Clan Lindsay
Encyclopedia
Origins of the Clan
There is currently no known proven path pertaining to the origin of the Clan Lindsay. However, several possible theories have been advanced over the years. First is the theory proposed in 1769 by biographer/historian, Richard Rolt, in which he claimed that the Lindsays were of Anglo-Saxon descent. In his “Lives of the Lindsays”, first published in 1840, the 25th Earl of Crawford discounted Rolt's Anglo-Saxon descent theory and stated that the Lindsays were "distinctly" of Norman descent. Then in 1985/1990, British historian, Beryl Platts established, via an analysis of heraldic devices, the Lindsays were of Flemish descent. Much work is yet to be done before the origin of the Lindsays can be stated as proven without any doubt.After the Norman conquest of 1066 Baldric de Lindsay became a tenant under the Earl of Chester
Earl of Chester
The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs-apparent to the English throne, and from the late 14th century it has been given only in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales.- Honour of Chester :The...
in England. In 1120 Sir Walter Lindsay was a member of the council of David, Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
who became King of Scotland. Sir Walter Lindsay's successor, either his son or brother came to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
with the new King.
William Lindsay acquired the lands of Crawford
Crawford, South Lanarkshire
Crawford is a village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Crawford is close to the source of the River Clyde and the M74 motorway, fifty miles south east of Glasgow and fifty-three miles north west of Carlisle...
in Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland. He gave some of his Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
lands to the Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...
.
In the 13th century Sir David Lindsay of Crawford joined King Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
on a crusade but he was killed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. One of the crusader's sons Sir Alexander Lindsay was a Knight of King Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
.
Wars of Scottish Independence
By the end of the 13th century 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....
had begun and it caused many dilemmas for the Lindsays as they had families on both sides of the border. However Sir Alexander Lindsay's patriotism made him take the side of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The Lindsays were supporters of both William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
and 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...
. His English properties were forfeited and his sons there were imprisoned. The eldest of these sons Sir David Lindsay was later among the signatories of the Declaration of Arbroath
Declaration of Arbroath
The Declaration of Arbroath is a declaration of Scottish independence, made in 1320. It is in the form of a letter submitted to Pope John XXII, dated 6 April 1320, intended to confirm Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state and defending Scotland's right to use military action when...
, the 1320 assertion of Scottish Independence. Sir James Lindsay fought at the Battle of Otterburn
Battle of Otterburn
The Battle of Otterburn took place on the 5 August 1388, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scottish and English.The best remaining record of the battle is from Jean Froissart's Chronicles in which he claims to have interviewed veterans from both sides of the battle...
in 1388 where the Scottish defeated the English. It was Sir Alexander Lindsay of Glenesk who during John Gaunts invasion of Scotland, attacked and put to the sword the crew of one of the English ships that had landed above Queen's Ferry (South Queensferry
South Queensferry
South Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...
).
15th century & Clan Conflicts
Clan Ogilvy
-Origins of the clan:The Ogilvys are one of the most distinguished families in Scotland and take their name from Gillebride the second son of Gille Chriosd, Celtic Earl of Angus...
who were also supported by men from the Clan Oliphant
Clan Oliphant
-Origins of the clan:The earliest record of the name was Osbernus Olifardus circa 1046 in Normandy.The first known Oliphant landholding was in England at Lilleford in Northampton by the family of David Olifard, who is commonly held to be the progenitor of the clan...
, 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 Seton
Clan Seton
Clan Seton is a Scottish clan which does not currently have a chief, therefore it is considered an Armigerous clan.-Origins of the Clan:The name Seton is believed to be derived from the village of Sai in Normandy although other explanations have been suggested, such as from Tranent meaning "a sea...
and 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....
of Pitsligo. The Master of Crawford's father, David Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Crawford
David Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Crawford
David Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Crawford was a regent to James II of Scotland. He was a member of Clan Lindsay, a Scottish Lowland clan....
rode between the two armies in an attempt to call a truce. However, an illadvised Ogilvie, thinking that this was the start of the Lindsay's attack, threw his spear at the Earl, hitting him in the mouth and killing him instantly. So the battle began which went in the Clan Lindsay's favour. Here fell Ogilvie of Inverquharty, Forbes of Pitsligo, Brucklay of Gartley, Gordon of Borrowfield, and Oliphant of Aberdalgie, along with 500 or so Ogilvies. However, the Lindsays lost a disproportionate amount of men, most notably the Earl himself. http://web.archive.org/web/20091027094723/http://www.geocities.com/clanoliphant/arbroath.htmlhttp://web.archive.org/web/20091027104131/http://www.geocities.com/clanoliphant/arbroath.txt
In 1448 Lord Lindsay of Byres gave King James III of Scotland
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
the "great grey horse" which would carry him faster into battle than any other horse in Scotland. Lord Lindsay himself led a force of several thousand at the Battle of Sauchieburn
Battle of Sauchieburn
The Battle of Sauchieburn was fought on June 11, 1488, at the side of Sauchie Burn, a stream about two miles south of Stirling, Scotland. The battle was fought between as many as 30,000 troops of King James III of Scotland and some 18,000 troops raised by a group of dissident Scottish nobles...
.
During the 15th century the Clan Lindsay lost much of their land due to feuding with the Clan Ogilvy
Clan Ogilvy
-Origins of the clan:The Ogilvys are one of the most distinguished families in Scotland and take their name from Gillebride the second son of Gille Chriosd, Celtic Earl of Angus...
