Clan Feuds
Crawford vs. Kennedy
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Ruthven vs. Oliphant
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Armstrong vs. Graham
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Agnew vs. Douglas
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Tweedie vs. Fleming
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Ruthven vs. CharterisIn the early 16th century a rivalry between Clan Ruthven, a protestant family, and Clan Charteris, a Catholic one, took place over
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Macdonell vs. Mackenzie
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MacGregor vs. Drummond
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Calder vs. Campbell
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Mackinnon vs. MacLean
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MacThomas vs. Farquharson
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Morrison Vs. MacAulay
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Rattray vs. Stewart of Atholl
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Scott vs. Eliott
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Irvine vs. Keith
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Grant vs. Gordon |
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MacIver vs. Gunn
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Macfarlane vs. Colquhoun The feuding between these clans began in 1590 when members of the MacFarlane Clan started raiding the Glens of Luss, which was Clan Colquhoun territory. They would steal livestock and property from them and return back to their own lands. At first, the MacFarlane’s were able to carry on these raids with very little resistance from the Colquhoun’s. This all changed with the Bannachra raid of 1592. Read More… |
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Munro vs. MacKenzie
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MacNab vs MacNeish
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Mackay vs. Sutherland
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Mackay vs. Ross
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Kerr vs. Scott
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Cameron vs. Mackintosh
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Buchanan vs. MacLaren
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Boyd vs. Stewart
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MacDonald vs. MacLeod
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MacDonald of Clanranald vs. Fraser of Lovat
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Gunn vs. Keith
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Drummond vs. Murray
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Maxwell vs Johnstone
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Montgomery vs. Cunningham
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Campbell vs. Sinclair
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Gordon Vs. Forbes
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MacGregor vs. Colquhoun
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The feud between Clan Crawford and Clan Kennedy emerged in the 15th century during a turbulent time in Scotland. The Clans in the Ayrshire region were known for their fierce rivalries. Some time in the mid 15th century, after a growing hatred between these two powerful Clan families over land disputes, the chief of the Kennedy Clan, Gilbert Kennedy, arrived at the Crawford stronghold of Kerse Castle and announced his intention to move a sow onto Crawford territory. He proclaimed the date would be August 1st which was a holiday traditionally known as Lammas Day in Scotland. This was an obvious provocation by the Kennedys in order to spark a clan battle between the two hated rivals.
The feud between Clan Oliphant and Clan Ruthven appears to have begun in 1562 with the killing of James Roise by individuals connected to Lord Oliphant. The perpetrators of this killing included Peter Oliphant of Turingis, John Oliphant and Lawrence Oliphant along with eight other of their Clansmen. James Roise was the son of Thomas Roise of Maitland who was a high ranking member of clan Ruthven. Up to this point the Ruthven Clan held considerable sway over the actions and decisions of the Olphiants, this killing may have been a reaction to an evolving dynamic between these two Clans.
In 1530 Scottish King James the V, after having trouble with the Armstrong Clan, began to push them off their traditional lands in Gilnockie. The Armstrongs exiled themselves to nearby already over-crowded lands controlled by the powerful Graham Clan. This displacement of the Armstrong’s onto Graham property began to cause tensions between the two families. On May 29th 1541 a group of clansmen from Clan Graham led by Lang Will Graham and believed to consist of more than 50 men, surrounded and murdered three Armstrong brothers. A week later Lang Graham arrived at a day of truce organized by the Scottish West March Warden, Lord Maxwell. Lord Maxwell requested that the Graham’s make amends for their attack on Armstrong Clansmen, they refused and were embolden to begin a series of further raids in the Scottish West March. . 
The Agnews obtained regional power in 1363, during the reign of David II when their young chief was appointed constable at the Kings Castle in Lochnaw. The Agnew’s were given the task of evicting the previous constable, the chief of Clan MacClellan, who had refused to leave. The Agnew’s tricked the MacClellans into abandoning the castle by using a hanging man as a diversion. When the MacClellan’s became curious and left the castle to check out the swinging body, the Agnews pounced and subdued them and occupied the castle. 
The feud between the Flemings of Biggar and the Tweedies of Drummelzier began over the proposed marriage of Catherine Eraser. Catherine was the heiress of Sir Simon Eraser, head of an old family that held large estates in the Upper part of Tweeddale. The chief of Clan Fleming was hoping to gain control of these estates by getting Catherine to marry one of his illegitimate sons. The Tweedies were intent on Catherine Fraser marrying James Tweedie who at the time was the nephew of the Tweedie chief giving the Tweedies control of these estates. 
the position of provost in the Scottish town of Perth. The Provost was the chief magistrate of a Scottish burgh and held great powers within the region. The Charteris family traditionally were elected to the position, going back to the mid fifteenth century, and spanning over at least 4 generations. In 1529 Lord William Ruthven was elected to the position and this stoked an already simmering rivalry between these two powerful families. A few months after John Ruthven took over as Provost, Patrick Charteris, the previous provost, his brother John Provost and eleven of their clansmen raided the Ruthven stronghold of Cowsland where they burned the village and carried off the Ruthven’s cattle and goods. The Scottish authorities attempted to capture Patrick Charteris but he was able to escape and left Scotland for an “overseas pilgrimage”. Nine years later in 1538 John Charteris of Kinfauns was elected Provost, returning the title back to the Charteris family. 
