113-521: Clan Macpherson ( / m ə k ˈ f ɜːr s ən / mək- FUR -sən , locally [makˈfɛrsən] ) is a Scottish clan from the Highlands and a member of the Chattan Confederation . The Scottish Gaelic surname for Macpherson is Mac a' Phearsain which means son of the parson . The Celtic church allowed priests to marry and the progenitor of the chiefs of Clan Macpherson
226-541: A "clan" in legislation of the Scottish Parliament in 1384. Many clans have often claimed mythological founders that reinforced their status and gave a romantic and glorified notion of their origins. Most powerful clans gave themselves origins based on Irish mythology . For example, there have been claims that the Clan Donald were descended from either Conn , a second-century king of Ulster , or Cuchulainn ,
339-514: A Royal Commission seeing the Camerons as rebels at that point. The MacBeans of Faillie ventured into land holdings but had developed a huge debt. As the MacBean's estate was not enough to pay off the debt, these lands fell under control of the court. The whole debt, with interests and costs, then fell onto the wider Clan Chattan. The burden, however, was still too heavy, and the estate was of little use to
452-410: A chief's lands would, over time, adopt the clan surname. A chief could add to his clan by adopting other families, and also had the legal right to outlaw anyone from his clan, including members of his own family. Today, anyone who has the chief's surname is automatically considered to be a member of the chief's clan. Also, anyone who offers allegiance to a chief becomes a member of the chief's clan, unless
565-471: A clan has is left up to the clan itself. Confusingly, sept names can be shared by more than one clan, and it may be up to the individual to use his or her family history or genealogy to find the correct clan with which they are associated. Several clan societies have been granted coats of arms. In such cases, these arms are differenced from the chief's, much like a clan armiger . Former Lord Lyon Thomas Innes of Learney stated that such societies, according to
678-460: A commercial landlord, letting land to the highest bidder, was a clear breach of the principle of dùthchas . The Jacobite rising of 1745 used to be described as the pivotal event in the demise in clanship. There is no doubt that the aftermath of the uprising saw savage punitive expeditions against clans that had supported the Jacobites, and legislative attempts to demolish clan culture. However,
791-417: A forgery, but despite this, the designs are still highly regarded and they continue to serve their purpose to identify the clan in question. A sign of allegiance to the clan chief is the wearing of a crest badge. The crest badge suitable for a clansman or clanswoman consists of the chief's heraldic crest encircled with a strap and buckle and which contains the chief's heraldic motto or slogan . Although it
904-746: A history of Clan Chattan, its chiefs and its Mackintosh branches, then in Chapter XV details the 'Tribes and Families of Clan Chattan other than the Mackintoshes of Inverness-shire'. Today, the Clan Chattan Association, which is based in Scotland with members across the world, comprises the following twelve principal clans: The following is a list of the traditional chiefs of the Clan Chattan before marriage between Aife/Eva, heiress of Clan Chattan, with
1017-805: A legally recognised group, but does not differentiate between families and clans as it recognises both terms as being interchangeable. Clans or families thought to have had a chief in the past but not currently recognised by the Lord Lyon are listed at armigerous clans . Tartans were traditionally associated with the Highland Clans and following the end of the Dress Act of 1746 banning tartans from being worn by men and boys, "district then clan tartans" have been an important part of Scottish clans. Almost all Scottish clans have more than one tartan attributed to their surname. Although there are no rules on who can or cannot wear
1130-600: A metaphorical warning to other clans that they should think twice before interfering with Macpherson business. Macpherson clan traditions is that in 1309 Robert the Bruce offered the lands of Badenoch to the chief of Clan Macpherson if they destroyed the Bruce's enemies, the Clan Comyn , and the Macphersons carried out the king's wishes. The Clan Macpherson is sometimes known as the Clan of
1243-421: A more politically accomplished or belligerent relative. There were not many disputes over succession after the 16th century and, by the 17th century, the setting aside of the male heir was a rarity. This was governed and restricted by the law of Entail , which prevented estates from being divided up amongst female heirs and therefore also prevented the loss of clan territories. The main legal process used within
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#17328554550261356-499: A new Band of Union was signed in 2009 to renew the clans historic connection. It is not clear if the Confederation had a formal dispute resolution process for internal disputes. There is however a recorded agreement dated 4 June 1726, appointing Macgillivray of Dunmaglass arbiter between Lachlan, 20th chief of Mackintosh, and Lachlan Macpherson of Cluny, in any disputes that might arise in the carrying out of an agreement made between
1469-468: A particular tartan, and it is possible for anyone to create a tartan and name it almost any name they wish, the only person with the authority to make a clan's tartan "official" is the chief. In some cases, following such recognition from the clan chief, the clan tartan is recorded and registered by the Lord Lyon. Once approved by the Lord Lyon, after recommendation by the Advisory Committee on Tartan,
1582-406: A pole and used as a standard . Clans which are connected historically, or that occupied lands in the same general area, may share the same clan badge. According to popular lore, clan badges were used by Scottish clans as a form of identification in battle. However, the badges attributed to clans today can be completely unsuitable for even modern clan gatherings. Clan badges are commonly referred to as
1695-452: A primary sense of 'children' or 'offspring'. About 30% of Scottish families are attached to a clan. As noted above, the word clan is derived from the Gaelic word clann . However, the need for proved descent from a common ancestor related to the chiefly house is too restrictive. Clans developed a territory based on the native men who came to accept the authority of the dominant group in
1808-583: A range of measures on clan chiefs, designed to integrate them into the Scottish landed classes. Whilst there is debate over their practical effect, they were an influential force on clan elites in the long term. The Statutes obliged clan chiefs to reside in Edinburgh for a large part of the year, and have their heirs educated in the English-speaking Lowlands. Lengthy periods in Edinburgh were costly. Since
1921-488: A rare component of society. Historian T. M. Devine describes "the displacement of this class as one of the clearest demonstrations of the death of the old Gaelic society." Many tacksmen, as well as the wealthier farmers (who were tired of repeated rent increases) chose to emigrate. This could be taken as resistance to the changes in the Highland agricultural economy, as the introduction of agricultural improvement gave rise to
2034-483: A regular part of the social scene. The most notable clan event of recent times was The Gathering 2009 in Edinburgh, which attracted at least 47,000 participants from around the world. It is a common misconception that every person who bears a clan's name is a lineal descendant of the chiefs. Many clansmen, although not related to the chief, took the chief's surname as their own either to show solidarity or to obtain basic protection or for much needed sustenance. Most of
2147-467: Is The Clan Wurrich (Macpherson), 1291 and the third is The Clan Vean (Macbeans), 1292 ; then the fourth is The Clan Day (Davidsons), 1350 . Others follow including (No.9) The Clan Tearlich (Macleans of the North), 1400, (No.10) The Clan Revan (Macqueens), 1400 and (No.14) The Clan Phail (Macphails), 1500 . In his 'The Mackintoshes and Clan Chattan' (1903), A. M. Mackintosh arranges his chapters to provide
2260-516: Is believed to have been a man named Muireach or Murdo Cattenach who was the priest of Kingussie in Badenoch . The Clan Macpherson is part of the Chattan Confederation (Clan Chattan). In 843 the chief of Clan Chattan was Gille Chattan Mor and one of his descendants, the first chief of Clan Macpherson was forced to resettle in Lochaber by Kenneth MacAlpin , first king of Scots. The chief could have been
2373-406: Is common to speak of "clan crests", there is no such thing. In Scotland (and indeed all of UK) only individuals, not clans, possess a heraldic coat of arms . Even though any clansmen and clanswomen may purchase crest badges and wear them to show their allegiance to his or her clan, the heraldic crest and motto always belong to the chief alone. In principle, these badges should only be used with
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#17328554550262486-713: Is kept at the Clan Macpherson Museum in Newtonmore . Prior to the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594 which was fought between Protestant forces under the Earl of Argyll and Catholic forces under the Earl of Huntly, Argyll had laid siege to Ruthven Castle which was well defended by the Clan Macpherson who were vassals of Huntly's and so Argyll had to give up the siege. In 1618 Andrew Macpherson, eighth chief of Clan Macpherson acquired
2599-738: Is therefore quite correct to talk of the MacDonald family or the Stirling clan ." The idea that Highlanders should be listed as clans while the Lowlanders should be termed as families was merely a 19th-century convention. Although Gaelic has been supplanted by English in the Scottish Lowlands for nearly six hundred years, it is acceptable to refer to Lowland families, such as the Douglases as "clans". The Lowland Clan MacDuff are described specifically as
2712-597: The Atholl raids of March 1746. After the Jacobite defeat at the Battle of Culloden , Cluny was able to escape capture by government troops for nine years even though a reward of £1000 was offered for his capture. He escaped to France in 1755. William Macpherson, who was killed at the Battle of Falkirk (1746) , is the ancestor of the current Chief of Clan Macpherson. His brother witnessed government " red coats " burning Macpherson of Cluny's house. Duncan Macpherson of Cluny fought in
2825-502: The Battle of the North Inch took place, which was watched by Robert III of Scotland and his whole court. According to Clan Macpherson lore, at the end of the battle, a piper appeared in the sky, played a few notes and then let the pipes fall to the ground, where, being made of crystal they broke; all except the chanter, which, being of wood only cracked. The Clan Chattan piper then seized the chanter and began playing. This Black Chanter
2938-732: The British Army during the American Revolutionary War . Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Scottish Gaelic clann , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred' ) is a kinship group among the Scottish people . Clans give a sense of shared heritage and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure recognised by the Court of the Lord Lyon , which regulates Scottish heraldry and coats of arms . Most clans have their own tartan patterns, usually dating from
3051-616: The Clan Mackenzie were prepared to play off territorial disputes within and among clans to expand their own land and influence. Feuding on the western seaboard was conducted with such intensity that the Clan MacLeod and the Clan MacDonald on the Isle of Skye were reputedly reduced to eating dogs and cats in the 1590s. Feuding was further compounded by the involvement of Scottish clans in
3164-633: The Clan Sweeney , Clan Lamont , Clan MacLea , Clan MacLachlan and Clan MacNeill , can trace their ancestry back to the fifth century Niall of the Nine Hostages , High King of Ireland. However, in reality, the progenitors of clans can rarely be authenticated further back than the 11th century, and a continuity of lineage in most cases cannot be found until the 13th or 14th centuries. The emergence of clans had more to do with political turmoil than ethnicity. The Scottish Crown's conquest of Argyll and
