Earldom of Fife

E592405

The Earldom of Fife was one of medieval Scotland’s most powerful and prestigious earldoms, traditionally associated with the ancient mormaers of Fife and key roles in the Scottish royal succession.

All labels observed (5)

Label Occurrences
Earldom of Fife canonical 13
earldom of Fife 7
Mormaerdom of Fife 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Scottish earldom
medieval Scottish title
associatedWithPerson Alexander III of Scotland
David I of Scotland
Robert II of Scotland
Robert the Bruce
associatedWithSite Scone
associatedWithTitle Mormaer of Fife
category Medieval Scotland
Scottish nobility
country Kingdom of Scotland
decline power diminished after late 14th century
ethnicOrigin Pictish-Gaelic aristocracy
feudalType territorial earldom
governedTerritory lands between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth
province of Fife
heldByDynasty MacDuff family
linked to: House of MacDuff
heldByFamily Clan MacDuff
historicalEra High Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
importanceInSuccession key role in legitimising royal succession in Scotland
involvedIn Wars of Scottish Independence
languageOfAdministration Latin
languageOfElite Scottish Gaelic
laterLanguageOfElite Scots
linkedToOffice hereditary justiciar of Fife
hereditary royal standard-bearer of Scotland
locatedIn Fife
eastern Scotland
nobleRank earl
notableHolder Colbán, Earl of Fife
Donnchad I, Earl of Fife
Donnchad II, Earl of Fife
Donnchad III, Earl of Fife
Donnchad IV, Earl of Fife
Isabella, Countess of Fife
Máel Coluim I, Earl of Fife
Máel Coluim II, Earl of Fife
Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany
peerage Peerage of Scotland
politicalStatus one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval Scotland
premier earldom of Scotland by precedence
predecessor Mormaerdom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
rankInPeerage highest-ranking earldom in medieval Scottish peerage
relatedTitle Duke of Fife
succession hereditary title
successionLaw largely agnatic succession within MacDuff kindred
symbolicRole guardian of Scottish kingship rituals
traditionalRight right to inaugurate the King of Scots
right to place the crown on the monarch at Scone

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (23)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Colbán, Earl of Fife feudalLordOf Earldom of Fife
Donnchad IV, Earl of Fife associatedWith Scottish earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Donnchad IV, Earl of Fife governedTerritory earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Máel Coluim I, Earl of Fife associatedWith earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Donnchad VII, Earl of Fife heldPrestigiousOffice earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Donnchad VII, Earl of Fife jurisdiction earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Mary de Monthermer marriageTerritory Earldom of Fife
Donnchad II, Earl of Fife jurisdiction Earldom of Fife
Earls of Fife governedTerritory earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Countess of Fife governingJurisdiction earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Earldom of Fife predecessor Mormaerdom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Lady of Fife associatedWith Earldom of Fife
John de Kinross connectedTo Earldom of Fife
Mormaer of Fife transformedInto feudal earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
House of Fife heldTitle Earldom of Fife
Ada, Countess of Fife nobleFamily Earldom of Fife
MacDuff, Earl of Fife governs earldom of Fife
linked to: Earldom of Fife
Donnchad VIII, Earl of Fife heldEarldom Earldom of Fife