| Clan Lyon | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Crest: Within a garland of bay leaves, a lady from the middle richly attired, holding in her dexter hand a thistle all Proper (in allusion to the alliance of Sir John Lyon with Princess Jean, daughter of King Robert II). | |||
| Motto | In Te Domine Speravi (In thee o Lord have I put my trust)[1] | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| Rt Hon Simon Patrick Bowes-Lyon | |||
| 19thEarl of Strathmore and Kinghorne | |||
| Seat | Glamis Castle | ||
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Clan Lyon is aScottish clan.[2]
Genealogist SirIain Moncreiffe stated that the Lyons were a family ofCeltic origin and that they were descended from a younger son of theClan Lamont.[2] However it is more generally accepted that the Lyons descend from aFrench family called de Léon.[2] At the end of the eleventh century the de Leons had come north withEdgar, son ofMalcolm III of Scotland to fight against his uncle,Donald Bane.[2] Edgar was victorious and the de Leons received lands that were later calledGlen Lyon inPerthshire.[2] In 1105 Roger de Leonne witnessed a charter from Edgar toDunfermline Abbey.[2]
Robert II of Scotland granted toSir John Lyon, who was known as theWhite Lyon due to his complexion, thethanage of Glamis and five years later he was madeChamberlain of Scotland.[2] Sir John Lyon married king Robert's daughter, Princess Jean Stewart which brought him the lands of Tannadice on the River Esk.[2] Lyon was also granted the barony of Kinghorn, however he was later killed in a quarrel withSir James Lindsay of Crawford.[2]
Sir John Lyon's son, another John Lyon further strengthened the royal ties by marrying a granddaughter of Robert II.[2] John's son,Patrick Lyon was createdLord Glamis in 1445.[2] He becameMaster of the Household of Scotland and a Privy Councillor.[2] He had previously been sent toEngland as a hostage in 1424 for the ransom ofJames I of Scotland.[2]
John Lyon, 6th Lord Glamis was a quarrelsome man with a quick temper.[2] He marriedJanet Douglas, Lady Glamis, granddaughter ofArchibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus who was known asBell the Cat, and after Douglas died she suffered terribly for the hatred thatJames V of Scotland had towards all of the name of Douglas.[2] Lady Glamis was accused of witchcraft and despite speaking boldly in her own defense, she was burnt at the stake on castle hill inEdinburgh on 3 December 1540.[2] Her young son was also sentenced to death when he came of age, however the king died before he had grown up and so he avoided the death sentence and was released.[2] The king had taken possession ofGlamis Castle and plundered it.[2]
John Lyon, 8th Lord Glamis renounced his allegiance toMary, Queen of Scots and served under the Regents Moray and Lennox.[2] The 8th Lord was madeLord Chancellor of Scotland and alsoKeeper of the Great Seal of Scotland.[2] The 9th Lord Glamis was captain of the Royal Guard and a Privy Councillor toJames VI of Scotland.[2] He was created Earl of Kinghorne, Viscount Lyon and Baron Glamis in 1606.[2]
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John Lyon, 2ndEarl of Kinghorne was a close personal friend ofJames Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose.[2] Lyon was with Montrose in 1638 when he subscribed to theNational Covenant.[2] Lyon accompanied Montrose on his early campaigns in defense of the Covenant, however he did not support him when he chose to fight forCharles I of England.[2] As a result, Lyon's estates were almost ruined for supporting the Army of the Covenant.[2]
Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne paid off the debts that he had inherited from his father and was later able to enlarge Glamis Castle.[2]
The 3rd Earl's son,John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was a member of the Privy Council but opposed the 1707Treaty of Union.[2] During theJacobite rising of 1715, his son was a Jacobite who fought at theBattle of Sheriffmuir and died defending his regiment's colours.[2]James Francis Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) stayed at Glamis in 1716 and amongst the relics of the castle today are a sword and watch that belonged to him.[2]
During theJacobite rising of 1745 theDuke of Cumberland stayed at Glamis on his march to theBattle of Culloden, but it is said that he was much less welcome.[2]
Current Chief (assumed) -Simon Patrick Bowes-Lyon, 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
The seat of the chief of Clan Lyon is atGlamis Castle inAngus, Scotland.
Quarterly, 1st & 4th, argent, a lionrampantazure, armed and languedgules, within a double tressure flory counterflory of the Second (Lyon); 2nd & 3rd, ermine, three bows stringed paleways Proper (Bowes);en surtout an inescutcheonazure, thereon a roseargent, barbedvert and seededor, ensigned with the Imperial Crown Proper, within a double tressure flory counterflory of the Second, the said inescutcheon ensigned with an Earl’s coronet Proper (the said honourable augmentation being limited to the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and to the heirs succeeding him in his said Earldom).
