142-408: Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland . The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland ; however, in the early 16th century, this title passed through marriage to a younger son of the chief of Clan Gordon . The current chief is Alistair Sutherland, who holds
284-556: 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 ,
426-649: A back door. He then sailed for Aberdeen where he joined the Duke of Cumberland 's army. However, this same Jacobite force under the Earl of Cromartie was defeated by the Clan Sutherland militia, who formed an Independent Highland Company , in what became known as the Battle of Littleferry . Three companies of Sutherland local militia fought at the battle. The first was of around 80 men, captained by Robert Macallister who
568-631: A bond of manrent to Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland on September 4, 1529, which acknowledged that the Master of Sutherland had received him as a tenant and vassal in the lands. According to the book Conflicts of the Clans which was published in 1764, in 1542 the Battle of Alltan-Beath took place where the Clan Mackay were defeated by the Clan Sutherland. According to historian Sir Robert Gordon, in 1542, chief Donald Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver
710-410: 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
852-471: 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
994-465: 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,
1136-522: A feud took place between George Sinclair of Keiss and Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy over the right to the lands and title of the earldom of Caithness. This resulted in the Battle of Altimarlach , where, legend has it that so many Sinclairs were killed that the Campbells were able to cross the river without getting their feet wet. Clearly, however, the Sinclairs had influence in high places as only
1278-780: A few years later, in 1681, they regained the earldom by an order of Parliament. In 1698, George Sinclair 7th Earl of Caithness died. He was succeeded by John Sinclair of Murchill (Murkle) 8th Earl , his cousin. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the Clan Sinclair supported the Jacobite cause, however by the time of the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Clan Sinclair supported the British Hanoverian Government. In 1708, Chief John, Master of Sinclair (Son of Henry Lord Sinclair) after killing two men in duels
1420-417: 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
1562-822: 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
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#17327807454841704-745: A lieutenant general with the Royal Scots regiment, was appointed the commander of the British Forces in Flanders . On 16 April 1746, at the Battle of Culloden , he commanded the Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian Government side. The Jacobite rebel, John Mackenzie, Lord MacLeod , tried raising the Sinclairs in arms but had little success: only about thirty men under Sinclair of Scotscalder arrived at
1846-421: 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
1988-476: 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,
2130-406: 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
2272-456: 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
2414-604: 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
2556-493: 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
2698-483: 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
2840-563: A siege by the Earl of Sutherland and in 1590 George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness , invaded Sutherland resulting in the Battle of Clynetradwell . In the 17th century the Clan Sutherland began to acquire the reputation for enthusiastic and pious Protestantism. This is probably what made the Gordon Earls of Sutherland begin to distance themselves from their Gordon Earl of Huntly ( Clan Gordon ) cousins who were Catholics and later Jacobites. In 1645, John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland led
2982-587: A son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland , in the same year the Mackays rose up against the Gordons who had taken power in Sutherland which resulted in the Battle of Torran Dubh , where the Mackays were defeated. Sir Robert Gordon also states that at the battle, the Sutherland force had been led by Alexander Sutherland , brother of Elizabeth, 10th Countess of Sutherland. However, this version of events
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#17327807454843124-500: A woman was challenged firstly by George Sutherland of Forse , who was a direct male descendant of the original de Moravia/Sutherland Earls of Sutherland and secondly by Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun who was a direct male descendant of the later Gordon Earls of Sutherland. The case was heard by the House of Lords on 21 March 1771 and it decided in favour of Elizabeth. She married George Leveson-Gower, Marquess of Stafford who later became
