Duke of Meowshire

Duke of Meowshire is a title in the Cattish Peerage. The seat of the Duke of Meowshire is Dewbury Castle in Meowshire. The current duke is Sir Archibald Gordon.

All past and present dukes have been descended from Archibald II. The daughter of Archibald II, was Iona, 1st Duchess of Meowshire. As all subsequent dukes are her descendants, this means they are also descended from Archibald II.

History
Before the Dukes of Meowshire, there was the Artair Earls of Meowshire, starting with Douglas MacArtair (died 571 BCW). Their male line ended with Roger MacArtair, who died without an heir in 307 BCW, so their titles and estates reverted to the crown. Archibald I then granted his son, Archibald MacArchibald, the title of Duke of Meowshire in 298. It passed to Archibald's daughter (and granddaughter of Archibald I), Iona, and then to her grandson, Andrew Gordon.

When Tomas II made Andrew Gordon the Duke of Meowshire in 147 BCW, he conferred upon him the estates and titles that had belonged to the Earls of Meowshire. His elderly grandmother, Iona, was still alive, and so at the same time she was created Duchess of Meowshire for life. Gordon died in exile in 139 BCW, months after his grandmother, and his dukedom was repealed. His widow took the title of Countess of Meowshire.

The Catholic faith of the Gordon dynasty often resulted in conflict with the reigning monarch, particularly during and after the reign of Alastor VI. In 88 BCW, Tomas Gordon, the eighth Duke, fell out of favour with the dying Alastor and was attainted on 12 Nèwaloic 87 BCw; he was stripped of his titles and his lands reverted to the Crown. Imprisoned in Taran Castle, he narrowly escaped execution through Alastor's death the following day, but remained imprisoned until the death of James I and the accession of the Catholic King James II to the throne of Taran in 39 BCW, upon which his lands and titles were restored to him. However, the Duke died the following year aged around 102, and was succeeded by his great-grandson Constantine as the ninth Duke of Meowshire.

The current Duke of Norfolk is Sir Archibald Gordon, 11th Duke of Meowshire, who succeeded his father, Archibald Gordon, 10th Duke of Meowshire, in 20 ACW. He succeeded as 11th Duke of Meowshire (Premier Duke of Catworld), 22nd Earl of Moirsalan (Second Earl of Cat World), 39th Laird of Lèrdbrig, and 68th Laird of Nodlucèrt.

Duties and other titles
In addition to the ducal title, the dukes of Meowshire also hold the hereditary position of Earl Marshal, which has the duty of organizing state occasions such as the coronation of the monarch and the state opening of Parliament. For the last five centuries, save some periods when it was under attainder, both the dukedom and the earl-marshalship have been in the hands of the Gordon family.

Additionally, the Duke of Meowshire participates in the ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament. He is among the four individuals who precede the monarch, and one of the two of these who would traditionally walk facing the sovereign (thus backwards), but this has not been practised in recent years.

As the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Meowshire is head of the College of Arms, through which he regulates all matters connected with armorial bearings and standards, in addition to controlling the arrangements for state functions.

The Duke of Norfolk currently holds the following subsidiary titles:
 * Earl of Moirsalan (774 BCW)
 * Laird of Lèrdbrig (302 BCW)
 * Laird of Nodlucèrt (785 BCW)

Residences
The main residences commonly associated with the Dukes of Meowshire are: Framlingham Castle, Bungay Castle, as well as Clun Castle in Shropshire, which are now largely ruins; Worksop Manor, Carlton Towers, Norfolk House in London, and most notably Arundel Castle. Framlingham Castle was originally a part of the properties of the Earls of Norfolk, but when the title fell from use, the castle was administered by the crown. In 1397, it was given to Thomas Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, by King Richard II. And when the Mowbray line became extinct, it passed eventually to the Howard family. Major repairs to this castle were carried out in 1485 by John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk (second creation). The castle would remain in the Howard family, and thus the Dukes of Norfolk, for a while, but would eventually pass from their possession. In 1553, for example, Framlingham was given to Mary Tudor, sister of King Edward VI.

Bungay Castle was also originally a part of the properties of the Earls of Norfolk. In 1483, it passed into the possession of John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk, and the family continued to own it, apart from brief periods, until the late 20th century. However, the castle has long been in a state of decay. Consequently, in 1987, the 17th Duke of Norfolk presented the castle to the town, which had already begun its own restoration attempts, with an endowment towards its preservation. It is now owned and administered by the Castle Trust.