A feud between the Macdonell’s of Glengarry and Clan Mackenzie began in the late 16th century due to several land disputes that arose after the chief of Macdonell inherited properties in Wester Ross. these properties bordered lands already occupied by the clansmen of Mackenzie. To maintain his dominance in the region the MacKenzie Chief relocated along with a small garrison of men to the property boarder. The feud ignighted when two members of the Glengarry clan sought revenge on the man who had murdered their father, they burned this mans house down killing him and his family. Unbeknownst to the Macdonell’s, Donald Mackenzie, a member of the Mackenzie Clan was staying in the house and was also killed with the murderer. The MacKenzie chief, Kenneth Mackenzie went to the Privy Council in Edinburgh to present his complaints against the Macdonell’s, as evidence he provided Donald’s charred shirt covered in blood. The Macdonell chief realizing he was going to face penalties, fled Edinburgh, further escalating the tension between the two clans. 
In 1589 John Drummond-Ernoch was a royal forester in the forest of Glenarty, Scotland. He was responsible for policing the forest and as part of his occupation, he came in contact with a group of MacGregors known as the MacEagh, or “Children of the Mist”. His various run ins with this group led to several hangings of the MacEagh’s due to infractions or crimes taking place in Glenarty Forest. This small band of young MacGregors became fed up with John Drummond-Ernoch and ambushed him while he was attending to his duties. They cut off his head, wrapped it in a plaid and carried it off as a trophy. The group then made its way to the House of Ardvoirlich and demanded hospitality from the lady of the house, Margaret, who happened to be John Drummond-Ernoch’s pregnant sister. Too afraid to refused she went to the kitchen to prepare a meal for the MacGregor men. While she was gone they placed her brother’s head upon the table and filled the mouth with bread and in jest, encouraged it to eat. When the lady of the house returned she shreaked in horror and fled to the woods. Tradition states that she wandered the woods for several weeks as a raving maniac until her husband, Laird Alexander Stewart, was able to find her and coax her home. The band of MacGregor’s left Ardvoirlich House and took the head to the Old Church in Balquhidder where they presented it to the Chief and their Clansmen. Each Clansmen took a turn approaching the head, putting their hands on it and swearing an oath to protect the men who had slain John Drummond-Ernoch. 
In 1498 the heir of the Calder Clan, John Calder died leaving two daughters and no sons, John’s father and the current chief of the time had requested a royal charter to make John his successor over his other older male children. The chiefs other sons were naturally upset, realizing that upon the chief’s death the chiefship of Clan Calder and the title Thane of Cawdor would pass to John’s daughter, the chief’s granddaughter, Muriel. Muriel’s maternal grandfather was the chief of Clan Rose of Kilravrock, he had gotten into some financial troubles with Archibald Campbell the Chief of Clan Campbell. In leu of payment Kilravrock agreed to grant his granddaughter Muriel, in marriage, to Argyll’s third son John Campbell. This would give the Campbell’s legal ownership over Caldwell lands once the current Thane of Calder passed. On January 16, 1495 a ward of marriage was granted to Argyll by the crown and Kilravrock agreed to keep Muriel at Kilravrock Castle until she came of age. 
The Mackinnon and the Maclean Clans began the 15th century as allies, this was shown after the death of John, the Lord of the Isles, when the MacKinnon’s joined forces with the MacLean’s and the MacLeod’s in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the MacDonald Clan’s grasp on the Scottish Western Isles. The Mackinnon leader was put to death but the MacLean’s escaped penalty and began to have increasing influence over the island of Mull. This increased power created a rivalry between these two clans. In 1400 Hector and his brother Lubanach Maclean, the chief of Clan Maclain, joined the chief of Clan MacKinnon on a hunting trip in Mull, they were also accompanied by the lord of the Isles who was visiting. While the Lord of the Isles had left in his ship to head back to Ardtornish Castle, Mackinnon stepped on his galley to follow. Lachlan and Hector MacLean approached Mackinnon, stabbed him to death and disarmed his men, they seized the Mackinnon’s ship and tracked down the Lord of the Isle’s galley, seized it and held the Lord for ransom. 
In the year 1600 Robert MacThomas of Clan MacThomas was murdered by a group of highland outlaws. A few short years later Robert’s widow married Alexander Farquharson of Allanquoich. John Farquarson of Tullcairn, Alexander’s brother, also married Robert’s only daughter, Elspeth. Through these marriages the Farquharson Clan laid claim to the MacThomas lands in Glenshee. Obviously this land grab infuriated members of the MacThomas Clan who saw these marriages as a way to steal their property. This was the first act of many encroachments by the Farquharson clan against the MacThomas’s of Glenshee. 
