Marquess of Ailsa

StatusExtantFormer seat(s)MottoAVISE LA FIN
(Consider the end) ^[1]

Marquess of Ailsa, of the Isle of Ailsa in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 10 September 1831 for Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassilis.^[2][3] The title Earl of Cassilis (pronounced "Cassels") had been created in 1509 for the 3rd Lord Kennedy. This title had been created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1457. The 1st Marquess had been created Baron Ailsa in the Peerage of the United Kingdom on 12 November 1806.^[4][3]

The name of the title was taken from the Island of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde.^[5]

James Kennedy, Archbishop of St Andrews, was the younger brother of the first Lord Kennedy.

The Marquess of Ailsa is the hereditary Clan Chief of Clan Kennedy.

The family's seats were Cassillis House^[6] and Culzean Castle, near Maybole, Ayrshire.

Lords Kennedy (1457)

• Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy (c. 1406–c. 1480)
• John Kennedy, 2nd Lord Kennedy (died 1508)
• David Kennedy, 3rd Lord Kennedy (died 1513) (created Earl of Cassilis in 1509)

Earls of Cassilis (1509)

• David Kennedy, 1st Earl of Cassilis (1463–1513)
• Gilbert Kennedy, 2nd Earl of Cassilis (died 1527)
• Gilbert Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis (1515–1558)
• Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis (c. 1541–1576)
• John Kennedy, 5th Earl of Cassilis (c. 1573–1615)
• John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis (died 1668)
• John Kennedy, 7th Earl of Cassilis (1653–1701)
• John Kennedy, 8th Earl of Cassilis (1700–1759)

"From 1759 to 1762 the titles and estates were in dispute between the heir male and the heir general. The latter, William [Douglas], Earl of Ruglen and March later Duke of Queensberry, was son and heir of William [Douglas], Earl of March, by his wife Anne [Hamilton], suo jure Countess of Ruglen, 1st dau. and heir of line of John [Hamilton], Earl of Selkirk and Ruglen, by his first wife Lady Anne Kennedy, the only daughter that had issue of John [Kennedy], 7th Earl of Cassillis. He claimed the estates under an entail of 5 September 1698, which he contended could not be set aside by the entail of 1759. The entail of 1759 was however upheld, though by a narrow majority, in the Court of Session, and confirmed, on appeal, by the House of Lords. He then, under the designation of "William, Earl of Cassillis, Ruglen and March" claimed "the titles and honours of Earl of Cassillis and Lord Kennedy," on the ground of certain charters of 24 April 1641 and 29 September 1642. Sir Thomas Kennedy, Bart., claimed the said titles as heir male, and the two petitions having been laid before the House of Lords, it was adjudged, 27 January 1762, that the latter had a right "to the honour and dignity of Earl of Cassillis as heir male of the body of David, the 1st Earl of Cassillis, and [to that] of Lord Kennedy as heir male of the body of Gilbert, the 1st Lord Kennedy.""^[7]

• Thomas Kennedy, 9th Earl of Cassilis (died 1775), previously the 4th Baronet of Culzean
• David Kennedy, 10th Earl of Cassilis (died 1792)
• Archibald Kennedy, 11th Earl of Cassilis (died 1794)
• Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassilis (1770–1846) (created Baron Ailsa in 1806 and Marquess of Ailsa in 1831)

Marquesses of Ailsa (1831)

• Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa (1770–1846)
• Archibald Kennedy, 2nd Marquess of Ailsa (1816–1870)
• Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa (1847–1938)
• Archibald Kennedy, 4th Marquess of Ailsa (1872–1943)
• Charles Kennedy, 5th Marquess of Ailsa (1875–1956)
• Angus Kennedy, 6th Marquess of Ailsa (1882–1957)
• Archibald David Kennedy, 7th Marquess of Ailsa (1925–1994)
• Archibald Angus Charles Kennedy, 8th Marquess of Ailsa (1956–2015)^[8][9]
• David Thomas Kennedy, 9th Marquess of Ailsa (b. 1958)^[8][9]