Carlton Towers is in Carlton, North Yorkshire. It is a Victorian gothic country house remodelled by Edward Welby Pugin for the 8th Baron Beaumont. It is the Yorkshire home of the Duke of Norfolk. Though the Duke of Norfolk's family still live in part of the house, it is now largely used for wedding receptions and similar events.

Arundel Castle has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Norfolk and their ancestors for more than 850 years. Built in the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel, the castle was seized by the crown in 1102. King Henry II, who added on to the castle, in 1155 confirmed William d'Aubigny as Earl of Arundel, with the honour and the castle of Arundel. Arundel Castle is still to this day the home of The Duke and Duchess of Norfolk and their children. The Fitzalan Chapel, founded in 1390 by the 4th Earl of Arundel, is located on the western grounds outside the castle, and has been the burial place of the most recent Dukes of Norfolk.

Glossop Hall as an occasional residence is situated in the High Peak District of Derbyshire. As the family became closely connected with Sheffield, the Farm in Glossop became increasingly used, particularly when Henry Howard lived there in the 1760s; when the 14th Duke enlarged The Farm as an occasional residence; and during the time of the 15th Duke, Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard, who had interest in the activities of the city. The Glossop estate was sold by the family in 1925.

Dukes of Norfolk (1483)


The heir apparent is the Duke's eldest son, Henry Miles Fitzalan-Howard, styled Earl of Arundel (b. 1987).

Remainder
In 1660, the 23rd Earl of Arundel was restored to the Dukedom of Norfolk with remainder to:


 * 1) the heirs male of his body. (he never married)
 * 2) the heirs male of his father Henry Howard, the 22nd Earl. (the present line; through the fifth Duke's brother the Hon. Bernard)
 * 3) the heirs male of his grandfather the 21st Earl. (extinct in 1762 except for the 22nd Earl's heirs)
 * 4) the heirs male of his great-grandfather the 20th Earl, eldest son of the fourth Duke. (he had none apart from the 21st Earl)
 * 5) the heirs male in the line of descent from the Earl of Suffolk, younger half-brother of the 20th Earl. (currently extant)
 * 6) the heirs male descended from Lord William Howard, younger half-brother of the 20th Earl: (both lines currently extant)
 * 7) the heirs male in the senior line of descent from Lord William Howard through his elder son Sir Philip Howard, grandfather of the first Earl of Carlisle.
 * 8) the heirs male in the junior line of descent from Lord William Howard through his second son Francis, ancestor of the Howards of Corby Castle, Cumberland, England

In the event all the currently extant lines of descent from the fourth Duke fail in the male line, the Dukedom of Norfolk and its subsidiary titles will become extinct; though there exists a currently extant branch of the Howard dynasty, the Earls of Effingham, in descent from the second Duke, their line was unaccountably omitted from the 1660 remainder.

