Crawford vs. Kennedy

The feud between Clan Crawford and Clan Kennedy emerged in the 15th century during a turbulent time in Scotland. The Clans in the Ayrshire region were known for their fierce rivalries.  Some time in the mid 15th century, after a growing hatred between these two powerful Clan families over land disputes, the chief of the Kennedy Clan, Gilbert Kennedy, arrived at the Crawford stronghold of Kerse Castle and announced his intention to move a sow onto Crawford territory. He proclaimed the date would be August 1st which was a holiday traditionally known as Lammas Day in Scotland.  This was an obvious provocation by the Kennedys in order to spark a clan battle between the two hated rivals. Read More…

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Ruthven vs. Oliphant

327 Scottish Clan Crests   

In 1530 Scottish King James the V, after having trouble with the Armstrong Clan, began to push them off their traditional lands in Gilnockie. The Armstrongs exiled themselves to nearby already over-crowded lands controlled by the powerful Graham Clan.  This displacement of the Armstrong’s onto Graham property began to cause tensions between the two families. On May 29th 1541 a group of clansmen from Clan Graham led by Lang Will Graham and believed to consist of more than 50 men, surrounded and murdered three Armstrong brothers.  A week later Lang Graham arrived at a day of truce organized by the Scottish West March Warden, Lord Maxwell.  Lord Maxwell requested that the Graham’s make amends for their attack on Armstrong Clansmen, they refused and were embolden to begin a series of further raids in the Scottish West March.  These raids took place through the summer of that year with the Graham’s terrorizing villages and farms along the Scottish boarder.  On July 26th, 1530 The Houses of Krikhill, Whisgillis and Stanegill belonging to the Armstrong’s were attacked by the Grahams and burned to the ground.  On the 2nd of September of the same year, the Armstrong’s and other victims of the Grahams raids, through, Lord Maxwell, made an appeal to the Scottish and English Crown’s for help but these requests went unanswered. Read More…

The Agnews obtained regional power in 1363, during the reign of David II when their young chief was appointed constable at the Kings Castle in Lochnaw.  The Agnew’s were given the task of evicting the previous constable, the chief of Clan MacClellan, who had refused to leave.  The Agnew’s tricked the MacClellans into abandoning the castle by using a hanging man as a diversion.  When the MacClellan’s became curious and left the castle to check out the swinging body, the Agnews pounced and subdued them and occupied the castle. Read More…

In the 1440’s the monks of the Abbey of Abroath, located in Angus Scotland, appointed Alexander Lindsay, Master of Crawford and the chief of Clan Lindsay to the position of the Bailie of Regality.  This position gave Alexander a lot of power in the Angus district, he was tasked with dispensing justice and authority.  Lindsay quickly lost favour with the Abroath Monks due to the fact that he was using the abbey to quarter his men, many who were boisterous and were disturbing the peace of the solemn monks.  Lindsay was also accused of embezzling large sums of money and using his wild temperament to bully his rivals.   Read More…

The feud between the Flemings of Biggar and the Tweedies of Drummelzier began over the proposed marriage of Catherine Eraser.  Catherine was the heiress of Sir Simon Eraser, head of an old family that held large estates in the Upper part of Tweeddale.  The chief of Clan Fleming was hoping to gain control of these estates by getting Catherine to marry one of his illegitimate sons. The Tweedies were intent on Catherine Fraser marrying James Tweedie who at the time was the nephew of the Tweedie chief giving the Tweedies control of these estates.  Read More…

Ruthven vs. Charteris

In the early 16th century a rivalry between Clan Ruthven, a protestant family, and Clan Charteris, a Catholic one, took place over the position of provost in the Scottish town of Perth.  The Provost was the chief magistrate of a Scottish burgh and held great powers within the region.  The Charteris family traditionally were elected to the position, going back to the mid fifteenth century, and spanning over at least 4 generations.  In 1529 Lord William Ruthven was elected to the position and this stoked an already simmering rivalry between these two powerful families.  A few months after John Ruthven took over as Provost, Patrick Charteris, the previous provost, his brother John Provost and eleven of their clansmen raided the Ruthven stronghold of Cowsland where they burned the village and carried off the Ruthven’s cattle and goods. The Scottish authorities attempted to capture Patrick Charteris but he was able to escape and left Scotland for an “overseas pilgrimage”.  Nine years later in 1538 John Charteris of Kinfauns was elected Provost, returning the title back to the Charteris family. Read More…

