156-405: Clan Maclachlan , also known as Clan Lachlan , Clann Lachainn (Argyll) , and Clann Lachlainn , is a Highland Scottish clan that historically centred on the lands of Strathlachlan (Srath Lachainn "Valley of Lachlan") on Loch Fyne , Argyll on the west coast of Scotland. The clan claims descent from Lachlan Mor, who lived on Loch Fyne in the 13th century, and who has left his name upon
312-603: A Gaelic-speaking point of view, includes both the Western Isles and the Highlands. The area is very sparsely populated, with many mountain ranges dominating the region, and includes the highest mountain in the British Isles , Ben Nevis . During the 18th and early 19th centuries the population of the Highlands rose to around 300,000, but from c. 1841 and for the next 160 years, the natural increase in population
468-427: A Maclachlan heir. Lachlan died sometime between 1557 and 1559, and was succeeded by his second son, Archibald. In 1587, the chief of the clan, "M'Lauchlane", appears on the roll of names of the landlords in the highlands and the isles, on whose land broken men dwelt. Archibald had only daughters and in turn was succeeded by his nephew Lachlan Og ("Lauchlane oig Macklauchlane his brothers sone"). Not long after assuming
624-619: A Universal Service Obligation to charge a uniform tariff across the UK. This, however, applies only to mail items and not larger packages which are dealt with by its Parcelforce division. The Highlands lie to the north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , which runs from Arran to Stonehaven . This part of Scotland is largely composed of ancient rocks from the Cambrian and Precambrian periods which were uplifted during
780-572: A barony and some minor properties in England, and a strong claim to the Scottish throne. Bruce, like all his family, had a complete belief in his right to the throne. His ambition was further thwarted by John Comyn , who supported John Balliol. Comyn was the most powerful noble in Scotland and was related to many other powerful nobles both within Scotland and England, including relatives that held
936-468: A bonnet. Crest badges are usually made up of the chief's heraldic crest surrounded by a strap and buckle with the chief's heraldic motto or slogan . The crest badge used by members of Clan Maclachlan contains the Latin motto FORTIS ET FIDUS , which translates to "strong and faithful". The blazon of the crest within the badge is (Issuant from a crest coronet of four (three visible) strawberry leaves Or)
1092-455: A castle set upon a rock all Proper . Another clan symbol used to show a clan member's affiliation is a clan badge or plant badge. Consisting of a particular plant, these badges are sometimes said to be the original means of identification used by Scottish clans. Clan Maclachlan has two clan badges attributed to it. These include: rowan (or mountain ash) and lesser periwinkle. Many clans are also attributed pipe tunes. Clan Maclachlan's pipe music
1248-544: A code of chivalry, Robert's chief tutor was surely a reputable, experienced knight, drawn from his grandfather's crusade retinue. This grandfather, known to contemporaries as Robert the Noble , and to history as "Bruce the Competitor", seems to have been an immense influence on the future king. Robert's later performance in war certainly underlines his skills in tactics and single combat. The family would have moved between
1404-579: A daughter of Iain Lamont of Inveryne, the chief of Clan Lamont. Iain was succeeded by his son, Lachlan, who later on forcibly ejected Archibald Lamont of Stroiog from his lands. For this, the Maclachlan chief was summoned before the Privy Council, which ruled that even though Lachlan claimed Lamont lands through his maternal grandfather (the chief of Clan Lamont), that a Lamont heir was preferable to
1560-552: A daughter of James the Steward of Scotland, and had a son, Lachlan, who later succeeded him. In 1410 Iain Maclachlan, lord of Strathlachlan, ("Johonne Lachlani domino de Straithlaon"), witnessed a Lamont charter. In 1456 Lachlan's son, "Donaldus Maclachlane dominus de Ardlawan" ("Ardlachlan", or Castle Lachlan), like his ancestor Gillespie, granted the Preaching Friars of Glasgow six shillings and eight pence per year, from
1716-404: A group of disaffected Scots, including Robert Wishart , Bishop of Glasgow , Macduff of Fife , and the young Robert Bruce. The future king was now twenty-two, and in joining the rebels he seems to have been acting independently of his father, who took no part in the rebellion and appears to have abandoned Annandale once more for the safety of Carlisle. It appears that Robert Bruce had fallen under
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#17327810249641872-472: A new footbridge over the River Lachlan. Work began in the spring of 2013 with the erection of scaffolding around the west corner of the old castle. The plan is to develop the site for the enjoyment of visitors, with improved pathways, a nature trail and information points about the heritage of the area. Old Castle Lachlan lies on the eastern shore of Loch Fyne, near Newton. The ruinous castle dates to
2028-482: A pact that bound them, each to the other, in "friendship and alliance against all men." If one should break the secret pact, he would forfeit to the other the sum of ten thousand pounds. The pact is often interpreted as a sign of their patriotism despite both having already surrendered to the English. Homage was again obtained from the nobles and the burghs, and a parliament was held to elect those who would meet later in
2184-529: A pair of spurs. Bruce took the hint, and he and a squire fled the English court during the night. They made their way quickly for Scotland. According to Barbour, Comyn betrayed his agreement with Bruce to King Edward I, and when Bruce arranged a meeting for 10 February 1306 with Comyn in the Chapel of Greyfriars Monastery in Dumfries and accused him of treachery, they came to blows. Bruce stabbed Comyn before
2340-503: A period with one or more allied English noble families, such as the de Clares of Gloucester, or perhaps even in the English royal household. Sir Thomas Grey asserted in his Scalacronica that in about 1292, Robert the Bruce, then aged eighteen, was a "young bachelor of King Edward 's Chamber". While there remains little firm evidence of Robert's presence at Edward's court, on 8 April 1296, both Robert and his father were pursued through
2496-433: A possible explanation for Robert the Bruce's apparent affinity for " hobelar " warfare, using smaller sturdy ponies in mounted raids, as well as for sea-power, ranging from oared war-galleys (" birlinns ") to boats. According to historians such as Barrow and Penman, it is also likely that when Robert and Edward Bruce reached the male age of consent of twelve and began training for full knighthood, they were sent to reside for
2652-703: A royal lineage as a fourth great-grandson of David I that would give him a claim to the Scottish throne. In addition to the lordship of Annandale, the Bruces also held lands in Aberdeenshire and Dundee , and substantial estates in England (in Cumberland , County Durham , Essex , Middlesex , Northumberland and Yorkshire ) and in County Antrim in Ireland. Very little is known of his youth. He
2808-560: A separate whisky producing region.) This massive area has over 30 distilleries, or 47 when the Islands sub-region is included in the count. According to one source, the top five are Macallan , Glenfiddich , Aberlour , Glenfarclas , and Balvenie . While Speyside is geographically within the Highlands, that region is specified as distinct in terms of whisky productions. Speyside single malt whiskies are produced by about 50 distilleries. According to Visit Scotland , Highlands whisky
2964-601: A small victory over the English at the Battle of Glen Trool , before defeating Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke , at the Battle of Loudoun Hill . At the same time, James Douglas made his first foray for Bruce into south-western Scotland, attacking and burning his own castle in Douglasdale. Leaving his brother Edward in command in Galloway , Bruce travelled north, capturing Inverlochy and Urquhart Castles, burning to
3120-503: A strong fascination for Robert and his brothers. They would have had masters drawn from their parents' household to school them in the arts of horsemanship, swordsmanship, the joust, hunting and perhaps aspects of courtly behaviour, including dress, protocol, speech, table etiquette, music and dance, some of which may have been learned before the age of ten while serving as pages in their father's or grandfather's household. As many of these personal and leadership skills were bound up within