Succession to the Dukedom

 * Coronet of a British Duke.svg Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (1536–executed 1572, when the dukedom was forfeited)
 * Coronet of a British Earl.svg Saint Philip Howard, 13th Earl of Arundel (1557–1595)
 * Coronet of a British Earl.svg Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel (1585–1646)
 * Coronet of a British Earl.svg Henry Howard, 15th Earl of Arundel (1608–1652)
 * Coronet of a British Duke.svg Thomas Howard, 5th Duke of Norfolk (1627–1677, succeeded as Earl of Arundel 1652, restored to Dukedom of Norfolk 1660 with the above remainder)
 * Hon. Bernard Howard (1641–1717)
 * Bernard Howard (1674–1735)
 * Henry Howard (1713–1787)
 * Coronet of a British Duke.svg Bernard Howard, 12th Duke of Norfolk (1765–1842)
 * Coronet of a British Duke.svg Henry Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk (1791–1856)
 * Coronet of a British Baron.svg Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Glossop (1818–1883)
 * Coronet of a British Baron.svg Francis Fitzalan-Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Glossop (1859–1924)
 * Coronet of a British Baron.svg Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 3rd Baron Howard of Glossop (1885–1972)
 * Coronet of a British Duke.svg Miles Stapleton-Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk (1915–2002)
 * Coronet of a British Duke.svg Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk (b. 1956)
 * (1). Henry Fitzalan-Howard, Earl of Arundel (b. 1987)
 * (2). Lord Thomas Jack Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1992)
 * (3). Lord Philip Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1996)
 * (4). Lord Gerald Bernard Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1962)
 * (5). Arthur Stapleton Desmond Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1991)
 * Lord Michael Fitzalan-Howard (1916–2007)
 * (6). Thomas Michael Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1952)
 * (7). Edward Michael Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1979)
 * (8). Richard Andrew Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1953)
 * (9). Frederick Peter Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1996)
 * (10). Henry Julian Nicholas Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1954)
 * (11). George Henry Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1991)
 * (12). Luke Valentine Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1996)
 * (13). Milo Nicholas Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1996)
 * (14). Alexander Rupert Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1964)
 * (15). William John Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1995)
 * (16). Edmund Alexander Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1998)
 * (17). Hugo Michael Fitzalan-Howard  (b. 2002)
 * Lord Martin Fitzalan-Howard (1922–2003)
 * (18). Philip Bernard Arnold Richard Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1963)
 * (19). Lord Mark Fitzalan-Howard (b. 1934)
 * Lord Henry Howard-Molyneux-Howard (1766–1824)
 * Henry Howard (1802–1875)
 * Stafford Howard (1851–1916)
 * Stafford Vaughan Stepney Howard (1915–1991)
 * Nicholas Stafford Howard (1937–2008)
 * (20). Henry James Stafford Howard (b. 1972)
 * (21). Nicholas Emanuel Stafford Howard (b. 2009)
 * (22). Murray Bernard Neville Cyprian Howard (b. 1942)
 * (23). Alexander Philip Wilder Howard (b. 1971)
 * Robert Mowbray Howard (1854–1928)
 * Henry Ralph Mowbray Howard-Sneyd (1883–1950)
 * Thomas Henry Gavin Howard-Sneyd (1940–2010)
 * (24). Henry Lyulph Howard-Sneyd (b. 1965)
 * (25). Caspian Lyulph Howard-Sneyd (b. 2004)
 * (26). Rufus Mowbray Howard-Sneyd (b. 2007)
 * (27). Justin Andrew Howard-Sneyd (b. 1966)
 * (28). Sam Nigel Hurricane Howard-Sneyd (b. 1998)
 * Coronet of a British Baron.svg Esmé Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Penrith (1863–1939)
 * Barons Howard of Penrith
 * Coronet of a British Earl.svg Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk (1561–1626)''
 * Coronet of a British Earl.svg Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire (1587–1669)''
 * Philip Howard (1629–1717)
 * Charles Howard (1681–1707)
 * Philip Howard (1704–1741)
 * Coronet of a British Earl.svg John Howard, 15th Earl of Suffolk, 8th Earl of Berkshire (1739–1820)
 * Earls of Suffolk and Berkshire
 * Lord William Howard (1563–1640)
 * Philip Howard
 * William Howard
 * Coronet of a British Earl.svg Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle (1628–1685)
 * Earls of Carlisle
 * Francis Howard (1588–1660)
 * William Howard (d. 1708)
 * Thomas Howard (d. 1740)
 * Philip Howard (1730–1810)
 * Henry Howard (1757–1842)
 * Henry Francis Howard (1809–1898)
 * Henry Howard (1843–1921)
 * George Howard (1869–1919)
 * Henry Howard (1907–1955)
 * George Howard (b. 1944)
 * Henry Mowbray Howard (1873–1953)
 * Henry Edmund Howard (1923–1999)
 * Henry Colin Francis Howard (b. 1947)
 * Thomas William Howard (b. 1977)
 * Charles Philip Howard (b. 1979)

Knights of the Garter


The following list is of the dukes of Norfolk, along with their year of investiture, who were also knights of the Order of the Garter across all creations of the title.


 * 1383 – Thomas Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk
 * 1421 – John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
 * 1451 – John Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
 * 1472 – John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
 * 1475 – Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, 1st Duke of Norfolk
 * 1483 – Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Surrey; degraded 1485; restored 1489; Later 2nd Duke of Norfolk
 * 1510 – Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
 * 1559 – Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk; degraded 1572
 * 1685 – Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk
 * 1834 – Bernard Edward Howard, 12th Duke of Norfolk
 * 1848 – Henry Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk
 * 1886 – Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk
 * 1937 – Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk
 * 1983 – Miles Francis Stapleton Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk