- Peerages according to reign
This page is about dukedoms in the Peerages of the British Isles, and which monarch created them.It does not include monarchs who reigned before 1603.
Peerage of England
=Created by Charles II (1660-1685)=Duke of Richmond This title was created in 1675 for Charles Lennox, an illegitimate son of the king. It still exists. Now held by the Gordon-Lennox family.
Duke of Grafton Also created in 1675 and also for an illegitimate son of the king, this is still in existence today.
Duke of Beaufort In recognition of his "having been eminently serviceable for the king since his most happy restoration, in consideration thereof and of his most noble descent from King Edward III by John de Beaufort, eldest son of John of Gaunt by Katherine Swynford", Charles II created Henry Somerset Duke of Beaufort in 1682.
Duke of St Albans Created in 1684 for yet another illegitimate son of the king (for a full list, click here).
Created by William III (1689-1702) and Mary II (1688-1694)
Duke of Bedford Following the
Glorious Revolution , William III's prominent supporter William Russell was created 1st Duke of Bedford.Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish (pictured below) was another loyal supporter of William III, and he, like Bedford, was elevated to ducal rank in 1694 as Duke of Devonshire.
=Created by Queen Anne (1702-1714) (until 1707)=Duke of Marlborough John Churchill , the excellent English general of Queen Anne's reign, won many a victory over the France ofLouis XIV . He was rewarded with a dukedom in 1703.Duke of Rutland Created for politician John Manners in 1703. He was noted for being one of the first people in England to obtain a divorce- by special act of Parliament.
Peerage of Scotland This list comprises the names of the dukes of Scotland created between 1603 and 1707.
Created by Charles I (1625-1649)
Duke of Hamilton (1643)Created for general James Hamilton in 1643. Now held by the Douglas-Hamilton family.
Created by Charles II (1660-1685)
Duke of Buccleuch (1663)Created in the peerage of Scotland for an illegitimate son of the king, James Crofts, also 1st Duke of Monmouth. The dukedom of Monmouth was stripped from him in 1685, but Buccleuch remains.
Duke of Lennox (1675)This is in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created as an extra dukedom for the Duke of Richmond, and still exists. Now held by the Gordon-Lennox family.
Duke of Queensberry (1684)Created in 1684 for politician William Douglas, also 1st Marquess of Queensberry, the 2nd Duke was created 1st Duke of Dover in 1708, but this became extinct when the 3rd duke died seventy years later. In 1810, the title was inherited by the 3rd Duke of Buccleuch, in whose family it remains.
Created by William III (1689-1702) and Mary II (1688-1694)
Duke of Argyll (1701)This title was created in 1701 for the noted general Archibald Campbell, effective ruler of Scotland on behalf of William III. In 1719 the 2nd duke became 1st Duke of Greenwhich, but this became extinct upon his death in 1743.
=Created by Queen Anne (1702-1714) (until 1707)=Duke of Atholl (1703)In 1703, the politician John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, was promoted to being 1st Duke of Atholl.
Duke of Montrose (1707)When the Act of Union was being passed as a matter of urgency in 1707, James Graham was integral to its support in Scotland. He was rewarded by being styled 1st Duke of Montrose from 1707 (he was previously the 4th Marquess).
Duke of Roxburghe (1707)John Ker also played an important part in the affairs surrounding the Union, so he too, like Montrose was gazetted in 1707- the last in the Peerage of Scotland.
Peerage of Ireland This is the ancient peerage abolished in 1801 after Great Britain was united with Ireland. However, a title was created in it in 1868 for various reasons.
=Created by George III (1760-1820) (until 1801)=Duke of Leinster (1766)An Irish nobleman, James FitzGerald was 20th Earl of Kildare before he became 1st Duke of Leinster in 1766. Strangely, this pillar of British colonialism was the father of the Irish revolutionary
Lord Edward FitzGerald
=Created by Queen Victoria (1837-1901) (specially revived)=Duke of Abercorn (1868)Named for Abercorn in Lothian, this was somewhat bizarrely created in the Peerage of Ireland, formally abolished in 1801. This was because Abercorn was the
Viceroy of Ireland , and so wanted to be remembered there.Peerage of Great Britain After the 1707 Union of Scotland and England, the new Peerage of Great Britain came into being. It existed until 1801.
