William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness
Encyclopedia
William Sinclair 1st Earl of Caithness
(1455–1476), 3rd Earl of Orkney
(1455–1470), Baron of Roslin
was a Scottish
nobleman
and the builder of Rosslyn Chapel
, in Midlothian
.
He was the grandson of Henry Sinclair, 1st Earl of Orkney and son of Henry Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Orkney, for a time protector of the young James Stuart, the later James I of Scotland
. He was Lord High Admiral of Scotland
, and was Lord Chancellor of Scotland
from 1454 to 1456. He became the first Lord St. Clair in Scotland 1449.
He made several big territorial transactions during his life.
The first important one was the exchange of his inherited lordship of Nithsdale
to the estates of the earldom of Caithness - which soon led to his obtaining the title of Earl in the peerage of Scotland.
King James III gained his hold and rights of the Norwegian Earldom of Orkney
for the Scottish Crown in 1470 (see History of Orkney), against a promised compensation (it turned out to be lands of Ravencraig, in 1471); and William Sinclair was thereafter Earl of Caithness
alone until he resigned the Earldom in favour of his son William
in 1476.
In 1471 James bestowed the castle and lands of Ravenscraig in Fife
on William Sinclair, in exchange for all his rights to the earldom of Orkney, which, by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland
, passed on 20 February 1472, was annexed to the Scottish crown
.
He fathered two known children with Lady Elizabeth Douglas. Their son (William Sinclair, 2nd Lord St. Clair) was, in the opinion of the father, a wastrel, whereby he was disinherited. His family received only the Castle of Ravenscraig
in Fife. Their daughter (Elizabeth Sinclair) would marry Andrew Leslie, Master of Rothes.
He fathered four known children with Marjory Sutherland: Eleanor Sinclair, Catherine Sinclair, Sir Oliver Sinclair, and William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness
.
The earl's third son, (William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness), of his second marriage became the designated heir of the Earldom of Caithness and continued that title. The Barony of Roslin
went to his second son, Sir Oliver Sinclair.
All in all, the Sinclair ancestry is well and thoroughly represented in Scottish and British high nobility, thanks to marriages of his daughters and other descendants.
William's daughter of his second marriage, Lady Eleanor Sinclair, married John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl
, a relative of the kings. Lord Henry Darnley and his son James VI of Scotland descend from Eleanor, and through them, quite a many royal house of Europe. His other daughter by this marriage, Catherine Sinclair, married Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany
, a nephew of the said Atholl.
Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have taken place in favor of Maol Íosa V, Earl of...
(1455–1476), 3rd Earl of Orkney
Earl of Orkney
The Earl of Orkney was originally a Norse jarl ruling Orkney, Shetland and parts of Caithness and Sutherland. The Earls were periodically subject to the kings of Norway for the Northern Isles, and later also to the kings of Alba for those parts of their territory in mainland Scotland . The Earl's...
(1455–1470), Baron of Roslin
Baron of Roslin
Baron of Roslin was a Scottish peerage held by the chief of the Clan Sinclair.*William Sinclair, 1st Baron of Roslin, *Henry Sinclair, 2nd Baron of Roslin, *Henry Sinclair, 3rd Baron of Roslin,...
was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
nobleman
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
and the builder of Rosslyn Chapel
Rosslyn Chapel
Rosslyn Chapel, properly named the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, was founded on a small hill above Roslin Glen as a Roman Catholic collegiate church in the mid-15th century...
, in Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
.
He was the grandson of Henry Sinclair, 1st Earl of Orkney and son of Henry Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Orkney, for a time protector of the young James Stuart, the later James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. He was Lord High Admiral of Scotland
Lord High Admiral of Scotland
The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Offices of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707.The office was one of considerable power, also known as Royal Scottish Admiralty, including command of the King's ships and sailors and inspection of all sea...
, and was Lord Chancellor of Scotland
Lord Chancellor of Scotland
The Lord Chancellor of Scotland was a Great Officer of State in pre-Union Scotland.Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower status with the title of Keeper of the Great Seal...
from 1454 to 1456. He became the first Lord St. Clair in Scotland 1449.
He made several big territorial transactions during his life.
The first important one was the exchange of his inherited lordship of Nithsdale
Nithsdale
Nithsdale , also known by its anglicised gaelic name Strathnith or Stranit, is the valley of the River Nith in Scotland, and the name of the region...
to the estates of the earldom of Caithness - which soon led to his obtaining the title of Earl in the peerage of Scotland.
King James III gained his hold and rights of the Norwegian Earldom of Orkney
Earldom of Orkney
The Earldom of Orkney was a Norwegian dignity in Scotland which had its origins in the Viking period. The title of Earl of Orkney was passed down the same family line through to the Middle Ages....
for the Scottish Crown in 1470 (see History of Orkney), against a promised compensation (it turned out to be lands of Ravencraig, in 1471); and William Sinclair was thereafter Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have taken place in favor of Maol Íosa V, Earl of...
alone until he resigned the Earldom in favour of his son William
William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness
William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness was a Scottish nobleman born in Ravenscraig Castle, Kirkcaldy, Scotland to William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and Marjory Sutherland. He married Margaret Keith, daughter of Sir Gilbert Keith...
in 1476.
In 1471 James bestowed the castle and lands of Ravenscraig in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
on William Sinclair, in exchange for all his rights to the earldom of Orkney, which, by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
, passed on 20 February 1472, was annexed to the Scottish crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
.
Family
He was married three times, first to Lady Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas; secondly to Marjory Sutherland, daughter of Alexander Sutherland, and lastly to Janet Yeman.He fathered two known children with Lady Elizabeth Douglas. Their son (William Sinclair, 2nd Lord St. Clair) was, in the opinion of the father, a wastrel, whereby he was disinherited. His family received only the Castle of Ravenscraig
Ravenscraig Castle
Ravenscraig Castle is a ruined castle located in Kirkcaldy which dates from around 1460. The castle is an early example of artillery defence in Scotland...
in Fife. Their daughter (Elizabeth Sinclair) would marry Andrew Leslie, Master of Rothes.
He fathered four known children with Marjory Sutherland: Eleanor Sinclair, Catherine Sinclair, Sir Oliver Sinclair, and William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness
William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness
William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness was a Scottish nobleman born in Ravenscraig Castle, Kirkcaldy, Scotland to William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and Marjory Sutherland. He married Margaret Keith, daughter of Sir Gilbert Keith...
.
The earl's third son, (William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness), of his second marriage became the designated heir of the Earldom of Caithness and continued that title. The Barony of Roslin
Roslin, Midlothian
Roslin is a pretty village in Midlothian, Scotland, 7 miles to the south of the Scottish Capital city Edinburgh. It is situated approximately 12 miles from Edinburgh Airport.-The name:...
went to his second son, Sir Oliver Sinclair.
All in all, the Sinclair ancestry is well and thoroughly represented in Scottish and British high nobility, thanks to marriages of his daughters and other descendants.
William's daughter of his second marriage, Lady Eleanor Sinclair, married John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl
John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl , also known as Sir John Stewart of Balveny, was a Scottish nobleman and ambassador to England .-Life:...
, a relative of the kings. Lord Henry Darnley and his son James VI of Scotland descend from Eleanor, and through them, quite a many royal house of Europe. His other daughter by this marriage, Catherine Sinclair, married Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany
Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany
Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany was the second son of King James II of Scotland, and his Queen consort Mary of Gueldres, daughter of Arnold, Duke of Gelderland.-Biography:...
, a nephew of the said Atholl.