The Battle of Dingwall, 1411

The Battle of Dingwall was a Scottish clan battle that took place in the year 1411, in Dingwall, a town in the county of Ross and Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands. The battle was fought between the Clan Mackay and the Clan Donald, led by Donald, Lord of the Isles.

According to accounts by Sir Robert Gordon and Robert Mackay, the battle was prompted by the actions of Donald, who had molested some friends of Angus Du Mackay, the chief of the Clan Mackay. As a result, Angus Du Mackay gathered a force of Mackays, Munros, Mackenzies, and Dingwalls and confronted Donald in Dingwall. However, Angus Du Mackay was defeated and taken prisoner by Donald’s forces, while his brother, Roderick, was killed in the conflict.

Despite his defeat, Angus Du Mackay was later released by Donald and married a daughter or sister of the Lord of the Isles, according to different accounts. The marriage may have been a way for Donald to cement an alliance with the Mackays and avoid further conflict. However, the battle and its aftermath had significant consequences for the balance of power in the Scottish Highlands.

The Battle of Dingwall was followed by the Battle of Harlaw, which took place in the same year. The Battle of Harlaw was a larger and more significant conflict, fought between the Clan Donald and a coalition of Scottish clans, including the Clan Mackay, that opposed the expansionist ambitions of Donald and the Clan Donald. The Battle of Harlaw was fought near the town of Inverurie, in the county of Aberdeenshire, and resulted in a bloody and inconclusive draw.

The outcome of the Battle of Dingwall and the Battle of Harlaw had significant consequences for the balance of power in the Scottish Highlands. The defeat of Angus Du Mackay at Dingwall allowed Donald to extend his influence and control over the region, while the indecisive outcome of the Battle of Harlaw meant that Donald’s expansionist ambitions were ultimately checked by the combined efforts of the opposing clans.