Earl of Dysart

Earl of Dysart (pronounced "Die-z't") is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1643 for William Murray, who had earlier represented Fowey and East Looe in the English House of Commons. He was made Lord Huntingtower at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. He was succeeded by his daughter, the second Countess. In 1670 she resigned the peerage and received a new grant thereof by patent with precedency of her father, and with remainder to her heirs of the body, failing which to her heirs whatsoever. Lady Dysart married, firstly, Sir Lionel Tollemache, 3rd Baronet (see Tollemache Baronets for earlier history of this title), and, secondly, John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale. William Murray had been a lifelong friend of King Charles I, in fact having been his whipping boy while the latter was Prince of Wales.

She was succeeded by her son from her first marriage, the third Earl, who had already succeeded his father as fourth Baronet. Lord Dysart notably represented Orford and Suffolk in the House of Commons and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, but declined the offer of an English barony. His great-grandson, the sixth Earl, sat as Member of Parliament for Northampton and Liskeard. On his death in 1821 the Tollemache baronetcy became extinct. The Scottish titles were inherited by the late Earl's half-sister, the seventh Countess. She was the wife of John Manners. On succeeding to the titles Lady Dysart assumed by Royal licence the surname and arms of Talmash (or Tollemache).

Her eldest son and heir apparent, William Tollemache, Lord Huntingtower, was created a Baronet, of Hanley Hall in the County of Lincoln, in the Baronetage of Great Britain in 1793. However, he predeceased his mother and Lady Dysart was succeeded by her grandson, the eighth Earl (the son of Lord Huntingtower), who had already succeeded his father as second Baronet. He represented Ilchester in Parliament. His son William Tollemache, Lord Huntingtower, predeceased him and he was succeeded by his grandson, the ninth Earl. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland. On his death the baronetcy and Scottish peerages separated. The baronetcy was inherited by a male heir (see Tollemache Baronets for later history of this title) while the lordship and earldom passed to his niece Wynefryde Agatha, the tenth Countess. She was the daughter of Agnes Mary Manners Talmash (sister of the ninth Earl) and her husband Charles Norman Lindsay Tollemache Scott. Lady Dysart(1889-1975) married Owain Edward Whitehead Greaves and was succeeded by their oldest daughter Rosamund Agnes Greaves (born 1914) the eleventh Countess and in 2003 her sister Katherine Grant of Rothiemurchus (born 1918), the widow of Lieutenant-Colonel John Peter Grant of Rothiemurchus M.B.E. became the twelfth Countess. On her death on 8 November 2011 she was succeeeded by their son John Peter Grant of Rothiemurchus DL (born 1946), the thirteenth Earl and his son James Patrick Grant the younger of Rothiemurchus (born 1975) became Lord Huntingtower.

The family seat is The Doune of Rothiemurchus, by Aviemore, Inverness-shire.

John Tollemache, 1st Baron Tollemache, was the son of Admiral of the Fleet John Richard Delap Halliday (who in 1821 assumed by Royal licence the surname and arms of Tollemache in lieu of Halliday), eldest son of Lady Jane Halliday, youngest daughter and co-heir of the fourth Earl of Dysart.