Earl of Orkney
The Earl of Orkney was originally a Norse jarl ruling the archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. Originally founded by Norse invaders, the status of the rulers of the Norðreyjar as Norwegian vassals was formalised in 1195. Although the Old Norse term jarl is etymologically related to "earl", and the jarls were succeeded by earls in the late 15th century, a Norwegian jarl is not the same thing. In the Norse context the distinction between jarls and kings did not become significant until the late 11th century and the early jarls would therefore have had considerable independence of action until that time. The position of Jarl of Orkney was eventually the most senior rank in mediaeval Norway except for the king himself.
The jarls were periodically subject to the kings of Alba for those parts of their territory in what is now mainland Scotland. In 1232, a Scottish dynasty descended from the Mormaers of Angus replaced the previous family descended from the late 10th century jarl Torf-Einarr, although the Norðreyjar remained formally subject to Norway. This family was in turn replaced by the descendants of the Mormaers of Strathearn and later still by the Sinclair family, during whose time Orkney and Shetland became part of Scotland.
The second earldom was created by James VI of Scotland in 1581 for his half-uncle Robert Stewart but after only two incumbents the title was forfeited in 1614. After the third creation of 1696, which title still exists today, the earls' influence on Orcadian affairs became negligible.
Norse Jarls
, Earl of Møre fl. 865–890 is sometimes credited with being the founder of the jarldom. By implication the Orkneyinga saga identifies him as such for he is given "dominion" over Orkney and Shetland by King Harald Finehair, although there is no concrete suggestion he ever held the title. The Heimskringla states that his brother Sigurd was the first to formally hold the title.Sigurd's son Guthorm ruled for a year and died childless. Rognvald's son Hallad then inherited the title. However, unable to constrain Danish raids on Orkney, he gave up the earldom and returned to Norway, which "everyone thought was a huge joke". Torf-Einarr then succeeded in defeating the Danes and founded a dynasty which retained control of the islands for centuries after his death. Smyth concludes that the role of the brothers Eysteinsson lacks historical credibility and that Torf-Einarr “may be regarded as the first historical earl of Orkney”.
Drawing on Adam of Bremen's assertion that Orkney was not conquered until the time of Harald Hardrada, who ruled Norway from 1043–66, Woolf speculates that Sigurd “the Stout” Hlodvirsson, Torf-Einarr’s great-grandson, may have been the first Earl of Orkney. Dates are largely conjectural, at least until his death recorded in 1014.
Assuming Torf-Einarr is a genuine historical figure, all of the subsequent earls were descended from him, save for Sigurd Magnusson, whose short rule was imposed by his father Magnus Barelegs, and who later became Sigurd I of Norway.
One of the main sources for the lives and times of these earls is the Orkneyinga saga, which has been described as having "no parallel in the social and literary record of Scotland". One of the key events of the saga is the "martyrdom" of Earl Magnus Erlendsson, later Saint Magnus, c. 1115. The last quarter of the saga is taken up with a lengthy tale of Earl Rögnvald Kali Kolsson and Sweyn Asleifsson — indeed the oldest version ends with the latter's death in 1171.
After the murder of Earl Jon Haraldsson some sixty years later, Magnus, son of Gille Brigte became the first of the Scottish earls. He may have been a descendant of Earl Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, although this has never been corroborated. However, the line of specifically Norse earls is said to have come to an end when Earl Magnus II was granted his title by Haakon IV of Norway c. 1236.