3277-492: The Heritable Jurisdictions Act which extinguished the right of chiefs to hold courts and transferred this role to the judiciary. The traditional loyalties of clansmen were probably unaffected by this. There is also doubt about any real effect from the banning of Highland dress (which was repealed in 1782 anyway). The Highland Clearances saw further actions by clan chiefs to raise more money from their lands. In
3390-586: The Highland clearances . The loss of this middle tier of Highland society represented not only a flight of capital from Gaeldom, but also a loss of entrepreneurial energy. The first major step in the clearances was the decision of the Dukes of Argyll to put tacks (or leases) of farms and townships up for auction. This began with Campbell property in Kintyre in the 1710s and spread after 1737 to all their holdings. This action as
3503-648: The Jacobite risings was the result of their remoteness, and the feudal clan system which required tenants to provide military service. Historian Frank McLynn identifies seven primary drivers in Jacobitism, support for the Stuarts being the least important; a large percentage of Jacobite support in 1745 Rising came from Lowlanders who opposed the 1707 Union , and members of the Scottish Episcopal Church . In 1745,
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3616-472: The Law of Arms , are considered an "indeterminate cadet". Scottish clanship contained two complementary but distinct concepts of heritage. These were firstly the collective heritage of the clan, known as their dùthchas , which was their prescriptive right to settle in the territories in which the chiefs and leading gentry of the clan customarily provided protection. This concept was where all clansmen recognised
3729-598: The Outer Hebrides from the Norsemen in the 13th century, which followed on from the pacification of the Mormaer of Moray and the northern rebellions of the 12th and 13th centuries, created the opportunity for war lords to impose their dominance over local families who accepted their protection. These warrior chiefs can largely be categorized as Celtic ; however, their origins range from Gaelic to Norse-Gaelic and British . By
3842-408: The early modern period the concept of oighreachd was favoured. This shift reflected the importance of Scots law in shaping the structure of clanship in that the fine were awarded charters and the continuity of heritable succession was secured. The heir to the chief was known as the tainistear and was usually the direct male heir. However, in some cases the direct heir was set aside for
3955-755: The tribalism that was found in Ancient Europe or the one that is still found in the Middle East and among aboriginal groups in Australasia, Africa, and the Americas. During the 1638 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms , all sides were 'Royalist', in the sense of a shared belief monarchy was divinely inspired. The choice of whether to support Charles I, or the Covenanter government, was largely driven by disputes within
4068-538: The 14th century, the Clan Chattan was a conventional clan. However it evolved into an alliance or confederation of at least seventeen clans which was made up of: William Forbes Skene , however, gave a different version of how Clan Chattan was formed prior to the Mackintosh alliance. Clan Vuirich (Clan MacPherson) and Clan Day (Clan Davidson) were the original co-founders and referred to as old Clan Chattan . Added to these were six "stranger septs" who took protection from
4181-531: The 14th century, there had been further influx of kindreds whose ethnicity ranged from Norman or Anglo-Norman and Flemish , such as the Clan Cameron , Clan Fraser , Clan Menzies , Clan Chisholm and Clan Grant . During the Wars of Scottish Independence , feudal tenures were introduced by Robert the Bruce , to harness and control the prowess of clans by the award of charters for land in order to gain support in
4294-562: The 17th century, this had declined and most reiving was known as sprèidh , where smaller numbers of men raided the adjoining Lowlands and the livestock taken usually being recoverable on payment of tascal (information money) and guarantee of no prosecution. Some clans, such as the Clan MacFarlane and the Clan Farquharson , offered the Lowlanders protection against such raids, on terms not dissimilar to blackmail . An act of
4407-401: The 18th century, in an effort to increase the income from their estates, clan chiefs started to restrict the ability of tacksmen to sublet. This meant more of the rent paid by those actually farming the land went to the landowner. The result, though, was the removal of this layer of clan society. In a process that accelerated from the 1770s onward, by the early 19th century the tacksman had become
4520-445: The 19th century, which members may incorporate into kilts or other clothing. The modern image of clans, each with their own tartan and specific land, was promulgated by the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott after influence by others. Historically, tartan designs were associated with Lowland and Highland districts whose weavers tended to produce cloth patterns favoured in those districts. By process of social evolution, it followed that
4633-520: The 27th October, 1756, in presence of Donald MacBean and Alexander Fraser, farmer in the Mains of Tordarroch. This document is peculiarly interesting in respect that it is dated several years after the Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland) Act 1746 came into effect, which abolished such agreements and the powers of clan chiefs. To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the 1609 Clan Chattan Band of Union,
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4746-619: The Bruce's enemies, the Clan Comyn . The earliest official document, the MS 1467 which recognises the Clan Chattan is dated 1467; but the chronicler Bower , writing about 1440, speaks of Clan Chattan in 1429. Bellenden , in his translation of Boece , about 1525, is the first who mentions this clan having been at the Inches in Perth in 1396, and this probably owing to a misprint in the original, of Clan Quhete for Quhele'. He referred to it as Quhattan. Prior to
4859-572: The Chief of Clan Mackintosh, through whose marriage a new line of Mackintosh Captains (Chiefs) of Clan Chattan was created : Thereafter the Chiefs of Clan Mackintosh are also the Chiefs of Clan Chattan. See: Chiefs of Clan Mackintosh . Each Clan in the Confederation retained their chiefs, but acknowledged the Mackintosh chief as the overall Captain of the Confederation. In 1942, the Lyon Court separated
