| Clan Fleming | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Motto | Let The Deed Shaw[1] | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lanarkshire | ||
| Plant badge | None | ||
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| Clan Fleming no longer has a chief, and is anarmigerous clan | |||
| Historic seat | Cumbernauld Castle[2] | ||
| Last Chief | Charles Fleming, The 7thEarl of Wigtown | ||
| Died | 1747 | ||
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Clan Fleming is a LowlandScottish clan and is officially recognized as such by theLord Lyon King of Arms.[3] However, as the clan does not currently have a chief that is recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms it is therefore considered anarmigerous clan.[3]
The surnameFleming is derived from theFrench,le Fleming, which indicates that the family originated inFlanders.[3][4] The heartland of this once powerful medieval county is now inBelgium, with smallers parts in theNetherlands andFrance.[3] During the latter part of the twelfth century the Flemish were enterprising merchants who traded withEngland,Scotland andWales.[3] A distinguished Flemish leader namedBaldwin settled with his followers inBiggar, South Lanarkshire under a grant ofDavid I of Scotland.[3] Baldwin becameSheriff of Lanark underMalcolm IV of Scotland andWilliam the Lion and this office appears to have been hereditary for some time.[3]
In 1296 nine Flemings signed theRagman Rolls swearing fealty toEdward I of England.[3] However, one of the signatories was Sir Robert Fleming who was one of the first people to joinRobert the Bruce after the death of theComyn in 1306.[3]
In 1342 Sir Malcolm Fleming of Cumbernauld was createdEarl of Wigtown byDavid II of Scotland for helping to keep him safe fromEdward Balliol and the English.[3] In 1371 Sir Malcolm's grandson, Thomas Fleming, sold the earldom toArchibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway and this was confirmed byRobert II of Scotland.[3]
Sir Malcolm Fleming of Biggar and Cumbernauld was knighted byRobert III of Scotland.[3] In 1423 he was one of the hostages used for the release ofJames I of Scotland from the captivity of the English.[3] This Sir Malcolm Fleming was a counsellor and friend ofWilliam Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas and was a member of the party that went toEdinburgh Castle with Douglas, on the invitation Governor Livingstone andChancellor Crichton in November 1440, where Douglas, his brother David and Fleming were arrested, briefly tried and then beheaded.[3] As a result, his younger son, Sir Robert Fleming, forfeited the lands that had been returned to him byJames II of Scotland because his father had diedat the faith and peace of His Majesty.[3] Sir Robert Fleming was created a Lord of Parliament before 1460.[3]
Sir Robert's grandson,John Fleming, 2nd Lord Fleming, was appointed as a guardian toJames V of Scotland during the king's infancy in July 1515.[3] In 1517 John becameChancellor of Scotland.[3] However while he was outhawking on 1 November 1524, he was assassinated by John Tweedie of Drummelzier (chief ofClan Tweedie) and others.[3]Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming wasGreat Chamberlain of Scotland and marriedLady Janet Stewart, daughter ofJames IV of Scotland.[3] This Malcolm Fleming was killed at theBattle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547.[3]
In 1548James Fleming, 4th Lord Fleming accompanied the youngMary, Queen of Scots to France where she married the heir to the throne.[3] He was Great Chamberlain of Scotland for life and was one of eight commissioners to the royal wedding in 1558.[3] However he died of suspected poisoning two weeks later inParis.[3]
In 1606John the sixth Lord Fleming was createdEarl of Wigtown.[3]
The Clan Fleming were Jacobites and the 6th earl attendedJames II of England and VII of Scotland after theGlorious Revolution of 1688.[3] Fleming opposed theTreaty of Union and voted against every article in the Parliament of 1706.[3] During theJacobite rising of 1715 he was arrested by thegovernor of Edinburgh Castle.[3] Charles Fleming had succeeded his brother as the earl but when he died in 1747 the title became dormant.[3]
According to theCollins Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia,Alexander Fleming who discoveredPenicillin is the most distinguished bearer of the name in recent times.[3]
Another famous member of the clan is CommanderIan Fleming who was both an extremely successful intelligence officer of the wartime Naval Intelligence Directorate, the author of theJames Bond books, and a well known high society clubman, with homes in Oxfordshire, Chelsea and Jamaica.
Castles that have been owned by the Clan Fleming include amongst many others:
