Irvine vs. Keith

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.

The feuding between these two clans came to a head at the 1402 battle of Drumoak in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.  A band of Keith’s went on a plundering mission into Irvine territory. The Irvine’s got word of the Keith foray and were able to catch up with them at the River Dee.  The battle between these two clans took place on the north bank of the river in a place now named Keith’s Muir. The Irvines were victorious after killing many of the Keith’s Clansmen and driving the remaining into the river.  At this point of the river there is a deep channel and many more Keith’s drown trying to swim to safety.  This area of the river was subsequently named Keith’s Pot.  According to a legend the leader of the Keith’s men was able to struggle to a large rock that protruded from the River Dee.  As he held onto the rock he was struck dead by an arrow from the Irvine’s bowmen, that rock then took on the moniker of the Keith’s Stone.

At the bequest of neighboring nobles the Keith’s and the Irvine’s decided to end their feud through an arranged marriage between Elizabeth Keith, daughter of the Chief of Clan Keith and Alexander de Irvin of Drum, son of the chief of Clan Irvine.   The resolution of this feud was so important to the Irvines that Alexander and his brother Robert made a pack while, as legend states, sitting on their Clans fabled Drum Stone.  The pack was that if anything happened to Alexander, Robert would go through with the marriage to Elizabeth Keith.  In 1411 Alexander, fighting for the Earl of Mar, at the Battle of Harlaw, encounter the Chief of Maclean of Duart, they battled until both  men were dead of their wounds.  Robert kept his pact with Alexander and according to tradition changed his name to Alexander so he could fulfill the marriage contract.  The estates of Strachan were awarded to the newly married couple effectively ending the clan feud and uniting the two families.