3276-532: A traditional practice in Carrick, southwest and western Scotland, the Hebrides and Ireland . There were a number of Carrick, Ayrshire, Hebridean and Irish families and kindreds affiliated with the Bruces who might have performed such a service (Robert's foster-brother is referred to by Barbour as sharing Robert's precarious existence as an outlaw in Carrick in 1307–1308). This Gaelic influence has been cited as
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#17327810249643432-668: A twelfth-century romance of Charlemagne , Fierabras , as well as relating examples from history such as Hannibal 's defiance of Rome . As king, Robert certainly commissioned verse to commemorate Bannockburn and his subjects' military deeds. Contemporary chroniclers Jean Le Bel and Thomas Grey would both assert that they had read a history of his reign 'commissioned by King Robert himself.' In his last years, Robert would pay for Dominican friars to tutor his son, David , for whom he would also purchase books. A parliamentary briefing document of c. 1364 would also assert that Robert 'used continually to read, or have read in his presence,
3588-723: Is Moladh Màiri (translation from Gaelic: "In Praise of Mary"). Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( Scots : the Hielands ; Scottish Gaelic : a' Ghàidhealtachd [ə ˈɣɛːəl̪ˠt̪ʰəxk] , lit. ' the place of the Gaels ' ) is a historical region of Scotland . Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period , when Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of
3744-671: Is new Castle Lachlan. Clan Maclachlan claims as its eponymous ancestor Lachlan Mor. The surname Maclachlan is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic Mac Lachlainn which is the patronymic form of the Gaelic personal name Lochlann meaning "stranger". Lochlann was originally a term to describe Scandinavia , composed of the elements loch (meaning "lake" or " fjord ") + lann (meaning "land"). Members of Scottish clans show their allegiance to their clan and chief by wearing crest badges . These are usually worn on
3900-598: Is "fruity, sweet, spicy, malty". Another review states that Northern Highlands single malt is "sweet and full-bodied", the Eastern Highlands and Southern Highlands whiskies tend to be "lighter in texture" while the distilleries in the Western Highlands produce single malts with a "much peatier influence". The Scottish Reformation achieved partial success in the Highlands. Roman Catholicism remained strong in some areas, owing to remote locations and
4056-409: Is confusion and consternation over the scale of the fees charged and the effectiveness of their communication, and the use of the word Mainland in their justification. Since the charges are often based on postcode areas, many far less remote areas, including some which are traditionally considered part of the lowlands, are also subject to these charges. Royal Mail is the only delivery network bound by
4212-689: Is formed along a transform fault which divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands . The entire region was covered by ice sheets during the Pleistocene ice ages, save perhaps for a few nunataks . The complex geomorphology includes incised valleys and lochs carved by the action of mountain streams and ice, and a topography of irregularly distributed mountains whose summits have similar heights above sea-level, but whose bases depend upon
4368-582: Is reckoned as the fifteenth chief of the clan. In 1680 Archibald had his lands erected into a barony by Charles II of England called the Barony of Strathlachlan which was centred on Castle Lachlan. To this day the chief of the clan is styled as Baron of Strathlachlan. The Maclachlans were loyal Jacobites . They were said to have been present at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. In the Jacobite Rising of 1715 Lachlan Maclachlan of that Ilk "signed
4524-582: Is shown in a letter written to Edward by Hugh Cressingham on 23 July 1292, which reports the opinion that "if you had the earl of Carrick, the Steward of Scotland and his brother ... you would think your business done". On 7 July, Bruce and his friends made terms with Edward by a treaty called the Capitulation of Irvine . The Scottish lords were not to serve beyond the sea against their will and were pardoned for their recent violence in return for swearing allegiance to King Edward. The Bishop of Glasgow, James
4680-539: Is still uncertain where Bruce spent the winter of 1306–1307. Most likely he spent it in the Hebrides , possibly sheltered by Christina of the Isles . The latter was married to a member of the Mar kindred , a family to which Bruce was related (not only was his first wife a member of this family but her brother, Gartnait , was married to a sister of Bruce). Ireland is also a serious possibility, and Orkney (under Norwegian rule at
4836-712: Is the most mountainous part of the United Kingdom . Between the 15th century and the mid-20th century, the area differed from most of the Lowlands in terms of language. In Scottish Gaelic, the region is known as the Gàidhealtachd , because it was traditionally the Gaelic-speaking part of Scotland, although the language is now largely confined to The Hebrides . The terms are sometimes used interchangeably but have different meanings in their respective languages. Scottish English (in its Highland form )
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4992-528: Is the predominant language of the area today, though Highland English has been influenced by Gaelic speech to a significant extent. Historically, the "Highland line" distinguished the two Scottish cultures. While the Highland line broadly followed the geography of the Grampians in the south, it continued in the north, cutting off the north-eastern areas, that is Eastern Caithness , Orkney and Shetland , from
5148-895: Is used in elections to the Scottish Parliament : this area includes Orkney and Shetland , as well as the Highland Council local government area, the Western Isles and most of the Argyll and Bute and Moray local government areas. Highlands and Islands has, however, different meanings in different contexts. It means Highland (the local government area), Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles in Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service . Northern , as in Northern Constabulary , refers to
5304-415: The Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Robert defeated a much larger English army under Edward II of England , confirming the re-establishment of an independent Scottish kingdom. The battle marked a significant turning point, with Robert's armies now free to launch devastating raids throughout northern England , while he also expanded the war against England by sending armies to invade Ireland , and appealed to
5460-535: The Black Isle . Looping back via the hinterlands of Inverness and a second failed attempt to take Elgin, Bruce finally achieved his landmark defeat of Comyn at the Battle of Inverurie in May 1308; he then overran Buchan and defeated the English garrison at Aberdeen . The Harrying of Buchan in 1308 was ordered by Bruce to make sure all Comyn family support was extinguished. Buchan had a very large population because it
5616-661: The Cairngorms and the Cuillin of Skye . A significant exception to the above are the fossil-bearing beds of Old Red Sandstone found principally along the Moray Firth coast and partially down the Highland Boundary Fault. The Jurassic beds found in isolated locations on Skye and Applecross reflect the complex underlying geology. They are the original source of much North Sea oil . The Great Glen
5772-811: The Church of Scotland . In contrast to the Catholic southern islands, the northern Outer Hebrides islands (Lewis, Harris and North Uist) have an exceptionally high proportion of their population belonging to the Protestant Free Church of Scotland or the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland . The Outer Hebrides have been described as the last bastion of Calvinism in Britain and the Sabbath remains widely observed. Inverness and
5928-608: The Clan Maclachlan Society and the Lachlan Trust . The Clan Maclachlan Society consists of eight branches around the world, including Australia, Britain & Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States of America. The Lachlan Trust is a registered Scottish charitable organisation which takes donations to preserve the heritage of Clan Maclachlan. The trust, in part with Historic Scotland and
6084-477: The Duke of Argyll ", though it was considerably unpopular decision at the time, and Maclachlan's estates were "surveyed but afterwards found not to be forfeited". In the early 19th century, a new Castle Lachlan was built for the chiefs of the clan, and it remains the seat of the clan to this day. The last of the male line chiefs of Clan Maclachlan was John Maclachlan who died in 1942. He was succeeded by his daughter,
6240-529: The Earl of Lennox . A strong force under Edward, Prince of Wales, captured Kildrummy Castle on 13 September 1306, taking prisoner the King's youngest brother, Nigel de Bruce, as well as Robert Boyd and Alexander Lindsay, and Sir Simon Fraser. Boyd managed to escape but both Nigel de Bruce and Lindsay were executed shortly after at Berwick following King Edward's orders to execute all followers of Robert de Bruce. Fraser
6396-538: The English Parliament to answer the charges. This the Scottish king did, but the final straw was Edward's demand that the Scottish magnates provide military service in England's war against France. This was unacceptable; the Scots instead formed an alliance with France. The Comyn-dominated council acting in the name of King John summoned the Scottish host to meet at Caddonlee on 11 March. The Bruces and
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6552-545: The Heritage Lottery Fund , helped raise £ 100,000 for the preservation of Kilmorie Chapel, the traditional burying place of the chiefs. The project was completed in 2006, as a memorial to the twenty-fourth chief (the present chief's mother). Further funding from Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund has since been approved for the conservation of the old castle and the construction of
6708-541: The Irish Land War underway at the same time, where the Irish were intensely politicised through roots in Irish nationalism, while political dimensions were limited. In 1885 three Independent Crofter candidates were elected to Parliament, which listened to their pleas. The results included explicit security for the Scottish smallholders in the "crofting counties"; the legal right to bequeath tenancies to descendants; and
6864-580: The MacSweens : as all claim descent from Anrothan O'Neill who left Ireland for Kintyre in the 11th century. From this descent the clan claims a further descent from the legendary Niall Noigíallach , High King of Ireland , who lived from the mid 4th century to the early 5th century. The clan took part in the Jacobite risings as loyal supporters of the Stuart kings of Scotland. The seventeenth chief of
7020-511: The kilt were adopted by members of the social elite, not just in Scotland, but across Europe. The international craze for tartan, and for idealising a romanticised Highlands, was set off by the Ossian cycle, and further popularised by the works of Walter Scott . His "staging" of the 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
7176-474: The 15th century, and lies about 70 feet (21.3 m) north to south, 54 feet (16.5 m) east to west, and at its highest point 43 feet (13.1 m) high. In the late 18th century, Donald Maclachlan oversaw the construction of New Castle Lachlan , a mansion which stands about a ten-minute walk away from the ruinous old castle. This new house was first built in the Queen Anne Style , then later at
7332-702: The Address of Welcome to the Old Chevalier, the rightful King James VIII Stuart, on his landing in Scotland". Archibald Brown, in The History of Cowal , wrote, "The chief of MacLachlan appeared with the Earl of Mar at Sheriffmuir as Colonel in the Pretender's army, and for this act it is said Campbell of Ardkinglas followed MacLachlan like a sleuthhound for five years and shot him dead in 1720". Lachlan,
7488-508: The Bruce ( Scottish Gaelic : Raibeart am Brusach ), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. Robert led Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against England . He fought successfully during his reign to restore Scotland to an independent kingdom and is regarded in Scotland as a national hero . Robert was a fourth-great-grandson of King David I , and his grandfather, Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale ,
7644-533: The Bruce nor the Comyn camps and was a patriot. He was an active Guardian and made renewed efforts to have King John returned to the Scottish throne. In July 1301 King Edward I launched his sixth campaign into Scotland. Though he captured the castles of Bothwell and Turnberry , he did little to damage the Scots' fighting ability, and in January 1302 he agreed to a nine-month truce. It was around this time that Robert
7800-463: The Bruce submitted to Edward, along with other nobles, even though he had been on the side of the Scots until then. There were rumours that John Balliol would return to regain the Scottish throne. Soules, who had probably been appointed by John, supported his return, as did most other nobles. But it was no more than a rumour and nothing came of it. In March 1302, Bruce sent a letter to the monks at Melrose Abbey apologising for having called tenants of
7956-520: The Bruces were by now back in possession of Annandale and Carrick, in August 1296 Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, and his son, Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick and future king, were among the more than 1,500 Scots at Berwick who swore an oath of fealty to King Edward I of England. When the Scottish revolt against Edward I broke out in July 1297, James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland , led into rebellion
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#17327810249648112-578: The Comyn Earl of Buchan and their faction attacking their Bruce enemies. Both his father and grandfather were at one time Governors of the Castle, and following the loss of Annandale to Comyn in 1295, it was their principal residence. Robert Bruce would have gained first-hand knowledge of the city's defences. The next time Carlisle was besieged, in 1315, Robert the Bruce would be leading the attack. Edward I responded to King John's alliance with France and
8268-421: The Crusades because, "it is said the heads of these two families went together to the war, and each solemnly engaged with the other to lay him in his family burying-place if he should fall in battle". In 1487 Iain Maclachlan of Strathlachlan, witnessed a bond by Dougall Stewart of Appin to Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll . Iain died sometime around 1509 and his son Gillescop (or alternately Archibald ) married
8424-409: The English Chancery for their private household debts of £60 by several merchants of Winchester . This raises the possibility that young Robert the Bruce was on occasion resident in a royal centre which Edward I himself would visit frequently during his reign. Robert's first appearance in history is on a witness list of a charter issued by Alexander Og MacDonald, Lord of Islay . His name appears in
8580-405: The English on even ground have caused many to consider Bruce one of the great guerrilla leaders of any age. This represented a transformation for one raised as a feudal knight . By 1314, Bruce had recaptured most of the castles in Scotland held by the English and was sending raiding parties into northern England as far as Carlisle . In response, Edward II planned a major military campaign with
8736-418: The English. William Wallace resigned as Guardian of Scotland after his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk . He was succeeded by Robert Bruce and John Comyn as joint Guardians, but they could not see past their personal differences. As a nephew and supporter of King John, and as someone with a serious claim to the Scottish throne, Comyn was Bruce's enemy. In 1299, William Lamberton , Bishop of St. Andrews ,
8892-481: The Gaelic by renaming it "Erse" a play on Eire. Following the Union of the Crowns , James VI had the military strength to back up any attempts to impose some control. The result was, in 1609, the Statutes of Iona which started the process of integrating clan leaders into Scottish society. The gradual changes continued into the 19th century, as clan chiefs thought of themselves less as patriarchal leaders of their people and more as commercial landlords. The first effect on
9048-590: The Gaelic language of his Carrick birthplace and his mother's family and the early Scots language. As the heir to a considerable estate and a pious layman, Robert would also have been given working knowledge of Latin , the language of charter lordship, liturgy and prayer. This would have afforded Robert and his brothers access to basic education in the law , politics , scripture , saints' Lives ( vitae ), philosophy , history and chivalric instruction and romance. Barbour reported that Robert read aloud to his band of supporters in 1306, reciting from memory tales from
9204-403: The Hebrides. In traditional Scottish geography , the Highlands refers to that part of Scotland north-west of the Highland Boundary Fault , which crosses mainland Scotland in a near-straight line from Helensburgh to Stonehaven . However the flat coastal lands that occupy parts of the counties of Nairnshire , Morayshire, Banffshire and Aberdeenshire are often excluded as they do not share
9360-413: The Highlands for much of its history, with significant instances as late as 1817 in the Eastern Highlands and the early 1850s in the West. Over the 18th century, the region had developed a trade of black cattle into Lowland markets, and this was balanced by imports of meal into the area. There was a critical reliance on this trade to provide sufficient food, and it is seen as an essential prerequisite for
9516-445: The Highlands is geographically on the British mainland, it is somewhat less accessible than the rest of Britain; thus most UK couriers categorise it separately, alongside Northern Ireland , the Isle of Man , and other offshore islands. They thus charge additional fees for delivery to the Highlands, or exclude the area entirely. While the physical remoteness from the largest population centres inevitably leads to higher transit cost, there
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#17327810249649672-443: The Highlands, with its administrative centre at Inverness . However, the Highlands also includes parts of the council areas of Aberdeenshire , Angus , Argyll and Bute , Moray , North Ayrshire , Perth and Kinross , Stirling and West Dunbartonshire . The Scottish Highlands is the only area in the British Isles to have the taiga biome as it features concentrated populations of Scots pine forest: see Caledonian Forest . It
9828-418: The Highlands. Lowland distillers (who were not able to avoid the heavy taxation of this product) complained that Highland whisky made up more than half the market. The development of the cattle trade is taken as evidence that the pre-improvement Highlands was not an immutable system, but did exploit the economic opportunities that came its way. The illicit whisky trade demonstrates the entrepreneurial ability of
9984-413: The Irish to rise against Edward II's rule. Despite Bannockburn and the capture of the final English stronghold at Berwick in 1318, Edward II refused to renounce his claim to the overlordship of Scotland. In 1320, the Scottish nobility submitted the Declaration of Arbroath to Pope John XXII , declaring Robert as their rightful monarch and asserting Scotland's status as an independent kingdom. In 1324,
10140-399: The Jacobite cause, but it was ruled that he had been killed before he could be attainted . The chief of the Campbells, the Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll , who although helped crush the Jacobite forces, aided Donald, son of the deceased Maclachlan chief, and helped save his lands. On 12 February 1747 Donald Maclachlan of that Ilk received a charter for his lands "at the intercession of
10296-399: The Lowlands. The term is also used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands . The Scottish Gaelic name of A' Ghàidhealtachd literally means "the place of the Gaels" and traditionally, from
10452-433: The Lowlands. When the potato famine ceased in 1856, this established a pattern of more extensive working away from the Highlands. The unequal concentration of land ownership remained an emotional and controversial subject, of enormous importance to the Highland economy, and eventually became a cornerstone of liberal radicalism. The poor crofters were politically powerless, and many of them turned to religion. They embraced
10608-418: The MacSweens who became the Irish Sweeney Clan who left Scotland and returned to Ireland in the 14th century as leaders of Gallowglass . Lachlan's mother was Elizabeth of the Clan Lamont , who was also a descendant of Somerled . In about 1230 Gilchrist Maclachlan was witness to a charter of Kilfinan granted by Laumanus, ancestor of Clan Lamont . The first documentary evidence of the clan's ownership of lands
10764-432: The Pope recognised Robert I as king of an independent Scotland, and in 1326, the Franco-Scottish alliance was renewed in the Treaty of Corbeil . In 1327, the English deposed Edward II in favour of his son, Edward III , and peace was concluded between Scotland and England with the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton in 1328, by which Edward III renounced all claims to sovereignty over Scotland. Robert I died in June 1329 and
10920-412: The Prince made him Commissary of the army. At the battle of Culloden he had a regiment of 300 men, whereof 115 were his own people and 182 were Mackleans , who chose to be under his command, seeing their chief was not there. The said Collonel being the last that received orders from the Prince on the field of battle, he was shot by a cannonball as he was advancing on horseback to lead on his regiment, which
11076-414: The Scottish woollen industry. Individual clan tartans were largely designated in this period and they became a major symbol of Scottish identity. This "Highlandism", by which all of Scotland was identified with the culture of the Highlands, was cemented by Queen Victoria's interest in the country, her adoption of Balmoral as a major royal retreat, and her interest in "tartenry". Recurrent famine affected
11232-499: The Steward, and Sir Alexander Lindsay became sureties for Bruce until he delivered his infant daughter Marjorie as a hostage, which he never did. When King Edward returned to England after his victory at the Battle of Falkirk , the Bruce's possessions were excepted from the Lordships and lands that Edward assigned to his followers. The reason for this is uncertain, though Fordun records Robert fighting for Edward, at Falkirk, under
11388-502: The actual seal that had been attached to the tag has since been lost. In 1314 "Guyllascop Maclouchlan in Ergadia" (Gillespie Maclachlan of Argyll) granted forty shillings sterling to the Preaching Friars of Glasgow , the sum of which were to be paid from his pennylands of Killbride near Castle Lachlan. ("juxta castrum meum quod dicitur Castellachlan"). Gillespie was dead by 1322 and was succeeded by Patrick his brother. Patrick married
11544-764: The amount of denudation to which the plateau has been subjected in various places. The region is much warmer than other areas at similar latitudes (such as Kamchatka in Russia , or Labrador in Canada ) because of the Gulf Stream making it cool, damp and temperate. The Köppen climate classification is " Cfb " at low elevations, then becoming " Cfc ", " Dfc " and " ET " at higher elevations. 57°07′N 4°43′W / 57.12°N 4.71°W / 57.12; -4.71 Robert I of Scotland Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert
11700-570: The apparently imminent restoration of John Balliol to the Scottish throne. After submitting to Edward I in 1302 and returning to "the king's peace", Robert inherited his family's claim to the Scottish throne upon his father's death. Bruce's involvement in John Comyn's murder in February 1306 led to his excommunication by Pope Clement V (although he received absolution from Robert Wishart , Bishop of Glasgow ). Bruce moved quickly to seize
11856-500: The attack on Carlisle by invading Scotland at the end of March 1296 and taking the town of Berwick in a particularly bloody attack upon the flimsy palisades. At the Battle of Dunbar , Scottish resistance was effectively crushed. Edward deposed King John, placed him in the Tower of London , and installed Englishmen to govern the country. The campaign had been very successful, but the English triumph would be only temporary. Although
12012-495: The bishop and set upon King Robert. The bishops of Moray and Glasgow were in attendance, as were the earls of Atholl , Menteith , the Lennox and Mar . The great banner of the kings of Scotland was planted behind Bruce's throne. Edward I marched north again in the spring of 1306. On his way, he granted the Scottish estates of Bruce and his adherents to his own followers and had published a bill excommunicating Bruce. In June Bruce
12168-431: The castles of their lordships – Lochmaben Castle , the main castle of the lordship of Annandale, and Turnberry and Loch Doon Castle , the castles of the earldom of Carrick. A significant and profound part of the childhood experience of Robert, Edward and possibly the other Bruce brothers (Neil, Thomas and Alexander), was also gained through the Gaelic tradition of being fostered to allied Gaelic kindreds –