A feud between the Macdonell’s of Glengarry and Clan Mackenzie began in the late 16th century due to several land disputes that arose after the chief of Macdonell inherited properties in Wester Ross. these properties bordered lands already occupied by the clansmen of Mackenzie. To maintain his dominance in the region the MacKenzie Chief relocated along with a small garrison of men to the property boarder.  The feud ignighted when two members of the Glengarry clan sought revenge on the man who had murdered their father, they burned this mans house down killing him and his family.  Unbeknownst to the Macdonell’s, Donald Mackenzie, a member of the Mackenzie Clan was staying in the house and was also killed with the murderer. The MacKenzie chief, Kenneth Mackenzie went to the Privy Council in Edinburgh to present his complaints against the Macdonell’s, as evidence he provided Donald’s charred shirt covered in blood. The Macdonell chief realizing he was going to face penalties, fled Edinburgh, further escalating the tension between the two clans. Read More…

Clan MacIver or Clan Iver is a highland Scottish Clan originating in Glen Lyon Scotland, but settled in the Argyll region. The Clan’s name is believed to have been of Gaelic origin and may have originated as a Norse first name. The first record of the MacIver surname was a Malcolm McIuyr who appeared on a local census of Argyll in 1292. Legend states that the MacIvers were descended from Duncan, Lord of Lochow which would make them common descendants with Clan Campbell. The MacIver’s were considered a very large and powerful clan in Scotland until the battle of Bealligh-ne-Broig in 1452 where their clan was almost entirely wiped out. Read More…

In 1589 John Drummond-Ernoch was a royal forester in the forest of Glenarty, Scotland.  He was responsible for policing the forest and as part of his occupation, he came in contact with a group of MacGregors known as the MacEagh, or “Children of the Mist”.  His various run ins with this group led to several hangings of the MacEagh’s due to infractions or crimes taking place in Glenarty Forest.  This small band of young MacGregors became fed up with John Drummond-Ernoch and ambushed him while he was attending to his duties.  They cut off his head, wrapped it in a plaid and carried it off as a trophy.  The group then made its way to the House of Ardvoirlich and demanded hospitality from the lady of the house, Margaret, who happened to be John Drummond-Ernoch’s pregnant sister.  Too afraid to refused she went to the kitchen to prepare a meal for the MacGregor men.  While she was gone they placed her brother’s head upon the table and filled the mouth with bread and in jest, encouraged it to eat.  When the lady of the house returned she shreaked in horror and fled to the woods.  Tradition states that she wandered the woods for several weeks as a raving maniac until her husband, Laird Alexander Stewart, was able to find  her and coax her home.  The band of MacGregor’s left Ardvoirlich House and took the head to the Old Church in Balquhidder where they presented it to the Chief and their Clansmen.  Each Clansmen took a turn approaching the head, putting their hands on it and swearing an oath to protect the men who had slain John Drummond-Ernoch. Read More…

In the year 1600 Robert MacThomas of Clan MacThomas was murdered by a group of highland outlaws.  A few short years later Robert’s widow married Alexander Farquharson of Allanquoich. John Farquarson of Tullcairn, Alexander’s brother, also married Robert’s only daughter, Elspeth.  Through these marriages the Farquharson Clan laid claim to the MacThomas lands in Glenshee.  Obviously this land grab infuriated members of the MacThomas Clan who saw these marriages as a way to steal their property. This was the first act of many encroachments by the Farquharson clan against the MacThomas’s of Glenshee. Read More…

The feud between the Innes’s and the Dunbar’s was at its peak in the 16th century and got so bad that the citizens of Aberdeen had petitioned the crown to step in and end the feud. The first incident on record between these two clans took place on New Years Day of 1554. One hundred Clan Innes men descended on the Cathedral of Elgin during Vespers or evening prayer with the intent of killing  Alexander Dunbar, the Prior of Pluscarden and David Dunbar, the Dean of Moray.  The Dunbar’s also brought seventy fighting men, led by James Dunbar, with the specific intent of slaying William Innes and his clansmen.  According to accounts of the time, it was a very bloody and violent clash that took place inside the Elgin Cathedral with neither clan having the upper hand.  This was considered a very exceptional incident for the time, it was known as “the Bloody Vespers”, due to the fact that the battle took place during a church service. Read More….

