#House of Somerled

[scotianostra]

March 14th 1900 saw the birth of Scottish lawyer, Dame Margaret Kidd in Bo’ness. 

Today, there are around 130 practising female advocates in Scotland. Before 1923 there had been none; then along came Margaret Henderson Kidd.  

Margaret was brought up in Carriden, and that over the decade the Kidd family grew.; Margaret lived with her parents and now had five brothers and three sisters.

She educated at Linlithgow Academy, Kidd later studied law at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with an MA and LLB in 1922. Her early training was conducted with Mitchell and Baxter, writers to the signet, in Edinburgh. Although her first choice of career was the Foreign Office, the then Permanent Secretary, Mr Eyre Crowe, ‘was opposed to women’, so instead Kidd decided to follow her father and go into law. 

In 1923, Kidd was called to the Faculty of Advocates and became the first female with the right to plead in the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland. The event attracted great interest from members of the faculty and the legal profession, as well as the media. The Scotsman newspaper, as was typical of press coverage of women in the news, took special interest in Margaret’s outfit, reporting that she wore a ‘coat frock of black crepe morocain, a soft white collar with a narrow white bow tie, and a straw hat trimmed with velvet.’ Later in the day she donned the wig and gown as she formally entered her new role.

Between 1923 and 1948 she remained the only lady advocate. Kidd was the first lady advocate to appear before the House of Lords and before a parliamentary select committee. Kidd also had the distinction of becoming the first woman KC in Britain, preceding Helena Normanton and Rose Helibron who were appointed KC in England and Wales in 1949.

While Kidd appears to have downplayed the significance of her role and career in interviews – “I don’t know what they made all the fuss about” - it is clear that others, including her alma mater, were aware of and followed her progress. In the University of Edinburgh’s records of graduations, Kidd’s entry includes several newspaper clippings tracking parts of her career and life.

In 1930 Margaret married Donald Somerled MacDonald in Carriden Parish Church. Donald was a Writer to the Signet and member of the firm Scott and Glover, Hill Street, Edinburgh. . The couple went on to have one daughter, Anne.

During the Second World War, Margaret played a prominent part in organising Christmas treats and functions for the wives and dependants of men serving with the 14th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, and particularly the 39th Battery, of which her brother Col. J. T. Kidd was then in command.

Margaret’s professional life also led her to sit on the committee of Representatives of Poor Persons in Scotland as a referee under the Widows and Orphans and Old Age Contributions Pensions Act, and to undertake the Assistantship in the class of Public Law at Edinburgh University.

Margaret Kidd spent much of her life in India Street, Edinburgh. Donald had died in 1957, leaving Margaret a widow for over 30 years until her death on 22 March 1989 in Cambridge. A funeral service was held at the Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh. A eulogy by Lord Hope of Craighead echoed what had been printed about her 41 years earlier by the Scotsman:

‘Her success was won by strength of character, courage and integrity and is a mark of her true qualities that, despite what might seem to be the revolutionary nature of her achievements, she always held the affection and respect of others.’ 

[weavingthetapestry]

8th October, 1275- The Battle of Ronaldsway

(The area around Ronaldsway, at the south end of the Isle of Man, from the air. Picture from Wikimedia Commons)

Got another battle for you today folks, in keeping with the fact that earlier the Battle of Largs was covered on this blog. That battle, though perhaps not quite so game-changing and pivotal in British history as some sources would have us believe, was still an important moment in the process that saw sovereignty over the islands and western seaboard pass from Norway to the Scottish Crown. With the death of Haakon IV in late 1263, any hopes the Norwegians had of soon resuming their campaign and recouping losses were stymied and King Alexander III quickly capitalised on the situation, sending a force into the Hebrides under the Earl of Buchan and Alan Durward, whose forces simultaneously wreaked devastation and brought home the message of Scottish ascendancy. Hostages were taken for good behaviour and while some of the Hebridean rulers still refused to give into Scottish demands of overlordship, others, including several notable members of the House of Somerled, came into the king of Scotland’s peace more readily.

The story of how the Western Isles were incorporated into the kingdom of Scotland is reasonably well known- or at least the popular, if not wholly accurate and somewhat sanitised, version of the story is more likely to be covered in a Scottish history class than that of the Isle of Man. Nonetheless for a short while this territory also came under the control of the Scottish Crown. At around the same time as Buchan and Durward were sent into the Hebrides, an expedition was also fitted out for the Isle of Man. However, Magnus Olafsson, the King of Man, who was probably quite rightly anxious to avoid a Scottish army being set loose in his own land, pre-empted Alexander’s intervention and met with the king of Scots at Dumfries. There, he did homage and received Alexander’s promise of protection and shelter in Scotland should the king of Norway attempt to take reprisals against him, in return for agreeing to provide military service of ten galleys.

How this new relationship between the kings of Man and Scotland would have panned out in time is impossible to say, as Magnus died at Castle Rushen in late 1265. After this, control of Mann was put in the hands of a succession of royal bailiffs (Lewis and Skye, which were also part of the kingdom of Mann, were put under the control of the Crown and the Earl of Ross respectively) and Alexander’s sovereignty over the island was confirmed by Norway as a result of the Treaty of Perth in 1266. At some point seven hostages were taken for good behaviour as well, and kept by the Sheriff of Dumfries on behalf of the king. To all intents and purposes, Man was to be treated as a possession of the Scottish Crown, whether the Manx liked it or not (this also must have stuck in the throat of the king of England, who lost the opportunity to finally bring Mann under English control as a result of being distracted by domestic strife). However while there was little significant trouble in the Hebrides in the decades after the Treaty of Perth, Man was a different matter and not only were the baillies unpopular, but in general the island’s loss of autonomy and subjugation to the Scottish Crown did not go down well. And thus we are brought to the autumn of 1275, when that simmering discontent came to a head and the Manxmen rose in revolt.

(A seal of Alexander III of Scotland, last king of the House of Dunkeld) 

The leader of this movement was Guðrøðr Magnusson (name may also be rendered as Godfrey or Godred), an illegitimate son of the late Magnus, who appears to have been viewed by the majority of the Manx political community as the right man to succeed his father. Quickly gathering support, he soon seized the main castles and strongholds on the island, turfing out the Scots there, and making a bid to reestablish the primacy of the Crovan dynasty. Members of this kindred had ruled in Mann since at least the twelfth century, though at other times their power also extended to the Outer Hebrides, especially Lewis (their main competitors, meanwhile, were the branches of the Mac Somhairle clan in the Inner Hebrides and Argyll- who gave rise to the MacDonalds, MacDougalls, and MacRuaidhris- whose members had occasionally also ruled in Mann). But Godred’s attempts to claim the kingship of Mann that his ancestors once held, naturally aroused the wrath of Alexander III, who immediately acted to prevent the situation getting any further out of hand.