4972-534: The Church of Scotland. This was supported by many chiefs since it suited the hierarchical clan structure and encouraged obedience to authority. Both Charles and his brother James VII used Highland levies, known as the "Highland Host", to control Campbell-dominated areas in the South-West and suppress the 1685 Argyll's Rising . By 1680, it is estimated there were fewer than 16,000 Catholics in Scotland , confined to parts of
5085-477: The Clan Chattan lands. As a result, the lands at Arkaig were occupied by Clan Cameron who claimed that they had been abandoned. This was the beginning of a long and bitter feud that was fought between the Clan Chattan and Clan Cameron until 1666. Another reason for the migration is explained in MacPherson clan traditions is that in 1309, Robert the Bruce offered the lands of Badenoch to them if they destroyed
5198-418: The Earl. The Earl then issued at letter of intercommuning against the Clan Chattan, preventing anyone from assisting or harboring clan members under severe penalty. The matter was resolved after large fines were paid and several clan members executed. Details of this issue was recorded by John Spalding , a noted historian of the era. The Badenoch Land clearances of 1797, affected the township of Biallid Beag,
5311-490: The Highlands were a largely non-cash economy, this meant they shifted towards commercial exploitation of their lands, rather than managing them as part of a social system. The costs of living away from their clan lands contributed to the chronic indebtedness that was increasingly common for Highland landowners, eventually leading to the sale of many of the great Highland estates in the late 18th and early 19th century. During
5424-520: The Highlands, others also show Lowland clans or families. Territorial areas and allegiances changed over time, and there are also differing decisions on which (smaller) clans and families should be omitted (some alternative online sources are listed in the External links section below). This list of clans contains clans registered with the Lord Lyon Court . The Lord Lyon Court defines a clan or family as
5537-570: The Lord Advocate (Attorney General) writing in 1680, said: "By the term 'chief' we call the representative of the family from the word chef or head and in the Irish [Gaelic] with us the chief of the family is called the head of the clan". In summarizing this material, Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw Bt wrote: "So it can be seen that all along the words chief or head and clan or family are interchangeable. It
5650-421: The Lord Lyon as the rightful heir to the undifferenced arms of the ancestor of the clan of which the claimant seeks to be recognized as chief. A chief of a clan is the only person who is entitled to bear the undifferenced arms of the ancestral founder of the clan. The clan is considered to be the chief's heritable estate and the chief's Seal of Arms is the seal of the clan as a "noble corporation". Under Scots law,
5763-653: The Lowlands increased. This gave an advantage in speaking English, as the "language of work". It was found that when the Gaelic Schools Society started teaching basic literacy in Gaelic in the early decades of the 19th century, there was an increase in literacy in English. This paradox may be explained by the annual report of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge (SSPCK) in 1829, which stated: "so ignorant are
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#17328554550265876-600: The MacBeans after 1744. By 1756 William MacBean consented to MacKintosh's reclaiming the Laggau lands, signing a deed of consent. This deed was also signed by other leaders of Clan Chattan, such as Alexander MacPhail of Inverernie, Robert MacKintosh, Tacksman of Termite, William MacKintosh of Aberarder, William MacKintosh of Holme and John MacKintosh of Calclachie. These heads of Clan Chattan signed this agreement at Gask, in Strathnairn, on
5989-467: The Scottish Parliament of 1597 talks of the "Chiftanis and chieffis of all clannis ... duelland in the hielands or bordouris". It has been argued that this vague phrase describes Borders families as clans. The act goes on to list the various Lowland families, including the Maxwells , Johnstones , Carruthers , Turnbulls, and other famous Border Reivers ' names. Further, Sir George MacKenzie of Rosehaugh,
6102-439: The Scottish elite. In 1639, Covenanter politician Argyll , head of Clan Campbell , was given a commission of 'fire and sword', which he used to seize MacDonald territories in Lochaber , and those held by Clan Ogilvy in Angus . As a result, both clans supported Montrose's Royalist campaign of 1644–1645 , in hopes of regaining them. When Charles II regained the throne in 1660, the Rescissory Act 1661 restored bishops to
6215-408: The Three Brothers as chief Ewan Ban Macpherson had three sons: Kenneth Macpherson of Clunie, Iain Macpherson of Pitman and Gillies Macpherson of Invereshie. In 1370 the Battle of Invernahavon took place between the Chattan Confederation and the Clan Cameron . There was a dispute between the Macphersons and another clan of the confederation, the Clan Davidson over who should take the right wing in
6328-413: The Western Highlands and the Hebrides. Many Highland estates were no longer owned by clan chiefs, but landlords of both the new and old type encouraged the emigration of destitute tenants to Canada and, later, to Australia. The clearances were followed by a period of even greater emigration, which continued (with a brief lull for the First World War) up to the start of the Great Depression . Most of
6441-403: The abbey-castle grange in Strathisla . Andrew's son, Euan Macpherson supported the royalist cause during the Scottish Civil War and fought for James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose . The tenth chief was Duncan Macpherson of Cluny who in 1672 lost his claim to lead the Chattan Confederation . The Privy Council of Scotland instead found in favour of a Mackintosh. Duncan had no sons and in 1722