In 1493 the Scottish Crown was able to wrestle control of the Western Isles of Scotland from the Lord of the Isles. The Crown was in no position to establish royal justice in the area and this led to two centuries of unrest between the clans. One of these feuds took place on the Isle of Lewis, located in the outer Hebrides, between Clan Morrison and Clan MacAulay. It began in the early 16th century with the murder of Donald Ban Morrison, brother of the Morrison chief, John Morrison, by members of the MacAaulay Clan. John retaliated by sending his clansmen to raid Uig, the MacAulay’s stronghold. The MacAulay chief, hearing about the raid appealed to their allied clan, the very powerful MacLeods of Lewis. The MacAulay and MacLeods men met the Morrison’s in battle at the Caws of Tarbert where the Morrison’s were soundly defeated. 
In 1463 Sir Silvester Rattray, who was at the time a Scottish ambassador to England, inherited large estates around Craighill, Scotland. These estates were coveted by their powerful neighbour, Stewart, Earl of Atholl who wanted to expand his holdings in the area. Silvester was succeeded by his son, John Rattray, who with his first wife, had a son and two daughters, before she passed. John’s son unfortunately died at a young age, serving as a professional soldier in the Netherlands. His oldest daughter Grizel married John Stewart, Earl of Atholl, who quickly claimed half of the barony in her name and encouraged his sister-in-law to also make her claim on the land. However, John Rattray, was a very resilient man for the time and maintained control of his lands as an aging widower. Then at the age of 60 years old, John took a second wife by with whom he had two more sons and a daughter. 
The clan of Elliot, occupied a considerable portion of Upper Liddesdale, and also lands in Ewesdale and Teviotdale. In early 1564 a member of the Scott’s Clan of Teviodale, David Scott, was murdered by a band of Eliott men. The group was led by William Eliott, the illegitimate nephew of Robert Elliot of Redbeuch, chief of the clan. This event sparked a bloody feud between the two clans. The Scott’s and Eliott’s feuded daily until the Lords of the Council in Scotland decided to step in. On October 21st, 1564, five clansmen, four of clan Eliott and one of Clan Scott, where tried by the courts in Edinburgh. Three of the accused were sentenced to death, while William Elliot was banished from Teviotdale. The three convicted clansmen were beheaded by torchlight on the Castle Hill of Edinburgh that same evening. 
The Origin of this feud can be traced back to 1346 when Sir John Keith died during the battle of Durham. John was Sir Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland’s, only son and heir to his estates. When Sir Robert Keith died in the Same year his titles and lands were inherited by his brother, Sir Edward Keith. One of John’s daughters was married into the Chief of the Irvine of Drum’s family. The Irvine’s took this opportunity to claim the estates of Strachan as their own, this did not sit well with Edward Keith. According to early accounts, the feud became so nasty that the Keith’s, at one point, burnt a captured Irvine child to death in hot wart. In response the Irvines of Drum allegedly marched on Hallforest Castle in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, a stronghold that was granted to the Keith’s in the 14th century by Robert the Bruce. The Irvines set fire to the castle and destroyed much of the Keith’s property as they marched back to their own lands. 
In 1575 a band of MacIver clansmen, who had resided previously in the Argyll district of Scotland, under the leadership of two brothers, Kenneth Beuy MacIver and Farquhar MacIver, relocated to Caithness in the north of Scotland. After they arrived, George Sinclair, the Earl of Caithness, recognized that this band of immigrants was much more suited to predatory warfare then his own men, and employed them to help in the Sinclair’s blood feud against Clan Sutherland. The MacIver’s became natural enemies with Clan Gunn who were also considered a fierce and warlike race. The Gunn’s under the leadership of their chief, MacHamish Gunn, were allied with the Sutherlands and guarded the boarder of their territory. 
In 1501 William Munro of Foulis was knighted by James IV of Scotland and began to assist the king in public affairs in the Scottish Highlands. It is believed that William Munro was instructed to lead a force against Clan Mackenzie as part of his official duties. The Mackenzie chief, Hector Roy Mackenzie was considered obnoxious to the government and a “disturber of the public peace”, this may have been the motivation for the ordered attack. Along with members of Clan Munro, William gathered a force of up to 900 men, this also included members of the Dingwall Clan and the MacCulloch Clan. This force attacked the Mackenzie’s, destroyed their property and seized a large number of their cattle. 
This feud most likely began due to the fact that the MacNeishes were known to be predatory raiders that harassed neighboring clans from their stronghold, Loch Earn Castle on the small island of Neish, located in Loch Earn Scotland. At one point their raiding became so destructive that James IV ordered Lord Drummond to destroy their homestead and confiscate the MacNeishes boat and move it to the Western isle, away from the MacNeishes. This temporarily curbed their raiding but they were able to quickly rebuild and continue once they recovered their boat. 
