The Mormaer or Earl of Menteith was originally the ruler of the province of Menteith in the Middle Ages. The first mormaer is usually regarded as Gille CrÃst, simply because he is the earliest on record. The title was held in a continuous line from Gille Crist until Muireadhach IV (aka Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany), although the male line was broken on two occasions. A truncated version of the earldom was given two years later to Malise Graham, 1st Earl of Menteith, in compensation for loss of the Earldom of Strathearn, which was a likely result of the execution of the Duke of Albany.
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“Man differs more from Man, than Man from Beast.”
—John Wilmot, 2d Earl Of Rochester (16471680)