6554-449: The aim of promoting social interaction between people linked by a common name, and interest in their clan's history. Among these was the second Clan Chattan Association, founded in Glasgow in 1893. Initial support for the association was strong with the meetings, lectures and dances described as "a brilliant success", but it faded out by about 1900. Even so, clan historians of that period produced several works which are still used today. In
6667-464: The anti-clan legislation was repealed by the end of the eighteenth century as the Jacobite threat subsided, with the Dress Act restricting kilt wearing being repealed in 1782. There was soon a process of the rehabilitation of highland culture. By the nineteenth century, tartan had largely been abandoned by the ordinary people of the region, although preserved in the Highland regiments in the British army, which poor highlanders joined in large numbers until
6780-464: The aristocracy and Gaelic-speaking clans in the Highlands and Islands . When James was deposed in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution , choice of sides was largely opportunistic. The Presbyterian Macleans backed the Jacobites to regain territories in Mull lost to the Campbells in the 1670s; the Catholic Keppoch MacDonalds tried to sack the pro-Jacobite town of Inverness, and were bought off only after Dundee intervened. Highland involvement in
6893-444: The arms borne by a clan chief are granted or otherwise recognised by the Lord Lyon as an officer of the Crown, thus conferring royal recognition to the entire clan. Clans with recognised chiefs are therefore considered a noble community under Scots law . A group without a chief recognised by the Sovereign, through the Lord Lyon, has no official standing under Scottish law. Claimants to the title of chief are expected to be recognised by
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#17328554550267006-404: The authority to the chiefs and leading gentry as landed proprietors, who owned the land in their own right, rather than just as trustees for the clan. From the beginning of Scottish clanship, the clan warrior elite, who were known as the ‘fine’, strove to be landowners as well as territorial war lords. The concept of dùthchas mentioned above held precedence in the Middle Ages ; however, by
7119-455: The battle. The Clan Mackintosh , whose chiefs were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation favoured the Davidsons and as a result the Macphersons left the field of battle. The Clan Cameron took advantage of this situation and gained the upper hand, however the Macphersons were eventually coerced back into the battle and the Camerons were defeated. The feud between the Clan Cameron and Chattan Confederation continued for many years after and in 1396
7232-477: The captaincy of Clan Chattan, led The Lord Lyon of the day to create the historic separation of the two titles. Lachlan became The Mackintosh of Mackintosh, and his cousin Duncan Alexander Eliott Mackintosh became Mackintosh of Mackintosh-Torcastle , and Head of the hail kin of Clan Chattan . At this juncture the chieftainship of Mackintosh and Clan Chattan split. The last few Clan Chattan Confederation chiefs therefore were: Clan Mackintosh therefore remains
7345-416: The chief as a mark of personal allegiance by the family when their head died, usually in the form of their best cow or horse. Although calps were banned by Parliament in 1617, manrent continued covertly to pay for protection. The marriage alliance reinforced links with neighboring clans as well as with families within the territory of the clan. The marriage alliance was also a commercial contract involving
7458-406: The chief decides not to accept that person's allegiance. Clan membership goes through the surname. Children who take their father's surname are part of their father's clan and not their mother's. However, there have been several cases where a descendant through the maternal line has changed their surname in order to claim the chiefship of a clan, such as the late chief of the Clan MacLeod who
7571-476: The chief is recognised as the head of the clan and serves as the lawful representative of the clan community. Historically, a clan was made up of everyone who lived on the chief's territory, or on territory of those who owed allegiance to the said chief. Through time, with the constant changes of "clan boundaries", migration or regime changes, clans would be made up of large numbers of members who were unrelated and who bore different surnames. Often, those living on
7684-471: The choice was rarely simple; Donald Cameron of Lochiel committed himself only after he was provided "security for the full value of his estate should the rising prove abortive," while MacLeod and Sleat helped Charles escape after Culloden. In 1493, James IV confiscated the Lordship of the Isles from the MacDonalds. This destabilised the region, while links between the Scottish MacDonalds and Irish MacDonnells meant unrest in one country often spilled into
7797-448: The clan and bring to an end the "controversies, questions, debates and hosts, that has fallen furth betwixt the said haill kin of Clan Chattan these times bygone, whereupon there followed groat incanvanisnciss" The Chattan Confederation came together at Termit about five miles from Inverness in 1609 to sign a new Band. Renewal of the 1609 Band, signed at Kincairne, but with an additional clause of action against Ewan Cameron in response to
7910-420: The clan tartan is then recorded in the Lyon Court Books. In at least one instance a clan tartan appears in the heraldry of a clan chief and the Lord Lyon considers it to be the "proper" tartan of the clan. Originally, there appears to have been no association of tartans with specific clans; instead, highland tartans were produced to various designs by local weavers and any identification was purely regional, but
8023-486: The clan. These were Clan Vic Ghillevray (Clan MacGillivray), the Clan Vean (Clan MacBean), the Clan Vic Govies, the Clan Tarrel, the Clan Cheanduy, and the Sliochd Gowchruim or Smiths . However, Skene's phrase about "stranger septs" and the names linked to them is not supported by any of the works of the respected Clan Chattan historians, and may therefore be a historical error by Skene, whose shortcomings have been noted by later writers – one of Skene's harshest critics
