The Top Ten Brutal Scottish Clan Massacres

Number 10 – Massacre at the Battle of Champions, 1464

After many Gunn’s and Keith’s were lost in a 40 year feud between the two clans, George Gunn, the chief of the Gunn Clan looked to settle it by challenging the Keith Clan to a “battle of champions”. Gunn proposed that each clan would be allowed to bring it’s 12 best men on horseback to meet and settle the feud in battle. The Gunn’s arrived first and went to a chapel to wait. When the Keith’s had arrived the Gunn’s realized they were deceived, they had showed up with two men on each horse. By the time the Gunn’s realized, it was too late, they were slaughtered. Five of the Gunn’s men were able to escape and hid by a stream in upper strathnaver, and planned their revenge. This group followed the Keith’s to their castle and took advantage of a Keith’s victory celebration by killing the Keith Clan chief with an arrow. After some confusion the Keith’s charged out of the castle but were easily cut down in the darkness and the small band of Gunn’s were able to make their escape.

Number 9 – Monzievaird Church Massacre, 1490

After declaring victory over the Clan Murray in a feud battle, the Drummond Clan was heading home and stopped for the night to rest at Dunstaffnage Castle. Duncan Campbell, owner of the castle, who had just had his father-in-law and two sons murdered by members of the Murray Clan and wanted revenge convinced the Drummond’s to go back after the remaining Murray’s with him.

When the Murray’s found out that the Campbell’s and Drummond’s were on their way they decided to take refuge in a church in Monzievaird. It is believed that up to 120 men, women and children of the Murray clan were hiding in the church. Upon finding them hiding the Campbell’s and Drummond’s decided to leave them alone and return home. Unfortunately, a Murray Clan member, took it upon himself to shoot and arrow from the church killing one of Duncan Campbell’s men. The Drummond’s and the Campbell’s retaliated by setting the church on fire, most of the Murray’s were either killed inside the church or trying to escape.

After the Massacre James IV of Scotland decided that Clan feuds were threatening the stability of Scotland and decided to make and example of the people responsible. David Drummond denied that the Drummond’s were involved in the massacre, but King James ordered the arrest of David Drummond along with Duncan Campbell. Both men along with some of their clans’ leadership were executed in Stirling by hanging.

Number 8 – The Murder of Hugh Montgomery, 1586

A feud between the Clan Montgomery and Clan Cunningham over a title was 100 years old when Hugh Montgomerie, 4th Earl of Eglinton was heading to Stirling Castle at behest of the King to join the kings court. On his way he spent the night at Lainshaw Castle with his relative Neil Montgomerie, Lord of Lainshaw. Neil was married to a member of the Cunningham family, Elizabeth Cunninghame. Upon Hugh’s departure from Lainshaw Castle, Lady Elizabeth or one of her servants hung a white table cloth from the top of the castle signaling a waiting group of 30 Cunningham Clansmen. The Cunningham’s ambushed Hugh Montgomery as he crossed Annick Ford. They hacked down Hugh’s servants with swords and shot the Montgomery chief dead.

The murder of Hugh Montgomery set forth a series of revenge killings by the Montgomery Clan. It is said that Cunningham’s, friends and supporters were killed without mercy. The chief of the Cunningham Clan washed his hands of the conspirators, allowing many of them to be killed or flee into exile with their lands being forfeited to the Montgomery’s. The crown and parliament attempted to settle the feud but had no success.

Number 7 – Wedding Massacre at Druminnor Castle, 1570

The Protestant Reformation and land disputes fueled a feud between the Forbes and Gordon Clans. In 1570 after years of feuding, the Gordon Chief, in an attempt to put an end to the feud, arranged for his daughter to marry the son of the chief of Clan Forbes. A disagreement erupted at a banquet between the two families at Druminnor Castle and twenty members of the Gordon Clan were massacred. In an attempt to exact revenge the two clans met at the Battle of Tilllieangus. The Gordons were led by Sir Adam Gordon and the Forbeses by the chiefs brother, “Black Arthur” Forbes. The Gordon’s were victorious after one of their clansmen was able to kill Black Arthur as he bent over to have a drink. According to accounts of the battle, 36 of the Forbes were killed and 100 were captured. The Gordon Clan then continued on to Cargarff Castle, home of the Forbes of Towie, and demanded that his wife surrender the castle. His wife responded by shooting three Gordon men from the castle wall. The castle was burnt by the Gordons killing 27 members of the Forbes Clan.

Number 6 – Eigg Cave Massacre 1577

The feud started when three young members of the MacLeod Clan became stranded on the Island of Eigg, among members of the MacDonald of Clanranald clan. The three men were welcomed by the MacDonalds until they became aggressive towards some of the MacDonald women. The three were beaten and set out to sea. Word spread to the chief of Clan MacLeod about the treatment of his three clansmen. Enraged, the Macleod chief gathered up a group of his men and headed to Eigg to seek revenge.

The MacDonalds of Eigg got word that the MacLeods were on their way and hid in a cave on the island. After several days of searching, the MacLeods were about to give up and head home, when they spotted a MacDonald scout. They followed his footsteps back to the cave. The MacDonalds refused to leave the cave when ordered to by the MacLeods, they hoped that the narrow entrance would protect them. The MacLeods decided to light a fire to smoke out the MacDonalds but the fire ended up suffocating everyone in the cave, killing 395 members of the clan.