3266-647: Is Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness . The surname of Sinclair in French is “de Sancto Claro” and in Latin, “Sanctus Clarus,” meaning Holy Light. The name derives from the hermit St. Clare and St. Clair-sur-Epte, a town near Paris close to the location of the hermit St. Clare’s martyrdom. No certain record exists but it is likely that the Sinclairs came from Saint-Clair in Normandy . The Saint-Clairs first went to England (before they came to Scotland) with William
3408-406: 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
3550-491: Is disputed by both historian Angus Mackay and historian Sir William Fraser , who state that it can be proved that Alexander Sutherland was in prison in 1517 when the battle is supposed to have taken place. Whatever the truth, the following year in 1518 or 1519, Alexander Sutherland claimed the Earldom of Sutherland for himself and rose up against his sister Elizabeth, 10th Countess of Sutherland and her husband Adam Gordon, but he
3692-767: 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
3834-646: The Battle of Aldy Charrish in 1487. However, 19th - 20th-century historian Angus Mackay disputes the Sutherland's presence at the battle stating that it would be unlikely that the Earl of Sutherland at the time would have assisted against the Rosses as he was married to a daughter of the Ross chief of Balnagowan, and also that the feudal superiority of the Sutherlands over the Mackays "nowhere existed save in his own fertile imagination". William Sutherland, 4th of Duffus
3976-511: The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet was fought where John MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross invaded Sutherland and was defeated by the Clan Sutherland, led by the earl's brother Robert Sutherland, and the Murrays of Aberscross . According to Gordon, during the time of John Sutherland, 8th Earl of Sutherland , the Clan Sutherland joined the Clan Mackay in their victory over the Clan Ross at
4118-640: 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
4260-646: 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
4402-633: The Faroe Islands . He is also alleged to have voyaged as far as the Americas in 1398 (being hypothetically identified with Zichmni, who travelled with the Zeno brothers , for the first time by Johann Reinhold Forster in 1784 ); believers in this hypothesis claim he possibly landed in both Massachusetts and Nova Scotia . The voyage to America is largely disputed. According to a biography published many years after his death, he died in battle against
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4544-550: The Grand Lodge of Scotland . William St Clair was a candidate for Grand Master and promptly became the first elected Grand Master after offering to surrender his hereditary rights. On 17 June 1739 Major Malcolm Sinclair 'A good and faithful servant of Sweden ' was charged with affairs of State, he was assassinated at Grunberg in Silesia by agents of Tsaritsa Anna of Russia . \ On 4 June 1745, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn,
4686-503: 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
4828-600: 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
4970-620: 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,
5112-475: 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
5254-982: The Lothians . The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness . The Sinclairs are believed to have come from Normandy to England during the Norman conquest of England , before arriving in Scotland in the 11th century. The Sinclairs supported the Scottish Crown during the Scottish–Norwegian War and the Wars of Scottish Independence . The chiefs were originally Barons of Roslin, Midlothian and William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and Baron of Roslin founded
5396-615: 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
5538-620: The Wars of Scottish Independence , Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn was captured at the Battle of Dunbar (1296) and died later, probably in the Tower of London . Henry , his son, was also captured and later sent to St Briavels Castle , and in 1296 he swore fealty to Edward I of England . In 1303 the Battle of Roslin took place where Scots under Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn and the Clan Comyn defeated an English force. The Battle of Loudoun Hill took place in 1307 where Scots under Robert
5680-408: 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
5822-736: 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
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5964-491: The 'land to the south' of the Norse Earldom of Orkney and Caithness . Although the senior line of chiefs who were the Earls of Sutherland had the surname 'de Moravia', they often used the territorial surname 'Sutherland', and from Robert, 6th Earl (d. 1444) onward it is confirmed that they used the surname Sutherland. Previously to this younger sons of the family had also taken the surname 'Sutherland', thus creating
6106-543: 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
