Clan Cameron
Encyclopedia
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan
, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber
and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis
which is the highest mountain in the British Isles
. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as simply "Lochiel". The current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, David Cameron
, is a member of the clan.
who assisted the restoration of King Fergus II of Scotland, and that their progenitor was called Cameron from his crooked nose – such nicknames were and are common in Gaelic culture, and that his dependants then adopted the name. According to John Mair
, the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation
shared a common origin and together followed one chief, but this statement has no foundation or evidence to support it. Allen surnamed MacOrchtry the son of Uchtred is mentioned by tradition as the chief of Camerons during the reign of King Robert II of Scotland
and, according to the same source, the Camerons and Chattan Confederation were two rival, hostile tribes.
Sometime around the beginning of the 15th century (or possibly earlier) the Camerons established themselves as a Highland clan in the western end of the Great Glen
in Lochaber
. It is likely they did so through the marriage of a local heiress
of the Mael-anfhaidh kindred (Clan Mael-anfaidh, which Moncreiffe
translates as "children of He who was Dedicated to the Storm"). By the 15th century, after the Mael-anfhaidh chiefship had passed into the Cameron family, the local families of MacGillonie of Strone, MacMartin of Letterfinlay and MacSorley of Glen Nevis were absorbed within the incoming Clan Cameron. In consequence, the early chiefs of the Highland Camerons were sometimes styled "MacGillonay". Since the 15th century though, Clan Cameron chiefs have been more commonly styled Mac Dhomnuill Dubh, in reference to the first Cameron chief whom succession can be traced. Donald Dubh was the first "authentic" chief or captain of this confederation of tribes which gradually became known as the Clan Cameron, taking the name of their captain as the generic name of the whole, until the clan was first officially recognized by that name in a charter of 1472.
, it is tradition that Clan Cameron fought for King Robert the Bruce
. However there is no contemporary evidence for this. Firstly led by Chief VII John de Cameron against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn
in 1314 and later led by Chief VIII John De Cameron at the Battle of Halidon Hill
in 1333.
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Clan Cameron was involved in many clan battles mostly against Clan Mackintosh
with whom they had an extensive feud which lasted over 328 years. One of the first was the Battle of Drumlui
in 1337. A dispute arose between the Clan Mackintosh and Clan Cameron over land at Glenlui and Loch Arkaig. The Camerons were defeated but started a 328 year feud
. The Battle of Invernahoven
was fought in 1370 between the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation
of Clan MacKintosh, Clan Macpherson
and Clan Davidson
. The Battle of the North Inch
was fought in 1396 between the Clan Cameron and Chattan Confederation. One of the most well known battles between these two clans.
near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire against an Army of Scottish Lowlanders. The Camerons took the side of Donald, Lord of the Isles
, chief of Clan Donald
who claimed the title of Earl of Ross
through marriage. Their enemy was the Duke of Albany
. The Camerons also fought at the Battle of Lochaber in 1429, between forces led by Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
, 3rd Lord of the Isles
and the Royalist army of King James I of Scotland
. Another battle was the Battle of Palm Sunday, 1429, Fought between the Clan Cameron against the Clan Mackintosh and the Chattan Confederation.
The Clan Cameron together with their enemies the Clan Mackintosh
fought against the Clan Donald
whose chief Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
had been imprisoned by the King at the The Battle of Inverlochy (1431)
. The MacDonalds were then led by Alexander's nephew, Donald Balloch MacDonald who defeated the army led by the Earl of Mar
. The Battle of Corpach
in 1439 was fought between the Clan Cameron and Clan Maclean
.
The Battle of Craig Cailloch, 1441, Clan Mackintosh
, at the instigation of Alexander, Lord of the Isles, began to invade and raid the Cameron lands. A sanguinary conflict took place in this year at Craig Cailloch between Clan Cameron and the MacKintoshes in which MacKintosh's second son, Lachlan "Badenoch" was wounded and Gillichallum, his brother, killed.
The In 1472 Alan MacDonald Dubh, 12th Chief of the Clan Cameron was made constable of Strome Castle
on behalf of the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
. He is later killed in battle in 1480 fighting the Mackintoshes and MacDonalds of Keppoch.
The Raid on Ross
1491, a conflict that took place in 1491 in the Scottish Highlands
. It was fought between the Clan Mackenzie
against several other clans, including the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
, Clan MacDonald of Clanranald the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation
of Clan Mackintosh.