| Name | Byname | Relationship to predecessor | Rule commences | Rule ends |
| Sigurd Eysteinsson | Sigurðr inn riki "the Mighty" | Brother of Rognvald Eysteinsson | c. 892 | |
| Guthorm Sigurdsson | Son of Sigurd Eysteinsson | c. 892 | c. 893 | |
| Hallad Rognvaldsson | Son of Rognvald Eysteinsson | c. 893 | c. 895 | |
| Einarr Rognvaldsson | Torf-Einarr "Turf"-Einarr | Son of Rognvald Eysteinsson | c. 895 | 910 |
| Arnkel Torf-Einarsson | Son of Torf-Einarr Rognvaldsson | 910 | Date of death based on the assumption Arnkel and Erlend Turf-Einarsson died at the Battle of Stainmore beside Eric Bloodaxe. | |
| Erlend Torf-Einarsson | Son of Torf-Einarr Rognvaldsson | 910 | with Arnkel and Thorfinn to 954 | |
| Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson | Þorfinnr hausakljúfr "Skull-splitter" | Son of Torf-Einarr Rognvaldsson | 910 | with Erlend and Arnkel to 954 alone 954–963 |
| Arnfinn Thorfinnsson | Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson | 963 | ||
| Havard Thorfinnsson | Hávarðr inn ársæli "Harvest-happy" | Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson | On Arnfinn's death | |
| Ljot Thorfinnsson | Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson | On Havard's death | c. 980 | |
| Hlodvir Thorfinnsson | Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson | c. 980 | 991 | |
| Sigurd Hlodvirsson | Sigurðr digri "the Stout" | Son of Hlodvir Thorfinnsson | 991 | 1014 |
| Sumarlidi Sigurdsson | Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson | 1014 | "He died in his bed not long after his father's death" and is not referred to in an incident dated to 1018. | |
| Brusi Sigurdsson | Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson | 1014 | with Einar and Sumarlidi to 1016 with Einar to 1025 with Einar and Thorfinn to c. 1031 | |
| Einar Sigurdsson | Einar rangmunnr "Wry-mouth" | Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson | 1014 | with Brusi and Sumarlidi to 1016 with Brusi to 1025 with Brusi and Thorfinn to 1026 |
| Thorfinn Sigurdsson | Þorfinnr inn riki "the Mighty" | Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson | c. 1025 | with Brusi and Einar to 1026 with Brusi to 1031 alone to 1036 with Rögnvald 1036 to 1046 alone to c.1064 |
| Rögnvald Brusason | Son of Brusi Sigurdsson | c. 1036 | with Thorfinn to c. 1046 | |
| Paul Thorfinnsson | Son of Thorfinn Sigurdsson | 1064 | with Erlend to 1098 | |
| Erlend Thorfinnsson | Son of Thorfinn Sigurdsson | 1064 | with Paul to 1098 | |
| Sigurd Magnusson | Sigurðr Jórsalafari "the Jerusalem-farer" | Son of Magnus Barelegs | 1098 | 1103 |
| Haakon Paulsson | Son of Paul Thorfinsson | 1104 | alone to 1106 with Magnus to 1116 alone to 1123 | |
| Magnus Erlendsson | Later "Saint Magnus" | Son of Erlend Thorfinnsson | 1106 | with Haakon to 1116 |
| Harald Haakonsson | "Smooth-tongue" | Son of Haakon Paulsson | 1123 | with Paul to c. 1130 |
| Paul Haakonsson | Son of Haakon Paulsson | 1123 | with Harald to 1130 alone to 1136 | |
| Rögnvald Kali Kolsson | Later "Saint Rögnvald" | Son of Gunnhild, daughter of Erlend Thorfinnsson | 1136 | alone to 1138 with Harald Maddadsson 1138 to 1151 and 1154 to 1158 with Harald and Erlend Haraldsson 1151 to 1154 |
| Harald Maddadsson | "the Old" | Son of Margaret, daughter of Haakon Paulsson | 1138 | with Rögnvald to 1151 and 1154 to 1158 with Rögnvald and Erlend Haraldsson 1151 to 1154 alone 1158 to 1191 with Harald Eiriksson to 1198 alone to 1206 |
| Erlend Haraldsson | Son of Harald Haakonsson | 1151 | with Harald Maddadsson and Rögnvald Kali Kolsson to 1154 | |
| Harald Eiriksson | Haraldr ungi "the Young" | Son of Ingiríðr, daughter of Rögnvald Kali Kolsson | 1191 | with Harald Maddadsson to 1198 |
| David Haraldsson | Son of Harald Maddadsson | 1206 | with Jon to 1214 | |
| Jon Haraldsson | Son of Harald Maddadsson | 1206 | with David to 1214 alone to 1231 |
Scottish Jarls under the Norwegian Crown
After the close of the Jarls' Saga on the death of Jon Haraldsson in 1230, the history of Orkney is "plunged into a darkness which is illuminated by very few written sources". The first jarl known to have held the title after the Norse dynasty came to and end in 1230 was Magnus II but the title may have been held by an unknown other prior to his investiture. Although successive Jarls of Orkney were related, they each acquired the position by being personally appointed to the role by the Norwegian king; the Jarldom was not inheritable.The Angus Jarls
Strathearn and Sinclair Jarls
The lack of haste with which a new title was granted by the Norwegians to Orkney has led to the suggestion that Magnus Jonsson may have had an heir who was a minor, but who died before 1330. It is also likely that unravelling the genealogy of his potential successors and providing proofs of their descent was a time-consuming project. Whatever the reason, about a decade after Magnus's death the title was granted to Maol Íosa, Mormaer of Strathearn, a distant relative of Earl Gilbert. He ruled Orkney and Caithness from 1330 to 1350 and had several daughters, but no sons.The earldom was then left vacant for about three years, following which Erengisle Suneson was a titular earl for a few years but when his right to the title lapsed prior to 1360 the jarldom lay vacant again. Haakon VI, the Norwegian king, had married the daughter of Valdemar IV, the King of Denmark. The sudden death of the Swedish king's rebel son, from plague, triggered the foreign policy obligations Haakon had to Valdemar, as a result of the marriage. These drew Haakon's attention away from Orkney, until the death of Valdemar, in 1375.