6248-554: The 16th century the Sinclairs fought against England during the Anglo-Scottish Wars and also feuded with their neighbors the Clan Sutherland . During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the Sinclairs supported the Jacobite cause, but during the Jacobite rising of 1745 , while the clan largely had Jacobite sympathies, their chief, the Earl of Caithness, supported the British-Hanoverian Government. The current chief
6390-577: 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
6532-401: 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
6674-445: 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
6816-486: The 25th Earl. The progenitor of the Clan Sutherland was a Flemish nobleman by the name of Freskin , who was also the progenitor of the Clan Murray . It has been claimed that Freskin was Pictish but it is much more likely that he was a Flemish knight, one of a ruthless group of warlords who were employed by the Norman kings to pacify their new realm after the Norman conquest of England . David I of Scotland who
6958-558: The Bruce , assisted by Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn again defeated the English. The family initially favoured John Balliol 's claim to the throne but later it became paramount that they gave their loyalty to Robert the Bruce . The Battle of Bannockburn was fought in 1314, where the Clan Sinclair fought in support of Robert the Bruce. After the battle Robert the Bruce gave William Sinclair his sword. The Battle of Donibristle took place in 1317, William Sinclair , Bishop of Dunkeld, rallied
7100-524: The Chapel was spared. In 1651, at the Battle of Worcester , John Sinclair, 10th Lord Sinclair was captured by Cromwell's forces and imprisoned in the Tower of London and then at Windsor Castle until 1660 when he was liberated by General Monck. In 1657, George Sinclair 6th Earl of Caithness was present when Oliver Cromwell was proclaimed Chief Magistrate of the three nations in Edinburgh . In 1680
7242-600: 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
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#17327807454847384-502: The Clan Sutherland include amongst many others: 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
7526-529: The Clan Sutherland to oppose Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll 's expedition that was known as Argyll's Rising . The Earl of Sutherland also raised two regiments from the clan after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The second of which he was a Colonel in command in Flanders in 1694. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 , John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland who later resumed the surname Sutherland, called out his men to fight for George I of Great Britain . The Clan Sutherland garrisoned Inverness Castle against
7668-406: The Conqueror during his invasion of England. The name was originally "Saint-Clair" which was a place name. Richard of Saint-Clair and Brittel of Saint-Clair are both mentioned in the Domesday Book . William of Saint-Clair accompanied Saint Margaret of Scotland , daughter of Edward the Exile to Scotland in 1068, where she eventually married Malcolm III of Scotland . In return for his efforts,
7810-427: The Earl of Sutherland's regiment. James Balfour Paul stated that Eric Sutherland, 4th Lord Duffus' relations with the Earl of Sutherland's family were extremely friendly. The chief of Clan Sutherland was the Earl of Sutherland . When William Sutherland, 18th Earl of Sutherland died in 1766 he left an only daughter, Elizabeth. This led to a legal battle over the succession to the title. Elizabeth's right to succeed as
7952-448: The English around the year 1400. Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney was taken prisoner by the English at Battle of Homildon Hill in 1402 but was soon released. In 1406 he escorted Prince James to France but the ship was captured by the English and both were imprisoned in the Tower of London . In 1407 he escaped or was released on payment of a ransom. William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness (3rd Earl of Orkney and Baron of Roslin)
8094-438: 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
8236-413: 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
8378-423: The Jacobites, although the Earl of Caithness, their chief, supported the British Government. When Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden was forming the 18 Independent Highland Companies to oppose the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Sinclairs were not offered a company. In 1750, Sir William Sinclair of Dunbeath founded the Baptist church at Keiss. At the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn commanded
8520-404: The Jacobites, including his victory at Littleferry, he struggled to prove to the parliament in London that he had not had Jacobite sympathies. Eric Sutherland, 4th Lord Duffus remained loyal to the Crown and gave intelligence of the rebels to the Earl of Sutherland. According to James Balfour Paul , he did not take part in any military operations. According to William Fraser , he was a captain in
