Isle of Man

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Interesting material that relate to the genealogy of its residents and rulers.

King of Man

The house of Stanley came into possession of the Island of Man in 1406. In the year 1493, the Earl of Salisbury, then King of the Island, sold it, with his crown and title of King, to Sir William Le Scrope. Deed of sale: "Sir William Le Scroop bought of William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, the Isle of Man, with the title of King, and the right of being crowned with a golden crown" Sir Wm. Le Scrope, afterwards Earl of Wiltshire, was found guilty of high treason and beheaded, when Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, was granted the Island by King Henry IV, and he also having been attainted, was deprived of it by act of Parliament, and the Island was ordered to be seized for the King’s use; but seven years afterwards it was granted by the King to Sir John Stanley, his heirs and successors, under the title of King.

Henry IV gave the Isle of Man to Sir John Stanley, "who was called King of Man, & so stil'd himselfe & all his Successors, to Thomas II Earl of Derby, as appeares by several Writings under their on Hands. But since, of Modestie or Policie, I know not well which, they have call'd themselves only Lords of Man"^[1]

There was dispute about this property between the three daughters of Ferdinand Earl of Derby and Ferdinand's brother William, which Queen Elizabeth not being ignorant, that not only kivers Runagates of the English but Spaniards (her Enemies) might resort thither; committed the Charge thereof to Sir Thomas Gerard, knight while the judiciary decided. The judiciary declared that the Stanleys & Earls of Derby had no good Title because Henry Earl of Northumberland was not attainted by Parliament at the time it was granted to John Stanley. Stanley and the King agreed that the grant needed to be surrendered and cancelled. Then James seventh Earl of Derby paid divers summs to quit their claims to the other parties.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Rev F R Raines, ed., Isle of Man, "The Stanley Papers Part III", Remains Historical & Literary connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester, LXX, ( The Chetham Society, 1867), https://archive.org/stream/chethammiscellan70chet#page/4/mode/2up pp.4-5.