Earl of Cawdor

Earldom of Cawdor
Quarterly 1st Or a hart’s head caboshed Sable attired Gules 2nd Gyronny of eight Or and Sable 3rd Argent a galley Sable 4th parted per fess Azure and Gules a cross Or. Ordinary of Arms, second matriculation 1722.
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	John Campbell, 1st Earl Cawdor
Present holder	Colin Campbell, 7th Earl Cawdor
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Emlyn Baron Cawdor
Seat(s)	Cawdor Castle

Earl Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for John Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor.

This branch of Clan Campbell descends from Sir John Campbell (died 1546), third son of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll (whose eldest son Colin was the ancestor of the Dukes of Argyll; see the latter title for earlier history of the family). His descendant Pryse Campbell (d. 1768) represented Nairnshire in the House of Commons. His son John Campbell was Member of Parliament for Nairnshire and Cardigan. In 1796 he was raised to the Peerage of Great Britain as Baron Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke.

He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron. He represented Carmarthenshire in Parliament and served as Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire. In 1827 he was created Viscount Emlyn, of Emlyn in the County of Carmarthen, and Earl Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke. These titles were in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the second Earl, was Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire and Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the third Earl. He was a Conservative politician and served briefly as First Lord of the Admiralty in 1905. Lord Cawdor was also Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire and Chairman of the Great Western Railway.