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| The Royal Cypher of King Robert III. |
THE ROYAL CYPHER
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram or monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign which is typically displayed on royal, state and public buildings, military and police badges ,postboxes and official documents.
On 15th July 2023 H.R.H. Sovereign Lord Robert Newland's long awaited cypher was officially unveiled. The design was selected by Lord Newland himself from a series of designs prepared by The Crown Studio. The cypher consists of the initials of his name, Robert, and title, Rex – Latin for King, alongside three roman numerals which denotes Robert III, - the third to reign as Monarch of the Royal House of Newland. Above the letters is a representation of the Newland bimetal Or and Argent (Gold and Silver) Crown of Sovereignty.
The cypher is the personal property of Sovereign Lord Newland and is used by the Royal Household on official documents and letters etc.
THE ROYAL STANDARD NEWLAND FLAG
'The Sovereign Jack'
The Newland Royal Standard Flag.
The colours of H.R.H. the Sovereign Lord of Scotland.
BLAZON
Or and sable quartered field with a fess point charge of the Royal Scots Intescutcheon; gules rampant lion armed with langued azure within a gules double tressure flory-counter-flory of the second upon a or field. |
| The Sovereign Jack - The Royal Standard of the Kingdom of Newland. |
'The Sovereign Jack' is the Royal Standard flag of H.R.H. Lord Newland, the Sovereign Lord of Scotland; - the Royal House of Newland. In the center of the flag is the Royal Banner Shield of the King of Scots, which servers as an obvious reference to Scotland. The field (background) behind the Scots Banner Shield is divided up into four equal quarters; two gold and two black. The gold quarters represent the gold of the Royal Sovereign Shield as seen on Lord Newland's Royal Coat of Arms, while the black quarters represent the 'Chief' that marks the border of Royal Sovereign Shield that is known in heraldry as a 'Gold Chief Border'. The field colours and layout are consistent of the Maritime Signal Flag 'L'. Martine law states the 'L' signal flag or as it is sometimes called 'The Yellow Jack' must be flown when a ship is in quarantine to serve as a warning to others to keep away as there is plague aboard. When Lord Newland's ancestor Prince John, Master of Sutherland in 1367 changed his name and title to become King William Newland, The Sovereign Lord of Scotland, he did this by being put into a state of quarantine. Therefore this plague/quarantine signal flag meaning thus fits perfectly to the classic historic reference; 'Died of the Plague' which has been slavishly used to exclude and quarantine the House of Newland from its place in history. The Sovereign Jack flies over the Caput Regnum 'Newland Geo Realm' and serves as a symbolic statement to the UK Government and All UK authorities, Civil and Military, that the territory is of the Independent Free Sovereign State - The Royal House and Kingdom of Newland.
The lion is a very diverse symbol commonly used in heraldry and elsewhere such as corporate logos and club badges. It traditionally symbolises courage, nobility, strength, justice, stateliness, valour and royalty; referred to as 'the KING of the beasts,' it is a symbol of Kingly power and might.
The rampant red lion within a double flory tressure is arguably the most recognized symbol of Scotland. It can be found on both the Royal standard flag and the Royal Scots Coat of Arms. King William I of Scotland, (c.1142, d.1214) who became known as 'William the Lion', is generally credited with adopting the lion for a symbol of Scotland due to his royal standard flag, which depicted a red rampant lion with a forked tail on a yellow background. It was referred to as the 'Lion of Justice' and the 'Lion of Bravery' and became the standard flag of Scotland thus replacing the dragon used prior.
The earliest reference to the lion on the Royal Scots Coat of Arms is the great seal of King Alexander II, dating from 1222. The surviving seals from this matrix are not in good condition, and it is possible that they did not include the double tressure. The first seal that definitely contains the double tressure is from the reign of his son Alexander III (b.1241, d.1286). The (English) Matthew Paris Roll of c.1244 depicts the arms of the Scottish king with a single flory tressure counter-flory - which may be fact or simply an artist's mistake.