8136-433: The clans to settle criminal and civil disputes was known as arbitration , in which the aggrieved and allegedly offending sides put their cases to a panel that was drawn from the leading gentry and was overseen by the clan chief. There was no appeal against the decision made by the panel, which was usually recorded in the local royal or burgh court. Fosterage and manrent were the most important forms of social bonding in
8249-435: The clans. In the case of fosterage, the chief's children would be brought up by a favored member of the leading clan gentry and in turn their children would be favored by members of the clan. In the case of manrent, this was a bond contracted by the heads of families looking to the chief for territorial protection, though not living on the estates of the clan elite. These bonds were reinforced by calps , death duties paid to
8362-420: The clans/families prominent in a particular district would wear the tartan of that district, and it was but a short step for that community to become identified by it. Many clans have their own clan chief ; those that do not are known as armigerous clans . Clans generally identify with geographical areas originally controlled by their founders, sometimes with an ancestral castle and clan gatherings, which form
8475-553: The droving of cattle to the Lowlands for sale, taking a minor share of the payments made to the clan nobility, the fine . They had the important military role of mobilizing the Clan Host , both when required for warfare and more commonly as a large turnout of followers for weddings and funerals, and traditionally, in August, for hunts which included sports for the followers, the predecessors of
8588-501: The emphasis of historians now is on the conversion of chiefs into landlords in a slow transition over a long period. The successive Jacobite rebellions, in the view of T.M. Devine, simply paused the process of change whilst the military aspects of clans regained temporary importance; the apparent surge in social change after the '45 was merely a process of catching up with the financial pressures that gave rise to landlordism. The various pieces of legislation that followed Culloden included
8701-631: The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. The international craze for tartan, and for idealising a romanticised Highlands, was set off by the Ossian cycle published by James Macpherson (1736–96). Macpherson claimed to have found poetry written by the ancient bard Ossian, and published translations that acquired international popularity. Highland aristocrats set up Highland Societies in Edinburgh (1784) and other centres including London (1788). The image of
8814-516: The exchange of livestock, money, and land through payments in which the bride was known as the tocher and the groom was known as the dowry . Clan gatherings are a unique feature of Scottish clan culture, where members of a clan convene to celebrate their shared heritage, participate in Highland Games , and discuss clan business. These events serve as a focal point for clan members and help in preserving historical and cultural landmarks, as well as
8927-412: The first phase of clearance, when agricultural improvement was introduced, many of the peasant farmers were evicted and resettled in newly created crofting communities, usually in coastal areas. The small size of the crofts were intended to force the tenants to work in other industries, such as fishing or the kelp industry. With a shortage of work, the numbers of Highlanders who became seasonal migrants to
9040-497: The followers of the clan were tenants, who supplied labour to the clan leaders. Contrary to popular belief, the ordinary clansmen rarely had any blood tie of kinship with the clan chiefs, but they sometimes took the chief's surname as their own when surnames came into common use in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Thus, by the eighteenth century the myth had arisen that the whole clan was descended from one ancestor, perhaps relying on Scottish Gaelic clann originally having
9153-531: The idea of a clan-specific tartan gained currency in the late 18th century and in 1815 the Highland Society of London began the naming of clan-specific tartans. Many clan tartans derive from a 19th-century hoax known as the Vestiarium Scoticum . The Vestiarium was composed by the " Sobieski Stuarts ", who passed it off as a reproduction of an ancient manuscript of clan tartans. It has since been proven
9266-505: The law. After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the incidents of feuding between clans declined considerably. The last "clan" feud that led to a battle and which was not part of a civil war was the Battle of Mulroy , which took place on 4 August 1688. Cattle raiding, known as "reiving" , had been normal practice prior to the 17th century. It was also known as creach , where young men took livestock from neighbouring clans. By
9379-416: The lay prior of Ardchattan and he seems to have been named in honour of Saint Cathan . Touch not the cat bot a glove. 'Bot' means without. The 'glove' of a wildcat is the pad. If the cat is 'ungloved', its claws are unsheathed. The motto serves as a warning that one should beware when the wildcat's claws are 'without a glove'. It is a reference to the historically violent nature of the clan and serves as
9492-494: The leadership of Clan MacKintosh and Clan Chattan. The leadership of Clan Chattan passed to the Mackintosh of Torcastle line. The Chief of Clan Mackintosh had been at the same time Captain of Clan Chattan, until the death of Alfred Donald Mackintosh of Mackintosh CBE, who chose as his heir to the Mackintosh inheritance Rear-Admiral Lachlan Donald Makintosh CB DSO DSC. The omission of a stipulation in Alfred's will, concerning inheritance of
9605-702: The legendary hero of Ulster . Whilst their political enemies the Clan Campbell have claimed as their progenitor Diarmaid the Boar , who was rooted in the Fingalian or Fenian Cycle . In contrast, the Clans Grant , Mackinnon and Gregor claimed ancestry from the Siol Alpin family, who descend from Alpin , father of Kenneth MacAlpin , who united the Scottish kingdom in 843. Only one confederation of clans, which included
9718-460: The location of a ancient Macpherson/Macintyre cemetery, St. Patricks. The activities of the Clan are carried on by the Clan Chattan Association, a descendant of the original association established in 1727 for the purpose of defending the interests of the clan "against all who would seek the injury of any of its subscribers". In the nineteenth century, many clan societies and associations emerged, with
