour at Ardrossan, and also funded
the development of the Paisley Canal, which Glasgow terminus is Port Eglinton. His original aim was to continue the canal all
the way to Ardrossan but he ran out of money. He also
constructed Eglinton Castle, just north of Irvine. He
was a Representative Peer from 1798 to 1806, when he was created 1st
Baron Ardrossan in the Peerage of the United Kingdom,
allowing him to sit permanently in the House of Lords. In 1812 he was made a
Knight of the Thistle.
13th Earl of Eglinton,
Archibald Montgomerie, b.1812, a.1819, d.1861
Grandson of the 12th Earl and Eleanora
Hamilton (b.?, d.1817), and son of Major-General
Archibald Montgomerie, Lord Montgomerie
(b.1773, d.1814) and Lady Mary Montgomerie (b.?,
d.1848), a daughter of the 11th Earl (and thus re-connecting the
broken line). He was born in Palermo, while his father was stationed there, and
educated at Eton, and as a young man made a name for himself
in the horse-racing world. In 1839 he organised the Eglinton
Tournament, a full-scale tourney with joust and melee, at great cost, and partially
spoiled by heavy rain. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire from 1842 to 1859,
and Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in 1852 to 1853, and later from 1858 to 1859. In
1852 he was made a Privy Counsellor and elected Rector of the University of Glasgow, and in 1853 was made a Knight of the Thistle. In
1859 he was created 1st Earl of Winton in
the Peerage of the United Kingdom, being a descendant of the earlier 1st
Earl of Winton in the Peerage of Scotland, which had been stripped from the
Seton family for high treason in 1740.
14th Earl of Eglinton,
Archibald William Montgomerie, b. 1841, a.1861,
d.1892
Son of the 13th Earl and Theresa Newcomen
(b.?, d.1853), daughter of Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen,
2nd Viscount Newcomen. He seems to have
had a quiet public life, although he had four daughters by his wife, Lady
Sophia Adelaide Theodosia Pelham (b.?, d.1886),
daughter of Charles Anderson Worsley Pelham, 2nd
Earl of Yarborough.
15th Earl of Eglinton,
George Arnulph Montgomerie,
b.1848, a.1892, d.1919
Younger brother of the 14th Earl. He was a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards and was Lord-Lieutenant of
Ayrshire from 1897 to 1919.
16th Earl of Eglinton,
Archibald Seton Montgomerie, b. 1880, a.1919, d.1945
Son of the 15th Earl and Janet Lucretia
Cuninghame (b.?, d.1923). Educated
at Eton, he served in the First World War and reached the rank of Major in the
Guards Machine Gun Regiment, and also served in that capacity in the Ayrshire
Yeomanry.
17th Earl of Eglinton,
Archibald William Alexander Montgomerie, b. 1914,
a.1945, d.1966
Son of the 16th Earl and Lady Beatrice Susan Dalrymple (b.?, d.1962), daughter
of John Hamilton-Dalrymple, 11th Earl of Stair. Educated at Eton and New College Oxford, he served
in the Scots Guard during the Second World War and reached the rank of
Lieutenant. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Ayrshire from 1948 to 1953 and was
admitted as a Member of the Royal Company of Archers.
18th Earl of Eglinton,
Archibald George Montgomerie, b.1939, a.1966
Son of the 17th Earl and Ursula Joan Watson (b.?, d.1987). He was educated at Eton and then entered the
business world, holding chairmanships of several large companies, including
Edinburgh Investment Trust plc. As well as being 18th Earl, he is
also 6th Earl of Winton, 19th Lord Montgomerie
and 7th Baron Ardrossan.
The courtesy title for the heir is Lord Montgomerie.
(Last updated: 12/09/2011)