8662-412: The Jacobites. Although Kenneth Sutherland, 3rd Lord Duffus had voted for the Acts of Union 1707 , he still supported the Jacobites during the Jacobite rising of 1715 and was forfeited as a result. In 1719, a detachment of men from the Clan Sutherland fought for the British Government at the Battle of Glenshiel where they helped to defeat the Jacobites. The Earl and chief of Clan Sutherland had been of
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#17327807454848804-418: 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
8946-421: 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,
9088-438: 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
9230-428: The Murrays of Aberscross who were the principal vassals of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland. William Sutherland, 9th of Duffus ratified the existing bond that his great-grandfather William Sutherland, 6th of Duffus had entered into with Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland, a writ that related to the barony of Skelbo, which he held from the Earls of Sutherland. In 1588, Castle Sinclair Girnigoe withstood
9372-461: The Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian government side. The Clan Sinclair was not directly involved in the battle, but some members of the clan did fight on the Jacobite side, and a Sinclair flag was found on the field afterwards. Most of the flags of the Prince Charles' army that were captured at Culloden were burnt by the public hangman in Edinburgh. A list was made of those flags, but only contains brief descriptions. A discussion about
9514-469: The Scots army to defeat an English invading force in Fife . Sir William Sinclair, heir to Henry, and, it is claimed, his brother John, were among the Scots killed with Sir James Douglas at the Battle of Teba (1330), cutting short their attempt to carry Robert Bruce's heart to the Holy Land . They, or at least their bones, are said to be buried in Rosslyn Chapel . The Battle of Neville's Cross took place in 1346 where Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston
9656-417: 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,
9798-439: 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
9940-413: 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
10082-464: 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
10224-707: 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
10366-553: 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
10508-463: 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
10650-408: The barony of Roslin (Rosslyn) in 1280. During the Scottish–Norwegian War , Haakon IV of Norway invaded Scotland. However, at the Battle of Largs in 1263 he was faced with William St. Clair who commanded a wing of Alexander III of Scotland 's army. In 1264, William St. Clair was ordered by King Alexander of Scotland to support the forces of the king of England at the Battle of Lewes . During
10792-442: The cadet branches of the Clan Sutherland. During the Wars of Scottish Independence , chief William de Moravia, 3rd Earl of Sutherland (William Sutherland) fought at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where the English army was defeated. Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland (Kenneth Sutherland) was killed at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (William Sutherland), whose wife
10934-416: 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
11076-406: 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
11218-476: 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
11360-415: The chief of the Clan Mackay and his heir at Dingwall Castle , where they had met in an attempt to patch up the feud. A retaliatory raid by the Mackays on Dornoch took place, where the cathedral was set on fire and many Sutherland men were hanged in the town square. William, 5th Earl of Sutherland was killed by the Mackays in 1370 in feud which lasted for the next four centuries. In 1388, the Earl of Sutherland
11502-708: 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
11644-660: The clan against the Royalists at the Battle of Auldearn but was defeated. Alexander Sutherland, 1st Lord Duffus was a supporter of the National Covenant and as a result his estates, probably those in Morayshire , were attacked by the Royalists. He was not part of the Scottish army that subsequently marched to England, but was sent from Stirling to Perth to defend it from the attack of Oliver Cromwell , but
11786-498: The clan against the English army at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh . In 1555, the Battle of Garbharry was fought, which was the last battle between the Clan Mackay and the Clan Sutherland. In 1586, the Battle of Leckmelm took place where the Sutherlands, Mackays and MacLeods defeated the Clan Gunn. Alexander Sutherland, 8th of Duffus supported George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness at the Battle of Torran-Roy in 1570 against
11928-487: 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
12070-433: 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
