Galloway was one of the ancient petty kingdoms of Celtic Scotland, and became a semi-independent lordship, often operating contrary to the aims of the Scottish king, until medieval times, when closer ties to the fate of the realm, and larger political influences, weakening the authority of the ruling family. However, it is appropriate to provide some detail.

 

The first recorded king or lord of Galloway is Suibne mac Cinaeda, (Sween, son of Kenneth), whose death is given as 1034. As a Norse-Gael, his territories would have stretched along all of the east coast of Ireland and across into south Scotland. The next name connected to the title is Echmarcach, who extended this realm to cover most of the lands surrounding the Irish Sea, and who died in 1065. The first in a known and unbroken sequence is Fergus.

 

 

Lords of Galloway (c.1138)

 

Lord of Galloway, Fergus, b.?, a.c.1138, d.1161

 

In 1097, King Magnus of Norway led a campaign to subjugate the Irish Sea area, taking control of the Western Isles, the Isle of Man, and probably Galloway as well. He then launched an attack against the King of Munster in Dublin, forcing an alliance through marriage. However, on his way back to Norway, he was killed during a raid in Ulster, and his new empire quickly fragmented. It is supposed that Fergus stepped into the vacuum, building a new kingdom for himself out of the wreckage.

 

Lord of Galloway, Uchtred, b.c.1120, a.1161, d.1174

 

Son of Fergus. He ruled jointly with his brother Gille Brigte, taking the eastern half of the lordship. Under pressure from King William I of Scotland, the brothers joined in an invasion of Northumberland in 1174. When the king was captured during the siege of Alnwick Castle, the Galwegians rebelled, killing and driving out Norman and Saxon settlers in their lands. Gille Brigte took the opportunity to murder Uchtred and take control of the whole of Galloway.

 

Lord of Galloway, Gille Brigte, b.?, a.1161, d.1185

 

Son of Fergus and joint ruler of Galloway until he murdered his brother, rather brutally. Gille Brigte (also known as Gilbride, or Gilbert in French), then petitioned King Henry II of England to recognise his lordship as independent from Scotland. However, when it was discovered what he had done to his brother, the offer was rejected. Matters became worse when the two kings signed the Treaty of Falaise, and Gille Brigte was forced to make terms, handing over his son Donnchad (Duncan) as hostage. The continuing hostility between Gille Brigte and William, the former fiercely anti-Norman and pro-Gaelic, encouraged William to maintain a good relationship with Uchtred’s son Lochlann (Roland). When Gille Brigte died, and with Donnchad still in custody, Lochlann was able to take control of the whole of Galloway.

 

Lord of Galloway, Lochlann, b.?, a.1185, d.1200

 

Son of Uchtred and Gunilda, daughter of Waldeve, Lord of Allerdale. After Gille Brigte’s death, he seized control of Galloway, suppressing those who supported Gille Brigte’s heir. He thus invoked the ire of King Henry II, who had taken Donnchad under his wing. Under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise, Henry instructed King William to subdue Lochlann. William was reluctant to act, being well-disposed towards Lochlann, and so Henry brought an army to Carlisle, threatening to invade. Lochlann had little choice but to submit. In the end, Lochlann kept most of Galloway, handing over control of Carrick to Donnchad, creating a new mormaerdom. Lochlann proved to be a loyal supporter of King William, and fought for him against the pretender Donald MacWilliam, a grandson of King Duncan II, at the Battle of Mam Garvia.

 

Lord of Galloway, Alan, b.c.1175, a.1200, d.c.1234

 

Son of Lochlann and Helen de Morville, daughter of Richard de Morville, a Norman ally of the king and Hereditary Constable of Scotland. Galloway at the time was strategically important, and Alan had at his command large numbers of troops and ships, with which to provide support where required. He had a close relationship with King John of England, supplying aid for campaigns in France and Ireland, and also fought against Norway over the Isle of Man. He married several times, most importantly to Margaret of Huntingdon (b.?, d.1228), daughter of David, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, King William’s younger brother, by whom he had three daughters, including Devorguilla (b.?, d.1290), who would be the mother of John Balliol. When Alan died, the lordship was split between his three daughters and their husbands, despite attempts by some locals to support his illegitimate son Thomas.

 

 

Lords of Galloway (1369)

 

The title of Lord of Galloway was recreated in 1369 for Archibald Douglas, later 3rd Earl of Douglas. Please refer to the Douglas page for details of this line until its extinction.

 

 

Earls of Galloway (1623)

 

1st Earl of Galloway, Alexander Stewart, b.c.1580, a.1623, d.1649

 

Son of Sir Alexander Stewart of Garlies (b.?, d.1596), who was descended from Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland, and Christian Douglas, daughter of Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig. He was made a Privy Counsellor and created 1st Lord Garlies in 1607, and later created 1st Earl of Galloway.

