Duke of Albany

The title of duke of Albany belonged to the Pairie of Scotland. It was given occasionally to the young people wire of the Scottish royal family, and later to British, particularly in the houses Stuart and Hanover.

Albany is the name given originally to all Scotland, then with a duchy in the north of the river Forth and including/understanding the districts of Bread-Albane, Athol, Glenurchy, with part of those of Perth and Inverness.

History of the title

The title was created for Robert Stuart, by his brother Robert III of Scotland. He was the regent (at least partially) of three different monarchs Scot.

The first creation (1398)

1398 - 1420 : Robert Stuart (about 1340 - 1420), Count de Fife and of Atholl ;
1420 - 1425 : Murdoch Stuart (1362 - 1425), count de Fife. Wire of the precedent. Carried out for treason.

The second creation (1458)

1458 - 1485 : Alexandre Stuart (about 1454 - 1485), 2nd wire of Jacques II of Scotland ;
1485 - 1536 : John Stuart (1481 - 1536), Count de March, regent of Scotland. Wire of the precedent.

The third creation (1541)

1541 : Arthur Stuart (1541) (dies 8 days after its baptism).

The fourth creation (1565)

1565 - 1567 : Henry Stuart (1545 - 1567), king consort of Scotland ;
1567 : Jacques Stuart (1566 - 1625), Duke of Rothesay. Ier in 1567.

became Jacques

The fifth creation (1604)

1604 - 1625 : Charles Stuart (1600 - 1649), Duke of York. Ier of England in 1625.

became Charles

The sixth creation (1660)

1660 - 1685 : Jacques Stuart (1633 - 1701), Duke of York. II of England in 1685.

became Jacques

Dukes of York and Albany, the first creation (1716)

1716 - 1728 : Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1674 - 1728).

Dukes of York and Albany, the second creation (1760)

1760 - 1767 : Edward Augustus of York (1739 - 1767).

Dukes of York and Albany, the third creation (1784)

1784 - 1827 : Frederic of York (1763 - 1827).

The seventh creation (1881)

1881 - 1884 : Prince Léopold d' Albany (1853 - 1884), wire of the Queen Victoria ;
1884 - 1919 and 1920 - 1954 : Charles-Edouard of Saxony-Cobourg and Gotha (1884 - 1954). Born after death from his/her father. Wire of the precedent.

The title is suspended since 1919, the duke Charles-Edouard having taken during the war the party of Kaiser and not that of his/her cousin the king of England.

Fiction

the King Lear of William Shakespeare has among her main characters a duke of Albany which is the husband of one of the girls of king Lear.

See too

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