In 1493 the Scottish Crown was able to wrestle control of the Western Isles of Scotland from the Lord of the Isles. The Crown was in no position to establish royal justice in the area and this led to two centuries of unrest between the clans.  One of these feuds took place on the Isle of Lewis, located in the outer Hebrides, between Clan Morrison and Clan MacAulay.  It began in the early 16th century with the murder of Donald Ban Morrison, brother of the Morrison chief, John Morrison, by members of the MacAaulay Clan. John retaliated by sending his clansmen to raid Uig, the MacAulay’s stronghold. The MacAulay chief, hearing about the raid appealed to their allied clan, the very powerful MacLeods of Lewis.  The MacAulay and MacLeods men met the Morrison’s in battle at the Caws of Tarbert where the Morrison’s were soundly defeated. Read More…

In 1463 Sir Silvester Rattray, who was at the time a Scottish ambassador to England, inherited large estates around Craighill, Scotland. These estates were coveted by their powerful neighbour, Stewart, Earl of Atholl who wanted to expand his holdings in the area.  Silvester was succeeded by his son, John Rattray, who with his first wife, had a son and two daughters, before she passed.  John’s son unfortunately died at a young age, serving as a professional soldier in the Netherlands.  His oldest daughter Grizel married John Stewart, Earl of Atholl, who quickly claimed half of the barony in her name and encouraged his sister-in-law to also make her claim on the land.  However, John Rattray, was a very resilient man for the time and maintained control of his lands as an aging widower.  Then at the age of 60 years old, John took a second wife by with whom he had two more sons and a daughter. Read More…

The Origin of this feud can be traced back to 1346 when Sir John Keith died during the battle of Durham.  John was Sir Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland’s, only son and heir to his estates.  When Sir Robert Keith died in the Same year his titles and lands were inherited by his brother, Sir Edward Keith. One of John’s daughters was married into the Chief of the Irvine of Drum’s family.  The Irvine’s took this opportunity to claim the estates of Strachan as their own, this did not sit well with Edward Keith. According to early accounts, the feud became so nasty that the Keith’s, at one point, burnt a captured Irvine child to death in hot wart. In response the Irvines of Drum allegedly marched on Hallforest Castle in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, a stronghold that was granted to the Keith’s in the 14th century by Robert the Bruce. The Irvines set fire to the castle and destroyed much of the Keith’s property as they marched back to their own lands. Read More…

Grant vs. Gordon

The trouble between the Grants and the Gordons began in the 1500s when the Earl of Huntley, Chief of the Gordons and a catholic, found himself in danger among his protestant neighbours and decided to move to Ruthven in Badenoch and erect a castle not far from the Grant’s land. The protestant vassels living on Gordon’s land, under the direction of the Grant’s and Clan Chattan, refused to fulfil their obligations to the Gordons. Tensions raised in 1590 when John Grant, the trustee of Ballindalloch, refused to pay payments owed to the sister of Gordon of Lesmore. During the dispute a Gordon Clansman was killed and as a consequence John Grant was considered an outlaw and captured by the Gordons. Read More…

Clan Nicolson or Clan MacNicol or Clan MacNeacail is a highland Scottish Clan originating on the Isle of Skye. MacNicol is a Viking-Scottish patronymic name that is derived from Nicolson, which in turn was derived from the Greek Nikolaos, which means conqueror of the people. It is believed that the MacNicol’s held lands at Scorrybreac on the Isle of Skye since the middle of the 11th century. The first recorded use of the name was by John “mak Naky” who was recorded as a supporter of Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the 14th century…Read More

The Clan Macalister is a highland Scottish clan originating in the Kintyre District.  The are considered to originally be a branch of Clan Donald.  The progenitor of the clan is believed to be MacAlister of Loup and Kennox, a descendant and possibly a son of Alister Mhor , Lord of the Isles. The clan can trace its roots back to the late 13th century and opposed Robert the Bruce in his claim to the Scottish throne. The surname MacAlister is an anglicized version of the Gaelic surname “MacAlasdair”, meaning son of Alasdair.  They became their own independent clan in the 15th century under the leadership of Chief Ian Dhu…Read More

Clan Muir or Clan Moore is a lowland Scottish Clan originating in the East Ayrshire district of Scotland.  The surname muir in Scotland possibly derived from the Gaelic term mòr which means “of great size” and may refer to a person of great importance.   The origin of the clan is believed to originate  as far back as 374 AD when Fergus Mor of Ireland invaded Scotland and defeated the Romans becoming the first King of Dalriada, which would eventually be one of the kingdoms that would merge to form Scotland.  In 1371 the Mures of Rowallan become the prominent line of the family when Gilcrest Mure married the daughter of Sir Walter Cumyn and Rowallan Castle became the seat of the clan.  The surname mor is believed to mean a person of great size or a great man of considerable personality.  Read More…

