COLYEAR, DAVID [SSNE 5043]
- Surname
- COLYEAR
- First name
- DAVID
- Title/rank
- EARL OF PORTMORE, LORD PORTMORE AND BLACKNESS
- Nationality
- SCOT
- Region
- PORTMORE, BORDERS AND BLACKNESS, FALKIRK
- Social status
- NOBILITY
Text source
Sir David Colyear was the eldest son of Colonel Alexander Colyear [SSNE 5040]. He served in his father's regiment in 1676 and afterwards in Douglas's regiment in French service until 14 January 1683. At that time he returned to Dutch service in Mackay's regiment as lieutenant-colonel. By 31 December 1688 he became Colonel of Wauchope's regiment. Sir David served King William of Orange in Ireland and for his service he was created Lord Portmore and Blackness [in 1699] and Earl of Portmore [in 1703]. He remained in service and became officer commanding in Scotland by 1710 and served in Flanders in 1712. Colyear became governor of Gibralter in 1713 and colonel of the Royal Scots Dragoons the following year. He married Catherine Sedley, Countess of DorchesterSee J. Ferguson, Papers Illustrating the History of the Scots Brigade in the service of the United Netherlands,1572-1697 (Edinburgh, 1899), pp.507, 509, 516, 567; Sir James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage (8 vols., 1904-1911), VII, pp.91-92.
Service record
- THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, ALEXANDER COLYEAR'S
- Arrived 1676-01-01, as ENSIGN?
- Departed 1678-12-31, as LIEUTENANT
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- FRANCE, DOUGLAS
- Arrived 1679-01-01, as LIEUTENANT?
- Departed 1683-01-14, as CAPTAIN
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, SCOTLAND, GREAT BRITAIN, MACKAY'S REGIMENT
- Arrived 1683-01-14, as LIEUTENANT-COLONEL
- Departed 1712-12-31, as GOVERNOR GENERAL?
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- GREAT BRITAIN, GIBRALTER
- Arrived 1713-01-01, as GOVERNOR
- Departed 1713-12-31, as GOVERNOR
- Capacity GOVERNOR, purpose MILITAYR
- GREAT BRITAIN, ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOONS
- Arrived 1714-01-01, as COLONEL
- Departed 1715-12-31, as COLONEL
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY