LENNOX, a name given to a large district in Dumbartonshire and Stirlingshire, which was erected into an earldom in the latter half of the 12th century. It embraced the ancient sheriffdom of Dumbarton and nineteen parishes with the whole of the lands round Loch Lomond.
Alwin, first earl of Lennox, died before 1217. The second Alwin had ten sons; one founded the clan Macfarlane. Maldouen, the 3rd earl, was a witness to the treaty between Alexander II., of Scotland, and Henry III., at Newcastle in 1237.
In 1392 the earldom reverted to the king, who re-granted it to Duncan the 8th earl. In 1424, when Murdoch, then duke of Al bany, ransomed James I. from his long captivity, Duncan went with the Scottish party to Durham, and next year he was exe cuted; the widowed duchess of Albany, now also countess of Lennox, lived at Inchmurrin, Loch Lomond, until her death. Eliza beth, her sister, marred Sir John Stewart of Darnley. Their grandson, Sir John Stewart, made a lord of parliament as Lord Darnley, became earl of Lennox in 1473. Matthew, 2nd earl of this line, left a son John, 3rd earl, who was murdered in 1526. His son Matthew, the 4th earl, married Margaret Douglas, the heir of the 6th earl of Angus by his wife, Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII. and widow of James IV. Their eldest son Henry Lord Darnley married Mary, queen of Scots. He was murdered in 1567, and his son James became king of Scotland.
The title passed from James VI. to the king's uncle, Charles; in 1578 it was granted to Robert Stewart, second son of John, 3rd earl, but he in 1580 exchanged it for that of earl of March, and the earldom of Lennox was given to Esme Stewart, grandson of the 3rd earl. In 1581 Esme became duke of Lennox, earl of
Darnley, Lord Aubigny, Tarboulton and Dalkeith. His son, Ludovic, was given his father's honours and estates, and was created Lord Settrington (1613), earl of Newcastle and duke of Richmond (1623). He died in 1624, being succeeded in his Scottish titles by his brother Esme, already earl of March, Lord Clifton of Leighton Bromswold (1619) and seigneur d'Aubigny in France. James, 4th duke of Lennox, was created duke of Rich mond in 1641. In 1660 the titles passed from the 5th duke to Charles, Lord Stuart of Newbury and earl of Lichfield. He was drowned in 1672, and his sister Katharine, wife of Henry O'Brien, heir apparent of the 7th earl of Thomond, was served heir to him. Her only daughter, the countess of Clarendon, was mother of Theodosia Hyde, ancestress of the present earls of Darnley.
The Lennox dukedom was given by Charles II., with the titles of earl of Darnley and Lord Tarbolton to Charles Lennox, duke of Richmond, earl of March and Lord Settrington, son of the duchess of Portsmouth. The ancient lands of Lennox he sold to the duke of Montrose.
The wife of the 4th duke, Lady Charlotte Gordon, brought her family estates to the Lennoxes; the additional name of Gordon being taken by the 5th duke of Richmond and of Lennox. The 6th duke was granted the titles of duke of Gordon and earl of Kinrara (1876).
See Scots Peerage, ed. by J. B. Paul, vol. v. (Edinburgh, 1904-11) ; The Lennox by William Fraser (Edinburgh, 1874) and G. E. C[okayne], Complete Peerage, vol. v., pp. 6o-68 (1893).