Mackay Vs. Sutherland

In 1514 John de Moravia, 9th Earl of Sutherland, died without an heir.  John’s sister, Elizabeth de Moravia, and her husband Adam Gordon, the son of the chief of Clan Gordon, assumed the chiefdomship of Clan Sutherland.  John Mackay of Strathnaver, chief of Clan Mackay, opposed the take over of Clan Sutherland by the Gordon family.  John Mackay urged his brother-in-law Alexander Sutherland to claim the Earldom of Sutherland for himself.

While Adam Gordon was away from Dunrobin Castle, the seat of the Sutherlands, Alexander Sutherland supported by the Mackays took the opportunity to lay siege to the castle.  After finding out that the Mackays had gained control of the castle Adam Gordon sent a force to Dunrobin.  The castle was eventually surrendered by Alexander Sutherland and many of the Mackays were able to slip back to Mackay controlled lands.  The two sides finally met for battle at a place called Alltachuilain, where Adam Gordon’s troops were able to defeat Alexander and the Mackays.  Alexander Sutherland was executed and his head was placed on a spear on top of Dunrobin Castle.

The Mackays and the Sutherlands continued to feud until 1529 when John Mackay died.  The clans existed peacefully from 1529 until 1542 when Donald Mackay, with a company of men, attacked and burned the village of Knockartel and stole goods from the villagers.  The goods were recovered but Donald again invaded Sutherland territory and marched as far as Skibo Castle.  The Sutherland’s overtook the band of Mackays at a place called Ailtan-Beath and with the advantage of surprise were able to distribute the Mackays.  Donald Mackay was captured and imprisoned in the Castle of Fowlis.  Donald Mackay was able to escape and return to his clan lands.  It is believed that Bacon Robert Munro of Fowlis was on good terms with the Mackays and may have assisted in Donald’s escape.

In 1554 the Mackays failed to appear in front of the Scottish Queen Mary of Guise. As a result the Sutherland clan was directed by the Queen to destroy the Mackay’s Borve Castle.  They arrived at the castle with a cannon they brought in from Edinburgh.  The Castle was destroyed and the Castle’s captian Rory Mor Mackay was hanged.  The Earl of Sutherland tracked down the Mackay clan chief, Iye Mackay, in Strathbrora and imprisoned him in Edinburgh.  The Mackay chief’s first cousin, John-More Mackay, gathered a force of Mackay’s and retaliated by raiding Helmsdale in Sutherland territory and burning the chapel of St. Ninian.

Clan Sutherland assemble a force and went in pursuit of John-More Mackay and his troops.  The Sutherlands caught up with them in Garbharry.  According to accounts of the battle it was a very cruel conflict and the Mackays were defeated and chased off the battlefield.  Reportedly the Mackays lost around 120 men with many of them drowning in the Garbharry river trying to escape.  The Battle of Garbharry was the last battle fought between the Mackays and Sutherland.