Having raised a force from Galloway and the Hebrides, a fleet was soon on its way south to Mann, landing at Ronaldsway on the south side of the island on the seventh of October. Its leaders were King Alexander’s second cousin John de Vesci, lord of Alnwick; John ‘the Black’ Comyn, lord of Badenoch; Alexander MacDougall lord of Argyll, whose sister had been married to the late Magnus Olafsson; Alan MacRuairi, who twelve years earlier had raided the west coast of Scotland on behalf of Hakon IV of Norway; and Alan, a son of the Earl of Atholl and grandson to Roland/Lachlan of Galloway. Of these the last had already been one of the Crown’s bailiffs of Mann, while two more- MacDougall and MacRuairi- belonged to two of the most prominent septs of the House of Somerled, and their role in the suppression of the Manx revolt says a lot about Alexander’s new power in the Hebrides and on the west coast of the Scottish mainland (nevertheless, Alan MacRuairi’s older brother Dubhgall, the head of the MacRuairis, remained in rebellion and had taken himself off to plunder Ireland a few years before, so not everyone was wholly happy with the situation in the Hebrides, even if it was more accepted than in Mann). Meanwhile the ability to raise men in the Hebrides and Galloway was a testament to the strength of the campaigns of Alexander III and his father respectively in those parts, and the Hebridean galleys were a strong addition to the naval power of the Scottish Crown, which had already shown its ability to exploit the advantages of the galley in its earlier campaigns in the west.

Sources for the Manx side of things are even less informative, though for all his early success Guðrøðr’s force does not seem to have been anywhere near as well-equipped as its enemy. When the Scots landed on the seventh, they sent a peace embassy to offer terms if the Manx surrendered, but Guðrøðr and his counsellors firmly rejected this option. Early the next day- the eighth of October- battle was joined before the sun was even in the sky. It is perhaps rather disappointing, given all the lead-up, that Guðrøðr’s short rebellion ended so swiftly and that the skirmish can be summed up in a few sentences, but the sources, though unfortunately short, make it clear that Ronaldsway was an overwhelming defeat for the Manxmen. Accounts of the battle describe the latter as being ‘naked and unarmed’ and they were almost immediately beaten back by the crossbowmen, archers, and other soldiers of the Scots. Very soon they turned and fled, with the Scots in hot pursuit, cutting down any they could catch and not stopping to spare people on account of sex or rank, to the result that over five hundred are alleged to have died in the battle itself. As Ronaldsway is, even today, very close to the important settlement of Castletown (so named for Castle Rushen, then the main political centre of the island), the flight of the Manx brought the Scots into contact with non-combatants and, both in the chase and after the battle was technically over, the invaders brought destruction to the area. As well as slaying many, they are also supposed to have sacked Rushen Abbey, a significant foundation of the Crovan dynasty and a hugely important religious centre for the Isle of Man.

The Chronicle of Man provided a versified toll of the dead:

‘Ten L’s, three X’s, with five and two to fall,

Manxmen take care lest future evils call.’

Or, in Latin:

‘L decies, X ter et penta, duo cecidere,

Mannica gens de te dampua futura cave.’

(Castle Rushen, in the thirteenth century the main political centre of the Isle of Man, and not far from Ronaldsway. Not my picture.)

Scottish control was quickly- and brutally- reestablished over Mann, while Guðrøðr, is supposed to have fled to Wales with his wife and followers. He was not to be the last of the Crovan dynasty to lay claim to Mann, but for the rest of Alexander III’s reign the island does not appear to have caused any significant trouble. To the Scottish Crown this settled the matter and the young Prince Alexander, son of the Scottish king, was named lord of Man until his early death in 1284, though it is doubtful if he ever played much active role in its governance and the real administration of the island was once again placed in the hands of bailiffs.

However, some historians argue that the aftermath of the Battle of Ronaldsway, since it can hardly have inspired positive feelings towards Scotland, may have promoted the further growth of an anti-Scottish faction in the Manx political community. When Margaret- the infant daughter of Eric II of Norway and granddaughter of Alexander III- inherited the throne of Scotland upon the death of her maternal grandfather in 1286, she also succeeded to the title Lady of Mann. However, when her great-uncle Edward I of England annexed the island a little while before her premature death in September of 1290, nobody on the Isle of Man appears to have complained. After all, the Battle of Ronaldsway- and the destruction that followed- had only occurred fifteen years before, and even prior to that the majority of the Manx had not shown any particular enthusiasm for Scottish sovereignty. The territory was formally restored to King John by Edward I in 1293, though quite some time after the rest of the Scottish realm, and was to pass back and forth between Scotland and England for several more decades, but after the mid-fourteenth century Scottish claims to Mann were largely abandoned and at the end of the century it formally came under English control. The Crovan dynasty, however, would never again hold the title Kings of Mann.

(References below cut)

The Furness continuation of William of Newburgh’s ‘Historia Reru Anglicarum’ in ‘Chronicles of the Reigns of Stephen, Henry II and Richard’, ed. Richard Howlett

The Chronicle of Man in ‘Monumenta de Insula Manniae, or a Collection of National Documents Relating to the Isle of Man’, transl. and ed. J. R. Oliver

‘Early Sources of Scottish History’, A.O. Anderson

John of Fordun’s ‘Chronica Gentis Scotorum’, ed. by W. F. Skene

‘Kingship and Unity: Scotland 1000-1306′, G.W.S. Barrow

‘The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland’s Western Seaboard, c. 1100- c.1336′, R. Andrew MacDonald

“The Wars of Scotland, 1214-1371″, by Michael Brown

[sophiamcdougall]

Genealogy is mostly bullshit, we’re all descended from ... lots of people, ancestry doesn’t reveal anything about who you are. 

I know.

THAT SAID you can’t expect a person who likes fantasy fiction not to be a TINY BIT SMUG about being descended from an “ANCIENT WARRIOR SEA-KING” Not least because it makes me sound like MERMAID ROYALTY.

[cincinnatusvirtue]

Abandoned places: Dunalastair Castle/The Hermitage, ruins in the Scottish Highlands, Homestead of Clan Robertson...

The Scottish Highlands have a storied history and one steeped in romantic imagery, locations & characters.  The history of the Scottish Highlands for the last few centuries is linked in the minds of many with the Scottish Clans system, an outgrowth of ancient Celtic social traditions.  The clan system, despite a common belief of one single related family, is in fact a more broad system of kinship.  One in which a singular family would maintain leadership of surrounding families in the area and in exchange for their recognized leadership and the collection later of taxes, the leading family’s most senior patriarch was to provide guidance and protection to the loyal families, creating a unique social bond where all were “related” or members of the same clan.  These leaders were the clan chiefs and traditionally lead the able bodied men of the clan in times of war and conducting raids on rival clans, usually for cattle, the common currency of Scottish clans.  Meanwhile, in times of peace they made alliances and conducted diplomacy with other clans, sometimes through marital alliances.  Over time, clan members whether descended from the chief or in member families adopted a common surname or variations thereof, these become known as the septs of the clan and over time different branches could expand as lands changed hands.  Its from this system that well known Scottish surnames have spread the world over such as Stewart, Campbell, Bruce, Montgomery, MacDonald, MacKinnon, Munro/Monroe, Macleod, Mackenzie, Robertson and others have come to be known.

Clan Robertson, known in Gaelic as Clann Donnachaidh (Clan Duncanson) has two hypothesized origins of their name.  One is they descend from the second son (Duncan) of the Scottish Lord of the Isles Angus MacDonald, descendant of the well known Somerled of mixed Gaelic/Viking ancestry.  The second, more widely accepted theory is lineal descent from the Gaelic (Celtic) Earls of Atholl, a district in the Highlands on tradition Clan Robertson land.  These earls were descended from the King of Scots, Duncan I (1001-1040), probably through his son Mael Muire, made Earl (ruler) of Atholl.

The name Robertson came about in the 15th century when the 4th Clan Chief, Robert Duncanson, an ardent supporter of the Stewart King of Scotland, James I was angered by the monarch’s murder.  He then tracked down and captured two of the conspirators, Sir Robert Graham & Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl (James I’s uncle).   Robert handed over the conspirators to be placed under torture and death by order’s of James I’s wife, Joan Beaufort.  Robert Duncanson was awarded the crest badge that remains with the clan to this day by James II on 1451.  The crest shows the a imperial crown clutched in a hand with the clan motto in Latin displayed: Virtutis gloria merces (glory is the reward of valor).  As a further reward of gratitude from the Scottish king, the Clan Chief and clan got the additional lands in the realm of Atholl, including the Barony of Struan, over which Clan Chiefs rule to this day.  In honor of Robert Duncanson, his descendants became known as Robertson which spread to the all members of the clan subsequently.  Presently, it has many variations including Robb, Robbie, Roberts, Robins/Robbins, Robison etc.  Other variations from the original Duncanson include Duncan & Reid.

Struan & Atholl are found in the Scottish Highlands in the traditional county of Perthshire, modern day Perth & Kinross.  The clan lands included the villages of Struan and Blair Atholl among others as well as Lochs Tay & Rannoch and are to be found in the Grampian Mountains, a range that makes up the Central Highlands.  It is a land with snow covered mountains, forests, many rivers and valleys intertwined with the aforementioned lakes and some moorlands to the west.

From the late 17th century into the 18th century, one of the longer reigning clan chiefs of Clan Robertson was Alexander Robertson, 13th Chief of Clan Robertson (circa 1670-1749) who in time would be known as the Poet Chief for his love of the written word and poetry.  He was known as a fierce Jacobite, displaying the long standing loyalty to the Stuarts/Stewarts, he is the only known clan leader to have fought in all three Jacobite rebellions (1689, 1715 &1745) against the armies of William III and later the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain.  In 1746 his lands were confiscated following the defeat of Jacobite forces including Highlanders at the last pitched battle fought on British soil, the Battle of Culloden.

Alexander Robertson had no children and so his chiefdom passed on to other family.  In his lifetime, he built a castle estate he called the Hermitage, it was located near the River Tummel between the Dunalastair Reservoir and Loch Rannoch, the famed mountain Schiehallion with its snowcapped peaks overlooks the grounds.  It is surrounded by forest and it served as the traditional Clan seat or castle.  The Hermitage was a place where Alexander entertained his guests with drunken parties and poetry recitals recalling the great historical deeds of his ancestors, often portrayed in a romanticized heroic manner.  His poetry was sometimes scandalous both for its sexual explicitness of romantic conquests, innuendo and sedition against the Hanoverian monarchs of Britain.  He also forbade women from entering the grounds of the Hermitage due to his perceived misogyny as sometimes reflected in his poems reflecting his own sexual conquests.  In 1746, following the defeat at Culloden, the Hermitage was burned to the ground by Hanoverian government troops as a lesson to the leaders of the rebellious Jacobite movement.

Alexander, moved into a small single room hut some miles to the west in Rannoch Moor, the western most part of the traditional Robertson lands.  He was still the Clan Chief but dispossessed of his traditional lands and his cause he turned to his only two comforts at that time, poetry and alcohol.  He still wrote of the heroic deeds of the clan’s ancestors, performing a clan essential duty, ancestor worship.  However, his alcoholism continued to worsen and caused health issues in his advanced age.  He had few visitors willing to visit him in the isolated and desolate location he found himself in, which coupled with alcohol fueled persona increased his isolation, he died in 1749, around the age of 80.  Despite his alienation in the last few years of his life, Alexander’s coffin was accompanied by 2,000 clansmen who followed it 15 miles across moorland, river valleys and mountain lined lake shores to be buried in the old graveyard of Struan, part of the clan’s barony.  

Eventually, a new home was built on the site of the Hermitage which included double towers around the year 1800.  This home was called Mount Alexander, after the famed Poet Chief.  In 1853, Clan Robertson’s 18th chief, George Duncan Robertson sold it to the MacDonald family.  The new owner, Sir John MacDonald, demolished Mount Alexander and by 1859 completed the structure which stands today, built in the baronial style it was known as Dunalastair House (Alexander’s Fort) also in honor of the famed Poet Chief and his Hermitage estate.  It went through a number of owners and the greater estate has current owners but Dunalastair House was in use as a residence up through World War I, by the conclusion of that time, it no longer could maintained due to expense for the many servants and groundskeepers needed.  During World War II, it was used as a boarding school for Polish boys who fled to Britain to escape the Nazi and Soviet takeover of their homeland, it was also converted to a girls school later.  However, the home was not well maintained and by the 1950′s its remaining contents were at last sold off. Abandoned thereafter, it was subject to vandalism and the elements of weather.  The lead roof was stolen by the 1960′s and since then the Scottish rains had emptied onto the roofless stone ruins with its towers and spires, still with a dirt road leading to its grounds in the midst of forested lands, the ruins are visited by curious travelers to this day.  The surrounding grounds are still owned by a private family but they now have  another home they reside in, there are cottages on the estate that are rented out to travelers and there is a nearby hotel that also uses the name Dunalastair.  

In the present, no grant or additional money has been put into restoring the house to its former glory, so it remains a ruin of days long since passed, but the site, nestled amidst the Highlands and in the shadow of Schiehallion’s peak and surrounded by flowing rivers, shimmering lakes and groves of forest over rolling hills is a romantic spot, like it was in the Poet Chief’s day.  Also on the grounds are the burials of a number of former Robertson Clan chieftains, reminders of times of times long gone...

[paladinofthelantern]

So I made a “Hellblade” AU if anyone’s interested. :)

*Zynbel lusts after Galena because of her beauty and desires her for himself. However, she is already betrothed to his brother, Findan, and he himself is to wed a woman named Abigail. So great is his longing to possess Galena that he sails to the land of the Northmen under some false pretense and offers them Findan and Abigail as slaves. They agree and pay him handsomely.

Zynbel sails with them back to the Orkney Islands where they make camp, warning him that if he does not make good on his promise he will lose his head. Zynbel returns home and waits for night to fall, his loved ones unaware of the darkness that lies inside his heart. As the last rays of the sun disappear he gathers Findan and Abigail, claiming that he needs their aid. They follow him deeper and deeper into the woods.

The Northmen see the group from afar, move into position, and spring upon them from the shadows. Abigail is quickly subdued, but Findan attempts to rescue her. Despite his vailiant efforts he is captured, screaming for Zynbel to run as he struggles to get free. His brother does not need to be told twice and dashes off, leaving his brother and future bride to their fate. When he returns home he is met with the worried faces of his fellows who were awakened by the noise, eager to learn what had caused it.

He tells all that had happened, withholding his part in the plot, of course. A search party is immediately formed, Zynbel supposedly guiding them to where the Northmen attacked. In reality, though, he leads them as far away from the site as possible. They search until dawn breaks, but, as one would expect, can find no trace of Findan or Abigail. Relunctantly they turn back, vowing to try again. But it does no good, for Zynbel deceives them each time.

At last they accept the fact that the two are lost forever. Zynbel, though, is greatly pleased at this turn of events. He will give everyone time to mourn, and then he will ask for the hand of Galena. Unbeknownst to him, she has decided to go in search of her beloved and her future sister-in-law. The young woman waits until all are asleep before she makes her away out of her home, mounts her black mare, and rides off into the night.

Zynbel, awakened by the sound of hoofbeats, climbs out of bed and over to the window where he just catches a glimpse of Galena before she disappears completely. White-hot anger grips his heart. He will not let his prize escape so easily! Zynbel silently exits the house, saddles his own horse, and leaves. Meanwhile the Northmen  arrive in their own land, wasting no time in putting the slaves to work.

And so Findan and Abigail labor under the lash of their new master, Jarl Arvid, receiving little food or rest. Not all the Northmen are without pity, though. Arvid has under him a Thane by the name of Henrik, who is father to a son, Ansgar, and a daughter, Birgitta. They are kind to them, often sneaking them extra portions of food and drink when they are able, as well as talking to them when they are not working. It makes their situation a little more bearable.

The slaves often tell Ansgar and Birgitta tales of their home, which fascinate the brother and sister to no end. They can clearly see how their new friends miss it and this knowledge weighs heavy on their hearts. The time comes when they can bear it no longer, and they decide to help them escape.In secret they make the preparations for the long journey, carefully storing away supplies little by little.

The siblings are careful to be as discreet as they can, for if anyone should find out what they are doing it will mean their deaths. At last the night comes when they are to make their escape. Ansgar, Birgitta, Findan, and Abigail move quietly through the halls of the great longhouse, narrowly avoiding the patrolling guards. Closer and closer they draw to the exit, and it seems they are only a few feet from freedom.

However, things are rarely ever so easy. It happens that a floorboard is loose, which, when Abigail steps upon it, lets out a loud groan. The guardsmen nearby are immediately alerted, causing the group to flee as fast as their legs can carry them. Angry shouts and the clank of metal echo in their ears as they make a mad dash for the main door, barely passing through it in time.

As soon as they reach their horses they mount them, digging their heels into the beasts' sides so hard that they leap forward as if pricked by hot irons. It is not long before they see their pursuers closing in on them. To their horror the band splits off, attempting to surround the fugitives. Findan and the others desperately try to escape their clutches, but, just as it seems that they have succeeded, they are confronted by none other than Henrik.

For a moment their hearts sink in their chests, for they fear that this is the end. To their utter amazement, though, the Thane tells them to head Westward. He and his men will lead the others in the opposite direction. One last farewell is exchanged between the father and his children before they part for good. Away they fly, deeper and deeper into the wilderness, not resting until their steeds have exhausted themselves. No sounds are heard but those made by the various animals that inhabit the wood, as well as their own shaking breaths.

They make camp for the night, daring to light only the smallest of fires for fear that they might attract unwanted attention. Each keeps a careful watch while the others sleep, their eyes straining to see anything unusual in the dark. Fortunately,morning comes without incident and they continue on. They travel for many days until they reach a tiny coastal town, where they pay for a vessel to take them to the Orkney Islands.

The company embarks upon the last leg of their journey, their spirits growing lighter as they realize that they are almost there. On their way the meet Galena, who is overjoyed to find her beloved and her future sister-in-law alive and well, although she is frightened by Ansgar and Birgitta. She only calms down once she learns that they, as well as Henrik and his men, have aided her loved ones in their flight.

Together they finally reach their home, friends and family crying with joy at their return, save for Zynbel, who had given up his search for Galena some time before. Although his lustful heart is delighted to see her again, he is furious that his brother and his betrothed are still alive. Not only that, but they brought Northeners with them. The one comfort left to him is that, as he only met with the Jarl and a few of his guards, they can not recognize him.

The clan is likewise unsettled by their presence and the siblings are summoned to the Hall of their Chieftain, Athol, at once. He listens intently as they tell their story, Findan and Abigail speaking when it is relevant. After much thought he finally announces that, as they can not go back to their own country, they will stay where they are. All of them abide by his ruling, even Zynbel, who thinks Athol an utter and complete fool.

That is not the last they see of a Northener, though. Not too long afterwards a man is spotted on the border of their territory, and, when guards are sent to investigate, is revealed to be Henrik. He is brought before Athol as his children were, revealing to him how he could not bear to be parted from them, especially as they were the only reminder of his wife he had left after her passing some years ago. Thus, he enlisted the aid of those loyal to him in order to escape in secret. The Chieftain is moved by his past actions and affection for his dear ones, granting the Thane leave to live among them.

And so life continues on, the wounds of the past slowly healing as the years go by. In time, Findan, who has become disilluisoned with the gods and renames himself Druth, marries Galena. His friends soon become his family as well. Ansgar joins himself with Druth's sister Eilionoir, while Birgitta weds his brother, Alasdair. Zynbel's own marriage to Abigail brings him little comfort, for he is incensed that their bloodline is now tainted by that of Northmen.

But this is not the end of his troubles. When Galena's gift comes to light he is infuriated that he went through such lengths to obtain a woman so tainted by darkness. The fact that no one else seems to share his views only adds to his rage. Her visons are no blessing from the gods, as some seem to think, but a curse that will only bring destruction upon them. And, when the daughter born to his brother is shown to share her mother's affliction, the bitterness inside of him continues to grow, gnawing away at his very core.

*Druth’s father, Seaghdh, the Chief Druid of their Clan, is Scottish, and their mother, Iona, is Irish. Druth is the eldest child, Alasdair is the second eldest, Zynbel is the third eldest, and Eilionoir is the youngest. 

*Cináed, Athol’s son and successor, and his wife, Gormlaith, are Dillion’s parents.

*Galena's parents, Eoghan and Caoimhe, are good friends with Seaghdh and Iona. When Druth and Galena befriend each other in childhood, they arrange a marriage between them. This was partly for the usual reasons, but moreso because Druth was very accepting of Galena’s “gift”.

*Seaghdh and Iona also arrange marriages for Eilionoir and Alasdair, but their future spouses die before they can be wed.

*Zynbel takes after his paternal great-grandfather, Somerled, and his paternal uncle, Muir, who were both very fervent in their worship of the the gods. 

 *Dillion and Senua are betrothed.

 *Zynbel’s treachery is eventually revealed around the time when Senua enters into adulthood. Although he is initially sentanced to death, his parents plea for his life, and he is instead exiled.

*Abigail eventually marries a man named Arran, who treats her far better than Zynbel ever did, and has children that she and her new husband love with all their hearts. They are considered family by Seaghdh and Iona and are beloved by all their kin. 