Succession and family tree

v t e Family tree of the Marquess of Ailsa, Earl of Eglinton, and Earl of Cassilis

Robert III c. 1337–1406 King of Scotland Lord Montgomerie, 1448 Alexander Montgomerie d. 1470 1st Lord Montgomerie James Kennedy Younger of Dunure Mary Stewart Lord Kennedy, 1457 Alexander Montgomerie 1404–1452 styled Master of Montgomerie Elizabeth Gilbert Kennedy c. 1406 – c. 1480 1st Lord Kennedy James Kennedy c. 1408–1465 Archbishop of St Andrews Alexander Montgomerie d. c. 1483 2nd Lord Montgomerie Catherine Colin Campbell c. 1433–1493 1st Earl of Argyll John Kennedy 1454–1508 2nd Lord Kennedy Earl of Eglinton, 1506 Earl of Cassilis, 1234 Hugh Montgomerie c. 1460–1545 1st Earl of Eglinton, 3rd Lord Montgomerie Helen Archibald Campbell d. 1513 2nd Earl of Argyll David Kennedy After 1463–1513 1st Earl of Cassilis, 3rd Lord Kennedy John Montgomerie d. 1520 Isabel Gilbert Kennedy 1494–1527 2nd Earl of Cassilis, 4th Lord Kennedy Hugh Montgomerie d. 1546 2nd Earl of Eglinton, 4th Lord Montgomerie Gilbert Kennedy 1515–1558 3rd Earl of Cassilis, 5th Lord Kennedy Hugh Montgomerie c. 1531–1585 3rd Earl of Eglinton, 5th Lord Montgomerie Gilbert Kennedy c. 1541–1576 4th Earl of Cassilis, 6th Lord Kennedy Thomas Kennedy c. 1549–1602 styled Master of Cassilis Hugh Montgomerie 1563–1586 4th Earl of Eglinton, 6th Lord Montgomerie Margaret Robert Seton 1553–1603 1st Earl of Winton John Kennedy 1575–1615 5th Earl of Cassilis, 7th Lord Kennedy Hew Kennedy styled Master of Cassilis Alexander Kennedy d. 1652 Hugh Montgomerie d. 1612 5th Earl of Eglinton, 7th Lord Montgomerie Alexander Montgomerie 1588–1661 6th Earl of Eglinton, 8th Lord Montgomerie John Kennedy d. 1668 6th Earl of Cassilis, 8th Lord Kennedy John Kennedy d. 1665 Alexander Kennedy d. 1698 Hugh Montgomerie 1613–1669 7th Earl of Eglinton, 9th Lord Montgomerie John Kennedy 1653–1701 7th Earl of Cassilis, 9th Lord Kennedy Kennedy Baronet of Culzean, in the County of Ayr, 1682 Alexander Montgomerie d. 1701 8th Earl of Eglinton, 10th Lord Montgomerie John Kennedy c. 1672–1700 styled Lord Kennedy Archibald Kennedy d. 1710 1st Kennedy Baronet of Culzean Alexander Seton Montgomerie c. 1660–1729 9th Earl of Eglinton, 11th Lord Montgomerie Susanna Montgomerie 1690–1780 John Kennedy 1700–1759 8th Earl of Cassilis, 10th Lord Kennedy John Kennedy d. 1742 2nd Kennedy Baronet of Culzean Archibald Kennedy 1685–1763 Alexander Montgomerie 1723–1769 10th Earl of Eglinton, 12th Lord Montgomerie Archibald Montgomerie 1726–1796 11th Earl of Eglinton, 13th Lord Montgomerie John Kennedy d. 1744 3rd Kennedy Baronet of Culzean Thomas Kennedy d. 1775 9th Earl of Cassilis, 11th Lord Kennedy, 4th Kennedy Baronet of Culzean David Kennedy before 1734–1792 10th Earl of Cassilis, 12th Lord Kennedy, 5th Kennedy Baronet of Culzean Archibald Kennedy 1720–1794 11th Earl of Cassilis, 13th Lord Kennedy Kennedy Baronet of Culzean extinct, 1792 Baron Ailsa, of Ailsa in the County of Ayr, 1806 Marquess of Ailsa, 1831 Archibald William Montgomerie 1739–1819 12th Earl of Eglinton, 13th Lord Montgomerie, 1st Baron Ardrossan Archibald Kennedy 1770–1846 1st Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 