12212-435: 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
12354-420: 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
12496-585: The clearances and was the source of much of the London press's critical coverage of the clearance events in Sutherland. His brother, John Sutherland of Sciberscross, gave "covert aid" in 1813 to the Kildonan rebels opposing the clearances in Sutherland. Upon the death of the fifth Duke of Sutherland, the chiefship of the clan and the earldom of Sutherland devolved upon his niece, Elizabeth Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland . Castles that have been owned by
12638-567: 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
12780-501: 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
12922-591: 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
13064-523: 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
13206-483: The famous Rosslyn Chapel in the 15th century. He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, William ("the Waster") , who inherited the title of Lord Sinclair , instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness , in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Sir Oliver Sinclair . In
13348-416: The first Duke of Sutherland in 1833. The Duke set up businesses on the coast and ruthlessly cleared his tenants off the land, abandoning the customary obligations of a Scottish clan chief. However, two tacksmen of the clan, the brothers Alexander and John Sutherland of Sciberscross, were opposed to the clearance of tenants in Sutherland. Alexander Sutherland of Sciberscross, an army officer, fiercely opposed
13490-412: 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
13632-497: 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
13774-548: 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
13916-520: The king supposedly granted Sinclair the barony of Roslin , Scotland "in free heritage". One of the earliest recorded Sinclairs in Scotland was Henry of Saint-Clair/Sinclair , who obtained a charter for the lands of Herdmanston in Haddingtonshire in 1160. The chiefs of Clan Sinclair, the Earls of Caithness, descend from William St. Clair who was sheriff of Edinburgh and who was granted
14058-511: 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
14200-730: 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
14342-642: The local Cathedral in pursuit of the Morays who had taken refuge in the steeple. George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness later imprisoned his son, the Master of Caithness, for making peace with the Morays . In 1588 Castle Sinclair Girnigoe withstood a siege by the Earl of Sutherland and in 1590 George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness invaded Sutherland which resulted in the Battle of Clynetradwell . On 3 April 1593, George, 5th Earl of Caithness resigned his earldom in return for novodamus and remainder to his son William Sinclair. On 11 December William Sinclair of Mey
14484-421: 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
14626-399: 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
14768-650: 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
14910-546: 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
15052-407: 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
15194-485: 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. Clan Sinclair Clan Sinclair ( Scottish Gaelic : Clann na Ceàrda [ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ nə ˈkʲaːrˠt̪ə] ) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness , the Orkney Islands , and
15336-412: 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
15478-427: 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
15620-585: 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
15762-478: 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
15904-403: 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
16046-520: The place of muster, and Sinclair of Scotscalder's estates were later forfeited. However, the Clan Sinclair was strongly Jacobite, but after hearing the news of the Jacobite failure at the Battle of Culloden, this apparently made them "sneak home again". It was also reported that had Lord Sutherland and Lord Reay not been in their way then the Sinclairs would have been among the first of the rebels, with about 500 Caithness Sinclairs who were ready to join
16188-529: 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
16330-597: The son of the Earl and Princess Margaret, was designated the heir to the Throne over Robert Stewart , who eventually became King Robert II in 1371. The habitual enemies of Clan Sutherland were the Clan Sinclair of Caithness and the Clan Mackay and Clan McLeod to the west of Sutherland. A feud with the Mackays came to a head when Nicholas Sutherland, 1st of Duffus , head of one of the junior branches, murdered
16472-484: The start of the rising William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland and chief of Clan Sutherland reconciled with their ancient enemies, the Mackays, settling the ancient feud. In 1745, the fighting force of the Clan Sutherland was given as 2,000 men. During the rising, Jacobites under George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie occupied the Sutherland's Dunrobin Castle , and the Earl of Sutherland narrowly escaped them through
