Duke of Argyll

Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow was knighted in 1280. In 1445 James II of Scotland raised Sir Colin's descendant Sir Duncan Campbell to the peerage to become Duncan Campbell of Lochow, Lord of Argyll, Knight, 1st Lord Campbell. Colin Campbell (c. 1433–1493) succeeded his grandfather as the 2nd Lord Campbell in 1453 and was created Earl of Argyll in 1457.

Inveraray Castle, the principal family seat of the Dukes of Argyll

The 8th Earl of Argyll was created a marquess in 1641, when Charles I visited Scotland and attempted to quell the rising political crisis (and the fall-out from the event known as The Incident). With Oliver Cromwell's victory in England, the marquess became the effective ruler of Scotland. Upon the restoration, the marquess offered his services to King Charles II but was charged with treason and executed in 1661. His lands and titles were forfeited but in 1663, they were restored to his son, Archibald, who became the 9th Earl of Argyll. In 1685 the 9th Earl was executed for his part in the Monmouth rebellion.

On 21 June 1701 the 9th Earl's son was created Duke of Argyll, Marquess of Kintyre and Lorne, Earl of Campbell and Cowal, Viscount of Lochow and Glenyla, Lord Inveraray, Mull, Morvern, and Tiree for his services to William of Orange. His son, the 2nd Duke, was created Baron Chatham and Earl of Greenwich in 1705 as a reward for his support for the Act of Union and further elevated to the title Duke of Greenwich in 1719. Upon his death his Scottish titles passed to his brother and the English titles became extinct.

The 5th Duke sat as a member of parliament for Glasgow until his father's accession to the Dukedom in 1761 disqualified him from representing a Scottish seat. He then became the member for Dover until 1766, when he was created Baron Sundridge and obtained the right to sit in the House of Lords.

On 17 April 1892, the 8th Duke was created Duke of Argyll in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Thus, the Duke is one of only five people to hold two different dukedoms, the others being the Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, and the Duke of Richmond, Lennox and Gordon.

Argyll's Lodging served as the family townhouse in Stirling

During the 19th century, a distant Prussian descendant of the family, Jenny von Westphalen, became the wife of the philosopher Karl Marx. In a famous story, when exiled to Paris and reduced to poverty, Marx was nearly arrested for attempting to pawn a part of Jenny's dowry: a silver dinner service bearing the crest of the House of Argyll. Of the incident Marx wrote to Engels, possibly in an attempt to solicit another loan from his wealthy friend: "My wife cried all night". However, the silver was eventually sold to pay off long-standing debts incurred by the Neue Rheinische Zeitung.[4]

In the late 19th century the then current Duke of Argyll visited America. While there, he stayed at the American Hotel situated in the main square of the village of Babylon, New York. The townspeople took a liking to the duke, and festivals and parades took place while he visited there. Just before the turn of the century (1900) the township of Babylon renamed the Bythbourne Lake/Park to Argyle Lake/Park (Argyll evolved to the currently accepted Argyle) in memory of the duke's visit.

Extract from Gentleman's Magazine: Map of London & Environs, 1764

The family seat is Inveraray Castle beside Loch Fyne, Inveraray, Argyll. The estate, 75,000 acres, mixes of commercial forestry, residential property, sources of renewable energy, and a caravan park.[5]

The principal burial place of the Dukes and Duchesses is St Munn's Parish Church, Kilmun. The 11th and the 12th Dukes chose to be buried on the island of Inishail in Loch Awe.

In 1706 John Campbell, second Duke of Argyll, became the inhabitant of a house on the east side of King Street, St James (Soho end), Westminster, London which stood on a site occupied by the western end of Little Argyll Street which in 1735 or 1736 he vacated for redevelopment.[6] A succession of Argyll Houses followed in the same block of streets

A water-colour drawing of Argyll House by T. H. Shepherd and two plans (at Inveraray Castle, engraved and undated) [depicted in this source] all suggest a house of little beauty and less convenience. Harriette Wilson, the sixth Duke's mistress, called it a 'dismal chateau' and described it, along with the Duke's meagre personal possessions, as 'old'.

— Extract from 'Argyll Street Area', Survey of London, 1963, London County Council, Vol. 31 & 32 at pp. 284–307)[6]

In 1808 the 6th Duke sold the latter-day House to the 4th Earl of Aberdeen.[6]

In and before 1764 the family had a house near to London at Ham which was then in the county of Surrey, a parish historically associated with Richmond, and a nearby second holding, see map to left.

The Duke holds several subsidiary titles, including: Marquess of Kintyre and Lorne (created 1701), Earl of Argyll (created 1457), Earl Campbell and Cowall and Viscount Lochow and Glenyla (created 1701), Lord Campbell (created 1445), Lord Lorne (created 1470), Lord Kintyre (created 1626), Lord Inveraray, Mull, Mover and Tiry (created 1701), Baron Hamilton of Hameldon (created 1776) and Baron Sundridge (created 1766). They are in the Peerage of Scotland, except the last two, which are in the Peerage of Great Britain. The Duke is also a Baronet of Lundie (created 1627) in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The courtesy title for the Duke's eldest son and heir is Marquess of Kintyre and Lorne.

• Hereditary Master of the Royal Household in Scotland
• Hereditary High Justiciar of Argyll
• Admiral of the Western Coasts and Isles
• Hereditary Keeper of the Royal Castles of: Carrick, Dunoon, Dunstaffnage, Tarbert
• Hereditary High Sheriff of Argyllshire
• Member Queen's Body Guard for Scotland

The Duke of Argyll is also the chief of the Scottish clan of Campbell and in this capacity is known as "MacCailein Mòr", which is Gaelic, for "The Great MacColin" referring to Cailean Mór (Colin the Great) of Lochawe (Colin of Lochow) who was killed in fighting with Alexander, Lord of Lorne in 1296.

Since James IV's reign, the Duke has also held the position of Master of the Household of Scotland.

The heraldic blazon for the coat of arms of the dukedom is: Quarterly: 1st and 4th gyronny of eight or and sable (for Campbell); 2nd and 3rd argent, a lymphad, sails furled and oars in action sable, flags and pennants flying gules (for Lorne).

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  Armorial achievement
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  Heraldic shield

• Archie Frederick Campbell, Marquess of Lorne (b. 2004) (elder son of the 13th and 6th Duke)
• Lord Rory James Campbell (b. 2006) (younger son of the 13th and 6th Duke)
• Lord Colin Ivar Campbell (b. 1946) (younger son of the 11th and 4th Duke)

• Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (1848–1939), wife of the 9th Duke
• Margaret, Duchess of Argyll (1912–1993), wife of the 11th Duke
• Earl Cawdor
• Clan Campbell
• Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree

Anon. (1846). British-American association and Nova-Scotia baronets. Reports of the action of damages for alleged libel, Broun (soi-disant) Sir Richard against the "Globe" newspaper. With introductory remarks relative to the above scheme and the "illustrious" order connected with it. Edinburgh: T.G. Stevenson.

• Clan Campbell Society (North America)
• Duke of Argyll
• 1st Hamrun Scout Group — Duke of Argyll's Own
• South Front of Inverary Castle, the Seat of His Grace the Duke of Argylle, Scotland