12324-526: The chiefship, Lachlan Og was forced to resign some of his lands to the chief of the Lamonts, because of the murder of Robert Lamont of Silvercrags by Lachlan Maclachlan of Dunnamuch. Lachlan Og led the clan in the Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll 's campaign against Sir James Macdonald of Islay and his rebellion in 1615. Lachlan Maclachlan of that Ilk was succeeded by his son Archibald, who
12480-519: The clan was killed in the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Following the Jacobite defeat, a Government warship is said to have damaged the clan seat of old Castle Lachlan. Today the clan is alive and lives as the Clan Maclachlan Society and the Lachlan Trust . The Lachlan Trust is a registered Scottish charitable organisation which takes donations to preserve the heritage of Clan Maclachlan. The Clan Maclachlan Society consists of eight branches around
12636-526: The clansmen who were their tenants was the change to rents being payable in money rather than in kind. Later, rents were increased as Highland landowners sought to increase their income. This was followed, mostly in the period 1760–1850, by agricultural improvement that often (particularly in the Western Highlands) involved clearance of the population to make way for large scale sheep farms. Displaced tenants were set up in crofting communities in
12792-487: The clergy of Scotland recognised Bruce as king at a general council. The support given him by the church, in spite of his excommunication, was of great political importance. On 1 October 1310, Bruce wrote Edward II of England from Kildrum in Cumbernauld Parish in an unsuccessful attempt to establish peace between Scotland and England. Over the next three years, one English-held castle or outpost after another
12948-465: The clergy throughout the land to rally to Bruce. Nonetheless, Bruce was excommunicated for this crime. Six weeks after Comyn was killed in Dumfries, Bruce was crowned King of Scots by Bishop William de Lamberton at Scone , near Perth , on Palm Sunday 25 March 1306 with all formality and solemnity. The royal robes and vestments that Robert Wishart had hidden from the English were brought out by
13104-550: The collapse of the clan system to the aftermath of the Jacobite risings. This is now thought less influential by historians. Following the Jacobite rising of 1745 the British government enacted a series of laws to try to suppress the clan system , including bans on the bearing of arms and the wearing of tartan , and limitations on the activities of the Scottish Episcopal Church . Most of this legislation
13260-476: The command of Antony Bek , Bishop of Durham , Annandale and Carrick . This participation is contested as no Bruce appears on the Falkirk roll of nobles present in the English army, and two 19th Century antiquarians, Alexander Murison and George Chalmers, have stated that Bruce did not participate, and in the following month decided to lay waste to Annandale and burn Ayr Castle, to prevent it being garrisoned by
13416-488: The company of the Bishop of Argyll , the vicar of Arran , a Kintyre clerk, his father, and a host of Gaelic notaries from Carrick. Robert Bruce, the king to be, was sixteen years of age when Margaret, Maid of Norway , died in 1290. It is also around this time that Robert would have been knighted, and he began to appear on the political stage in the Bruce dynastic interest. Robert's mother died early in 1292. In November of
13572-442: The country now under submission, all the leading Scots, except for William Wallace, surrendered to Edward in February 1304. John Comyn, who was by now Guardian again, submitted to Edward. The laws and liberties of Scotland were to be as they had been in the days of Alexander III , and any that needed alteration would be with the assent of King Edward and the advice of the Scots nobles. On 11 June 1304, Bruce and William Lamberton made
13728-433: The countryside he once controlled: places such as Strathlachlan , Castle Lachlan and Lachlan Bay . Tradition gives Lachlan Mor a descent from an Irish prince of the O'Neill dynasty , Ánrothán Ua Néill , son of Áed, son of Flaithbertach Ua Néill , King of Ailech and Cenél nEógain , died 1036. Clan Maclachlan has been associated with other clans, such as Clan Lamont , Clan Ewen of Otter , Clan MacNeil of Barra , and
13884-607: The creation of a Crofting Commission. The Crofters as a political movement faded away by 1892, and the Liberal Party gained their votes. Today, the Highlands are the largest of Scotland's whisky producing regions; the relevant area runs from Orkney to the Isle of Arran in the south and includes the northern isles and much of Inner and Outer Hebrides, Argyll, Stirlingshire, Arran, as well as sections of Perthshire and Aberdeenshire. (Other sources treat The Islands, except Islay , as
14040-430: The daughter of Domhnall I, Earl of Mar . Isabella died shortly after their marriage, either during or shortly after the birth of their only child, Marjorie Bruce . Almost the first blow in the war between Scotland and England was a direct attack on the Bruces. On 26 March 1296, Easter Monday, seven Scottish earls made a surprise attack on the walled city of Carlisle , which was not so much an attack against England as
14196-411: The distinctive geographical and cultural features of the rest of the Highlands. The north-east of Caithness , as well as Orkney and Shetland , are also often excluded from the Highlands, although the Hebrides are usually included. The Highland area, as so defined, differed from the Lowlands in language and tradition, having preserved Gaelic speech and customs centuries after the anglicisation of
14352-484: The earldoms of Buchan, Mar, Ross, Fife, Angus, Dunbar, and Strathearn; the Lordships of Kilbride, Kirkintilloch, Lenzie, Bedrule, and Scraesburgh; and sheriffdoms in Banff, Dingwall, Wigtown, and Aberdeen. He also had a powerful claim to the Scottish throne through his descent from Donald III on his father's side and David I on his mother's side. Comyn was the nephew of John Balliol . According to Barbour and Fordoun, in
14508-656: The earls of Angus and March refused, and the Bruce family withdrew temporarily from Scotland, while the Comyns seized their estates in Annandale and Carrick, granting them to John Comyn, Earl of Buchan . Edward I thereupon provided a safe refuge for the Bruces, having appointed the Lord of Annandale to the command of Carlisle Castle in October 1295. At some point in early 1296, Robert married his first wife, Isabella of Mar ,
14664-562: The earls of Carrick had achieved some feudalisation, the society of Carrick at the end of the thirteenth century remained emphatically Celtic and Gaelic speaking. Robert the Bruce would most probably have become trilingual at an early age. He would have been schooled to speak, read and possibly write in the Anglo-Norman language of his Scots-Norman peers and the Scoto-Norman portion of his family. He would also have spoken both
14820-685: The east of this point. A much wider definition of the Highlands is that used by the Scotch whisky industry. Highland single malts are produced at distilleries north of an imaginary line between Dundee and Greenock , thus including all of Aberdeenshire and Angus . Inverness is regarded as the Capital of the Highlands, although less so in the Highland parts of Aberdeenshire , Angus , Perthshire and Stirlingshire which look more to Aberdeen , Dundee, Perth , and Stirling as their commercial centres. The Highland Council area, created as one of
14976-473: The efforts of Franciscan missionaries from Ireland, who regularly came to celebrate Mass . There remain significant Catholic strongholds within the Highlands and Islands such as Moidart and Morar on the mainland and South Uist and Barra in the southern Outer Hebrides. The remoteness of the region and the lack of a Gaelic-speaking clergy undermined the missionary efforts of the established church. The later 18th century saw somewhat greater success, owing to
15132-460: The efforts of the SSPCK missionaries and to the disruption of traditional society after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. In the 19th century, the evangelical Free Churches, which were more accepting of Gaelic language and culture, grew rapidly, appealing much more strongly than did the established church. For the most part, however, the Highlands are considered predominantly Protestant, belonging to
15288-498: The end of the 19th century it was transformed into the Scottish baronial house that stands today. The building, upon the 1,500 acres (2.3 sq mi; 6.1 km) estate, has been divided in two with the chief residing in one part and the second available for rent. The current chief of Clan Maclachlan is Euan John Maclachlan of Maclachlan , Chief of Clan Maclachlan, 25th of Maclachlan and Baron of Strathlachlan. The chief's seat