 

2nd Earl of Galloway, James Stewart, b.c.1610, a.1649, d.1671

 

Son of the 1st Earl and Grizel Gordon, daughter of Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar, his elder brother Alexander Stewart (b.b.1610, d.1639) and his son, also Alexander Stewart (b.?, d.1642), both having predeceased their father. He was made 1st Baronet Stewart of Corsewell in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia.

 

3rd Earl of Galloway, Alexander Stewart, b.c.1643, a.1671, d.1690

 

Son of the 2nd Earl and Nicola Grierson.

 

4th Earl of Galloway, Alexander Stewart, b.1669-1670, a.1690, d.1690

 

Son of the 3rd Earl and Lady Mary Douglas, daughter of James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Queensberry.

 

5th Earl of Galloway, James Stewart, b.a.1670, a.1690, d.1746

 

Younger brother of the 4th Earl. He was Commissioner of the Treasury in 1705 and made a Privy Counsellor in 1706, though he opposed the Treaty of Union.

 

6th Earl of Galloway, Alexander Stewart, b.c.1694, a.1746, d.1773

 

Son of the 5th Earl and Lady Catherine Montgomerie (b.?, d.1757), daughter of Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of Eglinton. He held the post of Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1757 to 1759.

 

7th Earl of Galloway, John Stewart, b.1736, a.1773, d.1806

 

Son of the 6th Earl and Lady Catherine Cochrane (b.?, d.1786), daughter of John Campbell Cochrane, 4th Earl of Dundonald. He was a Representative Peer for Scotland from 1774 to 1790, and was created a Knight of the Thistle in 1775.  He was Lord of the Bedchamber from 1784 to 1806. He was created 1st Baron Stewart of Garlies in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1795.

 

8th Earl of Galloway, George Stewart, b.1768, a.1806, d.1834

 

Son of the 7th Earl and Anne Dashwood (b.1743, d.1830), daughter of Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Baronet Dashwood of Kirtlington Park. He joined the Navy in 1780 and saw extensive action, working his way up the ranks. He was made a Lord of the Admiralty in 1805 but quit the board on a change of administration the following year. In 1807 he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Wigtonshire and in 1810 reached the rank of rear-admiral as Admiral of the Blue, and he was knighted into the Order of the Thistle in 1814.

 

9th Earl of Galloway, Randolph Stewart, b.1800, a.1834, d.1873

 

Son of the 8th Earl and Lady Jane Paget (b.c.1777, d.1842), daughter of Sir Henry Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge. He held the offices of Lord-Lieutenant for Kirkcudbrightshire from 1828 to 1844 and for Wigtonshire from 1828 to 1851. He was MP for Cockermouth from 1826 to 1831.

 

10th Earl of Galloway, Alan Plantagenet Stewart, b.1835, a.1873, d.1901

 

Son of the 9th Earl and Lady Harriett Blanche Somerset (b.1810, d.1885), daughter of Henry Charles Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort. He was a Captain in the Royal Horse Guards and was briefly an MP for Wigtonshire. He served as Commissioner of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1876 to 1877 and was invested as a Knight of the Thistle in 1887. He also acted as a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Wigtonshire and for Kirkcudbrightshire.

 

11th Earl of Galloway, Randolph Henry Stewart, b.1836, a.1901, d.1920

 

Younger brother of the 10th Earl. He went into the Army and fought during the Indian Mutiny and in the Crimean War, reaching the rank of Captain in the 52nd Royal Highlanders.

 

12th Earl of Galloway, Randolph Algernon Ronald Stewart, b.1892, a.1920, d.1978

 

Son of the 11th Earl and Amy Mary Pauline Cliffe (b.?, d.1942). Like his father, he went into the Army and fought in the First World War. He reached the rank of Captain in the Scots Guards. He served as military attaché in Berne and Cologne before succeeding to his father’s titles. In later life he was Lord-Lieutenant of Kirkcudbrightshire from 1932 and 1975 and Honorary Colonel in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers TA Regiment.

 

13th Earl of Galloway, Randolph Keith Reginald Stewart, b.1928, a.1978

 

Son of the 12th Earl and Philippa Fendall Wendell (b.?, d.1974). He was educated at Harrow. As well as being 12th Earl, he is also 13th Lord Garlies, 7th Baron Stewart of Garlies, 12th Baronet Stewart of Corsewell and 11th Baronet Stewart of Burray.

 

 

The courtesy title for the heir is Lord Garlies.