*Before Druth’s capture he was very devout in his worship of the gods, particularly Cernunnos. He was especially fond of an amulet bearing his likeness that was given to him by his father. Even after Druth loses his belief in them he still wears the amulet, a fact which irritates Zynbel to no end. 

*Arvid was convinced by Henrik to let Druth keep his amulet when he was captured.

*All of Seaghdh and Iona’s children have some of their own, save for Zynbel.

*Senua is an only child.

*Ansgar and Birgitta warn of an attack by Arvid on the village and the clan is able to prepare for the assault. The Jarl is surprised to find that they are ready for him, but continues regardless. He and his men are eventually defeated and they retreat, anger burning in their hearts at the betrayl of Henrik and his children.

*Arvid’s older brother, Haldor, was orginially meant to be Jarl, but he died in battle. His father, Gunvald, decided to name Arvid his successor, as he did not want any of his four daughters to inherit his title.

*The plague that infects Senua’s clan never happens.

*The ship seen at the end of the game is where Druth and Galena first met. Senua often goes there when she needs to think.

[magtitude]

gettin’ emo about Peril and her... abandonment habits... >:( and just family stuff really. more about it / break-down of it under the cut (mind the warning tags)

Aliases: Dearest Helen, “Peril”, Sorcha Colquhoun-Blackwood, Oighrig Drummond-Lusk, Annag Jardine-Maxwell, Ealasaid Kinnaird-Wallace, Glenna Ruskin-Taggart, Catrina Edna Scott (currently)

Husbands: Kentigern Blackwood (b. 1610, d. 1650), Lennox Lusk (b. 1700, d. 1770), Somerled Maxwell (b. 1790, d. 1820), Tavish Wallace (b. 1850, d. 1910), Roderick Taggart (b. 1920, d. 1970), Mungo Hendry Allaway-Scott (b. 1980)

Daughters: Barabal Blackwood (b. 1630, d. 1633), Beitris Blackwood (b. 1630, d. 1680), Donella Lusk (b. 1725, d. 1786), Maighread Maxwell (b. 1811, d. 1820), Malvina Maxwell (b. 1812, b. 1820), Morag Maxwell (b. 1815, d. 1820), Mysie Maxwell (b. 1818, d. 1820), Rhona Wallace (b. 1872, d. 1944), Shona Wallace (b. 1875, d. 1935), Moyna Wallace (b. 1877, d. 1976), Aileen Taggart (b. 1946, d. 1990), Caoimhe Taggart (b. 1948, d. 2010), Donella Taggart (b. 1951), Elspeth Taggart (b. 1955), Fiona Taggart (b. 1958, d. 1975), Isobel Jean Scott (b. 2010)

CW: cannibalism, death, child death, suicide, murder, cancer, house fire, also this is quite long

Miss Colquhoun/Mrs Blackwood: becomes Sorcha Colquhoun in 1629, eating the 19-year-old original Sorcha, and marries Kentigern later that same year. Has twin daughters, Barabal and Beitris, in 1630; Barabal dies in 1633. When Kentigern dies in 1650, Sorcha is in deep and immovable mourning, and her surviving daughter refuses to marry. Beitris dies in 1680, and Sorcha seemingly dies several days later. After burial, Sorcha/Peril claws her way out and runs into the woods for the next 40 years, feasting on travelling actors and rich merchants aplenty.

Miss Drummond/Mrs Lusk: becomes Oighrig Drummond in 1720, eating the 20-year-old original Oighrig, and marries Lennox in 1723. Has one daughter, Donella, in 1725. Happily married until someone suspects witchcraft, and points the finger at Oighrig, instigating a confrontation between husband and wife, forcing wife to kill husband in self-defence in 1770. Oighrig/Peril vanishes again to another part of Scotland further east, while her daughter mourns the death of her father. Donella dies in 1786, still in mourning, never married.

Miss Jardine/Mrs Maxwell: becomes Annag Jardine in 1806, eating the 15-year-old original Annag ( the only child she ever intentionally hurt, and still remembers with guilt ), and marries Somerled Maxwell in 1810. Has four daughters -- Maighread in 1811, Malvina in 1812, Morag in 1815, and Mysie in 1818. An extremely happy and loving marriage until 1820, when a fire started in the home while Annag was visiting her own mother; her husband and children died in the fire. Peril breaks character and starts terrorizing the inhabitants of the town for a non-stop twelve-hour period, before she leaves for somewhere further southwest.

Miss Kinnaird/Mrs Wallace: becomes Ealasaid Kinnaird in 1870, eating the 20-year-old original Ealasaid, and marries Tavish Wallace later that year. Has three daughter -- Rhona in 1872, Shona in 1875, and Moyna in 1877. An altogether happy marriage until Tavish dies of pancreatic cancer in 1910. Rhona had married in 1890, Shona had married in 1900, and Moyna had married in 1905. Ealasaid/Peril appeared to have died from grief in 1910 after her husband ( and she believes she did, for a bit, the despair felt so strong ), and only left her burial place after it became obvious she would not stay dead ( by her estimate: two weeks ). Rhona died in 1944 in London, after a bomb dropped on her house, killing both her and her husband; her own two daughters and one son survived in another part of the country with their own families. Shona died in 1935, and her husband died in 1941; they had no children. Moyna died in 1976, a day short of her hundredth birthday, and outlived her husband by a month; she had four daughters, two sons, and fourteen grandchildren.

Miss Ruskin/Mrs Taggart: becomes Glenna Ruskin in October 1945, eating the 25-year-old original Glenna, and marries Roderick Taggart later that year. They have five daughters --  Aileen in 1946, Caoimhe in 1948, Donella in 1951, Elspeth in 1955, and Fiona in 1958. A happy marriage with happy daughters, and a good job as a primary school teacher, until Roderick is murdered in 1970. There are financial struggles on a mother’s working salary, and tensions crop up between sisters, and daughters and mother. Aileen finally leaves home in 1971, going to live with her boyfriend, and would marry him two years later, inviting no-one to the wedding; she kills herself in 1990, outliving her husband and two sons. Caoimhe stays at home, being closest with her mother, and invites her secret girlfriend to live with them in 1972; they both move out in 1980, and still live happily together, now married. Donella leaves in 1975 to live with friends, eventually settling down with a husband in 1982; she eventually divorces him in 1998, preferring to live alone. Elspeth leaves in 1973 when she leaves for university, preferring to live in accommodation rather than coming home; Glenna never hears from her again, although she knows her daughter is still alive. Fiona is murdered in 1975, days after Donella moved out, and it is never solved. Peril appears to die of grief again.

Miss/Mrs Scott: becomes Catrina Scott in 2000, eating the 20-year-old original Catrina Scott, and courts Mungo Allaway, marrying him in 2005 where he double-barrels his name to Allaway-Scott. They have Isobel Jean Scott in 2010. They divorce in 2015, citing irreconcilable differences; Isobel goes between both parents, week-by-week, and both Catrina and Mungo are still friends. All is well for now, although Catrina/Peril is worried for her daughter, having had seemingly prophetic dreams about her daughter’s future -- meeting the witches again.

