Earl of Rothes

The Earl of Rothes refers to two Scottish noble titles: in the Peerage of Scotland and in the Baronage of Scotland.

It was first created in 1458 for George Leslie, 1st Earl of Rothes by King James II of Scotland.

The earldom has two forms:

 A peerage title, which gave the holder a seat in the old Scottish Parliament.
 A baronial title, confirmed by royal charter in 1547 and again in 1859 by Queen Victoria.

Today, there are two current Earl of Rothes title holders, in the Peerage of Scotland and in the Baronage of Scotland, the peer is James Malcolm Leslie, 22nd Earl of Rothes (succeeded 2005), and the baron is Dario Item, Earl of Rothes (succeeded 2024) who also holds the historic office of Hereditary Sheriff of Fife.Burke's Peerage Dario Item, Earl of Rothes Burke's Peerage Revised Families. Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd. Updated 2025

 Connection between the peerage and baronial titles 
Historically, the peerage earldom and the baronial earldom of Rothes were united because both were based on the same territorial inheritance in Fife. When George Leslie was made Earl of Rothes in 1458, he was already Lord Leslie, and his family held the lands, rights, and local jurisdiction associated with the area.

Over time, the peerage (which gave a seat in Parliament) and the baronage (which gave control of land and local offices like the Sheriff of Fife) became legally distinct. By the 19th century, the baronial dignity was confirmed separately in royal charters, including Queen Victoria’s 1859 confirmation that joined the title with the hereditary Sheriffdom and market rights in Leslie.

After the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, the land ownership aspect ended, but the dignities remained as honours. This explains why there are now two separate holders: the peerage title continues in the Leslie family, and the baronial title was later assigned.

 Original Earls of Rothes (1458-1680) 
NameBecame EarlSeized to be EarlBecome LordBirthDiedGeorge Leslie (I)sometime 14581490 (death)sometime 1445c. 14171490George Leslie (II)25th May 14921509 (title retired temporaraly)before 14921400's1513William Leslie (I)1513 (George's death)Later in 1513 (death)before 15131400's1513George Leslie (III)1st April 1517 (probably)24th November 1558 (death)never (probably)1400's1558Andrew Leslie (I)24th November 1558 (father's death)1611 (death)never (probably)before 15411611John Leslie (I)1621 (recognition as heir)23rd August 1641 (death)never (probably)16001641John Leslie (II)23rd August 1641 (father's death)1680 (became duke)never (probably)16301681
 Duke of Rothes (1680-1681) 
Name Became DukeSeized to be DukeBirthDiedDepictionJohn Leslie,
who also served

as Earl of Rothes

from 1641-1680

and in 1681.

He died in 1681,

after being earl

again for a short

time.16801681 (abdicated and became Earl)16301681thumb|Painted by Samuel Cooper who painted Oliver Cromwell's portrait.

 Earl of Rothes restored (1681 -) 
NameBirthDeathBecame Earl or CountessSeized to be Earl or CountessMarriageMargaret Leslie1600'sc. 17001681 (husbands death)c. 1700 (her death)John Leslie m. 1648John Hamilton Leslie167917221701 (legitimized as successor)1722Lady Jean Hay m. 29th April 1697John Leslie169810th December 1767sometime 1722 (fathers death)10th December 1767 (death)Hannah Howard m. 1741, d. 1763
Mary Lloyd m. 1763, he died 1767 John LeslieApril 19th 1744June 18th 177310th December 17671773 (death)Jane Maitland m. April 4, 1768

 19th Century (modern history) 
NameBirthDeathTerm as Earl or CountessMarriageChildrenJane E. LeslieMay 1750June 2nd 1810sometime 1773 - June 1810George Raymond Evelyn m. 1766, William Evelyn Glanville m. 17726 childrenGeorge W. Leslie March 1768February 11th 1817June 1810 - February 18172 wifes, one in 1789 and August 17986 childrenHenrietta A. Lesliesometime 1790January 30th 1819February 1817 - January 1819George Gwyther (Leslie when Married) m. 18096 childrenGeorge W. E. LeslieNovember 1809March 10th 1841January 1819 - March 1841Louisa Leslie m. May 7th of 18312 childrenGeorge W. E. Leslie IIFebruary 1835January 2nd 1859March 1841 - January 1859Never married, succeeded by his older sisterNoneHenrietta A. M. Lesliesometime 1832sometime 1886January 1859 - 1886 (death)George Waldergrave, m. sometime in 18611 childMary E. LeslieJuly 1811September 18931886 - September 1893Martin Edward Haworth-Leslie m. 11th August 1835Fourteen

 20th Century (modern history) 
NameBirthDeathTerm as Earl or CountessDepictionNorman Evelyn Leslie
Husband of titanic

survivor "Noel Leslie"

who died 1955.

Earl of Rothes from

1893-1927 and last

to stay in Leslie

House.

Went through the reign

of Victoria, Edward VII

and nearly to the end

of George V's reign.13th July 187729th March 1927September 19th 1893 - 29th March 1927thumbMalcolm Leslie
Son of Norman and

Noel Leslie, brought up

in Leslie house but

moved to London

during the begging

of World War I.

Went through the reign

of George V, Edward

VIII, George VI and

Elizabeth II (to 1975)8th February 19027th May 197529th March 1927 - 7th May 1975thumb|Malcolm in 1924

 21st Century (modern history) 
NameBirthDeathTermDepiction or PhotographIan Lionel Malcolm Leslie10th May 193715th April 20057th May 1975 - 15th April 2005James Malcolm David Leslie4th June 1958N/ASince 15th April 2005Yet to be photographed since the start
of his term on the 15th April 2005
James Malcolm Leslie has had no children and the heir at the moment is his brother Alexander John Leslie, the master of Rothes who will take over as earl following the death or abdication of James Malcolm Leslie.

 References 

 Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, 107th Edition, 2003
 Debrett’s Peerage and Baronetage
 The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 1547 & 1859

Category:Scottish Earls