A New History of the Clan Gregor
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A New History of the Clan Gregor Peter Lawrie Compiled from various web essays on the Clan Gregor A New History of The Clan Gregor Page 1 Contents The Early History of The Clan Gregor 3 The Bogus Baronage and the origin of Clan Gregor 25 The Chiefs of Clan Gregor 34 Duncan Ladasach 40 John Dow MacGregor in Balquhidder 48 The Political Context of the Battle of Glen Fruin 55 The Battle of Glen Fruin - Cath Ghlinn Freoin 68 Kinship, Landholding & Crime - Clan Gregor 1583 – 1611 Introduction 71 Kinship and Clanship 76 The possession of land by Clan Gregor 85 The Crimes of Clan Gregor 95 Conclusion 105 Robert Abrach and Tomzarloch 108 Clan Gregor in Montrose's Campaigns - 1644-46 123 Clan Gregor during the Commonwealth 1651-1660 141 Clan Gregor in the 1689 rising and the Battle of Killiecrankie 152 Clan Gregor in the 1715 rising 161 Rob Roy and the 1719 Rising 176 Rob Roy - his capture and escape 182 The Clan Gregor in the last Jacobite rising of 1745-46 188 The Clan Gregor in Sutherland - March 20th to April 14 1746 225 A New History of The Clan Gregor Page 2 The early History of The Clan Gregor Clan Gregor has many aliases. The reason for this is rooted in the turbulent history of Highland Scotland and the peculiar problems of Clan Gregor from its beginning to the early seventeenth century. Part of this presentation has been drawn from the unpublished 1989 PhD thesis of Dr Martin MacGregor, entitled ‘A Political History of Clan Gregor before 1571’. Dr MacGregor presents some ideas about our early relationship with the Campbells that are not to be found in any published sources. Ramsay’s ‘The Arrow of Glen Lyon’ has been used as the source for the period between 1571 and 1603. Clan or Clann is the Gaelic word for family or, to be more exact, kindred sharing a common descent. Clan names may be frozen patronymics: Mac Griogair means son of Gregor. Others derive from descriptive features of the name father, such as Campbell – cam beul meaning squint or wry mouth. The Campbells belong to the Mac Cailein Mor branch of the kindred of Diarmaid o Duibhne. Others are derived from occupations, such as Macintyre, Mac an t-saoir, son of the wright. Kin- based clans developed as a means of controlling land and allocating resources. Their growth and eventual decline were related to the weakness of government. Formation and dissolution was a dynamic process. Highland Clanship came out of a fusion between Celtic tribalism and Norman feudalism during the 12th and 13th centuries. Dr MacGregor suggests that the personal name Gregor may come from one of several Pope Gregories. There was an 11th century Irish cult of Gilla-Griguir or devotee of Gregory. 12th and 13th century bishops of Moray, Dunkeld, Ross and Brechin all bore the name and it was common among Norman families in the 12th and 13th centuries. Clan Gregor has a tradition, embodied in our slogan – ‘S Rioghal mo dhream – ‘Royal is my race’. Clan Gregor is the principal kindred of Clan Alpin, which has been traditionally derived from the ninth century King Kenneth MacAlpin. Kenneth united the Picts and the Scots into one nation known as Alba, pronounced A-la-pa. Clan Gregor has been claimed to derive from King Giric, a nephew of Kenneth, who ruled 878 to 889 possibly because the name sounds like Griogair. Dr MacGregor states that this is a myth first documented in the late 15th century. (I have seen a beautifully illuminated document demonstrating the genealogy of the Campbells from Adam and Eve! I suspect that they must descend from Cain rather than Abel.) A brief note of explanation: Scottish landed gentry are normally designated as name of place-name. Thus: MacGregor of Glen Strae. It is correct to refer to the person by the name of his estate, thus: Glenstrae. In this paper the place-names are given as Glen Strae. When the full designation is given it is MacGregor of Glen Strae. However, when the abbreviated form is used it will always be the single word Glenstrae or Glenorchy. A New History of The Clan Gregor Page 3 Dr MacGregor suggests that Clan Gregor probably derive from a 13th century kindred called Clann Ailpein, who may have been a client kindred of the ruling MacDougall kindred of Lorn. As part of the Comyn faction the MacDougalls were opposed to Robert the Bruce. King Robert suffered a serious defeat by John of Lorn at Dalrigh, near Tyndrum in 1306. Two years later, in 1308, the King defeated the MacDougalls in battle at the Pass of