, 1505, Little is known of this battle which is often described as an obscure skirmish between the Clan Cameron and Clan Mackay. It is said that the Mackays were defeated and William Munro of Foulis, chief of the Clan Munro
who assisted the Mackays was killed.
During the Anglo-Scottish Wars
the Clan Cameron chief, Ewen Cameron and a portion of his men survived fighting against the English army at the Battle of Flodden Field
in 1513.
The Battle of the Shirts
, 1544, Clan Cameron provided archers who sided with Clan Donald
at the Battle of Shirts in 1544, against Clan Fraser
. Legend has it that only five Frasers and eight MacDonalds survived. The Camerons subsequently carried out successful raids upon the Clan Grant
and Clan Fraser lands, which were incredibly rich and fertile to the Lochaber men. Owing to his role in this conflict Ewen Cameorn fell into disfavor with the Earl of Huntly, chief of Clan Gordon
and Lieutenant of the North. Chief Ewen Cameron would be executed as a result of this battle and other actions at Elgin in 1547.
The Battle of Bun Garbhain
, 1570, Fought between the Clan Cameron and Clan Mackintosh. Donald Dubh Cameron, XV Chief of Clan Cameron, had died, leaving an infant son, Allan, at the head of the clan. During the battle the chief of MacKintosh is believed to have been killed by Donald 'Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe' Cameron, (son of the XIV Chief of Clan Cameron), with a fearsome Lochaber axe
.
The Battle of Glenlivet
, 1594, XVI Chief of Clan Cameron, Allen Cameron led the clan at this battle on the side of the Earl of Huntly, Clan Gordon
, Clan Comyn
and others. They defeated their enemy; the Earl of Argyll whose forces consisted of the Clan Campbell
, Clan Forbes
, Atholl and the Chattan Confederation
of Clan MacKintosh
. The Camerons pursued their enemies with great eagerness who were soundly defeated.
s of Clan Campbell
. The clan continued to oppose Oliver Cromwell
, and played a leading role in the Royalist rising of 1651 to 1654.
The Stand-off at the Fords of Arkaig
1665 – A standoff without bloodshed that saw the Camerons finally end their 328-year feud with the Chattan Confederation, led by the Clan Mackintosh.
The Battle of Maol Ruadh (Mulroy), 1668 – Sir Ewen Cameron, XVII Chief of Clan Cameron was responsible for keeping the peace between his men and Clan Mackintosh. However when he was away in London a feud broke out between Clan MacDonald and their enemies Clan Mackintosh
and Clan Mackenzie
. As Sir Ewen was away he was not able to hold back his clan, and they made a minor contribution to the MacDonald victory over the MacKintoshes and MacKenzies at Maol Ruadh east of Spean Bridge.
The Clan Cameron fought as Jacobites at the Battle of Killiecrankie
July 1689, the Battle of Dunkeld
August 1689 and the Battle of Cromdale
May 1690.
in 1715 during the initial early Jacobite uprisings. They later fought at the Battle of Glen Shiel
in 1719. Their chief John Cameron of Lochiel, after hiding for a time in the Highlands, made his way back to exile in France.
The Clan Cameron fought on the side of the Jacobites against the Hanoverian Army at the Battle of Prestonpans
(1745), Battle of Falkirk (1746)
, and on the frontline at the Battle of Culloden
(6 April 1746). After the Battle of Culloden the chief, Donald Cameron, also known as 'Gentle Lochiel', took refuge in France, where he died in October 1748.
The MacMartins, a sept
of Clan Cameron, are said to have been amongst the most loyal and valuable followers of Lochiel. In the 1745 Jacobite Uprising, the MacMartins were "out with" Lochiel's regiment.
The 79th (The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was raised from among the members of the clan in 1793 by Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht
(1753–1828).
During the Napoleonic Wars
Donald Cameron the XXIII Chief fought with distinction at the Battle of Waterloo
as part of the Grenadier Guards
in 1815. He retired in 1832. Later that same year he married Lady Vere, daughter of the Honourable George Vere Hobart and sister of the 6th Earl of Buckinghamshire. Lady Vere was descended from the Camerons of Glenderrary.
World War One
During World War I the XXV Chief of Clan Cameron raised four additional battalions of the Cameron Highlanders and in 1934 he was created a Knight of the Thistle
, a title his son, the famed Sir Donald Hamish Cameron was also awarded in 1973.
