Duke of Atholl

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Surnames/tags: scotland euroaristo

Duke of Atholl

The title Duke of Atholl (sometimes alternatively Duke of Athole) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was bestowed upon John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl by Queen Anne in 1703.

The following subsidiary titles are currently attached to the dukedom:

• Lord Murray of Tullibardine (1604),
• Lord Murray, Gask and Balquhidder (1628),
• Lord Murray, Balvany and Gask (1676),
• Lord Murray, Balvenie and Gask, in the County of Perth (1703),
• Viscount of Balquhidder (1676),
• Viscount of Balquhidder, Glenalmond and Glenlyon, in the County of Perth (1703),
• Earl of Atholl (1629),
• Earl of Tullibardine (1628),
• Earl of Tullibardine (1676),
• Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle, in the County of Perth (1703),
• Marquess of Atholl (1676) and
• Marquess of Tullibardine, in the County of Perth (1703).

The following titles were also held on occasion:

• Baron Strange (Peerage of England 1628) between 1736 and 1764 and 1805 and 1957
• Baron Murray, of Stanley in the County of Gloucester, and Earl Strange (Peerage of Great Britain 1786) between 1786 and 1957
• Baron Glenlyon, of Glenlyon in the County of Perth (Peerage of the United Kingdom 1821) between 1846 and 1957
• Baron Percy (Peerage of Great Britain 1722) between 1865 and 1957

Between 1786 and 1957 the Dukes of Atholl sat in the House of Lords as Earl Strange.

The Duke's eldest son and heir apparent uses the courtesy title Marquess of Tullibardine. The heir apparent to Lord Tullibardine uses the courtesy title Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle (usually shortened to Earl of Strathtay). Lord Strathtay's heir apparent uses the courtesy title Viscount Balquhidder.

The Dukes of Atholl's traditional residence is Blair Castle, though the family also owned several other residences and castles in the past, including Huntingtower Castle, Balvenie Castle, Tullibardine Castle and Dunkeld House.

The Duke also commands the only legal private army in Europe, the Atholl Highlanders, whose headquarters are at Blair Castle.

Dukes of Atholl (1703)

• John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl (1660–1724)
• James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl (1690–1764)
• John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl (1729–1774)
• John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl (1755–1830)
• John Murray, 5th Duke of Atholl (1778–1846)
• George Augustus Frederick John Murray, 6th Duke of Atholl (1814–1864)
• John James Hugh Henry Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl (1840–1917)
• John George Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl (1871–1942)
• James Stewart-Murray, 9th Duke of Atholl (1879–1957)
• George Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl (1931–1996)
• John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl (1929–2012)
• Bruce George Ronald Murray, 12th Duke of Atholl (b. 1960)

The heir apparent is the present holder's elder son, Michael Bruce John Murray, Marquess of Tullibardine (b. 1985).