[joyffree]

Join us for the Book Tour with Guest Post & #Giveaway

Summer Warrior The Clan Donald Saga Book 1 by Regan Walker Genre: Romantic Historical Fiction

Somerled’s parentage was noble, of the Kings of Dublin, the royal house of Argyll and the great Ard Ri, the High Kings of Ireland. But when the Norse invaded Argyll and the Isles, his family’s fortunes fell with those of his people. When all hope seemed lost, he rose from the mists of Morvern to rally the Gaels, the Scots and the Irish.

Sweeping across Argyll and the Isles like a fast-moving storm, brilliant in strategy and fearless in battle, Somerled began retaking his ancestral lands, driving away the invaders and freeing the people from the Norse stranglehold. In doing so, he would win the title Somerle Mor, Somerled the Mighty, Lord of Argyll, Kintyre and Lorne and, eventually, Lord of the Isles.

This is the unforgettable saga of his path to victory that birthed the Kingdom of the Isles and won him the heart of a Norse king’s daughter.

#Win $20 Amazon #BookTour #Giveaway #BookBoost #Romantic #Historical #Fiction #SummerWarrior #reganwalker @RegansReview @SDSXXTours

[netmyname-blog]

Schmelze Macdouga UT

New Post has been published on https://nerret.com/netmyname/schmelze-macdouga/schmelze-macdouga-ut/

Schmelze Macdouga UT

Schmelze Macdouga UT Top Web Results.

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[scotianostra]

Castle of the Day,  Dunvegan, Isle of Skye.

Built on a rock in an idyllic loch side setting on the Isle of Skye, Dunvegan is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years.

Here's an artist's impression from the guide book showing Dunvegan in its original 13th century incarnation as a simple enclosure comprising a curtain wall entered from the seaward (west) side by a sea gate and containing unpretentious thatched domestic buildings within.

The picture above is the earliest known contemporary picture of the castle. It was drawn by the antiquarian (and acquaintance of Robert Burns), Captain Francis Grose in 1790. Viewed from the landward (east) side this time, the buildings within the curtain wall are more substantial but still show little sign of "gentrification". The tower on the right appears derelict and is thought to have been built some time in the late 14th century.

The next picture is by the artist William Daniell in 1819. By now, Dunvegan is well into its transformation from castle to stately home with the major change being the addition of the turretted landward entrance porch and bridge. The main tower (right) seems to be back in use with an ogee roof on its northern extension. Note also that the chimney in the middle of the east front which is also conspicuous in the Grose drawing:-

And as it is today.

 The Clan MacLeod traces it’s origins back to Leod, a son of Olave the Black, the self styled King of the Isles who had fled Norway around the year 1230 after making too may enemies with his war mongering ways. He had cleverly retained vast lands in the Western Isles, but would remain a troublesome with various island clans. It was he who built the first castle as seen in the first drawing.

Two of Leod's early descendants, Tormod and Torquil, became the heads of the two great clans MacLeod.  From Siol Tormod are descended the MacLeods of Dunvegan (Skye), Harris and Glenelg.

A history of these and other Highland Clans reveals their diverse chapters of fierce, bitter and bloody rivalries with their enemies.  There are examples of noble and ignoble leadership;  greatness and self destruction.  Doyens with political acumen and recklessness, this was prevalent in all branches of the MacLeod Clan and it wasn’t until the 16th century that things began to calm down a wee bit. When the MacLeods of Harris at Dunvegan Castle, were pledged to ‘good rule and quietness in the Islands’ That’s not so say they were without incident, most notable were there troubles with  the MacDonalds and Frasers.

MacLeod did not participate in the Jacobite uprisings of Prince Charlie because of prior heavy losses, however, MacLeods of Raasay sided with the Jacobites and paid dearly for that allegiance.

As you would expect, with all the gentrification of the castle that happened during the 19th century Dunvegan is more of a stately home nowadays, as seen in the pic of the hall and library.

As I’ve mentioned before I am no great fan of the stately home type properties, however I do recommend a visit to Dunvegan Castle, firstly it is the home to the famous Fairy Flag, Am Bratach Sith in Gaelic. There are many legends surrounding this piece of silk, which is now reduced in size (from pieces being removed and kept for luck) and somewhat threadbare. One is that it was given to one of the chiefs by his fairy wife at their parting. This is said to have taken place at the Fairy Bridge, three miles to the north east, at a meeting of rivers and roads. The chief had married his wife thinking she was a mortal woman, but she was only permitted to stay with him for 20 years before returning to Fairyland.

The flag, however, originates from the Middle East, and it has been dated between 400 and 700 AD, predating the castle by hundreds of years. The flag is believed to give victory to the clan whenever unfurled, and reputedly did so at the battles of Glendale in 1490 and Trumpan in 1580. It has been examined numerous times in the last two centuries, and its condition has somewhat deteriorated. It is ripped and tattered, and is considered to be extremely fragile. The flag is covered in small red "elf dots". In the early part of the 19th century, the flag was also marked with small crosses, but these have since disappeared.

The Fairy Flag was also believed to make the marriage of the MacLeods fruitful, when draped on the wedding bed, and to charm the herrings out of Dunvegan Loch when unfurled. Belief in its power was such that during World War II pilots from the clan carried a picture of the flag as a talisman.

Other interesting items at Dunvegan include a drinking horn called Rory Mor’s Horn,  Clan custom is that each successive chief is to drink a full measure of the horn in claret to prove his manhood. The artwork on the horn has been dated to the 16th century, and by some as far back as the 10th century.

And finally we have  Dunvegan Cup  a wooden ceremonial cup  elaborately decorated with silver  it is a unique ‘mazer' dating back to the Middle Ages. one of the stories state that it was gifted by the O'Neils of Ulster as a token of thanks to one of the clan's most celebrated Chiefs, Sir Rory Mor, for his support of their cause against the armies of Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1596.  Everywhere except the rim, the silver is very thin, and in consequence has suffered a great deal of damage over the years.

Walter Scott gives this cup a mention in his poem “Lord of The Isles.....

'Fill me the mighty cup!' he said, 'Erst own'd by royal Somerled: Fill it, till on the studded brim In burning gold the bubbles swim, And every gem of varied shine Glow doubly bright in rosy wine! To you, brave Lord, and brother mine, Of Lorn, this pledge I drink - The Union of Our House with thine, By this fair bridal-link!'-

There are many different tales relating to the cup, too many to mention, read more on it here at wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunvegan_Cup

[akissatmidnight]

Are you all caught up on the other three clan posts? Just in case, read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here! While these might not be the biggest clans, they’re your clans, each one sent to me through this blog, or your Facebook comments. Let’s dive right in and learn a little about Scottish clan history.

Clan MacLea/Livingstone

Clan Motto: Cnoc Aingeil- Hill of Fire

Alternative Clan Motto: Ni mi e ma’s urrain dhomh- I shall do it if I can

Livingstone/MacLay tartan (old)

Modern Livingstone tartan

Livingstone is the anglicized version of MacLea and came from an area of Scotland.

The chief of the MacLea clan has been traditionally called the heir of Siant Moluag. Saint Moluag was a Scottish missionary who is credited with evangelizing to the Picts and may have been the first patron saint of Scotland. He is still the parton saint of Argyll.

