MOWATT, ANDREW [SSNE 3837]

Surname
MOWATT, MOVAT, MOFFAT, MOAT, til HOVLAND
First name
ANDREW, ANDERS
Title/rank
ADMIRAL
Nationality
SCOT
Region
SHETLAND
Social status
NOBLE

Text source

Andrew Mowatt came to Denmark from Scotland, specifically Shetland. Apparently he had married an Ursula Tulloch in Shetland ca. 25 September 1558. Queen Mary referred to him as the governor of Papa Stour. In 1574 he served on a jury on a case between Robert Stewart and some English pirates. In fact in 1586 his land in Ollaberrie was plundered by some English pirates and in 1590 a ship of Andrew's en route from Norway to Scotland was again plundered. King James VI corresponded with King Christian IV regarding this issue in 1590, and Andrew himself wrote to Queen Elizabeth I describing himself as a subject of the Danish-Norwegian king. He had lost 4,500 dollars worth of goods and named the Englishmen involved. Andrew transferred 311 merk lands to his eldest son John in March 1587. Apparently there were some difficulties between him and the Earl of Orkney in 1588. However Andrew was wealthy enough to lend money in 1597 to Edward Sinclair of Bollesetter in Shetland. That year Andrew returned to Shetland and his son John was now married to Christian Stewart, the illegitimate daughter of Black Patie. He again returned to Shetland in 1602 to serve on a jury.

In June 1587 he received permission from James VI to move to Bergen and find himself a suitable wife. Andrew married Else Thronsdatter Rustning. He had several sons, Axel [SSNE 1817] and Christoffer [SSNE 1375], who both made successful careers for themselves in the Danish navy. Axel in fact rose to become the senior admiral of the entire Norwegian fleet. Andrew also had a daughter called Christina/Karen [SSNE 5371] who married the Danish admiral Eric Orning. Andrew and his sons entered into a contract with James Pitcairn in 1609. Andrew lived until ca.30 August 1610 when his eldest son was named "of Ollaberrie".

A.M. Weisner, 'Axel Movat og hans slegt' in Bergens Historiske Forenings Skrifter, no.36, Bergen, 1930; Thiset og Wittrup 'Nyt Dansk Adelslexicon'. p.195; C. Owe, 'Anders Mowat og hans slegt' in Norsk Slektshistorisk Tidsskrift, vol.36, (no date), pp.211-229; J. H. Ballantyne and B. Smith, eds, Shetland Documents 1580-1611, (Lerwick, 1994); Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, XIV, pp.259-261.

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, HOVLAND, NORWAY
Arrived 1587-06-01, as CAPTAIN
Departed 1610-08-30, as ADMIRAL
Capacity ADMIRAL, purpose NAVAL