16614-423: The surname de Moravia ("of Moray" in the Norman language ). Freskin's grandson was Hugh de Moravia who was granted lands in Sutherland and was known as Lord de Sudrland . Hugh's younger brother, William de Moravia of Petty , was progenitor of the Clan Murray . Hugh's eldest son (also called William) was William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland . The place name and clan name of "Sutherland" came from it being
16756-602: The surname Gordon ever since the early 16th century, however John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland resumed the surname of Sutherland, and was officially recognized as chief of Clan Sutherland by the Court of the Lord Lyon in 1719. General Wade 's report on the Highlands in 1724, estimated the clan strength at 1,000 men. The Clan Sutherland also supported the British Government during the Jacobite rising of 1745 . At
16898-419: The title Earl of Sutherland. The current Clan Chief is Alistair Charles St. Clair Sutherland, 25th Earl of Sutherland, son of late Elizabeth Millicent Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland. Since 2022, the heir presumptive of the chief is his elder daughter, Lady Rachel Elizabeth Sutherland, Mistress of Sutherland, after the premature death of Alexander Charles Robert Sutherland, Lord Strathnaver, only son of
17040-465: 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
17182-595: 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
17324-636: The younger son of John 8th Earl created Lord Murkle. In 1736, Sir James Sinclair glazed the windows for the first time of Rosslyn Chapel , relaid the floor with flagstones and repaired the roof of the chapel. In 1736, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn resigned his office as hereditary Grand Master Mason of Scotland to the Scottish Lodges on their foundation. He was later reappointed for his life. The Sinclairs of Roslin (Rosslyn) laid claim to be hereditary Grand Master Masons of Scotland . In 1739 forty-four Scottish Freemasons' Lodges met in Edinburgh to found
17466-483: The £40 lands of Torboll which Henry's father, Nicholas Sutherland, 1st of Duffus had resigned to the earl. Henry Sutherland's son was Alexander Sutherland, 3rd of Duffus who visited his chief, John Sutherland, 7th Earl of Sutherland who was being held hostage at Pontefract Castle in England for the ransom money of James I of Scotland . According to Gordon, during the time of John Sutherland, 7th Earl of Sutherland,
17608-590: Was High Chancellor of Scotland between 1454 and 1458. He had been granted the earldom of Caithness in 1455. He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, William ("the Waster") , who later became the Lord Sinclair , instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness , in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Sir Oliver Sinclair . William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness
17750-415: Was Margaret, the daughter of Robert the Bruce and sister of David II of Scotland , led the clan at Kilblene where he participated in the siege of Cupar Castle Fife. William, Earl of Sutherland accompanied King David II of Scotland into England where both were captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346, by Durham. They remained in prison for over ten years before being released. John of Sutherland ,
17892-476: Was a leader of the Scots invading into the west of England. He married Margaret Stewart, daughter of Alexander, Earl of Buchan, a younger son of King Robert II of Scotland . It was during the time of Robert Sutherland, 6th Earl of Sutherland that the first authentic record of Dunrobin Castle exists, dated 1401. It was also during the time of Robert Sutherland, 6th Earl of Sutherland that the Battle of Drumnacoub
18034-431: Was a senior factor for the Earl of Sutherland and whose lieutenant was Hector Munro of Novar and ensign was John Mackay from Golspie. The second was commanded by Lieutenant William Sutherland of Sciberscross and included around 70 men. The third included around 80-100 men and was captained by Robert Gray who was another factor to the Earl of Sutherland. However, despite all these efforts by the Earl of Sutherland to defeat
18176-455: 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
18318-604: Was brought up in the English court, employed such men to keep hold of the wilder parts of his kingdom and granted to Freskin lands in West Lothian . The ancient Pictish kingdom of Moray ( Moireabh in Scottish Gaelic ) was also given to Freskin and this put an end to the remnants of that old royal house. In a series of astute political moves Freskin and his sons inter married with the old house of Moray to consolidate their power. Freskin's descendants were designated by