World War Two
Notably, the Cameron Highlanders
were the last battalions that wore the kilt in battle, due to the purposeful delaying of orders by commanding officers
in the battalions (no one wanted to give up the kilt) and a surprise attack by the Germans (successfully repelled). For this they earned the nickname of 'Ladies from Hell'.
, Member of Parliament
of the Conservative Party
, became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
in 2010.
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Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
which is the highest mountain in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as simply "Lochiel". The current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, is a member of the clan.
Origins
The origins of Clan Cameron are uncertain; there are several theories. A manuscript of the clan says that it is old tradition that the Camerons were originally descended from the son of the royal family of DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
who assisted the restoration of King Fergus II of Scotland, and that their progenitor was called Cameron from his crooked nose – such nicknames were and are common in Gaelic culture, and that his dependants then adopted the name. According to John Mair
John Mair
John Mair was a Scottish philosopher, much admired in his day and an acknowledged influence on all the great thinkers of the time. He was a very renowned teacher and his works much collected and frequently republished across Europe...
, the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation
Chattan Confederation
Clan Chattan or the Chattan Confederation is a confederation of 16 Scottish clans who joined for mutual defence or blood bonds. Its leader was the chief of Clan Mackintosh.-Origins:The origin of the name Chattan is disputed...
shared a common origin and together followed one chief, but this statement has no foundation or evidence to support it. Allen surnamed MacOrchtry the son of Uchtred is mentioned by tradition as the chief of Camerons during the reign of King Robert II of Scotland
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
and, according to the same source, the Camerons and Chattan Confederation were two rival, hostile tribes.
Sometime around the beginning of the 15th century (or possibly earlier) the Camerons established themselves as a Highland clan in the western end of the Great Glen
Great Glen
The Great Glen , also known as Glen Albyn or Glen More is a series of glens in Scotland running 100 kilometres from Inverness on the Moray Firth, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe.The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault...
in Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
. It is likely they did so through the marriage of a local heiress
Beneficiary
A beneficiary in the broadest sense is a natural person or other legal entity who receives money or other benefits from a benefactor. For example: The beneficiary of a life insurance policy, is the person who receives the payment of the amount of insurance after the death of the insured...
of the Mael-anfhaidh kindred (Clan Mael-anfaidh, which Moncreiffe
Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk
Sir Rupert Iain Kay Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 11th Baronet, CVO, QC was a British officer of arms and genealogist. He used various forms of his name: His columns for Books and Bookmen wete signed Iain Moncreiffe; Royal Highness is by Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Bt.; Simple Heraldry is by...
translates as "children of He who was Dedicated to the Storm"). By the 15th century, after the Mael-anfhaidh chiefship had passed into the Cameron family, the local families of MacGillonie of Strone, MacMartin of Letterfinlay and MacSorley of Glen Nevis were absorbed within the incoming Clan Cameron. In consequence, the early chiefs of the Highland Camerons were sometimes styled "MacGillonay". Since the 15th century though, Clan Cameron chiefs have been more commonly styled Mac Dhomnuill Dubh, in reference to the first Cameron chief whom succession can be traced. Donald Dubh was the first "authentic" chief or captain of this confederation of tribes which gradually became known as the Clan Cameron, taking the name of their captain as the generic name of the whole, until the clan was first officially recognized by that name in a charter of 1472.
Wars of Scottish Independence
In the 14th century, during the Wars of Scottish IndependenceWars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
, it is tradition that Clan Cameron fought for King Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
. However there is no contemporary evidence for this. Firstly led by Chief VII John de Cameron against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
in 1314 and later led by Chief VIII John De Cameron at the Battle of Halidon Hill
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill was fought during the Second War of Scottish Independence. Scottish forces under Sir Archibald Douglas were heavily defeated on unfavourable terrain while trying to relieve Berwick-upon-Tweed.-The Disinherited:...
in 1333.