15444-410: The first Parliament of the king of Scots at St Andrews , in 1309. Gillespie was one of the sixteen Scottish magnates who signed a letter to Philip IV of France in 1309. The King of France had asked for Scottish assistance in a Crusade he was forming, with the Scots answering that they were at war with England and had their hands full. His name appears on one of the seal tags with that letter, though
15600-569: The first of the Bruce (de Brus) line, had settled in Scotland during the reign of King David I , and was granted the Lordship of Annandale in 1124. The future king was one of ten children, and the eldest son, of Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale , and Marjorie, Countess of Carrick . From his mother, he inherited the Earldom of Carrick , and through his father, the Lordship of Annandale and
15756-528: The former Northern Constabulary . These former bodies both covered the Highland council area and the island council areas of Orkney , Shetland and the Western Isles. Highland Council signs in the Pass of Drumochter , between Glen Garry and Dalwhinnie , say "Welcome to the Highlands". Much of the Highlands area overlaps the Highlands and Islands area. An electoral region called Highlands and Islands
15912-483: The future king, so as to protect the Bruce's kingship claim while their middle lord (Robert the Bruce's father) now held only English lands. While the Bruces' bid for the throne had ended in failure, the Balliols' triumph propelled the eighteen-year-old Robert the Bruce onto the political stage in his own right. Even after John's accession, Edward continued to assert his authority over Scotland, and relations between
16068-506: The ground Inverness Castle and Nairn , then unsuccessfully threatening Elgin . On 7 July 1307, King Edward I died, leaving Bruce opposed by the king's son, Edward II . Transferring operations to Aberdeenshire in late 1307, Bruce threatened Banff before falling seriously ill, probably owing to the hardships of the lengthy campaign. Recovering, leaving John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan unsubdued at his rear, Bruce returned west to take Balvenie and Duffus Castles, then Tarradale Castle on
16224-424: The head. Bruce supporters then ran up and stabbed Comyn with their swords. Bruce asserted his claim to the Scottish crown and began his campaign by force for the independence of Scotland. Bruce and his party then attacked Dumfries Castle where the English garrison surrendered. Bruce hurried from Dumfries to Glasgow, where his friend and supporter Bishop Robert Wishart granted him absolution and subsequently adjured
16380-461: The high altar. The Scotichronicon says that on being told that Comyn had survived the attack and was being treated, two of Bruce's supporters, Roger de Kirkpatrick (uttering the words "I mak siccar" ("I make sure")) and John Lindsay, went back into the church and finished Bruce's work. Barbour, however, tells no such story. The Flores Historiarum, which was written c. 1307, says Bruce and Comyn disagreed and Bruce drew his sword and struck Comyn over
16536-455: The histories of ancient kings and princes, and how they conducted themselves in their times, both in wartime and in peacetime; from these he derived information about aspects of his own rule.' Tutors for the young Robert and his brothers were most likely drawn from unbeneficed clergy or mendicant friars associated with the churches patronised by their family. However, as growing noble youths, outdoor pursuits and great events would also have held
16692-581: The income from their land. In the East and South the resulting change was similar to that in the Lowlands, with the creation of larger farms with single tenants, enclosure of the old run rig fields, introduction of new crops (such as turnips ), land drainage and, as a consequence of all this, eviction, as part of the Highland clearances , of many tenants and cottars. Some of those cleared found employment on
16848-435: The influence of his grandfather's friends, Wishart and Stewart, who had inspired him to resistance. With the outbreak of the revolt, Robert left Carlisle and made his way to Annandale, where he called together the knights of his ancestral lands and, according to the English chronicler Walter of Guisborough , addressed them thus: No man holds his own flesh and blood in hatred and I am no exception. I must join my own people and
17004-584: The isolated MacDougalls (allies of the Comyns) at the Battle of Pass of Brander and took Dunstaffnage Castle , the last major stronghold of the Comyns and their allies. Bruce then ordered harryings in Argyle and Kintyre, in the territories of Clan MacDougall . In March 1309, Bruce held his first parliament at St. Andrews and by August he controlled all of Scotland north of the River Tay . The following year,
17160-616: The keeping of such a man as he himself will be willing to answer for," suggesting that King Edward suspected Robert was not entirely trustworthy and may have been plotting behind his back. However, an identical phrase appears in an agreement between Edward and his lieutenant and lifelong friend, Aymer de Valence . A further sign of Edward's distrust occurred on 10 October 1305, when Edward revoked his gift of Sir Gilbert de Umfraville's lands to Bruce that he had made only six months before. Robert Bruce as Earl of Carrick , and now 7th Lord of Annandale , held huge estates and property in Scotland and
17316-592: The landlords in the 1880s through the Highland Land League . Violence erupted, starting on the Isle of Skye , when Highland landlords cleared their lands for sheep and deer parks. It was quietened when the government stepped in, passing the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act, 1886 to reduce rents, guarantee fixity of tenure, and break up large estates to provide crofts for the homeless. This contrasted with
17472-422: The landowners were new purchasers who had not owned Highland property before 1800. More landlords were obliged to sell due to the cost of famine relief. Those who were protected from the worst of the crisis were those with extensive rental income from sheep farms. Government loans were made available for drainage works, road building and other improvements and many crofters became temporary migrants – taking work in
17628-492: The late summer of 1305, in a secret agreement sworn, signed, and sealed, John Comyn agreed to forfeit his claim to the Scottish throne in favour of Robert Bruce upon receipt of the Bruce lands in Scotland should an uprising occur led by Bruce. Whether the details of the agreement with Comyn are correct or not, King Edward moved to arrest Bruce while Bruce was still at the English court. Ralph de Monthermer learned of Edward's intention and warned Bruce by sending him twelve pence and
17784-607: The later Caledonian Orogeny . Smaller formations of Lewisian gneiss in the northwest are up to 3 billion years old. The overlying rocks of the Torridon Sandstone form mountains in the Torridon Hills such as Liathach and Beinn Eighe in Wester Ross . These foundations are interspersed with many igneous intrusions of a more recent age, the remnants of which have formed mountain massifs such as
17940-492: The latter; this led to a growing perception of a divide, with the cultural distinction between Highlander and Lowlander first noted towards the end of the 14th century. In Aberdeenshire , the boundary between the Highlands and the Lowlands is not well defined. There is a stone beside the A93 road near the village of Dinnet on Royal Deeside which states 'You are now in the Highlands', although there are areas of Highland character to
18096-412: The local government regions of Scotland , has been a unitary council area since 1996. The council area excludes a large area of the southern and eastern Highlands, and the Western Isles , but includes Caithness . Highlands is sometimes used, however, as a name for the council area, as in the former Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service . Northern is also used to refer to the area, as in
18252-511: The monks to service in his army when there had been no national call-up. Bruce pledged that, henceforth, he would "never again" require the monks to serve unless it was to "the common army of the whole realm", for national defence. Bruce also married his second wife that year, Elizabeth de Burgh , the daughter of Richard de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster , in Writtle, near Chelmsford in Essex. Elizabeth