=Creations by Queen Anne (1702-1714) (from 1707)=Duke of Brandon (1711)In 1711, the title Duke of Brandon was created for the 4th Duke of Hamilton, so that he would be wooed to accepting the union (he was a powerful opponent). However, he died the next year in a duel.
=Creations by George I (1714-1727)=
=Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1715)=Created for the future Prime Minister
Duke of Manchester (1719)Created in 1719 for Charles Montagu, 4th Earl of Montagu, a politician.
=Created by George II (1727-1760)=
=Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne (1757)=Created for the 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the Prime Minister, as his dukedom of Newcastle-upon-Tyne would become extinct on his death, this was created with a special remainder to his nephew, the Earl of Lincoln. It became extinct in 1988. The last duke was an expert
lepidopterist
=Creations by George III (1760-1820) (until 1801)=Duke of Northumberland (1766)The first duke was an Earl who was elevated to the status of Duke in 1766. His illegitimate son founded the
Smithsonian Institution . The Percys, who hold this title, own some of the most beautiful properties in England..Peerage of the United Kingdom Since Great Britain and Ireland were united in 1801, the Peerage of the United Kingdom existed. Although the Union was dissolved in 1922 and Ireland became a Republic in 1949, this peerage still remains.
=Created by George III (1760-1820) (from 1801)=Duke of Wellington (1814)In 1814, George, Prince Regent, created Arthur Wellesly Duke of Wellington. Wellington was a military commander who gained great fame fighting
Napoleon and eventually became Prime Minister twice.
=Created by William IV (1830-1837)=Duke of Sutherland (1833)George Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford, was instrumental in the
Highland Clearances . William IV created him Duke of Sutherland on 28th January 1833.
=Created by Queen Victoria (1837-1901)=Duke of Westminster (1874)Hugh Grosvenor was one of the richest men in The Empire and already the Marquess of Westminster. In 1874 he was raised to the highest rank in the peerage. His descendant, the 6th and current Duke, was the richest man in Britain for many years.
Duke of Gordon (1876)In 1876, the title Duke of Gordon was created. This was so that Charles Gordon-Lennox, who was 6th Duke of Richmond in the Peerage of England and 6th Duke of Lennox in the Peerage of Scotland, could have a rank in the British peerage.
Duke of Argyll (1892)As George Campbell's son was married to Queen Victoria's daughter, Louise, and seeing as he was 8th Duke of Argyll in the Peerage of Scotland, in 1892 he became 1st Duke of Argyll in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
Duke of Fife (1900)In 1889, Alexander Duff, Earl Fife, married Princess Louise of Wales, a daughter of the future Edward VII, and was duly made Duke of Fife, with the usual restrictions on the female line, meaning that only males could inherit. When it became apparent that Fife would not father a son, the conditions was changed so that his daughters Alexandra and Maud could inherit, and so the title was recreated.
=Created by George V (1910-1936)=Duke of Kent (1934)George V's son, Prince George, was created Duke of Kent prior to his marriage to Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. The title is held by his son, but when he dies the dukedom shall rank below the Duke of Fife. It currently ranks behind the dukedom of Gloucester.
Duke of Gloucester (1935)Created in 1935 for Prince Henry, just before he married Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott. This dukedom currently ranks above the dukedoms of Kent all other dukedoms created before it. However, once the present Duke, Prince Richard, dies, it shall rank lowest.
=Created by George VI (1936-1952)=Duke of Edinburgh (1947)This title is still held by the first duke. It was created for Philip Mountbatten, the former Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, who was engaged to King George's daughter, Princess Elizabeth. The subsidiary titles are
Earl of Merioneth andBaron Greenwich .
=Created by Elizabeth II (Since 1952)=Duke of York (1986)
This title was initiated by The Queen for her second son,
Prince Andrew . He has held it since his marriage in 1986.The subsidiary titles areEarl of Inverness andBaron Killyleagh .
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