Clan Ramsay is a lowland Scottish Clan originating in the Midlothian District of Scotland.  It is believed that the Ramsay family arrived in Scotland from Huntingdonshire, England where Ramsay was a local place name.  The first recorded use of the surname in Scotland was in 1140 when Simundus de Ramesia witnessed a charter between the church of Livingstone and the monks of Holyrood.   Simundus is considered to be the progenitor of  the clan. As a freeman in England, he followed King David I to Scotland and was able to acquire the lands of Dalhousie in the parish of cockpen. Read More…

Clan MacAulay is a highland Scottish clan originating in the Argyll district of Scotland.  The MacAulay surname  is translated from the Gaelic name MacAmhalghaidh which means son of Amalghaidh. The clan considers itself one of the Siol Alpin Clans, which is a group of seven clans that claim to be descended from Kenneth MacAlpin, father of Cináed mac Ailpín , King of the Picts (844-860).  Others believe that the clan was originally descended from the Earls of Lennox whose family had contained several individuals who were given the surname Amhlaibh.  The Earl of Lennox was a title that may have been created as early as 1154 by King Malcolm IV, for the rulers of the Lennox district of Scotland. Read More…

Clan Dundas is a highland Scottish Clan originating in the West Lothian district of Scotland.  The surname Dundas was derived from the town of Dundas located near Edinburgh.  The placename is Gaelic in origin and translates into “a fort south”. It is believed that the Dundas family in Scotland extends back to the 12th century when Helias, son of Uctred, received lands in West Lothian from then king, Malcolm IV.   The first recorded use of the surname Dundas comes from a deed signed in the late 12th century by Serle de Dundas. Read More…

Clan Irvine or Clan Irving is a lowland Scottish Clan originating in the Ayrshire region of

Scotland.  The surname Irvine was derived from the name of the town of Irvine, located in Ayrshire.  Irvine is a Welsh term that means Green or fresh river.   The first recorded evidence of the surname was from Robertus de Irvine who owned a barony in the 13th century, where the town of Irvine currently sits.  It is believed that the Irvine family may have been descendants of the early Celtic monarchs of Scotland and were settled between the River Esk and the River Kirtle sometime after 1018. Read More…

Clan MacQuarrie is a Highland Scottish Clan originating in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.  They are considered to be one of the Siol Alpin clans, which is a group of seven clans that claim to be descended from Kenneth MacAlpin, father of Cináed mac Ailpín , King of the Picts (844-860).   The surname MacQuarrie is an angelized version of  the Gaelic name Mac Guaire, which means “proud” or “noble”.  It is believed that the progenitor of the clan was Guaire, the brother of Fingon, the progenitor of the MacKinnon Clan. Read More…

Clan Macfie is a Highland Scottish Clan originating in Colonsay, Scotland.  The clan considers itself one of the Siol Alpin Clans, which is a group of seven clans that claim to be descended from Kenneth MacAlpin, father of Cináed mac Ailpín , King of the Picts (844-860).  The surname MacFie is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Dhuibhshíthe which in tern means son of Dhuibhshíthe.  Dhuibhshíthe can be translated into English as “black peace”.  It is believed that the MacFie family gained control of the Island of Colonsay sometime before the 13th century and controlled the island at the discretion of the Lord of the Isles. Read More…

Clan MacBeth is a Highland Scottish Clan originating in the Angus region of Scotland.  The legendary ancestor of the Clan was MacBeth, King of Scotland from 1040 – 1057 and was made famous in Shakespeare’s play, MacBeth.  The surname MacBeth is derived from the Gaelic term MacBheatha mac Fhionnlaigh which in english translates into Macbeth son of Findlay. The surnames Beaton an Bethune are thought to be of the same family as MacBeth’s with Beaton being considered an anglicized version of MacBeth. Read More…

Clan MacEwen is a highland Scottish clan originating in the Argyll and Bute district of Scotland.  The clan claims to be descended from a prince of the Irish O’Neil dynasty who settled in Kintyre in the 11th century.  The surname MacEwen is derived from the Gaelic term MacEoghainn, which translates into “the son of Eoghann”.  The first record of the surname MacEwen shows up as a witness to a charter in 1174 by Malcolm II, Earl of Atholl.  Read More…

Clan Rose is a highland Scottish Clan originating in the Inverness-shire area of Scotland.  The Roses can trace their heritage back to a Norman Knight, named deRos, who emigrated to Scotland in the 13th century along with other families who came over after the Norman conquest.  The progenitor of the clan is considered to be Hugh of Kilravock who established his home at Kilravock in 1280 after marrying Mari de Bosco and uniting these two families. Read More…