In 1578 the MacDonalds of Sleat, in eight ships, headed to Skye to avenge the murder of their kin. They entered Ardmore Bay and found a number of MacLeods at a church service in Trumpan. They set the church on fire killing all inside but one. The MacLeods sent their fighting men to confront the MacDonalds. The MacDonalds were completely massacred after trying to unsuccessfully escape in their boats. It is known as the battle of the Spoiling Dyke due to the fact that the slaughtered MacDonalds were buried under turf dyke.

Number 5 – Palm Sunday massacre, 1429

The feud between the Mackintoshes and the Camerons began under the leadership of the 6th Mackintosh chief of the clan, he had abandoned some of their lands in Lochaber and members of Clan Cameron took over the property. Years later, William Mackintosh, the 7th chief of the clan demanded that Loch Arkaig should be restored to the Mackintoshs and a series of skirmishes and battles followed. In 1429 the Mackintosh’s along with their Clan Chattan allies accused the Camerons of stealing some cattle from Strathdearn. They decided to retaliate on Palm Sunday when the Cameron were in church. They surprised the Camerons and it was said that they “put to death every mother’s son of the Clan Cameron”. skirmishes

The 350 year feud came to an end with the Stand-off at the Ford of Arkaig. In 1665 Clan Mackintosh gathered an army to face the Camerons. After a week of battle with no clear winner the feud was settled when the Camerons offered to buy the disputed land from the Mackintoshes. The two chiefs exchanged swords to mark the end of the dispute.

Number 4 – Massacre of Portmahomack, 1486

It is believed that this feud may have gone back as far as the 13th century when Kenneth MacHeth, an ancestor of the Mackay Clan tried to invade the lands owned by an ancestor of the Rosses. MacHeth was defeated, his head was cut off and sent to King Alexander of Scotland.

The historic feud escalated in 1486 when the Rosses came upon a raiding party of Mackays at the village of Portmahomack on the Tarbat peninsula. The Rosses, led by Alexander Ross of Balnagowan, killed many of the Mackay raiders and the survivors hid in a nearby church. The Rosses pursued the surviving Mackays and set it on fire, killing all inside. Angus Mackay of Strathnaver, chief of Clan Mackay was killed in this massacre.

In 1487, a year after the the Battle of Tarbat, the Mackay clan was joined by Clan Sutherland during an attack on Clan Ross. This attack was led by the chief of Clan Mackay, seeking revenge for his father’s death. The Chief of Clan Ross assembled his forces and met the invaders at Alt a’Charrais in Stratchcarron. After a long and bloody battle the Rosses were unable to hold there line and disbanded. The Mackay forces pursued the retreating Rosses and slaughtered them, including the Ross’s chief.

Number 3 – The Dunoon Massacre, 1646

In the early 17th century the Clan Lamont was steadily losing land to the powerful Clan Campbell next door. In 1645 the Lamont’s took an opportunity to retaliate and attacked Campbell territory. The following year the Campbell’s invaded Lamont territory and quickly overran Lamont’s castles Toward and Ascog. Once the Campbell’s took over Castle Toward they asked for hospitality from the Lamont’s which, by custom, was given. The Campbell’s then took the opportunity to slaughter the Lamont’s in their beds and threw their bodies down the castle well to poison the water. The Lamont chief appealed for fair terms for his people but these pleas were ignored and the Campbell’s went on to slaughter 200 men women and children along with burning and destroying Lamont dwellings. The Lamont chief was captured and imprisoned for five years. There is a monument to the massacre located in Dunoon Scotland.

Number 2 – The Massacre on the Isle of Islay, 1598

A Clan Battle had taken place on the Island of Islay between members of Clan Donald and Clan MacLean. These two clans were fighting over the rights of occupancy on a piece of crown land called Rinns of Inslay. The MacLeans were in possession of the claim but the privy council awarded it to the MacDonald’s of Islay, starting this bloody feud. During the battle the Chief of Clan Maclean, Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean was killed. Sir Lachlan’s son’s got word of their father’s death and planned revenge on the MacDonalds. The Maclean’s were able to obtain “Letter of Fire and Sword” giving them the legal right to go after the MacDonald’s. Assisted by Clan MacLeod, Clan MacNeil and Clan Cameron, a brutal massacre of the people of Islay occurred and was said to have lasted 3 days. This feud and massacre was so brutal that it nearly destroyed both the Maclean and MacDonald Clans. As a result of the massive loss of men, the MacLean’s power in Scotland began to diminish and they eventually lost much of their holdings to Clan Campbell.

Number 1 – The Massacre of Glencoe, 1692

This most famous Scottish Clan Massacre took place in February of 1692. William III had replace King James II and demanded an oath of allegiance from each of the Scottish Chiefs before January 1, 1692 or they would face retribution from the Crown. Alexander MacDonald of Glencoe had planned to take the oath but was delayed due to the fact there was no magistrate at Fort William to receive it. An order went out, signed by the king, to exact military punishment upon the MacDonalds.

Soldiers under command of the Campbell’s of Argyll arrived at the MacDonald’s seeking shelter. The fort was full so they gave the soldiers shelter in their own homes. They live together for 12 days before the massacre. On the night of February 13, during a blizzard the soldiers received their orders and began killing every MacDonald they could. Many of the MacDonald’s were able to escape to the hills where those who could not find shelter perished.

The Scottish Parliament declared the affair and act of murder and was it instrumental in helping spark the Jacobite movement in Scotland.