12th Earl of Cassilis, 14th Lord Kennedy Archibald Montgomerie 1773–1814 styled Lord Montgomerie Archibald Kennedy IV 1794–1832 styled Earl of Cassilis Earl of Winton (2nd creation) and Baron Seton and Tranent, 1859 Archibald William Montgomerie 1812–1861 13th Earl of Eglinton, 1st Earl of Winton and Baron Seton and Tranent, 14th Lord Montgomerie Archibald Kennedy 1816–1870 2nd Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 13th Earl of Cassilis, 15th Lord Kennedy Archibald William Montgomerie 1841–1892 14th Earl of Eglinton, 2nd Earl of Winton and Baron Seton and Tranent, 15th Lord Montgomerie George Arnulph Montgomerie 1848–1919 15th Earl of Eglinton, 3rd Earl of Winton and Baron Seton and Tranent, 16th Lord Montgomerie Archibald Kennedy 1847–1838 3rd Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 14th Earl of Cassilis, 16th Lord Kennedy Archibald Seton Montgomerie 1880–1945 16th Earl of Eglinton, 4th Earl of Winton and Baron Seton and Tranent, 17th Lord Montgomerie Archibald Kennedy 1872–1943 4th Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 15th Earl of Cassilis, 17th Lord Kennedy Charles Kennedy 1875–1956 5th Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 16th Earl of Cassilis, 18th Lord Kennedy Angus Kennedy 1882–1957 6th Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 17th Earl of Cassilis, 19th Lord Kennedy Archibald William Alexander Montgomerie 1914–1966 17th Earl of Eglinton, 5th Earl of Winton and Baron Seton and Tranent, 18th Lord Montgomerie Archibald David Kennedy 1925–1997 7th Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 18th Earl of Cassilis, 20th Lord Kennedy Archibald George Montgomerie 1939–2018 18th Earl of Eglinton, 6th Earl of Winton and Baron Seton and Tranent, 19th Lord Montgomerie Hugh Archibald William Montgomerie b. 1966 19th Earl of Eglinton, 7th Earl of Winton and Baron Seton and Tranent, 20th Lord Montgomerie Archibald Angus "Charles" Kennedy 1956–2015 8th Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 19th Earl of Cassilis, 21st Lord Kennedy David Thomas Kennedy b. 1958 9th Marquess of Ailsa and Baron Ailsa, 20th Earl of Cassilis, 22nd Lord Kennedy Rhuridh Seton Archibald Montgomerie b. 2007 styled Lord Montgomerie Archibald David Kennedy b. 1995 styled Earl of Cassilis Heir apparent to the Earldom of Eglinton Heir apparent to the Marquessate of Ailsa

References

Works cited

• Cokayne, George E. (1910). Gibbs, Vicary (ed.). The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant. Vol. I, Ab-Adam to Basing. London: St. Catherine Press. pp. 67–68.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages ^{[self-published source] [better source needed]}
• The Rulers of Strathspey, a history of the lairds of Grant and the Earls of Seafield, 1911, by the Earl of Cassilis

Further reading

• Cokayne, George E. (1998). Hammond, Peter W. (ed.). The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant. Vol. XIV, Addenda and Corrigenda. London: St. Catherine Press. pp. 12–13.
• Hesilrige, Arthur G. M. (1921). Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy. London, UK: Dean & son, limited. p. 29.