Clan MacKinlay is a Highland Scottish Clan originating in the Lennox District of Scotland.  The name MacKinlay is derived from the Gaelic name MacFhinnlaigh which translates into “Son of Fair Hero”.  The

oldest account of the family is from the Buchanan of Auchmar in 1723 who stated that the family descends from the Buchanan’s of Drumkill.  According to the Scottish Council of Clans the Mackinlay family also has hereditary relationships with Clan MacFarlane, Clan Farquharson and Clan Stewart of Appin.  It is believed that a man named Finlay first settled near Callander, Perthshire in the year 1600.  He had several sons who were the first to adopt the surname MacKinlay. Read More…

Clan MacRae is a Highland Scottish Clan iginating in the Wester Ross District of Scotland.  The surname is derived from the Gaelic name MacRaith that means “son of grace”.  It 

is believed that the MacRae’s came from Ireland and settled in Clunes Scotland sometime before the 13th century, which at the time was the territory of the Lord of Lovat.  After a violent dispute with the Fraser’s of Lovat the sons of the MacRae Chief left Clunes and much of the family settled in Kintail which, at the time, was controlled by the MacKenzie Clan.  The MacRae’s were welcomed by the MacKenzies due to the fact that they had shared a common ancestry with that clan. Read More…

Clan Skene is a lowland Scottish Clan originating in the Aberdeenshire district of Scotland.  It is believed that Skene is derived from the Gaelic word Sgian which means dagger or knife.  There is a legend that the younger son of the chief of clan Robertson saved the life of the king from a wolf with nothing more than a knife.   He was rewarded with the lands of Aberdeenshire and his family took the name of Sgian or Skene to honour their accomplishment.  A more common belief is that the family took its name from the lands of Skene.   The first recorded use of the name was John de Skene who forfeited his lands in the 12th century when he supported Donald Bane against Malcolm III of Scotland. Read More...

Clan MacQueen or Clan Revan is a highland Scottish Clan originating on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.  It is believed that the MacQueen were originally descended from Clan MacSween who controlled the lands of Knapdale in the 13th century . In the 15th century, they were tasked with providing protection for the daughter of the chief of Clan MacDonald of Clanranad, Mora MacDonald.  Upon the marriage of Mora to the chief of clan MackIntosh, Calum Beg Mackintosh, 10th of Mackintosh,   Roderic mac Milmor vic Swen, of Clan MacQueen (at the time a branch of MacSween) settled in Corrybrough, Strathdearn and joined the Chattan Confederation, led by the Macintoshes. The Chattan Confederation an organization, that unites twelve separate clans under a superior chief, for the purpose of mutual solidarity and protection. Read More…

Clan Crawford is a lowland Scottish Clan originating in Renfrewshire, Scotland.  The surname Crawford is derived from the barony of Crawford located in South Lanarkshire.  A man named Thorlongus was granted the lands of Crawford by Prince David in 1113. It is believed that much of the family settled in the Kelso area in the 12th century.  The first to take the surname was Galfridus de Crauford who appeared in a donation document at that time. Read More…

Clan Crosbie or Clan Crosby is a lowland Scottish Clan originating in Annandale, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.  The surname Crosbie is of Norman descent, John De Crosby arrived in England after the Norman conquests in 1066 and was granted lands along the Mercer River in England.   John’s third son Adam received a land grant in Annandale, Scotland and his daughter  Emphemia married a young Robert the Bruce.  This marriage cemented a family alliance between the Crosbie clan and the Bruce clan.  Many historians view the Crosbie’s as a sept of the Bruce’s however the Lord Lyon considers them to be a separate armigerous clan.  The surname Crosbie may have been derived from the Old Norse term meaning one who lived near a cross on a farm. Read More…

Clan Carruthers is a Lowland Scottish clan originating in the County of Dumfries, Scotland.  The surname Carruthers was derived from the name of an ancient British fort named Caer Rydderch.  The Carruthers family acquired their lands in the 12th century.  The first person with the surname Carruthers on record was William of Carruthers who in the early 11th century was listed as making a donation to Newbattle Abbey. Read More….

Clan Feud – MacDonald vs. MacLeod

This feud started in 1577 when three young members of the MacLeod Clan became stranded on the Island of Eigg, among members of the MacDonald of Clanranald clan.  The three men were welcomed by the MacDonalds until they became aggressive towards some of the MacDonald women.  The three were beaten and set out to sea.  Word spread to the chief of Clan MacLeod about the treatment of his three clansmen. Enraged, the Macleod chief gathered up a group of his men and headed to Eigg to seek revenge. Read More…