The Battle of the Pass of Brander – 1306

The Battle of the Pass of Brander was a significant military conflict that took place in Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence, a series of conflicts between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The battle was part of the civil war between the Bruce and Balliol factions, which was a parallel and overlapping conflict to the larger Wars of Scottish Independence. The conflict was sparked by the death of John Comyn, also known as the Red Comyn, who was killed by Robert the Bruce and his supporters at Dumfries in 1306. Comyn was a powerful figure in Scotland and his death led to a power struggle between the Bruce and Balliol factions, with both sides seeking to claim the throne of Scotland.

The battle was fought between the forces of King Robert the Bruce and the MacDougalls of Argyll, who were kinsmen of John Comyn. The exact date of the battle is uncertain, with various dates between 1308 and 1309 being suggested, though it is believed to have occurred in the late summer of 1308. The MacDougalls controlled large and strategically important lands throughout Scotland, including in Galloway, Lochaber, Atholl, Ross, Buchan, and Badenoch and Strathspey. Alexander MacDougall, the Lord of Lorne, was a particularly powerful figure and was related to Comyn by marriage.

Bruce had faced a number of setbacks in the early days of his reign, including defeats at the hands of the English at the Battle of Methven and the Battle of Dalrigh. However, he was able to recover and began a guerrilla war in Ayrshire in the spring of 1307. He was aided by the death of Edward I of England, who died just short of the Scottish border in July 1307. His son, Edward II, was a less capable leader and focused on English domestic politics, leaving his Scottish allies to fend for themselves.

Bruce launched a series of campaigns against his enemies in Scotland in an attempt to secure his position as king. In September 1307, he attacked the MacDougalls and Macanns in Galloway, the hereditary home of the Balliols. The fighting was fierce and the local peasantry took refuge in Cumberland. Bruce was able to reach a truce with the MacDougalls and Macanns in return for tribute.

In the winter of 1307, Bruce turned his attention to the north, breaking through the English-held Lowlands and heading for the Red Comyn’s old stronghold in Lochaber. He was aided by a fleet of galleys sailing up Loch Linnhe. John Bacach, acting on behalf of his elderly father, asked for a truce, unable to face the full force of Bruce’s combined forces. Bruce then turned his attention to the Earl of Buchan, the cousin and namesake of the Red Comyn. The campaign against Buchan lasted through the winter season, culminating in the Battle of Inverurie in May 1308. Bruce was victorious in this battle and was able to secure control of the north-east of Scotland.

In the summer of 1308, Bruce turned his attention to the western Highlands of Scotland, where he faced resistance from the MacDougalls of Argyll. The Pass of Brander was a strategic location in this region and Bruce knew that securing control of it would be key to his success. The MacDougalls were led by John of Lorne, also known as Iain ‘Bacach’, and the two sides clashed in the Battle of the Pass of Brander. The outcome of the battle is not well-documented, but it is believed that Bruce emerged victorious, defeating the MacDougalls and securing control of the Pass.