14th century and clan conflicts
Clan MacKintosh
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
with whom they had an extensive feud which lasted over 328 years. One of the first was the Battle of Drumlui
Battle of Drumlui
The Battle of Drumlui was a Scottish clan battle that took place in either 1330 or 1337, in the Scottish Highlands between the Clan Cameron and the Clan Mackintosh....
in 1337. A dispute arose between the Clan Mackintosh and Clan Cameron over land at Glenlui and Loch Arkaig. The Camerons were defeated but started a 328 year feud
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
. The Battle of Invernahoven
Battle of Invernahoven
The Battle of Invernahoven was a Scottish clan battle between the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation of Clan Mackintosh, Clan Macpherson and Clan Davidson. Some sources give the date as 1386, others as 1370.-Background:...
was fought in 1370 between the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation
Chattan Confederation
Clan Chattan or the Chattan Confederation is a confederation of 16 Scottish clans who joined for mutual defence or blood bonds. Its leader was the chief of Clan Mackintosh.-Origins:The origin of the name Chattan is disputed...
of Clan MacKintosh, Clan Macpherson
Clan Macpherson
Clan Macpherson is a Highland Scottish clan from Badenoch, on the River Spey. It is a leading member of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
and Clan Davidson
Clan Davidson
Clan Davidson is a Highland Scottish clan. The clan was also part of the Chattan Confederation.-History:When the power of the Comyns began to wane in Badenoch, David Dubh of Invernahaven, Chief of Davidsons, having married the daughter of Angus, 6th of MacKintosh, sought the protection of William,...
. The Battle of the North Inch
Battle of the North Inch
The Battle of the North Inch was a staged battle between the Chattan Confederation and the "Clan Kay" in September 1396...
was fought in 1396 between the Clan Cameron and Chattan Confederation. One of the most well known battles between these two clans.
15th century and clan conflicts
In 1411, The Clan Cameron fought as Highlanders at the Battle of HarlawBattle of Harlaw
The Battle of Harlaw was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland against those from the west coast....
near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire against an Army of Scottish Lowlanders. The Camerons took the side of Donald, Lord of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
, chief of Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
who claimed the title of Earl of Ross
Earl of Ross
The Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
through marriage. Their enemy was the Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
. The Camerons also fought at the Battle of Lochaber in 1429, between forces led by Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald was a medieval Scottish nobleman, who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles and rose to the rank of Earl of Ross...
, 3rd Lord of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
and the Royalist army of King James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. Another battle was the Battle of Palm Sunday, 1429, Fought between the Clan Cameron against the Clan Mackintosh and the Chattan Confederation.
The Clan Cameron together with their enemies the Clan Mackintosh
Clan MacKintosh
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
fought against the Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
whose chief Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald was a medieval Scottish nobleman, who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles and rose to the rank of Earl of Ross...
had been imprisoned by the King at the The Battle of Inverlochy (1431)
Battle of Inverlochy (1431)
The Battle of Inverlochy was fought after Alexander of Islay , Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, had been imprisoned by King James I...
. The MacDonalds were then led by Alexander's nephew, Donald Balloch MacDonald who defeated the army led by the Earl of Mar
Earl of Mar
The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
. The Battle of Corpach
Battle of Corpach
The Battle of Corpach was a Scottish clan battle in which the Clan Cameron routed the Clan Maclean. It took place around 1470 at Corpach, just north of Fort William on the west coast of Scotland.-Background:...
in 1439 was fought between the Clan Cameron and Clan Maclean
Clan MacLean
Clan Maclean is a Highland Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in many clan skirmishes with...
.
The Battle of Craig Cailloch, 1441, Clan Mackintosh
Clan MacKintosh
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
, at the instigation of Alexander, Lord of the Isles, began to invade and raid the Cameron lands. A sanguinary conflict took place in this year at Craig Cailloch between Clan Cameron and the MacKintoshes in which MacKintosh's second son, Lachlan "Badenoch" was wounded and Gillichallum, his brother, killed.
The In 1472 Alan MacDonald Dubh, 12th Chief of the Clan Cameron was made constable of Strome Castle
Strome Castle
Strome Castle is a ruined castle on the shore of Loch Carron in Stromemore, 3.5 miles south-west of the village of Lochcarron, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands.Originally built by the Macdonald Earls of Ross...
on behalf of the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
-History:The MacDonald of Lochalsh branch was founded by Celestine MacDonald . Celestine MacDonald was the second son of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, 3rd Lord of the Isles and 8th chief of Clan Donald...
. He is later killed in battle in 1480 fighting the Mackintoshes and MacDonalds of Keppoch.
The Raid on Ross
Raid on Ross
The Raid on Ross was a conflict that took place in 1491 in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Mackenzie against several other clans, including the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh, Clan MacDonald of Clanranald the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation of Clan Mackintosh...
1491, a conflict that took place in 1491 in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
. It was fought between the Clan Mackenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
against several other clans, including the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
-History:The MacDonald of Lochalsh branch was founded by Celestine MacDonald . Celestine MacDonald was the second son of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, 3rd Lord of the Isles and 8th chief of Clan Donald...
