Anders Mowatt of Hugoland

Anders Mowat of Hugoland was a Scottish merchant who served as an admiral in the Danish Navy, under Christian IV of Denmark. Mowat became known as the "Lord of Hugoland" and his life ended in Tysnes, a municipality of the Norwegian county of Hordaland.

Mowat's parentage is unclear. Most genealogical historians believe that Mowat's parents were Barbara Saint Clair and Bartholomew Mowat. The first mention of Andrew Mowat in any known sources is from 1558. He was married to Ursula Tulloch, the daughter of William Tulloch of Skea in Northmavine and thus became an important figure in local affairs.

Mowat was an estate owner in Shetland, and mentioned as the lord of Hugoland. Since no Mowats are found in earlier Shetland sources, Mowat probably came from the mainland of Scotland in the early 1550s, and was one of the first Mowats to settle in Shetland. In addition to his landed estates on Shetland, which he transferred to his three eldest sons in 1577, Andrew Mowat was also a businessman, owning a number of merchant ships and doing trade with Norway and England.

An "Andrew Mowat" is mentioned in a precept of sasine contained in a charter granted by Francis Bothwell, treasurer of Orkney, and Vicar of Unst, in favour of Barthol Strang of Voesgarth, on 12 November 1572.

Fru Inger of Austrat was a widow and a very important figure in Norwegian aristocracy. She claimed the Giske estates as well as some of the Meløy estates in Norway, in addition to the Papa and Papaquids estates in Shetland. As Inger did not live in Shetland, she appointed Ursula's father William Tulloch to manage the estates for her. Around 1543, William Tulloch acquired the lease of "Papa & Papaquids" from Fru Inger.

On William's death, prior to 1558, his daughter Ursula was his heiress; there seems to be an agreement that the lease would pass to her and her husband Andrew Mowat of Hugoland. Andrew was appointed "tutor" to Ursula's brother, John Tulloch, in 1558, which indicates John was too young to take on the lease.

After the death of Fru Inger of Austrat, her son-in-law Robert Cheyne came to an agreement with the Norwegian proprietor over the "Papa Property." He ejected Andrew and Ursula from the island and overturned their right to assume control of the income produced by Papa and Papaquids. The evidence for this come from letters written by Mary, Queen of Scots herself, to one Jens Split as the chief proprietor and the Norwegian authorities on behalf of Andrew and Ursula in September 1566. These papers refer to Andrew and Ursula's rights of possession.

Queen Mary's letter had the desired effect, as it confirmed Andrew and Ursula's right to the lands of Papa and Papaquids. The confirmations were granted at different times between 1570 and 1576 by all the different proprietors. These arrangements were then confirmed in the Scottish courts. The Mowatts were also given the Great Seal of the Realm insuring their firm legal right to the lands of Papa and Papaquids.

One of the privileges granted to Andrew Mowatt in 1577 was a right to build a house and fortress on Papa. Mowatt descendants at some time did build a residence there called 'Northhouse,' with the Mowat coat of arms visible on the gateway entrance. However, Andrew and Ursula Mowatt did not take residence there themselves, living instead in Ollaberry, Northmaven. Andrew Mowatt later acquired lands in Hardanger, Gjersvik and Hovland, communities in Norway.

In the Register of the Great Seal, on 27 March 1577, there is a confirmation by King James VI of a charter granted by Anders Mowatt in favour of John his eldest son, who stood to inherit 207- 3/8 merks land in Delting, 34½½ in Aithsting, 3 in Walls, 8 in Tingwall, 35 in Yell, and 18 in Unst. If he did not inherit, failing then to Malcolm, second son of the granter, whom failing Patrick, third son, reserving always his own life rent and a life rent on half of the said lands to Ursula Tulloch, his spouse. The charter of confirmation also permits Andrew and John to construct a fortress of stone to defend against possible invaders.

Andrew's first wife Ursula died sometime between 1580 and 1586; in 1586 he applied to King James VI of Scotland for permission to travel to Bergen, Norway to marry. In June 1587, Andrew received permission to move to Bergen and find a suitable wife. It's possible that James VI hoped to place one of his own middle-ranked gentlemen into foreign society, that he might prove useful to the House of Stuart at a later date.

This tactic bore fruit in the establishment of the Jacobean Stuart diplomatic corps in Scandinavia. Once in Bergen, Andrew married the twice widowed Else Rustung, daughter of the Admiral of the Danish-Norwegian Navy Kristopher Trondsson Rustung, a.k.a. Kristoffer Throndsen. Else had been married previously to Jon Haard of Gjersvik and Axel Fredriksen, and was a landowner herself, holding lands in Sunnhordland. Andrew Mowat thereafter served as an admiral in Christian Iv's service in the North Sea until his death around 1610, returning to his native Shetland on numerous occasions. Many of Andrew's and Else's sons and grandchildren becoming senior naval officers. Andrew became an important landowner in Norway, while still holding his lands in Shetland. He was also a ship-owner, owning several ships he had captained, and a trader of imports in Norway, Scotland and England.

Andrew Mowatt died in 1610 or 1611. His wife, Else Mowat, is thought to have died between 1625 and 1631; sources are contradictory.