THE LION RAMPANT
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| The Royal Standard of Scotland. |
The rampant red lion within a double flory tressure is arguably the most recognized symbol of Scotland. It can be found on both the Royal standard flag and the Royal Scots Coat of Arms. King William I of Scotland, (c.1142, d.1214) who became known as 'William the Lion', is generally credited with adopting the lion for a symbol of Scotland due to his royal standard flag, which depicted a red rampant lion with a forked tail on a yellow background. It was referred to as the 'Lion of Justice' and the 'Lion of Bravery' and became the standard flag of Scotland thus replacing the dragon used prior.
The earliest reference to the lion on the Royal Scots Coat of Arms is the great seal of King Alexander II, dating from 1222. The surviving seals from this matrix are not in good condition, and it is possible that they did not include the double tressure. The first seal that definitely contains the double tressure is from the reign of his son Alexander III (b.1241, d.1286). The (English) Matthew Paris Roll of c.1244 depicts the arms of the Scottish king with a single flory tressure counter-flory - which may be fact or simply an artist's mistake.
THE LION: A SYMBOL OF THE HOUSE OF NEWLAND
The lion is a symbol of the Royal House of Newland which thus reflects our ancient Royal Scottish heritage and the fact that we are Free Scottish Royalty, with the Chief, Lord Newland holding the title, Sovereign Lord of Scotland. The Lion Rampant, surrounded by a circler double flory tressure is featured on Lord Newlands Sovereign Seal; used for all important documents and signifies that the Sovereign Lord Newland puts his full power behind the document to which it is attached. |
| The Mythical Unicorn. |
THE UNICORN - OUR NATIONAL ANIMAL
The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a proud noble beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. The word unicorn comes from the Latin ‘unicornis’: ‘uni’ meaning ‘one’ and ‘cornu’ meaning ‘horn’. Hence: ‘one horn’. During the Ice Age animals resembling unicorns actually did exist! Paleontologists who discovered their fossils named them Elasmotherium Sibericum, meaning, Siberian Unicorn.
Fossil records show that the Siberian Unicorn had a large, long single horn protruding from the head, but they actually looked more like an animal crossed between a buffalo and a rhino than a horse. These ancient beasts lived across the grasslands of Europe and Asia, and according to research published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, they became extinct about 36,000 years ago when the climate changed and early man walked the earth. Perhaps these ancient unicorns were much revered by mans prehistoric ancestors and maybe long distant memories of Siberian Unicorns continued in stories that evolved through the ages to become the legendary unicorns we know today.
Unicorns have featured in many cultures. The Babylonians idolised them, while peoples from the Indus Valley Civilization incorporated the unicorn into ancient seals. In China, unicorns were among the four sacred creatures along with the phoenix, dragon and tortoise. Unicorns featured in written accounts from the ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians too! European folklore describes the unicorn as a strong and fearsome white horse-like or goat-like animal with a long spiral horn, a lion's or horse's tail and cloven hooves and sometimes sporting a goat's beard.
Unicorns are also mentioned in the Holy Bible. The unicorn mentioned in the Scripture was probably the urus which was the Hebrew name of a horned wild animal, the Urus. In King James's Bible it is called unicorn; in the Revised Version, wild ox.
In Christian symbolism of the unicorn represents purity and feminine chastity plus self sacrifice. The unicorn is therefore often used as a symbol of both the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ; being its nature to sacrifice itself to protect a virgin maiden.
In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, unicorns were typically described as extremely wild yet shy woodland creatures, of purity and grace yet had a ferocious fighting instinct as it was their nature to rather die than be captured. A unicorn's one and only weakness was it could be lured and captured by a pure virgin maiden. Some accounts say the virgin had to be naked, while others state that she only needed to bare her breasts in order to tame the animal. A horn of a unicorn was highly prized as it was believed to contain a substance called alicorn, which possessed magical properties to render tainted and poisoned water potable, heal the sick and even cure the plague. Anyone who had such a horn welded great power; the rewards were great and they could become very rich if they sold it. Some fraudulent merchants became rich selling the tusks from a species of whale called a Narwhal, claiming they were unicorn horns. It's no wonder then that even the slightest rumor of a unicorn sighting would make men leave the safety of their village and travel great distances to far flung lands in the hope to hunt and kill it. During the Middle Ages unicorns were allegedly hunted by kings, princes, noble knights and the poor alike. Stories of the time tell how unicorn numbers plummeted until finally they fell into legend, only to be seen on beautiful tapestries hanging in the great halls of castles and royal palaces.
Fossil records show that the Siberian Unicorn had a large, long single horn protruding from the head, but they actually looked more like an animal crossed between a buffalo and a rhino than a horse. These ancient beasts lived across the grasslands of Europe and Asia, and according to research published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, they became extinct about 36,000 years ago when the climate changed and early man walked the earth. Perhaps these ancient unicorns were much revered by mans prehistoric ancestors and maybe long distant memories of Siberian Unicorns continued in stories that evolved through the ages to become the legendary unicorns we know today.
Unicorns have featured in many cultures. The Babylonians idolised them, while peoples from the Indus Valley Civilization incorporated the unicorn into ancient seals. In China, unicorns were among the four sacred creatures along with the phoenix, dragon and tortoise. Unicorns featured in written accounts from the ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians too! European folklore describes the unicorn as a strong and fearsome white horse-like or goat-like animal with a long spiral horn, a lion's or horse's tail and cloven hooves and sometimes sporting a goat's beard.
Unicorns are also mentioned in the Holy Bible. The unicorn mentioned in the Scripture was probably the urus which was the Hebrew name of a horned wild animal, the Urus. In King James's Bible it is called unicorn; in the Revised Version, wild ox.
- 'God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn'. (Num. 23:22 + 24:8 KJV)
- 'Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? (Job 39:9 KJV)
- Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?' (Job 39:10 KJV)
- 'He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn' (Ps. 29:6 KJV)
- 'But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil' (Ps. 92:10 KJV)
- 'His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns:' (Deut. 33:17 KJV)
- 'Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.' (Ps. 22:21 KJV)
- 'And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls;' (Isa. 34:7 KJV)
In Christian symbolism of the unicorn represents purity and feminine chastity plus self sacrifice. The unicorn is therefore often used as a symbol of both the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ; being its nature to sacrifice itself to protect a virgin maiden.
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| Lured by a virgin a unicorn was easy prey for a hunter. |
In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, unicorns were typically described as extremely wild yet shy woodland creatures, of purity and grace yet had a ferocious fighting instinct as it was their nature to rather die than be captured. A unicorn's one and only weakness was it could be lured and captured by a pure virgin maiden. Some accounts say the virgin had to be naked, while others state that she only needed to bare her breasts in order to tame the animal. A horn of a unicorn was highly prized as it was believed to contain a substance called alicorn, which possessed magical properties to render tainted and poisoned water potable, heal the sick and even cure the plague. Anyone who had such a horn welded great power; the rewards were great and they could become very rich if they sold it. Some fraudulent merchants became rich selling the tusks from a species of whale called a Narwhal, claiming they were unicorn horns. It's no wonder then that even the slightest rumor of a unicorn sighting would make men leave the safety of their village and travel great distances to far flung lands in the hope to hunt and kill it. During the Middle Ages unicorns were allegedly hunted by kings, princes, noble knights and the poor alike. Stories of the time tell how unicorn numbers plummeted until finally they fell into legend, only to be seen on beautiful tapestries hanging in the great halls of castles and royal palaces.
