| Dukedom of Roxburghe | |
|---|---|
Quarterly, 1st and 4th grandquarters: quarterly, 1st and 4th, Vert on a Chevron between three Unicorns' Heads erased Argent armed and maned Or as many Mullets Sable (Ker); 2nd and 3rd, Gules three Mascles Or (Weepont); 2nd and 3rd grandquarters: Argent three Stars of five points Azure (Innes). | |
| Creation date | 1707 |
| Created by | Anne |
| Peerage | Peerage of Scotland |
| First holder | John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe |
| Present holder | Charles Innes-Ker, 11th Duke |
| Heir apparent | Frederick Innes-Ker, Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford |
| Remainder to | the heirs inheriting the Earldom of Roxburghe[citation needed] (see that section for details) |
| Subsidiary titles | Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford Earl of Roxburghe Earl of Kelso Earl Innes Viscount Broxmouth Lord Roxburghe Lord Ker of Cessford and Cavertoun |
| Seat | Floors Castle |
TheDuke of Roxburghe (/ˈrɒksbərə/) is a title in thepeerage of Scotland created in 1707 along with the titlesMarquess of Bowmont andCessford,Earl ofKelso andViscount Broxmouth.John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe became the first holder of these titles. The title is derived from theroyal burgh ofRoxburgh in theScottish Borders that in 1460 the Scotscaptured and destroyed.
Originally createdEarl of Roxburghe in 1616, before the elevation to duke, a number of other subsidiary titles are held:Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford (created 1707),Earl of Kelso (1707),Earl Innes (1837),Viscount Broxmouth (1707),Lord Roxburghe (1600), andLord Ker of Cessford and Cavertoun (1616). All of the titles form part of thepeerage ofScotland, with the exception the Earldom of Innes, which belongs to thepeerage of the United Kingdom. The Duke's eldest son bears thecourtesy title ofMarquess of Bowmont and Cessford.
The dukedom and its associated titles descend toheirs who shall inherit the earldom which in turn had a very specific line of descent. On the death of the 4th duke the titles became dormant as no one could prove their claim. In 1812 theHouse of Lords ruled in favour of Sir James Innes-Ker, 6th Baronet, of Innes (seeInnes baronets), rejecting claims by the heir female of the second earl and heir male whatsoever of the first earl.
The Duke of Roxburghe would be the Chief ofClan Innes, but cannot be so recognised as he retains the nameInnes-Ker.[1]
The family has its seat atFloors Castle nearKelso, Scotland. The grounds contain the ruins ofRoxburgh Castle on a promontory between the rivers Tweed and Teviot. The traditional burial place of the Dukes of Roxburghe is theRoxburghe Memorial Cloister (also known as "Roxburghe Aisle"), a 20th-century addition to the ruins ofKelso Abbey.
In 1600, Robert Ker was created Lord Roxburghe, in 1616 he was additionally created Earl of Roxburghe, and Lord Ker of Cessford and Cavertoun. The succession was originally to heirs male of the 1st Earl, but after his sons predeceased him, the title was recreated in 1646 with additional remainder in favour of "(i) his grandson by his eldest daughter,Sir William Drummond, and his issue in tail male, (ii) of his great-grandsons in like manner, i.e. the second and other younger sons of Jane Drummond, the sister of Sir William Drummond, by her husband John [Fleming], 3rd Earl of Wigtown [...] which failing (iii) of the eldest daughter of Hon Harry Ker, styled Lord Ker, without division and to her heirs male, which failing (iv) to his own heirs male whomsoever".[citation needed]
The current holder's son, Frederick Innes-Ker, Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford (born 2024) is heir apparent to his father's titles.
| Ker and Innes-Ker family tree:Earls of Roxburghe andDukes of Roxburghe family tree | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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