9831-421: The majority of clan leaders advised Prince Charles to return to France, including MacDonald of Sleat and Norman MacLeod . By arriving without French military support, they felt Charles failed to keep his commitments, while it is also suggested Sleat and MacLeod were vulnerable to government sanctions due to their involvement in illegally selling tenants into indentured servitude . Enough were persuaded, but
9944-399: The modern Highland games . Where the oighreachd (land owned by the clan elite or fine ) did not match the common heritage of the dùthchas (the collective territory of the clan) this led to territorial disputes and warfare. The fine resented their clansmen paying rent to other landlords. Some clans used disputes to expand their territories. Most notably, the Clan Campbell and
10057-481: The more important agreements of the Confederation in terms of Bands of union, friendship, maintenance and manrent. The Chattan Confederation‟s first band may have been created in 1397 after the Battle of the North Inch , but it only lasted 14 years until 1411 when Clan MacPherson decided to take a different stand than the rest of the Chattan Confederation in regional politics. Signed at Inverness by most of
10170-580: The most Gaelic part of Ireland, the Plantation of Ulster tried to ensure stability in Western Scotland by importing Scots and English Protestants. This process was often supported by the original owners; in 1607 Sir Randall MacDonnell settled 300 Presbyterian Scots families on his land in Antrim. This ended the Irish practice of using Highland gallowglass , or mercenaries. The 1609 Statutes of Iona imposed
10283-591: The national cause against the English . For example, the Clan MacDonald were elevated above the Clan MacDougall , two clans who shared a common descent from a great Norse-Gaelic warlord named Somerled of the 12th century. Clanship was thus not only a strong tie of local kinship but also of feudalism to the Scottish Crown. It is this feudal component, reinforced by Scots law, that separates Scottish clanship from
10396-407: The natural environment of Scotland. Clan affiliations aren't solely based on ancestry; people with no Scottish lineage can also be affiliated with a clan, commonly known as "Clan Friends." Rents from those living within the clan estate were collected by the tacksmen . These lesser gentry acted as estate managers, allocating the runrig strips of land, lending seed-corn and tools and arranging
10509-579: The original clan symbol. However, Thomas Innes of Learney claimed the heraldic flags of clan chiefs would have been the earliest means of identifying Scottish clans in battle or at large gatherings. Chattan Confederation Clan Chattan ( Scottish Gaelic : Na Catanaich or Clann Chatain ) is a unique confederation of Highland clans. This distinctive allied community comprised at its greatest extent seventeen separate clans (currently twelve), who each had their own clan chief recognized under Scottish law, but were further united and bound to
10622-412: The original markers were merely specific plants worn in bonnets or hung from a pole or spear. Clan badges are another means of showing one's allegiance to a Scottish clan. These badges, sometimes called plant badges, consist of a sprig of a particular plant. They are usually worn in a bonnet behind the Scottish crest badge; they can also be attached at the shoulder of a lady's tartan sash , or be tied to
10735-475: The other. James VI took various measures to deal with the resulting instability, including the 1587 'Slaughter under trust' law, later used in the 1692 Glencoe Massacre . To prevent endemic feuding, it required disputes to be settled by the Crown, specifically murder committed in 'cold-blood', once articles of surrender had been agreed, or hospitality accepted. Its first recorded use was in 1588, when Lachlan Maclean
10848-585: The parents that it is difficult to convince them that it can be any benefit to their children to learn Gaelic, though they are all anxious ... to have them taught English". The second phase of the Highland clearances affected overpopulated crofting communities which were no longer able to support themselves due to famine and/or collapse of the industries on which they relied. "Assisted passages" were provided to destitute tenants by landlords who found this cheaper than continued cycles of famine relief to those in substantial rent arrears. This applied particularly to
10961-472: The permission of the clan chief; and the Lyon Court has intervened in cases where permission has been withheld. Scottish crest badges, much like clan-specific tartans , do not have a long history, and owe much to Victorian era romanticism , having only been worn on the bonnet since the 19th century. The concept of a clan badge or form of identification may have some validity, as it is commonly stated that
11074-403: The personal authority of the chiefs and leading gentry as trustees for their clan. The second concept was the wider acceptance of the granting of charters by the Crown and other powerful landowners to the chiefs, chieftains and lairds which defined the estate settled by their clan. This was known as their oighreachd and gave a different emphasis to the clan chief's authority in that it gave
11187-493: The principal clan of the Clan Chattan Confederation and the current and past Mackintosh of Mackintosh has been President of the Clan Chattan Association. Clan Chattan as a whole or as individual clans were involved in the following events: No single gathering point is known to exist for the entire Confederation to have ever used, but several other gathering points have been identified: The list below shows some of
11300-525: The romantic highlands was further popularised by the works of Walter Scott . His "staging" of the royal visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822 and the King's wearing of tartan, resulted in a massive upsurge in demand for kilts and tartans that could not be met by the Scottish linen industry. The designation of individual clan tartans was largely defined in this period and they became a major symbol of Scottish identity. This "Highlandism", by which all of Scotland