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| In the presence of a virgin maiden a unicorn would become tame and docile. |
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| “The King was evidently very uncomfortable at having to sit down between the two great creatures; but there was no other place for him.” Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass. |
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
Unicorns have long been part of folklore tales and classic literature works alike. Victorian writer: Charles Dodgson better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll famously mentioned one in his popular Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Alice’s Adventure In Wonderland, published in 1871. In Chapter 7, Alice, in the company of the White King, encounters a unicorn and lion and presents the White King’s plum cake to them as a peace offering after their battle. What the average reader does not realize is that this image portrays the royal coat of arms for the United Kingdom. The tamed and chained unicorn symbolizes Scotland while the scholarly lion represents England. The illustration was no doubt inspired by a popular nursery rhyme song of the time, reflecting the contemporary political situation.
The Lion and the Unicorn - Lyrics
The lion and the unicorn
Were fighting for the crown
The lion beat the unicorn
All around the town.
Some gave them white bread,
And some gave them brown;
Some gave them plum cake
and drummed them out of town.
And when he had beat him out,
He beat him in again;
He beat him three times over,
His power to maintain.
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| The Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland. |
THE UNICORN: A SYMBOL OF THE KINGDOM SCOTLAND
The unicorn is a well renowned national symbol of Scotland; King James I introduced two unicorns to the Royal Scottish Coat of Arms around the time of his wedding to Joan Beaufort in 1424. However, later when King James VI ascended to the throne of England in 1603, one unicorn was replaced with a rampant lion.
Folklore states that these two creatures were arch enemies in a perpetual state of battle for the title of king of beasts — the unicorn reigned with harmony as power while the lion ruled by valour. Hence a chained unicorn in heraldry signifies a power supplicant to the Monarch (of Scotland) that may be unleashed at his pleasure.
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| Scottish coin from the 1480s, showing a chained unicorn holding the royal arms of Scotland. |
During the 15th and 16th centuries, gold coins were embossed with the unicorn and recently the UK has issued a Scottish silver bullion coin with a unicorn as part of the Queen's Beasts Collection.
The unicorn's sacred bond with Scotland; its unique nature to rather fight and die than be taken captive, is said the same of the Scots, as they too would rather fight and die to remain sovereign and unconquered; thus this notion combined with the Royal Coat of Arms became the reason the unicorn was adopted as Scotland's national animal.
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| A unicorn is featured on the Order of the Unicorn flag. |
THE UNICORN: A SYMBOL OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF NEWLAND
The unicorn's royal connection to the Kings of Scotland, plus the fact that two unicorns are used as supporters on Lord Newland's Coat of Arms, the unicorn therefore makes an obvious choice of national animal for the House of Newland. The royal unicorn not only represents our ancient royal Scottish heritage but also that we are Free Royalty! It is by this unique privilege that Lord Newland has instituted his noble order of chivalry, The Order of the Unicorn. The Order of the Unicorn has been setup to give ordinary everyday folk, everywhere the chance to obtain a noble title of distinction at an affordable price; which helps to raise vital funds for our continuation and quest for historic justice etc. To find out more about the Order of the Unicorn and how you can obtain a title see our Order of the Unicorn page!
NATIONAL UNICORN DAY
Unicorns are as popular now as they have ever been. In recent years interest in unicorns has exploded with kids cartoons and books all adding to the overwhelming mix of unicorn merchandise. This love of unicorns has given rise to a recent innovation: National Unicorn Day, also known as International Unicorn Day which is an annual fixture celebrated on 9th April. It's a day to celebrate all things unicorn; dressing up with sparkle and rainbows and having unicorn parties are especially popular among children. The House and Kingdom of Newland has also adopted this day as part of its annual calendar as it marks the official anniversary of the Order of the Unicorn's absolute establishment that was done in accordance to convention and etiquette by the official enshrinement of the Order's noble Code of Chivalry, which was certified by Royal Proclamation upon National Unicorn Day 2020. Honoured members of the Order of the Unicorn celebrate by proudly flying the Order's Banner of Arms.THE UNICORN MOON
The Unicorn moon is the name given to the full moon of April. The 1st Unicorn moon occurred upon 6th April 2023, and was so named to mark the commemoration of the third anniversary of the absolute establishment of the Royal House of Newland's Noble Order of Chivalry, - the Order of the Unicorn. The next ten Unicorn moons occur as follows:. 23rd April 2024, 12th April 2025, 2nd April 2026, 20th April 2027, 9th April 2028, 28th April 2029, 18th April 2030, 7th April 2031, 25th April 2032, 14th April 2033. The rare Blue Unicorn Moon will not be until 30th April 2075.