, Clan MacDonald of Clanranald the Clan Cameron and the Chattan Confederation
Chattan Confederation
Clan Chattan or the Chattan Confederation is a confederation of 16 Scottish clans who joined for mutual defence or blood bonds. Its leader was the chief of Clan Mackintosh.-Origins:The origin of the name Chattan is disputed...
of Clan Mackintosh.
16th century and clan conflicts
The Battle of AchnashellachBattle of Achnashellach
The Battle of Achnashellach was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1505, in the Scottish Highlands at Achnashellach. It was fought by the Clan Cameron against the Clan Mackay and the Clan Munro.-Contemporary evidence:...
, 1505, Little is known of this battle which is often described as an obscure skirmish between the Clan Cameron and Clan Mackay. It is said that the Mackays were defeated and William Munro of Foulis, chief of the Clan Munro
Clan Munro
-Origins:The main traditional origin of the clan is that the Munros came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th century and that they fought as mercenary soldiers under the Earl of Ross who defeated Viking invaders in Rosshire...
who assisted the Mackays was killed.
During the Anglo-Scottish Wars
Anglo-Scottish Wars
The Anglo-Scottish Wars were a series of wars fought between England and Scotland during the sixteenth century.After the Wars of Scottish Independence, England and Scotland had fought several times during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In most cases, one country had attempted to...
the Clan Cameron chief, Ewen Cameron and a portion of his men survived fighting against the English army at the Battle of Flodden Field
Battle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
in 1513.
The Battle of the Shirts
Battle of the Shirts
The Battle of the Shirts was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1544 in the Great Glen, at the northern end of Loch Lochy. The Clan Donald and their allies the Clan Cameron fought the Clan Fraser and men from Clan Grant....
, 1544, Clan Cameron provided archers who sided with Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
at the Battle of Shirts in 1544, against Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser is a Scottish clan of French origin. The Clan has been strongly associated with Inverness and the surrounding area since the Clan's founder gained lands there in the 13th century. Since its founding, the Clan has dominated local politics and been active in every major military conflict...
. Legend has it that only five Frasers and eight MacDonalds survived. The Camerons subsequently carried out successful raids upon the Clan Grant
Clan Grant
-Origins:The Grants are one of the clans of Siol Alpin, and descend from the 9th century Kenneth MacAlpin, King of Scots; and also of Norse origin, from settlers who are the descents of Haakon inn Riki Sigurdarsson , Jarl of Hladr, Protector of Norway ,-Origins:The Grants are one of the clans of...
and Clan Fraser lands, which were incredibly rich and fertile to the Lochaber men. Owing to his role in this conflict Ewen Cameorn fell into disfavor with the Earl of Huntly, chief of Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
and Lieutenant of the North. Chief Ewen Cameron would be executed as a result of this battle and other actions at Elgin in 1547.
The Battle of Bun Garbhain
Battle of Bun Garbhain
The Battle of Bun Garbhain was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1570, in the Scottish Highlands, between the Clan Cameron and the Clan Mackintosh....
, 1570, Fought between the Clan Cameron and Clan Mackintosh. Donald Dubh Cameron, XV Chief of Clan Cameron, had died, leaving an infant son, Allan, at the head of the clan. During the battle the chief of MacKintosh is believed to have been killed by Donald 'Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe' Cameron, (son of the XIV Chief of Clan Cameron), with a fearsome Lochaber axe
Lochaber axe
The Lochaber axe was a halberd that came into use in Scotland around 1300. The name of the weapon derives from Lochaber, an area in the western Scottish Highlands, as the weapon was employed principally by the Scottish highlanders, who required armament against cavalry.The axe itself is similar to...
.
The Battle of Glenlivet
Battle of Glenlivet
The Battle of Glenlivet was fought on 3 October 1594 near Allanreid and Morinsh in Scotland.-Background:This battle is often seen as a religious conflict, and was fought by the Catholic forces of the George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly and Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, who were victorious over...
, 1594, XVI Chief of Clan Cameron, Allen Cameron led the clan at this battle on the side of the Earl of Huntly, Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
, Clan Comyn
Clan Cumming
Clan Cumming, also known as Clan Comyn, is a Scottish clan from the central Highlands that played a major role in the history of 13th century Scotland and in the Wars of Scottish Independence and were instrumental in defeating the English at the Battle of Roslin in 1303...
and others. They defeated their enemy; the Earl of Argyll whose forces consisted of the Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Highland clans, their lands were in Argyll and the chief of the clan became the Earl and later Duke of Argyll.-Origins:...
