| Clan Maitland | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Motto | Consilio Et Animis (By wisdom and courage)[1] | ||
| Chief | |||
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| The Rt. Hon. Ian Maitland[1] | |||
| The 18thEarl of Lauderdale[1] | |||
| Seat | Thirlestane Castle | ||
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Clan Maitland is a LowlandScottish clan.
The name Maitland is ofNorman origin and was originally spelt Mautalent, Mautalen, Matulant or Matalan, it translates as "evil genius".[2] It is claimed that the Maitlands descend from one of the companions ofWilliam the Conqueror who later settled inNorthumberland.[3] The name is found on numerous earlycharters as Matulant, Mautalant and Maltalant.[3] It has been suggested that it was a nickname meaning 'bad' or 'poor wit', howeverAlexander Nisbet givesQuasi mutilatus in bello which meansAs if mutilated in war.[3]
During the reign ofAlexander III of Scotland, Sir Richard Matulant acquired the lands of Thirleston,Blyth and Hedderwick.[3] He became one of the most considerable barons in theScottish Borders.[3] He had come into ownership of Thirlestane by his marriage to Avicia, heiress to Thomas de Thirlestane.
Sir William Mautlant de Thirlstane supportedRobert the Bruce in the cause of Scottish independence and was present at the Scottish victory at theBattle of Bannockburn in 1314.[3] His son was Sir Robert Maitland who inherited his father's lands as well as receiving a charter for the lands of Letherington nearHaddington, from Sir John Gifford in about 1345.[3] He was survived by three sons: John, William and Robert of Shivas.[3] Robert is the ancestor of theAberdeenshire branch of the Clan Maitland, whose senior line lived at Balhargardy nearInverurie.[3] William's successors were styled as "of Letherington", while the eldest son John became involved in the conspiracies ofGeorge Dunbar I, Earl of March who was his kinsman.[3]
William's son, Robert Maitland, surrenderedDunbar Castle to the Earl of Douglas and as a result escaped from being involved in the ruin of his uncle, John.[3] The heir of Sir Robert Maitland was William Maitland of Letherington who received a charter confirming his lands of Blyth, Hedderwick and Tollus.[3]
William Maitland's great-grandson was killed at theBattle of Flodden in 1513.[3][4] The heir of the Maitland knight killed at Flodden was SirRichard Maitland who was appointed a judge of the Court of Session andKeeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland.[3]
Sir Richard Maitland's eldest son wasWilliam Maitland who has passed into Scottish history as Secretary Letherington, confidante ofMary, Queen of Scots.[3] However he fell from favour for his involvement in the murder ofDavid Rizzio who was Mary' secretary, although he was allowed to return to court a year later.[3] He supported Mary's marriage toJames Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, but later joined the nobles who opposed the queen at theBattle of Carberry Hill and also theBattle of Langside.[3] Maitland attended the coronation of the infantJames VI of Scotland in 1567 but kept in secret communication with the queen during her escape fromLochleven Castle.[3] As a result Maitland was declared a traitor by Parliament in June 1573 and as his son died without issue he was succeeded by his brother,John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane.[3] Sir John Maitland was created the 1st Lord of Thirlestane and married the heiress ofLord Fleming. He was Lord High Chamberlain of Scotland in the reign ofMary, Queen of Scots, and his son was created the firstEarl of Lauderdale. His sister, Anne married Robert, LordSeton son of the 1stEarl of Winton. Through frequent marriages with the families of Fleming andClan Seton the Clan Maitland became loyal adherents to Mary, Queen of Scots, even when her fortunes were at their lowest.[2]
The only son of John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane was created the firstEarl of Lauderdale in 1616.[3]John Maitland, 1st Earl of Lauderdale was President of the Council and a Lord of Session.[3] His son wasJohn Maitland, 2nd Earl of Lauderdale who was created Duke of Lauderdale in 1672.[3] The Duke had fought forCharles II of England at theBattle of Worcester in 1651 where he was captured and imprisoned in theTower of London for nine years.[3] After theRestoration he had risen to become the most powerful man in Scotland and was created a Duke in 1672.[3] However he was also the first and last Duke of Lauderdale.[3] The Duke employedSir William Bruce to convert hisThirlestane Castle into a renaissance palace.[3]
During theJacobite rising of 1745 the Jacobite leader,Charles Edward Stuart stayed at Thirlestane and his army camped in the parklands after their victory at theBattle of Prestonpans, however the Maitlands were not noted Jacobites and as a result escaped forfeiture.[3]
At theBattle of Waterloo in 1815, General SirPeregrine Maitland commanded the Foot Guards.[3]Napoleon later surrendered to CaptainFrederick Maitland of theRoyal Navy.[3] In 1828 theMaitland Club was founded which was atext publication society named afterRichard Maitland who was chief of the clan in the 16th century.[5]
After the death on 2 December 2008 ofThe Rt. Hon. Sir Patrick Francis Maitland, the chiefdom passed to his sonIan Maitland, Bt, The 18thEarl of Lauderdale,Viscount of Lauderdale,Viscount of Maitland,Lord Maitland of Thirlestane,Lord Thirlestane and Boltoun, 14th Baronet Maitland,Chief of Maitland.[6]
Ham House, Richmond, Surrey, property of the Countess of Dysart and Duchess of Lauderdale was largely furnished and decorated by the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale, but remained in the ownership of the Countess and subsequent Earls of Dysart.