They weren’t so awesome when it came to battles. They lost almost every one they participated in, usually with heavy losses that decimated their population. Their inability to hold land and numbers for a prolonged period of time may be why they were not officially recognized as a clan until 2003.

Clan MacLaren

Clan Motto: Creag an tuirc- The boar’s rock

Ancient

Modern

Hunting

They are said to be descended from the Fergud MacErc, the founder of the Dál Riate kingdom. Even if they weren’t, they still hold strong ties to the royal families of Scotland.

When the MacGregors and Campbells were driven from their lands in the 1500s, they settled in MacLaren lands. When the MacGregors began plundering MacLaren villages, the MacLarens asked the Campbells for help, as they continued to have a large number, but the Campbells refused unless the MacLarens pledged fealty to them.

They were very active in the Jacobite uprising of 1945, losing a large number as a result. They also fought at the infamous Battle of Culloden.

Kirkpatrick

Clan Motto: I make sure

They do not have a registered, nor an adopted tartan.

They are an armigerous Lowland clan, although the term is meant to be used loosely as they have never been recognized, and their name has been interchanged with Kilpatrick throughout history. They have also been septs of the Douglas and Colquhoun and they got their name from Saint Patrick.

Roger Kirkpatrick, the cousin of William Wallace and the cousin and attendant of Robert the Bruce. He saved Bruce several times and is credited for leading his men to overtake several castles from the English. After Bruce was crowned, he gifted the crest and motto to Kirkpatrick, which has since been adopted by the clan.

Clan MacInnes

Clan Motto: Ghift dhe agus an righ- By the grace of God and King

Regular

Hunting

Dress

MacMaster is a variant, as are dozens of other names, and were one of the first clans to settle in Scotland from Ireland. It is possible that these small sects fell under the Macinnes protection and were then adopted.

They were accomplished seamen, but moved off of the western coast towards Argyll when the viking raiders became too much for them to handle. Still, they could not escape the vikings and formed an alliance with other small clans known as “Siol Gillebride”,  or the “Seed of the Servant of St. Bride”, under the leadership of a Celtic-Norse warrior named Somerled.

The last chief dies in the 14th century and in the 16th, the remaining members of the clan moved the Sleat in the Isle of Skye. They were adopted loosely into some larger clans, such as the Campbells and Mackinnons, and fought on both sides during the Jacobite uprising.

Clan Maxwell

Clan Motto: Reviresco- I grow strong again

Maxwell is another Lowland armigerous clan without a chief.

The name comes from “Maccus well”, a poor part of the River Tweed and an old Norse king Maccus.

The Lord John Maxwell was very Catholic and participated in the attempts to restore Mary Queen of Scots to the throne. It didn’t go well, but even after Mary was executed, John petitioned Spain for help in restoring Catholicism in Scotland…that didn’t go well either.

One of the last Maxwell Lords, William, was a proud Jacobite supporter. After he was captured in battle and imprisoned in the Tower of London, he escaped in such a move way. His wife dressed him up as a servant woman and they just walked right out of there and into Rome like a boss.

Actual historical footage of William’s escape

The Malcolm/MacCallum Clan

Clan Motto: In Ardua Tendit- He aims at difficult things

The MacCallums were a separate clan until the 18th century when the MacCallum chief inherited the Malcolm estate, uniting the clans. MacCallum comes from the Gaelic “Mac Ghille Chaluim”, which means, “son of the disciple of Columba”.

The clan largely stayed out of large wars and battles, only participating in small skirmishes between clans.

Book readers will recognize a variant of this name ;) BTW here’s a gif of our fav man with Malcolm in his name…

yes, please

The Hay Clan

Clan Motto: Serva Jugum- Keep the Yoke

War Cry: A Hay! A Hay!

Dress

Regular

The Hay clan came from Normandy, with the original name of Haye. They settles throughout Scotland.

They were staunch Catholics and fought Protestant rule throughout history, constantly trying to overthrow Queen Elizabeth with Spain’s help and even trying to convert King Edward I. There were even Hays involved in the Hundred Year’s War under Joan of Arc.

They supported the Jacobites in both rebellions, but became loyal British citizens when they failed.

Clan Rose

Clan Motto: Constant and True

modern

ancient hunting

modern hunting

modern dress

Unrelated to Clan Ross, they came from the de Bisset and the de Bosco families of Ros Normandy.

They were very politically savvy. They expanded their lands through good marriages and royal favor. They were very close to Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots. It’s said that her own son, King James VI, thought of Hugh Rose, the chief, as a father. But the clan was split during the Jacobite rebellions. Since many of them supported the British, they didn’t have many issues after the rebellion ended.

Kilravock castle housed the chiefs of Clan Rose from the 13th century until 2012, when it was gifted to a Christian group.

Clan MacQuarrie

Clan Motto: An T-arm Breac Dearg- The Red Tartaned Army (Also used as a war cry)

Clan Motto #2: Turris fortis mihi Deus- God is to me a tower of strength

They are one of the oldest of the Highland clans and are descended from both the kings of the Picts and the Dál Riata. In fact, they can be traced back to Kenneth MacAlpine, who was the first King of Scotland.

They owned many islands in the Scottish Hebrides and had powerful allies in Clan MacLean.

Since they don’t have an active chief, and haven’t since the 1700s, they’re technically an armigerous clan. The last chief had crazy debts and sold off a bunch of clan lands, then joined the British army. So if you’re a part of this clan and want to do some digging, see if you’re in the line and can prove a direct link back to a former chief. This Clan is too interesting to let go on without a chief.

BTW here’s a pic of Taran MacQuarrie, the leader of the Watch, who was hanged at Wentworth Prison. He wasn’t in the books, but was created for the TV series.

The Erskine Clan

Clan Motto: Decori decus addit avito- He adds honour to that of his ancestors

They got their name from an area called Erskine, which may mean “green rising ground” in ancient British.

They were very politically influential. Great supporters of the Bruce clan, they intermarried, gained great favor, and many Erskkine leaders were given political power within the cabinet when Robert the Bruce was named king. They also had a great hand in putting Robert II, Robert the Bruce’s grandson, on the Scottish throne. That means they basically created the Stewart line of succession.

John Erskine, the leader of the clan during the Jacobite rebellion was known for changing his alliances like the wind, to keep his clan in favor of the winning side. At one point, he went to London, where he felt slighted by the English king. So John was all all “F*ck them!” and went home and immediately raised an army for the Jacobites.

It’s said that John Erskine now haunts Culross Palace, an old holding of his BFF the Bruce Clan. The palace, and the surrounding area, was used for shooting locations for Outlander. This includes Geillis’s parlor, the village of Crainsmure, and the herb garden the two time traveling women meet.

inside the palace

the exterior (which was repainted grey and white for filming)

The Hunter Clan

Clan Motto: Cursum Pericio- I have completed the course

The Hunters are of viking stock. They came with Rollo to Paris in 896 and stayed on in the area, following the powerful nobles of Normandy, but went to Scotland with King David I in the 1100s, where they finally settled.

