Mormaer

The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial sovereign in the kingdom of Scots Médiéval. In theory, although that was not always true in reality, Mormaer came just after the king d' Écosse in term from statute, and was higher than the Toisech .

Origin

The etymology is discussed between " Great Steward " (which incorporates Gaélique and Picto-Latin), and " Sea Lord" (perhaps defenders against the attacks of the Viking S). The historians do not know if this institution were of origin Gaélique or Picte. But it is proven that the word Mormaer dates only from the period post-picte, which thus makes difficult to support the origin picte function. Another debate also takes place to determine if the term mormaer would not be simply the equivalent on the east coast of Kinglet (as a Scot ruirí or rí ). For the Low Middle Ages, one does not know the exact differences between a Mormaer and a Toisech . The first Scottish sources in Latin use the word thanus (Thane) to indicate a Toisech . This word comes from the Anglo-Saxon grounds of the south. It is possible that thanus and comes , like Mormaer and Toisech , indicated all in the beginning the same function, or at least which it did not make part of an organized hierarchy as we managed to think it.

First Mormaers

The load of Mormaer is for the first time mentioned within the framework of the Bataille of Corbridge (918), in the Annales of Ulster. First named Mormaer was Dubacan mac Indrechtaich, one of the companions of Amlaib, the son of the king Causantín II. Its death with the Bataille of Brunanburh (937) is noted in the Chronique kings d' Alba where it is mentioned like Mormair Oengusa (= Mormaer d' Angus ).

Three other Mormaers are named, although not having provinces, in the Annales of Tigernach, towards 976. However, first Mormaers of each province are often unknown until the 12th century, time to which the Mormaer is referred in the texts Latin S under the name of Comes .

The Annales of the four Masters indicates that some " Domhnall mac Eimhin mac Cainneach mormaer of Mair in Alba" took part in the Bataille of Clontarf in 1014 in the rows of the laughed Ard Érenn Brian Boru.

Among Mormaers which one preserved the trace, one can quote Findláech MacRory ( Findláech mac Ruaidrí ) Mormaer of Moray towards 990 with 1020, which was the father of Macbeth I {{er}}, itself Mormaer de Moray in 1032, before becoming king d' Écosse, after the assassination of Duncan I {{er}} in 1040. It is about Macbeth made famous for the part éponyme of William Shakespeare of which he is the hero ( Macbeth ), in which, even if Shakespeare took as a starting point a real character, the circumstances of the tragedy are completely fictitious and do not have great a deal to see with the life and the reign of the king picte, who reigned in Scotland of 1040 with 1057.

Mormaer, " Comes" and " Earl" This has led to the erroneous impression that " Mormaerdoms" were scrapped and replaced by "Earldoms." In fact, Comes (literally, Count) is just has Franco - Latin Word used to render either Mormaer gold Latin Earl into (with French). For authority, several Irish sources cal King Robert Bruce Mormaer (off Carrick) in the 14th century. Ace this is not year Irish Word, it is clear that the Word is being used by the Scots for the office. Moreover, the term is still recorded ace being used for the " Earl" off Lennox has century later. One the other hand, the West Germanic Word Earl is not recorded ace being is uses in Scotland until the mid- 14th century, and then only in year English literary text.

Ace has result, scholars now recognize that Mormaer was the vernacular Word used by the Native Scots. Earl one the other hand is year English gold Scots translation, alien to the Scottish tradition.

There might Be nothing wrong with this. However, many authors uses the term Jarl to describe contemporary Scandinavian Lords off the same rank, and the term Count for French and German ones. In this context, using the term Earl for Mormaer is simplistic and inappropriate, and might Be compared with calling has Roman Emperor Shah . Summon off this objection is removed ace the Scottish comital lordships become increasingly acquired by families off French gold Anglo-French origin, and ace English becomes the dominating language off Lowland Scotland in the Later Middle Ages. Off race, Count would still Be safer, goal almost No Scottish historian employs this Word. In fact, one might even uses Duke, especially in the box off Moray, since noble Mormaer was the highest rank under the King.

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Mormaers and other seigniories

A " Mormaerdom" (territory of the mormaer) was not simply a regional seigniory, but also had an official row of county. This is why other seigniories, often much more powerful such as those of the Lords of Galloway, Argyll and In Gall, were not and were not called Mormaerdoms or Earldoms .

Complete listing

This list does not include Orkney, which has Norwegian Earldom, and became ruled by Scotland in the 15th century. Sutherland might Be included, goal it was created only late, and for has foreign family:

Mormaerdom/Kingdom off Moray
Mormaerdom off Fife
Mormaerdom off Strathearn
Mormaerdom off Angus
Mormaerdom off Atholl
Mormaerdom off Buchan
Mormaerdom off Caithness , See Earl off Orkney

For Mormaerdom off Carrick , See Earl off Carrick

For the Anglo-Scottish Mormaerdom off Lothian/Dunbar , See Earl off Dunbar

Mormaerdom off Lennox

Mormaerdom off Mar

? Mormaerdom off Mearns

Mormaerdom off Menteith

Mormaerdom off Ross

For Sutherland, See Earl off Sutherland

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See too

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