18408-519: The more Gaelic Highlands and Hebrides. Historically, the major social unit of the Highlands was the clan . Scottish kings, particularly James VI , saw clans as a challenge to their authority; the Highlands was seen by many as a lawless region. The Scots of the Lowlands viewed the Highlanders as backward and more "Irish". The Highlands were seen as the overspill of Gaelic Ireland. They made this distinction by separating Germanic "Scots" English and
18564-473: The more familiar name Rothland, or Roland. Thus, unnoticed by historians of Clan Lachlan, Gillespie MacLachlan figures on the Ragman Roll as 'Gilascope fiz Rouland, de counte de Perth'". Sometime between 1306 and 1322 Gillespie received, in charter from Robert I of Scotland , the ten pennyland of "Schyrwaghthyne" (Strathlachlan) and other lands. He also appears on the list of Scottish magnates who sat at
18720-417: The nation in which I was born. I ask that you please come with me and you will be my councillors and close comrades. Urgent letters were sent ordering Bruce to support Edward's commander, John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey (to whom Bruce was related), in the summer of 1297; but instead of complying, Bruce continued to support the revolt against Edward I. That Bruce was in the forefront of inciting rebellion
18876-472: The new, larger farms, others moved to the accessible towns of the Lowlands. In the West and North, evicted tenants were usually given tenancies in newly created crofting communities, while their former holdings were converted into large sheep farms. Sheep farmers could pay substantially higher rents than the run rig farmers and were much less prone to falling into arrears. Each croft was limited in size so that
19032-554: The newspapers and magazines neglected. 'Tis true he got but few of his clan rais'd, because most of them are situated amidst the Campbells. However he attended the Prince at Gladsmuir , and march'd with him to Carlyle , from whence he was detach'd by the Prince with an ample commission and 16 horses to lead on to England the 3,000 men that lay then at Perth... ...The Collonel join'd us again at Stirlin , and when we retir'd to Inverness
19188-525: The north of Ireland, is said to have married the heiress of the King of Scots and gained lands campaigning there. Moncreiffe wrote that it was more likely Anrothan married a daughter of the local king of Argyll or a sub-king of Cowal and through this marriage, Anrothan's descendants gained control of the lands of Knapdale and Cowal . Several Scottish clans claim a descent from Anrothan, including Clan MacNeil of Barra , Clan Lamont, Clan MacEwen of Otter, and
19344-418: The overcrowded crofting communities. As the famine struck, the government made clear to landlords that it was their responsibility to provide famine relief for their tenants. The result of the economic downturn had been that a large proportion of Highland estates were sold in the first half of the 19th century. T M Devine points out that in the region most affected by the potato famine, by 1846, 70 per cent of
19500-430: The peasant classes. Agricultural improvement reached the Highlands mostly over the period 1760 to 1850. Agricultural advisors, factors , land surveyors and others educated in the thinking of Adam Smith were keen to put into practice the new ideas taught in Scottish universities. Highland landowners, many of whom were burdened with chronic debts, were generally receptive to the advice they offered and keen to increase
19656-449: The popularly oriented, fervently evangelical Presbyterian revival after 1800. Most joined the breakaway "Free Church" after 1843. This evangelical movement was led by lay preachers who themselves came from the lower strata, and whose preaching was implicitly critical of the established order. The religious change energised the crofters and separated them from the landlords; it helped prepare them for their successful and violent challenge to
19812-457: The population growth that started in the 18th century. Most of the Highlands, particularly in the North and West, was short of the arable land that was essential for the mixed, run rig based, communal farming that existed before agricultural improvement was introduced into the region. Between the 1760s and the 1830s there was a substantial trade in unlicensed whisky that had been distilled in
19968-425: The process. The crofts were intended not to provide all the needs of their occupiers; they were expected to work in other industries such as kelping and fishing. Crofters came to rely substantially on seasonal migrant work, particularly in the Lowlands. This gave impetus to the learning of English, which was seen by many rural Gaelic speakers to be the essential "language of work". Older historiography attributes
20124-413: The return to a peacetime economy. The price of black cattle fell, nearly halving between 1810 and the 1830s. Kelp prices had peaked in 1810, but reduced from £9 a ton in 1823 to £3 13s 4d a ton in 1828. Wool prices were also badly affected. This worsened the financial problems of debt-encumbered landlords. Then, in 1846, potato blight arrived in the Highlands, wiping out the essential subsistence crop for
20280-632: The same area as that covered by the fire and rescue service. There have been trackways from the Lowlands to the Highlands since prehistoric times. Many traverse the Mounth , a spur of mountainous land that extends from the higher inland range to the North Sea slightly north of Stonehaven . The most well-known and historically important trackways are the Causey Mounth , Elsick Mounth , Cryne Corse Mounth and Cairnamounth . Although most of
20436-471: The same pennylands of Killbride beside his home Castle Lachlan. One tradition of the Maclachlan lairds was thought to date from the era of the Crusades . The tradition was that the laird of Strathlachlan (Maclachlan of Strathlachlan) and the laird of Strachur (Campbell of Strachur) would attend the funerals of each other and "lay his neighbour's head in the grave". This tradition was thought to originate from
20592-647: The same year, Edward I of England , on behalf of the Guardians of Scotland and following the Great Cause , awarded the vacant Crown of Scotland to his grandfather's first cousin once removed, John Balliol . Almost immediately, Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale , resigned his lordship of Annandale and transferred his claim to the Scottish throne to his son, antedating this statement to 7 November. In turn, that son, Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale , resigned his earldom of Carrick to his eldest son, Robert,
20748-409: The seventeenth chief of Clan Maclachlan played a part in the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and lost his life leading the clan at the Battle of Culloden . Lord President Duncan Forbes estimated that the Maclachlan force of that time was about 200 men. In 1748, Rev. John MacLachlan of Kilchoan, in a letter to Rev. Robert Forbes , wrote, I hope you'll take notice of Collonel MacLachlan of that Ilk , whom
20904-404: The support of Lancaster and the barons, mustering a large army of between 15,000 and 20,000 men. In the spring of 1314, Edward Bruce laid siege to Stirling Castle, a key fortification in Scotland whose governor, Philip de Mowbray , agreed to surrender if not relieved before 24 June 1314. In March, James Douglas captured Roxburgh , and Randolph captured Edinburgh Castle (Bruce later ordered
21060-460: The surrounding area has a majority Protestant population, with most locals belonging to either The Kirk or the Free Church of Scotland . The church maintains a noticeable presence within the area, with church attendance notably higher than in other parts of Scotland. Religion continues to play an important role in Highland culture, with Sabbath observance still widely practised, particularly in
21216-488: The tenants would have to find work elsewhere. The major alternatives were fishing and the kelp industry. Landlords took control of the kelp shores, deducting the wages earned by their tenants from the rent due and retaining the large profits that could be earned at the high prices paid for the processed product during the Napoleonic wars. When the Napoleonic wars finished in 1815, the Highland industries were affected by
21372-528: The throne, and was crowned king of Scots on 25 March 1306. Edward I's forces defeated Robert in the Battle of Methven , forcing him to flee into hiding, before re-emerging in 1307 to defeat an English army at Loudoun Hill and wage a highly successful guerrilla war against the English. Robert I defeated his other opponents, destroying their strongholds and devastating their lands, and in 1309 held his first parliament . A series of military victories between 1310 and 1314 won him control of much of Scotland, and at
