The Much Honoured

Overview

There were around 350 identifiable local baronies in Scotland by the early fifteenth century and these could mostly be mapped against local parish boundaries. In addition, there are a small number of extant baronage earldoms in the Baronage of Scotland (Aboyne, Arran, Breadalbane, Crawfurd-Lindsay, Errol, Lennox, Orkney, Rothes, Wigtoun), one extant baronage marquisate (Huntly) and one extant baronage dukedom (Hamilton), all held in baroneum. Since all these titles are personal titles based in Scots property law and not peerages, there are some instances when, for historic reasons, the baronage title happens to share the same name as an extant peerage title, but the current holder of the baronage title is different from the current holder of the peerage title of the same name. The two are not to be confused. Historically, they were held by one and the same person, but the baronage title may subsequently have been disponed according to Scots property law, whereas the peerage title always descends according to the destination in the letters patent of creation of the peerage and the rules of peerage law.

The highest-ranking baron in Scotland is HRH The Duke of Rothesay, who holds the barony of Renfrew; by tradition both titles are held concurrently by the heir apparent to the British throne.

Genuine territorial lairds (not those owning souvenir plots of land) style themselves "The Much Honoured", albeit archaic. This practice is now in decline - with notable exceptions, namely that of Catherine Maxwell-Stuart, 21st Lady of Traquair. The official use of titles and honorifics in Scotland comes under the jurisdiction of the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh.

Usage

Historically, the honorific is used in association with five groups:

• Scottish barons. For example, The Much Hon. David Leslie, Baron of Leslie, or The Much Hon. Baron of Leslie
• Lords in the Baronage of Scotland (not to be confused with lairds). For example, The Much Hon. David Leslie, Lord of Leslie, or The Much Hon. Lord of Leslie
• Earls/marquises/dukes in the Baronage of Scotland. For example, The Much Hon. James Leslie, Earl of Rothes or The Much Hon. Earl of Rothes
• Clan chiefs/chieftains or lairds (not by those owning souvenir plots) who are recognised in a territorial designation by the Lord Lyon. For example, The Much Hon. Catherine Maxwell-Stuart, Lady of Traquair or The Much Hon. Catherine Maxwell-Stuart of Traquair.

The eldest son is entitled to be addressed by courtesy as the Younger (abbreviated to the Yr); the eldest daughter, if heir apparent, is entitled to use the courtesy title The Maid of [designation] (e.g. David Leslie the Younger and The Maid of Leslie).

The honorific "The Much Honoured" is distinct from honorifics attaching to peers of the realm.

References

References

1. Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Iain. (1982). "The Highland Clans". Barrie & Jenkins.
2. Alexander Grant, ''Franchises North of the Border: Baronies and Regalities in Medieval Scotland'', Chapter 9, Michael Prestwich. ed., Liberties and Identities in Medieval Britain and Ireland (Boydell Press: Woodbridge, 2008)
3. "Territorial Designationse, Scottish History Online, Scotland - UK".