The Battle of Clynetradwell, 1590

The Battle of Clynetradwell was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1590 in the county of Sutherland between the forces of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland (chief of Clan Sutherland) and George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness (chief of Clan Sinclair). The two clans had a long history of conflict, and tensions had been exacerbated in 1587 when the Earl of Caithness’s forces killed George Gordon of Marle, a relative of the Earl of Sutherland.

In 1590, the Earl of Caithness gathered his forces and invaded Sutherland. He was supported by the Sutherland Laird of Forse, who descended from the original line of Earls of Sutherland and was seated at Forse Castle, as well as Donald Balloch Mackay of Scourie, a half-brother of Huistean Du Mackay, chief of Clan Mackay. Huistean Du Mackay himself supported the Earl of Sutherland in the conflict, but he and his half-brother had long been at odds due to a disputed chiefship.

The Battle of Clynetradwell took place when the Gordons of Sutherland saw the Earl of Caithness’s forces driving away a herd of cattle at Clynetradwell. According to the Gordon account of the battle, the Gordons of Sutherland rashly but successfully attacked the Earl of Caithness’s army, which was far larger in number, and managed to rescue the cattle. The Earl of Caithness’s army was eventually forced to retreat, though it was able to regroup and fight fiercely.

On the Earl of Caithness’s side, Nicolas Sutherland (brother of the Laird of Forse) and Angus-Mack-Angus-Termack were killed, along with thirteen others. On the Earl of Sutherland’s side, John Morray and sixteen common soldiers were killed. After the battle, Huistean Du Mackay, who supported the Earl of Sutherland, pursued the Earl of Caithness to the gates of Thurso. Donald Balloch Mackay, who had also supported the Earl of Caithness, was later captured and imprisoned in Dunrobin Castle, but was released by the Earl of Sutherland with the consent of his half-brother Huistean Du Mackay. From that point on, Donald Balloch remained loyal to the Earl of Sutherland.