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Fleur-de-lis.
THE FLEUR-DE-LIS
The fleur-de-lis is a symbol that depicts a stylized lily or iris flower. Derived from French ‘fleur’ and ‘lis’, which literally translates in English as ‘flower of Lily’. According to legend, the lily was said to have sprung from the tears shed by Eve as she left the Garden of Eden. From antiquity the fleur-de-lis has been the symbol of life, light, purity, and perfection and is a symbol of the Holy Trinity and the Virgin Mary. Legend says that the Virgin Mary appeared and presented a golden Lilly to King Clovis King of the Franks,(466–511), at his baptism when he converted to Christianity thus symbolizing his purification and right to rule, hence its long association with the French crown. When Pope Leo III in 800 crowned Charlemagne as emperor, he is reported to have presented him with a blue banner covered (semé) with golden fleurs-de-lis. During the reign of King Alexander III of Scotland, the fleur-de-lis was added to the Royal Scots Banner, incorporated as a red decorative border around the Rampant Lion. King Alexander III was married to Princess Margaret, the daughter of Henry III King of England and Elanor of Provence. Adding the fleur-de-lis border acknowledged a symbolic connection and allegiance to France. Later on, it came to be used on the coats of arms of the English Plantagenet kings to signify their claims to the French throne. The fleur-de-lis has also now been adopted as a emblem of the House of Newland being part of the bi-metal crown upon Lord Newland's Coat of Arms, and also appears upon the Order of the Unicorn heraldic emblazonment and Banner of Arms where it represents not only the fleur-de-lis in the Royal Scots Banner, but also as the symbol of Prince John's bride, the Lily Maid Mabella. See our Order of the Unicorn page to find out more.
THE SKULL AND CROSSBONES
The 'Skull and Crossbones' or 'Death's Head' symbol is one of the most recognized symbols of danger and mortality. Pirates are arguably the most notorious users of the Skull and Crossbones which they used upon their flag, 'The Jolly Rodger' as a sinister warning of their evil intentions. However, pirates were not solely responsible for its introduction. The Skull and Crossbones has long been used by various Military regiments as a badge or emblem. It is widely believed that the Skull and Crossbones was first used by the Knights Templar in the Middle Ages. The Templars or Knights Templar, occasionally documented as the Order of the Temple, The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon was the largest charity for nearly two centuries, especially after it was officially endorsed by the Catholic Church in 1129. Its pacifist members became known for many good deeds, and also for the supposed introduction of the Skull and Crossbones.
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| The skull at the foot of the cross. |
'And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a
skull'. (Mark 15:22).In Medieval times it was believed that the skull and thigh bones were the most important body-parts to be kept preserved for the final judgment; catacombs and church crypts were piled high with them all awaiting Judgment Day and salvation.
By the 1700's the Skull and Crossbones symbol was a common sight throughout Europe as a 'memento mori', a Latin term meaning: 'Remember you must die'. It was carved on tombstones and positioned over the entrances of graveyards. During the Victorian era it was fashioned into mourning jewelry and appeared on Mourning Grave Cards and even mourning coaches. Also about this time the symbol was used as a label for poisonous substances along side the 'XXX' symbol. The Skull and Crossbones is mostly used now-a-days for hazard signs, warning of toxic substances or dangerous areas such as minefields and chemical dumps etc.