11413-576: The summer of 1933, the third Clan Chattan Association was founded in London. Now based in Scotland, the association has worldwide membership. It organizes a number of activities, such as the annual events in early August at Moy Hall in conjunction with the Highland Field Sports Fair. Members are kept informed of events through the annual journal of the association. The council of Clan Chattan Association comprises eight Chiefs, who represent all of
11526-679: The superior chief of the Confederation for mutual solidarity, sustenance and protection in the Middle Ages and early modern period in the Great Glen and Cairngorms . A tribal coalition of this magnitude was a source of apprehension to both the Lord of the Isles and the Kings of Scots and records exist of machinations to "crying doon the Clan Chattan" by formenting internal dissension. There are multiple theories about
11639-492: The tribes of Clan Chattan in reaction mainly to threats on their lands in Rothiemurchus by Clan Grant . Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh wrote to the Chief of Clan Grant that he wanted to repurchase his "own native country of Rothiemurchus", but was ignored. Mackintosh then threatened to raise the tribes of Clan Chattan against him. After the death of Mackintosh of Dunnachten in 1606, the Mackintoshes made an effort to reunite
11752-654: The true origins of this clan: In the time of Malcolm II of Scotland the Clan Chattan possessed the lands of Glen Loy and Loch Arkaig . It was here that Tor Castle became the clan chief's seat. Not much is certain about the history of the clan until towards the end of the 13th century. Eva, (most probably incorrectly anglicized from Aife ), daughter and heiress of Gilpatric or Dougal Dall, 6th chief of Clan Chattan in Lochaber , married Angus Mackintosh, 6th chief of Clan Mackintosh , in 1291. Thus Angus Mackintosh also became 7th chief of Clan Chattan. Some members of alternative male inheritance lines have however questioned
11865-765: The two at Moy Hall on 15 September 1724. Throughout the 16th Century, the Clan Chattan Confederation was caught up in the machinations of the Earls of Mar, Moray and Huntly, particularly George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly , mainly to use parts of the clan in their respective earldoms in disputes between themselves. This led to external attempts to divide the various tribes of Clan Chattan by undermining known internal disputes. James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray tried to take back lands in Pettie and Strathern from Clan Chattan his father, James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray had gifted them for loyal support. This then resulted in an insurrection against
11978-482: The validity of this decision through a female line which would lead to occasional discord. Neither side of this dispute have questioned the historicity of Aoife, merely the inheritance line. The couple resided at Tor Castle before withdrawing to Rothiemurchus apparently due to the enmity of Aonghus Óg of Islay , chief of Clan Donald , the uncle of Angus Mackintosh. Tradition has it that he had intended to marry Eva off to one of his family members and in so doing acquire
12091-460: The vicinity. A clan also included a large group of loosely related septs – dependent families – all of whom looked to the clan chief as their head and their protector. According to the former Lord Lyon, Sir Thomas Innes of Learney , a clan is a community that is distinguished by heraldry and recognised by the Sovereign . Learney considered clans to be a "noble incorporation" because
12204-582: The wars between the Irish Gaels and the English Tudor monarchy in the 16th century. Within these clans, there evolved a military caste of members of the lesser gentry who were purely warriors and not managers, and who migrated seasonally to Ireland to fight as mercenaries. There was heavy feuding between the clans during the civil wars of the 1640s; however, by this time, the chiefs and leading gentry preferred increasingly to settle local disputes by recourse to
12317-450: Was born John Wolridge-Gordon and changed his name to the maiden name of his maternal grandmother in order to claim the chiefship of the MacLeods. Today, clans may have lists of septs . Septs are surnames, families or clans that historically, currently or for whatever reason the chief chooses, are associated with that clan. There is no official list of clan septs, and the decision of what septs
12430-476: Was identified with the culture of the Highlands, was cemented by Queen Victoria 's interest in the country, her adoption of Balmoral Castle as a major royal retreat from and her interest in "tartenry". The revival of interest, and demand for clan ancestry, has led to the production of lists and maps covering the whole of Scotland giving clan names and showing territories, sometimes with the appropriate tartans . While some lists and clan maps confine their area to
12543-610: Was prosecuted for the murder of his new stepfather, John MacDonald, and 17 other members of the MacDonald wedding party. Other measures had limited impact; imposing financial sureties on landowners for the good behaviour of their tenants often failed, as many were not regarded as the clan chief. The 1603 Union of the Crowns coincided with the end of the Anglo-Irish Nine Years' War , followed by land confiscations in 1608 . Previously
12656-441: Was the Scottish philologist Alexander MacBain . Noted historian of Clan Chattan, Charles Fraser-Mackintosh , in his 'An Account of the Confederation of Clan Chattan; its kith and kin' (the work known as 'Minor Septs of Clan Chattan') published a list of 16 associated tribes of Clan Chattan, along with an associated date reference, as written down by Sir Æneas Mackintosh. It begins with The Clan vic Gillivray, 1271 . The second clan
12769-474: Was therefore succeeded as chief of Clan Macpherson by Lachlan Macpherson, fourth Laird of Nuid. Clan Macpherson having supported the Jacobite rising of 1715 , General Wade 's report on the Highlands in 1724, estimated the clan strength at 220 men. Chief Euan Macpherson of Cluny was a notable leader in the Jacobite rising of 1745 and fought at the Clifton Moor Skirmish . 300 Macphersons took part in
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