The Hunters were largely gifted their land and didn’t participate in cattle raiding and the usual clan skirmishes. They were appointed the keepers of the royal forest, and this duty kept them fairly busy. They also didn’t participate in larger battles and many of their leaders ended up well educated.

Hunterston Castle has been the clan’s seat for over 800 years. Finally, a clan that holds on to their castles!

Clan MacEwen/Ewen

Clan Motto: Reviresco- I grow strong again

There are five MacEwen septs and two of them are under Campbell and MacDougall leadership. Their tartan is even very similar to that of Clan Campbell.

Because they were so divided, the clan was chiefless for a number of years, making it an armigerous clan. But a chief was selected in 2016, the first since 1493, so that may change in the near future.

Names asked for, but lacking strong Scottish clan presences outside of being a sept: Wotherspoon, Miller, McHugh (Irish clan), Brennen (Irish Clan), McMahon (Irish Clan), McCole (mainly Irish), Harvey (members of Clan Keith), McCracken (sept of the Macnaghten), Mackie, Gates, Nichols (sometimes associated with Clan MacLeod), Aitken, and Oliver…all awesome names! If your name was one of those listed, and you’d like to privately discuss your name and get some history, let me know and I’ll be sure to tell you what I have!

That’s all for today, and my list! If there’s enough interest, I’ll do another post, so don’t be afraid to post your clan name in the comments for me to review. And read all of our Outlander posts here!

And see who’s hot for teacher in Sarah’s contemporary romance series here and learn about Kelsey’s contemporary and Scottish historical romance series here!

An Outlandish Clan History Part4 Are you all caught up on the other three clan posts? Just in case, read Part 1…

[scotianostra]

Castle of the Day,  Dunstaffnage, near Oban.

Dunstaffnage Castle was built before 1275 by the MacDougall clan, Lords of Lorne. However, there had been a stronghold here in the 7th century built by the kings of Dalriada, hold on to your seats this is one of the most historic castles on the west of Scotland.

The name Dunstaffnage (In Gaelic Caisteal Dhùn Stadhainis)  comes from "Dun stafr-nis", Dun meaning "fort" in Gaelic of course, the rest of the name deriving from the Norse stafr-nis, "headland of the staff".

The Castle has seen more than its fair share of intrigues and incidents over the centuries, it was once home to The Stone of Destiny, the Scottish coronation stone. 

Dunstaffnage was built as the seat of Duncan MacDougall, Lord of Lorn and grandson of Somerled. Duncan was unsuccessfully attacked by his Norwegian-backed brother, Uspak, who later died in an attack on Rothesay Castle with Norse forces in the 1230s. He travelled to Rome in 1237 and as well as this castle, was the founder of nearby Ardchattan Priory.

Duncan's son Ewen MacDougall (builder of Dunollie Castle) inherited his father's title in the 1240s and expanded the MacDougall influence, styling himself "King of the Isles". It is probable that Ewen built the three round towers onto the castle and constructed and enlarged the hall inside.

The enormous power of the MacDougalls and their comparatively brief tenure of Dunstaffnage came to an end with their defeat by the newly crowned Robert Bruce. The exact date is uncertain, but probably in August 1308, Bruce and his supporters came west to have a reckoning with the MacDougalls. Their chieftain, Alexander MacDougall, was too old and sick to take part in the fighting and remained here at Dunstaffnage. His son, John Bacach was left with the task of dealing with the onslaught. Having placed his forces in ambush positions in the Pass of Brander, he retired to a galley on Loch Awe to watch proceedings.

Bruce however was no longer mug enough to fall into so simple an ambush, having learned his lesson at the Battle of Dalry in which he had fallen into a similar trap. He sent a party of his men, under the command of 'The Good' Sir James Douglas, to climb above the MacDougalls. Bruce then deliberately triggered the ambush himself, but as the ambushers started shooting arrows and rolling rocks down the hillside, the previously unobserved force under the Black Douglas swept down from above. The MacDougalls wavered and then broke, before being chased westwards across the River Awe and all the way back to Dunstaffnage.

John Bacach, safe in his galley, escaped down the loch, eventually taking refuge in England. Alexander MacDougall, Lord of Argyll, surrendered Dunstaffnage after a brief siege and did homage to Robert Bruce, but the following year he joined his son in exile, dying in 1310 in the service of Edward II.

In time, the power vacuum created on the west coast by the defeat of the MacDougalls was to be filled by the MacDonalds and the Campells. Following its capture by the king, the Chiefs of Clan MacArthur were appointed as hereditary Captains of Dunstaffnage Castle, although it is recorded that James I had to seize the castle in 1431, following the Battle of Inverlochy, 'as his enemies were hiding inside'.

In 1455 following the downfall of the House of Douglas at the hands of James II, James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas stayed at Dunstaffnage, on his way to treat with John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles - a meeting that led to the signing of the fateful Treaty of Westminster-Ardtornish.

The MacDougalls seem to have maintained an interest in Dunstaffnage as a later keeper, John Stewart of Lorn, who had formed a rivalry with Alan MacDougall, was stabbed by MacDougall's supporters on his way to his marriage at Dunstaffnage Chapel in 1463. Apparently he survived long enough to make his wedding vows. MacDougall took the castle but was ousted by King James III, who subsequently granted Dunstaffnage to Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll in 1470.

Dunstaffnage saw action during the Civil War, holding out against Montrose's army in 1644. The castle was burned by royalist troops following the failure of the rising of the 9th Earl of Argyll in 1685, against the Catholic James VII. During the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745, the castle was occupied by government troops. Following the collapse of the last Jacobite rebellion, Flora MacDonald, who had helped Bonnie Prince Charlie to escape from Scotland, was briefly imprisoned here while en route to imprisonment in London.

The Earls of Argyll appointed Captains to oversee the castle and continued to more or less hold it over the centuries, building a new house over the old west range in 1725, however the rest of the castle was already decaying. In 1810 an accidental fire gutted it and the Captains ceased to live here full time, moving to Dunstaffnage House, a mile or so away to the south-east, until this too burned down in 1940. A tenant lived in the 1725 house within the castle until 1888, but quirkily, the title of Captain of Dunstaffnage still remains and each year whoever holds the post must spend three nights of the under the gatehouse roof.

Restoration work was undertaken in 1903 by the Duke of Argyll, the castle's owner. This was followed in 1912 by a court case, in which the Court of Session ruled that Angus Campbell, the 20th hereditary Captain, had right of residence notwithstanding the Duke of Argyll's ownership. Works were delayed by World War I, and the planned total restoration of Dunstaffnage was never completed. In 1958, the 21st Captain and the Duke agreed to hand the castle into state care, and it remains a property of Historic Scotland.

And of course  Dunstaffnage has a ghost - or at least it did. Known as the "Ell-maid of Dunstaffnage", it is said to have been a type of gruagach or  a brùnaidh, which translate in English to a Brownie.  The ghost's appearances are said to be associated with events in the lives of the hereditary keepers and is known as the "Ell-maid of Dunstaffnage" and is said to wear a green dress.  . If she is smiling, good fortune is on its way; if she is crying, the Clan knows that trouble lies ahead.

Dunstaffnage has recently reopened after lockdown and it is £6 entrance fee for adults, £3.60 for bairns.