Brander. The rise of the Campbells dates from the generosity of King Robert to Niall Campbell of Lochawe at the expense of the MacDougalls. Eoin of Glen Orchy, as part of the Lorn kindred, was allied with Wallace and captured in battle against the English in 1296. His daughter Mariota married the Campbell laird of Innis Chonnail. This marriage was the basis of the charter to Glen Orchy given to the Campbells by David II in 1358. His brother Donnchadh Beag, father of Griogair was the effective starting point of the lineage in Glen Orchy around 1300. Gillies in his book ‘In famed Breadalbane’ discusses 17th century bonds of friendship between the then chiefs of MacNab and MacGregor. These refer to their supposed common descent from two brothers. The MacNabs were the Clann an Aba or family of the Abbot of Glen Dochart. The relationship must be from Clann Ailpein. Dr MacGregor is quite correctly cautious with the surviving genealogies, showing contradictions and fabrications in various Highland genealogies. For the moment let’s take at face value the genealogical descent of the Clan Gregor as given in the book of the Dean of Lismore. At page 137 of the MacLauchlan edition of 1862 is the poem by Duncan MacDougall Maoil - Some historians have taken this as descent from the 9th century King Alpin, father of Kenneth MacAlpin who united the Picts and the Scots in 843. Unless a number of generations have been omitted this seems barely credible and has been discounted by modern scholars - but this may be changing. Below, on the right I have given an extract of the poem and the patrilinear descent suggested by it. The Dean's 16th century genealogy Alpin (Ailpin) Kennan (Connan) Hugh of Glen Orchy (Aodha Urchadhaigh) Gillelan (Giolla Fhaolain) Duncan (Donnchadh) Duncan the small (Donnchadh beag) Malcolm John the lucky or learned Gregor John (Eoin cam) Black John (Eoin dubh) Malcolm Patrick A New History of The Clan Gregor Page 4 Here is the full modern English text from the Book of the Dean of Lismore, of “The history of the secret origin of John MacPatrick” by Sir Duncan MacDougal Maoil MacGregor father of the Dean of Lismore What belongs to his race is not feeble, The bearing of that race we love, Seldom of a feeble race it is, Among the Gael of purest fame, That inquiry of their origin is made, By the men who read in books Firm the belief to them and me, During the evening time so dark That in the blood of noble kings Were the rights of true ClanGregor Now that I'm by thy green dwelling, Listen John to thy family story. A root of the very root are we Of famous kings of noble story. Know that Patrick was thy Father, Malcolm father was to Patrick. Son of Black John, not black his breast, Him who feasts and chariots owned. Another John was Black John's father, Son of Gregor, son of John the lucky. Three they were of liberal heart, Three beneficent to the Church. The father to that learned John, Was Malcom who his wealth ne'er hid, Son of Duncan surly and small, Whose standard never took reproach. His father was another Duncan, Son of Gillelan of the ambush, Noble he was, giving to friends, Son of the famous Hugh from Urquhay. Kennan of the pointed spear, Of Hugh from Urquhay was the father. From Alpin of stately mien and fierce, Mighty king of weighty blows. This is the fourth account that's given Of thee who art the heir of Patrick. Remember well thy backbone line, Down from Alpin, heir of Dougal Twenty and one besides thyself, John the black not black in heart. Thy genealogy leads us truly To the prosperous Fergus McErc. Of thy race which wastes not like froth, Six generations wore the crown. A New History of The Clan Gregor Page 5 Forty Kings there were and three, Their blood and origin are known. Three there were north and three to the south, After the time of Malcom Kenmore. Ten of the race did wear the crown, From the time of Malcom up to Alpin. From Alpin upwards we do find Fourteen kings till we reach Fergus. Such is thy genealogy To Fergus, son of Ere the prosperous. How many are there of thy race Must there have been from thee to Fergus. Noble the races mix with thy blood, Such as we now we cannot number. The Schools would weary with our tale Numbering the kings from whom thou 'rt sprung. The blood of Arthur is in thy bosom Precious is that which fills thy veins ; The blood of Cuan, the blood of Conn, Two wise men, glory of the race. The blood of Grant in thy apple-red cheek, The blood of Neil the fierce and mighty. Fierce and gentle, at all times, Is the story of the royal race.