, Clan Forbes
Clan Forbes
Clan Forbes is a Lowland Scottish clan from Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Origins:Concerning the origin of this Scottish clan, John of Forbes, the first upon record, seems to have been a man of importance in the time of William the Lion, and was the father of Fergus, from whom the clan are descended....
, Atholl and the Chattan Confederation
Chattan Confederation
Clan Chattan or the Chattan Confederation is a confederation of 16 Scottish clans who joined for mutual defence or blood bonds. Its leader was the chief of Clan Mackintosh.-Origins:The origin of the name Chattan is disputed...
of Clan MacKintosh
Clan MacKintosh
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
. The Camerons pursued their enemies with great eagerness who were soundly defeated.
17th century and Civil War
During the Civil War at the Battle of Inverlochy 1645, Clan Cameron fought on the side of the Royalist Scots and Irish led by Clan MacDonald who defeated the Scottish CovenanterCovenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
s of Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Highland clans, their lands were in Argyll and the chief of the clan became the Earl and later Duke of Argyll.-Origins:...
. The clan continued to oppose Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, and played a leading role in the Royalist rising of 1651 to 1654.
The Stand-off at the Fords of Arkaig
Stand-off at the Fords of Arkaig
The Stand-off at the Ford of Arkaig occurred in September 1665 at Achnacarry, about northeast of Fort William, Scotland. The Chattan Confederation led by the Clan Mackintosh assembled an army to challenge Clan Cameron in a 360 year-old dispute over the lands around Loch Arkaig...
1665 – A standoff without bloodshed that saw the Camerons finally end their 328-year feud with the Chattan Confederation, led by the Clan Mackintosh.
The Battle of Maol Ruadh (Mulroy), 1668 – Sir Ewen Cameron, XVII Chief of Clan Cameron was responsible for keeping the peace between his men and Clan Mackintosh. However when he was away in London a feud broke out between Clan MacDonald and their enemies Clan Mackintosh
Clan MacKintosh
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
and Clan Mackenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
. As Sir Ewen was away he was not able to hold back his clan, and they made a minor contribution to the MacDonald victory over the MacKintoshes and MacKenzies at Maol Ruadh east of Spean Bridge.
The Clan Cameron fought as Jacobites at the Battle of Killiecrankie
Battle of Killiecrankie
-References:*Reid, Stuart, The Battle of Kiellliecrankkie -External links:* *...
July 1689, the Battle of Dunkeld
Battle of Dunkeld
The Battle of Dunkeld was fought between Jacobite clans supporting the deposed king James VII of Scotland and a government regiment of covenanters supporting William of Orange, King of Scotland, in the streets around Dunkeld Cathedral, Dunkeld, Scotland, on 21 August 1689 and formed part of the...
August 1689 and the Battle of Cromdale
Battle of Cromdale
The Battle of Cromdale took place at the Haugh of Cromdale near Cromdale in Speyside on April 30 and May 1, 1690.-Background:After their defeat at the Battle of Dunkeld in 1689, the Highland clans had returned to their homes in low spirits. Sir Ewen Cameron assumed control over the army's remnant...
May 1690.
18th century and Jacobite uprisings
The Clan Cameron fought as Jacobites at the Battle of SheriffmuirBattle of Sheriffmuir
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...
in 1715 during the initial early Jacobite uprisings. They later fought at the Battle of Glen Shiel
Battle of Glen Shiel
The Battle of Glen Shiel was a battle in Glen Shiel, in the West Highlands of Scotland on 10 June 1719, between British government troops and an alliance of Jacobites and Spaniards, resulting in a victory for the government forces. It was the last close engagement of British and foreign troops on...
in 1719. Their chief John Cameron of Lochiel, after hiding for a time in the Highlands, made his way back to exile in France.
The Clan Cameron fought on the side of the Jacobites against the Hanoverian Army at the Battle of Prestonpans
Battle of Prestonpans
The Battle of Prestonpans was the first significant conflict in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The battle took place at 4 am on 21 September 1745. The Jacobite army loyal to James Francis Edward Stuart and led by his son Charles Edward Stuart defeated the government army loyal to the Hanoverian...