18460-535: Was captured by the Gordon Earls of Sutherland and Huntly, and imprisoned in Foulis Castle . However, this is disputed by historian Angus Mackay. In 1545, at Dingwall , the Earl of Sutherland entered into a bond of manrent with John Mackenzie of Kintail for mutual defense against all enemies, reserving only their allegiance to the youthful Mary, Queen of Scots . In 1547, John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland led
18602-434: Was defeated and killed at the Battle of Alltachuilain . On March 25, 1525, Elizabeth Sutherland, 10th Countess of Sutherland and her husband Adam Gordon granted to William Sutherland, 5th of Duffus the lands of Torboll and Pronsy which had previously belonged to the late Hugh Sutherland of Pronsy. William Sutherland, 6th of Duffus , as the new Laird of Skelbo and having entered into a fresh acquisition of territory gave
18744-406: Was exiled to Prussia but later pardoned by Anne, Queen of Great Britain . In 1715, John Master of Sinclair captured a vessel with 420 stand of arms bound for the Earl of Sutherland. In 1715, at the Battle of Sheriffmuir , David Sinclair of Brabsterdorran fought for Jacobite cause, as did John, Master of Sinclair who fled to Orkney and then to Europe. On 3 November 1733, John Sinclair of Murkle
18886-582: Was forced to surrender the town which he had only occupied for twelve hours previously with just 600 men. In 1650, the Clan Sutherland along with the Clan Munro and the Clan Ross joined forces with the Scottish Argyll Government to fight against James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose and his royalist army of foreigners, who they defeated at the Battle of Carbisdale . In 1685, John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland , raised men of
19028-616: Was fought in 1431 where Angus Du Mackay, chief of Clan Mackay defeated Angus Murray and the Sutherlanders on the slopes of the mountain Ben Loyal near Tongue , as described by 17th century historian Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet . This battle is also mentioned by the historians George Buchanan (1506-1582) and the 18th century John Pinkerton who quoted the 15th century chronicler , Walter Bower . Henry Sutherland of Torboll, received from Robert Sutherland, 6th Earl of Sutherland
19170-476: 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
19312-402: Was killed fighting against the English at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. In 1517, Elizabeth Sutherland, 10th Countess of Sutherland married Adam Gordon, younger son of Gordon of Huntly. Their son was Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland who would become the legal heir to the Earldom of Sutherland and overall chiefship of the Clan Sutherland. According to Sir Robert Gordon, who himself was
19454-555: Was killed fighting for James IV of Scotland at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. There was a loss of 300 Sinclairs including George Sinclair of Keiss, Henry Sinclair, 4th Lord Sinclair , Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston, the Bishop of Caithness as well as James IV of Scotland. John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness (1490–1529) died at the Battle of Summerdale in May 1529 in Orkney. He
19596-479: Was killed with most of his men in an ambush. In 1650 Major Sinclair assisted James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose at the Battle of Carbisdale where they were defeated. They escaped to Ardvreck Castle , but there they were betrayed by MacLeod of Assynt and were executed. Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn was killed at the Battle of Dunbar (1650) and was the last knight to be buried in full armour below Rosslyn Chapel . General Monck sacked Rosslyn Castle but
19738-452: Was knighted by King James VI of Scotland . On 21 October 1601, Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair died and was succeeded by grandson Henry. In 1606, George 5th Earl of Caithness, was by an Act of Parliament allowed to change the name of Girnigoe Castle to Sinclair Castle. See: Castle Sinclair Girnigoe . The Battle of Kringen took place on 26 August 1612 in Otta , Norway. George Sinclair
19880-629: 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
20022-460: Was succeeded by his son George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness . William Sinclair, 5th Lord Sinclair was taken prisoner. At the Battle of Solway Moss in 1552, Scots commanded by Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairns were beaten by the English. In 1568, Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair assisted Mary, Queen of Scots , to escape from Loch Leven Castle . In 1570, John Sinclair, Master of Caithness , son of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness burned
20164-474: Was taken prisoner In 1379, Sir Henry Sinclair , who was also Admiral of Scotland claimed the Earldom of Orkney through his mother and received it from Haakon VI of Norway . However the earldom of Orkney was later resigned by order of James III of Scotland . Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney , Baron of Roslin, and Lord of Shetland (c.1345-c.1400), was a Scottish explorer nobleman . In 1391, he conquered
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