The skull and crossbones is occasionally used in heraldry too; one appears on Lord Newland's coat of arms, at the foot of the dexter unicorn supporter. Its meaning here is to represent the passing of one life and into another; hence referring back to the formation of the Royal House of Newland, when John the Master of Sutherland. in 1361, symbolically 'Died of the Plague' to then hence be symbolically reborn with a new identity as Sovereign Lord William Newland; to start a new life and dynasty of Free Royalty (The Sovereign Lords Newland). See Our History to find out more.
TARTANS
The Royal House of Newland, although descended from Scotland, of which much of its dynastic practices adhere to, it does not however have its own Royal Newland or Sovereign Lord of Scotland tartan. This is because the tradition of 'clan tartans' generally dates no earlier than the beginning of the 19th century. The wearing of tartan is of course much older but what pattern was worn depended not on the wearer's clan, but rather upon his or her present affiliation, place of origin or current residence, or even their personal taste. The Jacobite Rising of 1745 led to The Dress Act of 1746, a law that outlawed the wearing of tartan and all Scottish culture in general, in an attempt to bring the Jacobite supporting clans under government control. When the law was repealed in 1782, tartan was no longer considered ordinary Highland dress, but was adopted instead as the symbolic national dress of Scotland, a status that was widely popularised after King George IV wore a tartan kilt in his 1822 visit to Scotland. Since the House of Newland descends from four prominent Scottish families, Bruce, Sutherland, MacDonald and Stewart, (See our ancient Newland family tree in Our History) it is therefore valid by way of ancient association for members of the House of Newland to wear either of the said clan tartans.
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| BRUCE |
Bruce Tartan.
Sir Robert de Brus, Knight, who accompanied William the Conqueror to England, is the progenitor of this Family. His son, Robert de Brus, was Companion-at-Arms to Prince David, later King of Scots, from whom he received the Lordship of Annandale. Robert, the fourth Lord, married a niece of William the Lion, and on this marriage was based the claim through which the seventh Lord of Annandale and third of Carrick became King Robert the Bruce. It was his decisive victory over the English at Bannockburn in 1314 that finally established the independence of Scotland. From Princess Margaret Bruce, the daughter of Robert the Bruce and his second wife Elizabeth de Burgh, is descended Lord Robert Newland, the present Chief of the House of Newland.
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| SUTHERLAND |
Sutherland Tartan.
The Earldom of Sutherland is said to be the oldest in Britain and was conferred about 1228 on William, Lord Sutherland. This William was descended from Freskin, who received the lands of Moray from King David I. The 2nd Earl of Sutherland was killed at Bannockburn in 1314. The Sutherlands, who took their name from the County of Sutherland, wielded great power in the north and their early history is one of almost continual strife with their neighbours. William the 5th Earl of Sutherland married Princess Margaret Bruce the daughter of Robert the Bruce. Their son John the Master of Sutherland changed his name to William Newland and it is from him that the Sovereign House of Newland is directly descended.
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| MACDONALD |
MacDonald of the Isles Tartan.
Somerled of the Isles, founder of Clan Donald, expelled the Norsemen from the Western Isles in the 12th century. He was killed in 1164 when engaged battle against King Malcolm IV. John, son of Angus Og, who supported Robert the Bruce, took the title of 'Lord of Isles' in 1354. John MacDonald married secondly Princess Margaret Stewart who was the daughter of King Robert II and Elizabeth Mure. Their daughter Lady Elizabeth married Lord Nicholas, 3rd Sovereign Lord Newland about 1389. Their son Lord Robert, 4th Sovereign Lord Newland went to England and it is from him that all the English Sovereign Lords Newland are descended.
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| STEWART |
Royal Stewart Tartan.
The Royal Stewart tartan generally referred to simply as the Royal Tartan, is probably the most well recognised of all tartans. The Stewart monarchs were descended from Walter, High Steward of Scotland, who married Princess Marjory, the daughter of King Robert the Bruce and his first wife Isabella of Mar. Their son, King Robert II, was the first Stewart king. His Great Grandson was Lord Robert, 4th Sovereign Lord Newland from whom all the English Sovereign Lords Newland are descended.