(1745), Battle of Falkirk (1746)
Battle of Falkirk (1746)
During the Second Jacobite Rising, the Battle of Falkirk Muir was the last noteworthy Jacobite success.-Background:...
, and on the frontline at the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
(6 April 1746). After the Battle of Culloden the chief, Donald Cameron, also known as 'Gentle Lochiel', took refuge in France, where he died in October 1748.
The MacMartins, a sept
Sept (social)
A sept is an English word for a division of a family, especially a division of a clan. The word might have its origin from Latin saeptum "enclosure, fold", or it can be an alteration of sect.The term is found in both Ireland and Scotland...
of Clan Cameron, are said to have been amongst the most loyal and valuable followers of Lochiel. In the 1745 Jacobite Uprising, the MacMartins were "out with" Lochiel's regiment.
The 79th (The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was raised from among the members of the clan in 1793 by Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht
Alan Cameron of Erracht
Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht was a British soldier who, at his own expense in 1793, raised the 79th Cameron Highlanders regiment, which remains as part of The Highlanders .-Military career:...
(1753–1828).
19th and 20th centuries
Napoleonic WarsDuring the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
Donald Cameron the XXIII Chief fought with distinction at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
as part of the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in 1815. He retired in 1832. Later that same year he married Lady Vere, daughter of the Honourable George Vere Hobart and sister of the 6th Earl of Buckinghamshire. Lady Vere was descended from the Camerons of Glenderrary.
World War One
During World War I the XXV Chief of Clan Cameron raised four additional battalions of the Cameron Highlanders and in 1934 he was created a Knight of the Thistle
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
, a title his son, the famed Sir Donald Hamish Cameron was also awarded in 1973.
World War Two
Notably, the Cameron Highlanders
Cameron Highlanders
Cameron Highlanders may mean:* The Highlanders , infantry regiment in the Scottish Division of the British Army* The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces...
were the last battalions that wore the kilt in battle, due to the purposeful delaying of orders by commanding officers
Donald Callander
Major Donald Fraser Callander OBE MC & Bar was one of the last serving officers to lead his men into battle wearing the kilt-Early life and career:He was born in Wallasey in Cheshire and educated at Clifton College in Bristol...
in the battalions (no one wanted to give up the kilt) and a surprise attack by the Germans (successfully repelled). For this they earned the nickname of 'Ladies from Hell'.
21st century
One of its members, David CameronDavid Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
in 2010.
Castles
- Tor Castle: Ewen Cameron, XIII Chief of Camerons, built "Tor Castle" in the early 15th century. It was abandoned (but not torn down) by his great, great, great grandson Sir Ewen "Dubh" Cameron of LochielEwen Cameron of LochielSir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was a Scottish highland chieftain, the 17th Chief of Clan Cameron.Macaulay called Ewen the "Ulysses of the Highlands". He was a man of enormous strength and size...
, XVII Chief of Camerons. - Achnacarry CastleAchnacarry CastleAchnacarry Castle is the ancestral home of the chiefs of Clan Cameron, located at Achnacarry, about northeast of Fort William, Scotland. The original castle was built around 1655 and destroyed after the Battle of Culloden in 1746; a new house in Scottish baronial style was built nearby in...
: Chief Sir Ewen wanted a more "convenient house" and built Achnacarry Castle circa 1655, which was burned to the ground by Hanoverian forces following the Battle of Culloden in 1746. In 1802, Donald Cameron, XXII Chief, built a new mansion house at Achnacarry after repaying a huge fine to the British Government to regain the estates of his ancestors. The house remains, near the line of trees that Lochiel (the Gentle) planted on the day that he heard of the landing of Bonnie Prince Charlie. There is a small museum nearby.
Tartans
- Basic Clan Cameron.
- Cameron of Lochiel.
- Cameron of Ericht.
- Hunting Cameron (of Lochiel).
See also
- Cameron (disambiguation)Cameron-People:* Cameron * Cameron * The Scottish Clan Cameron* David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom* Cam'ron, the stage name of hip hop artist Cameron Giles...
- Battle of CullodenBattle of CullodenThe Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
- Jacobite RisingJacobite risingThe Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
- Eilean MundeEilean MundeEilean Munde is a small island in Loch Leven, close to Ballachulish. It is the site of a chapel built by St. Fintan Mundus , who travelled here from Iona in the 7th Century. The church was burnt in 1495 and rebuilt in the 16th Century. The last service in the church was held in July, 1653...