Battle of Coire na Creiche, 1601

The Battle of Coire na Creiche, also known as the Battle of Benquhillan, was a Scottish clan battle fought on the Isle of Skye in 1601 between Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan and the Clan MacDonald of Sleat. The feud between the two clans began a year earlier, when Donald Gorm Mòr MacDonald sent back Margaret Macleod, his sister-in-law whom he had been in a handfast arrangement with, after she had not borne him a child. Margaret Macleod had lost sight in one eye, and was sent back tied to a one-eyed horse, led by a one-eyed servant and followed by a one-eyed mongrel dog. This insult to the Macleod clan was the spark that ignited the feud between the two families.

The conflict began with a MacLeod raid on North Uist, which was led by Donald Glas MacLeod. He and his men seized goods that the locals had put for safety in the Trinity Temple at Carinish, but were ambushed by a group of MacDonalds led by Donald MacIain ‘ic Sheumais. Only two MacLeods survived the Battle of Carinish, which was the first of several clashes between the two clans.

As the feud continued to escalate, causing much suffering among the people, MacDonald decided to end it with a decisive battle. When Rory MacLeod went to seek the assistance of Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll, MacDonald took the opportunity to launch an all-out invasion of northern Skye, driving cattle seized in the raid to a traditional refuge for raiders, Coire na Creiche.

Coire na Creiche, also known as the “hollow of the spoil” was a location in the Cuillin hills that was known for being a popular refuge with the proceeds of a raid. Here, the MacLeod forces led by Rory’s brother Alasdair caught up with the MacDonalds and they joined battle late in the day, continuing well into the night. The MacLeods were ultimately defeated, with the capture of Alasdair MacLeod and 30 of his kinsmen.

The Privy Council now intervened to end the feud. MacDonald was ordered to surrender himself to George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, and Rory MacLeod was to surrender to the Earl of Argyll. MacDonald agreed to release his prisoners, and the end of the feud was celebrated with three weeks of feasting and festivities at Dunvegan Castle. Aside from a brief flare-up in 1603, that was the end of violence between the two clans.

The Battle of Coire na Creiche was an important event in Scottish history, marking the end of one of the bloodiest feuds between two prominent Highland clans. The battle, fought at the Coire na Creiche, was remembered for its ferocity, the high number of casualties and its role in the clan history of Scotland. It was also the last major clan battle fought on the Isle of Skye, a place where many such battles have been fought throughout history.

It’s also worth noting that the events are the subject of a comic folk song by Glasgow folk singer Matt McGinn called The One-Eyed Woman.