In 1375, Haakon decided upon Alexander of Ard, the son of Maol Íosa's daughter Matilda and Weland of Ard as Suneson's successor. However, Alexander was merely appointed "Lieutenant, Captain and Keeper" of Orkney for a year on 30 June 1375. This was to be a probationary role, the intention being that if Haakon had been satisfied by Alexander's behaviour after a year, he would be appointed as jarl. However, Haakon did not do so, possibly because Alexander failed to deal with the violence that had become rife during the long absence of an earl's authority. In 1379, the jarldom was granted to another grandson of Maol Íosa, Henry Sinclair, by Haakon VI on 2 August 1379.
| Name | Relationship to predecessor | Rule commences | Rule ends |
| Maol Íosa | A descendant of Malise II, Earl of Strathearn and Matilda, a daughter of Earl Gilbert. | 1330 | 1350 |
| Vacant | 1350 | 1353 | |
| Erengisle Suneson | Married to Agneta, daughter of Maol Íosa. | 1353 | before 1360 |
| Vacant | before 1360 | 1375 | |
| Alexander of Ard | Son of Maol Íosa's daughter Matilda and Weland of Ard. Appointed as "Lieutenant" only. | 1375 | 1376? |
| Vacant | 1376 | 1379 | |
| Henry Sinclair | Son of Maol Íosa's daughter Isabella and William de Sinclair of Rosslyn. | 1379 | 1401 |
| Henry II | Son of Henry I | 1404? | 1420 |
| William | Son of Henry II. David Menzies acted as "Guardian" from 1422-1434. William was de facto jarl from 1424. He was granted the newly created title "Earl of Caithness" in 1455. | 1434 | 1470 |
When James III of Scotland married Margaret of Denmark, her father, Christian I, king of the Kalmar Union, was unable to immediately provide a dowry. Instead, he promised that he would provide the dowry at a later date, and pledged the Norðreyjar as security for his promise. In 1470, James persuaded William to quitclaim his rights over Orkney and Shetland only, in return for lands in Fife; technically the Norðreyjar remained in existence as a Norwegian Jarldom, but William's authority became limited to the mainland parts, while Orkney and Sheltland became jarl-free. After a few years, it became clear that the dowry was unlikely ever to be paid, so in 1472, James declared the Norðreyjar to be forfeit. As an immediate consequence, the diocese of Caithness was transferred from the Archdiocese of Niðaróss, in Norway, to that of St Andrews, in Scotland.
Scottish Earls
Dukes of Orkney
- The next Orkney title was the dukedom of Orkney, which was given to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1567. Later that year, however, he forfeited the title when Mary was forced to abdicate.
Earls of Orkney, Second Creation
| Name | Relationship to predecessor | Rule commences | Rule ends |
| Robert Stewart | Illegitimate son of James V | 1581 | 1593 |
| Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney | Son of Robert Stewart | 1593 | 1614 |
Earls of Orkney, Third Creation (1696)
The last creation of the earldom was in favour of the man who in 1735 would become the first Field Marshal of Great Britain, Lord George Hamilton, the fifth son of William Douglas, Duke of Hamilton. The peerage was created with "remainder to the heirs whatsoever of his body", meaning that the title can be passed on through both male and female lines. The title passed to the O'Brien family, then to the Fitzmaurice family, and later to the St John family. The subsidiary titles of Viscount of Kirkwall and Lord Dechmont were created at the same time as the earldom.None of these earls appear to have any connection with Orkney other than the honorific itself. The current earl, for example, was born and lives in Canada.
| Name | Relationship to predecessor | Period |
| George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney | - | 1695–1737 |
| Anne O'Brien, 2nd Countess of Orkney | Daughter of 1st Earl | 1737-1756 |
| Mary O'Brien, 3rd Countess of Orkney | Daughter of 2nd Countess | 1756-1790 |
| Mary FitzMaurice, 4th Countess of Orkney | Daughter of 3rd Countess | 1790-1831 |
| Thomas FitzMaurice, 5th Earl of Orkney | Grandson of 4th Countess | 1831-1877 |
| George FitzMaurice, 6th Earl of Orkney | Son of 5th Earl | 1877-1889 |
| Edmond FitzMaurice, 7th Earl of Orkney | Nephew of 6th Earl | 1889-1951 |
| Cecil FitzMaurice, 8th Earl of Orkney | First cousin twice removed of 7th Earl - great-grandson of Frederick Fitzmaurice, third son of the fifth Earl. | 1951-1998 |
| Peter St John, 9th Earl of Orkney | Third cousin of 8th Earl | 1998 to date. |
The 9th Earl is the son of Frederick Oliver St John, son of Isabella Annie Fitzmaurice, daughter of James Terence Fitzmaurice, fifth son of the fifth Earl. The heir apparent is the present holder's son Oliver Robert St John, who holds the courtesy title, Viscount Kirkwall.