21528-544: The time) or Norway proper (where his sister Isabel Bruce was queen dowager) are unlikely but not impossible. Bruce and his followers returned to the Scottish mainland in February 1307 in two groups. One, led by Bruce and his brother Edward , landed at Turnberry Castle and began a guerrilla war in south-west Scotland. The other, led by his brothers Thomas and Alexander, landed slightly further south in Loch Ryan , but they were soon captured and executed. In April, Bruce won
21684-469: The twenty-fourth chief of the clan, Marjorie Maclachlan of Maclachlan. Under her the Clan Maclachlan Society was formed in 1979, and on her death in 1996, she was succeeded by her eldest son Euan John Maclachlan of Maclachlan, Chief of Clan Maclachlan, 25th of Maclachlan and Baron of Strathlachlan, who is a member of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs . Today the clan is alive and lives as
21840-546: The two kings soon deteriorated. The Bruces sided with King Edward against King John and his Comyn allies. Robert the Bruce and his father both considered John a usurper. Against the objections of the Scots, Edward I agreed to hear appeals on cases ruled on by the court of the Guardians that had governed Scotland during the interregnum. A further provocation came in a case brought by Macduff, son of Malcolm, Earl of Fife , in which Edward demanded that John appear in person before
21996-428: The world, including Australia, Britain & Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States of America. Clan Maclachlan claims descent from Lachlan Mor, who lived on the shores of Loch Fyne in the 13th century. Lachlan belonged to the family who originally emigrated from Ireland to Scotland in the 11th century, see Irish clan McLaughlin (surname) . The progenitor of this family, Anrothan, son of Aodh O'Neil, king of
22152-472: The year with the English parliament to establish rules for the governance of Scotland. The Earl of Richmond , Edward's nephew, was to head up the subordinate government of Scotland. While all this took place, William Wallace was finally captured near Glasgow , and he was hanged, drawn, and quartered in London on 23 August 1305. In September 1305, Edward ordered Robert Bruce to put his castle at Kildrummy , "in
22308-643: Was about 13 at the time, and Bruce 28. By Elizabeth he had four children: David II , John (died in childhood), Matilda (who married Thomas Isaac and died at Aberdeen 20 July 1353), and Margaret (who married William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland in 1345). In 1303, Edward invaded again, reaching Edinburgh before marching to Perth . Edward stayed in Perth until July, then proceeded via Dundee , Brechin , and Montrose to Aberdeen , where he arrived in August. From there he marched through Moray to Badenoch before re-tracing his path back south to Dunfermline . With
22464-405: Was achieved, especially the taking of northern castles so quickly, is difficult to understand. Bruce lacked siege weapons and it's unlikely his army had substantially greater numbers or was better armed than his opponents. The morale and leadership of the Comyns and their northern allies appeared to be inexplicably lacking in the face of their direst challenge. He then crossed to Argyll and defeated
22620-416: Was appointed as a third, neutral Guardian to try to maintain order between Bruce and Comyn. The following year, Bruce finally resigned as joint Guardian and was replaced by Sir Gilbert de Umfraville, Earl of Angus . In May 1301, Umfraville, Comyn, and Lamberton also resigned as joint Guardians and were replaced by Sir John de Soules as sole Guardian. Soules was appointed largely because he was part of neither
22776-460: Was captured and reduced: Linlithgow in 1310, Dumbarton in 1311, and Perth , by Bruce himself, in January 1312. Bruce also made raids into northern England and, landing at Ramsey in the Isle of Man , laid siege to Castle Rushen in Castletown, capturing it on 21 June 1313 and denying the English the island's strategic importance. The eight years of exhausting but deliberate refusal to meet
22932-435: Was defeated at the Battle of Methven . His wife and daughters and other women of the party were sent to Kildrummy in August under the protection of Bruce's brother, Neil Bruce , and the Earl of Atholl and most of his remaining men. Bruce fled with a small following of his most faithful men, including Sir James Douglas and Gilbert Hay , Bruce's brothers Thomas , Alexander , and Edward , as well as Sir Neil Campbell and
23088-659: Was drawn up between the Macintoshes and the Stewarts of Appin . Following the Jacobite defeat a Government ship sailed up Loch Fyne and shelled Castle Lachlan, forcing the chief's family to abandon their residence, and in Edinburgh the Maclachlan colours were burned on the orders of the Duke of Cumberland . It had been assumed that the chiefs lands had been forfeited for his support of the Young Pretender and
23244-478: Was exceeded by emigration (mostly to Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and migration to the industrial cities of Scotland and England.) The area is now one of the most sparsely populated in Europe. At 9.1/km (24/sq mi) in 2012, the population density in the Highlands and Islands is less than one seventh of Scotland's as a whole. The Highland Council is the administrative body for much of
23400-534: Was one of the claimants to the Scottish throne during the " Great Cause ". As Earl of Carrick , Robert the Bruce supported his family's claim to the Scottish throne and took part in William Wallace 's revolt against Edward I of England . Appointed in 1298 as a Guardian of Scotland alongside his chief rival for the throne, John Comyn of Badenoch , and William Lamberton , Bishop of St Andrews , Robert resigned in 1300 because of his quarrels with Comyn and
23556-610: Was probably brought up in a mixture of the Anglo-Norman culture of northern England and south-eastern Scotland, and the Gaelic culture of southwest Scotland and most of Scotland north of the River Forth . Annandale was thoroughly feudalised , and the form of Northern Middle English that would later develop into the Scots language was spoken throughout the region. Carrick was historically an integral part of Galloway , and though
23712-498: Was recorded in 1292, when Gilleskel Maclauchlan received a charter of his lands in Ergadia from John, King of Scots . According to the historian G. W. S. Barrow , Gillespie Maclachlan appears in the Ragman Rolls , when the magnates of Scotland signed their allegiance to Edward I of England , in 1296, "clerks of this period writing Anglo-French documents often had difficulty with the name Lachlan, and rendered it by some form of
23868-531: Was repealed by the end of the 18th century as the Jacobite threat subsided. There was soon a rehabilitation of Highland culture. Tartan was adopted for Highland regiments in the British Army, which poor Highlanders joined in large numbers in the era of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1790–1815). Tartan had largely been abandoned by the ordinary people of the region, but in the 1820s, tartan and
24024-894: Was succeeded by his son, David II . Robert's body is buried in Dunfermline Abbey , while his heart was interred in Melrose Abbey , and his internal organs embalmed and placed in St Serf's Church, Dumbarton . Robert the Bruce was born on 11 July 1274. His place of birth is not known for certain. It most likely was Turnberry Castle in Ayrshire , the head of his mother's earldom, despite claims that he may have been born in Lochmaben in Dumfriesshire, or Writtle in Essex. Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale ,
24180-416: Was taken to London to suffer the same fate. Shortly before the fall of Kildrummy Castle, the Earl of Atholl made a desperate attempt to take Queen Elizabeth de Burgh, Margery de Bruce, as well as King Robert's sisters and Isabella of Fife. They were betrayed a few days later and also fell into English hands, Atholl to be executed in London and the women to be held under the harshest possible circumstances. It
24336-496: Was the agricultural capital of northern Scotland, and much of its population was loyal to the Comyn family even after the defeat of the Earl of Buchan. Most of the Comyn castles in Moray, Aberdeen and Buchan were destroyed and their inhabitants killed. In less than a year Bruce had swept through the north and destroyed the power of the Comyns who had held vice-regal power in the north for nearly one hundred years. How this dramatic success
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