. Chief Alexander Lindsay, the 4th Earl of Crawford
Earl of Crawford
The title Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll.The title has a very complex history...
, also known as the Tiger Earl and Earl Beardie was badly defeated by the Clan Ogilvy
Clan Ogilvy
-Origins of the clan:The Ogilvys are one of the most distinguished families in Scotland and take their name from Gillebride the second son of Gille Chriosd, Celtic Earl of Angus...
and the 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:...
under the Earl of Huntly at Brechin
Brechin
Brechin is a former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin is often described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era...
in 1452. However all was not lost as Alexander Lindsay's son was made Duke of Montrose
Duke of Montrose
The title of Duke of Montrose was created twice in the peerage of Scotland, firstly in 1488 for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford. It was forfeited and then returned, but only for the period of the holder's lifetime...
by King James III of Scotland
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
.
16th century & Anglo-Scottish Wars
In the 16th century during the Anglo-Scottish WarsAnglo-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 Lindsay fought 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 where their chief, the 6th Earl of Crawford was slain.
The fifth Lord Lindsay was one of the four nobles to whom the charge of the infant Mary Queen of Scots was committed in 1542. His son Patrick, the 6th Lord, was a fierce reformer and one of the Lords of the Congregation
Lords of the Congregation
The Lords of the Congregation were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured reformation of the church along Protestant principles and a Scottish-English alliance.- Historical events :...
. He took part in the murder of David Rizzio
David Rizzio
Davide Rizzio, sometimes written as Davide Riccio or Davide Rizzo , was an Italian courtier, born close to Turin, a descendant of an ancient and noble family still living in Piedmont, the Riccio Counts de San Paolo et Solbrito, who rose to become the private secretary of Mary, Queen of Scots...
and challenged Bothwell to mortal combat at Carberry Hill, and at Lochleven Castle forced the Queen to then give up her crown. It was from this line that the 10th Lord was made 1st Earl of Lindsay by King Charles in the 17th century. The Lindsays later supported Mary, Queen of Scots and fought for her at the Battle of Langside
Battle of Langside
The Battle of Langside, fought on 13 May 1568, was one of the more unusual contests in Scottish history, bearing a superficial resemblance to a grand family quarrel, in which a mother fought her brother who was defending the rights of her infant son...
in 1568.
17th century & Civil War
In the 17th century during the Civil War the Clan Lindsay were RoyalistCavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
supporters of King Charles Stuart of England, Scotland & Ireland
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. The death of the Clan Lindsay Chief and 16th Earl in 1652 was the last of that line to be Earl of Crawford
Earl of Crawford
The title Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll.The title has a very complex history...
and the Earldom was passed into the hands of King Charles. However another line of Lindsays received a new title, held by John the 1st Earl of Lindsay
Earl of Lindsay
Earl of Lindsay is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1633 for John Lindsay, 10th Lord Lindsay, who later inherited the ancient Earldom of Crawford. The two earldoms remained united until the death of the twenty-second Earl of Crawford, also sixth Earl of Lindsay...
who was also already the 10th Lord Lindsay of Byres.
18th century & Jacobite Uprisings
The Lindsays of Balcarres descend from a younger son of the ninth Earl of Crawford. They were created Earls of Balcarres for their services during the Civil War. The 1st Earl of Balcarres was made hereditary governor of Edinburgh CastleEdinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
. His son supported the Jacobite Uprising and fought at the Battle of Sherrifmuir in 1715. The Clan Lindsay did not take part in the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 to 1746.
Spellings
The Lindsays are arguably the clan with the most diverse variations when it comes to spelling their name. Known spellings include:Limesay
Linday
Linde
Lindeci
Lindensay
Lindesa
Lindesaia
Lindesaie
Lindesans
Lindesay
Lindesaye
Lindese
Lindesee
Lindesei
Lindeseia
Lindeseie
Lindesey
Lindesi
Lindesie
Lindesins
Lindessay
Lindessaya
Lindessaye
Lindessey
Lindesseye
Lindessi
Lindesy
Lindesye
Lindeszey
Lindey
Lindiesay
Lindisay
Lindisin
Lindissa
Lindissai
Lindissay
Lindisseia
Lindsa
Lindsai
Lindsay
Lindsaye
Lindsey
Lindsseie
Lindyesaye
Lindyssay
Lindyssey
Linsai
Linsaie
Linsay
Linsey
Linsee
Linsley
Linza
Linzee
Linzey
Lyncay
Lynde
Lynddesai
Lynddessay
Lynddessaye
Lyndesai
Lyndesay
Lyndeseia
Lyndeseie
Lyndesey
Lyndeseye
Lyndesheie
Lyndeshey
Lyndesie
Lyndesins
Lyndessai
Lyndessay
Lyndessaye
Lyndessey
Lyndessy
Lyndesy
Lyndesya
Lyndey
Lyndezay
Lyndisay
Lyndissai
Lyndissay
Lyndisseye
Lyndsa
Lyndsaia
Lyndsaie
Lyndsay
Lyndsey
Lyndseye
Lyndsy
Lyndysay
Lyndyssay
Lyndyssey
Lynsay
Lynse
Lynsey
Leendsi
Clan Castle
- Edzell CastleEdzell CastleEdzell Castle is a ruined 16th century castle, with an early 17th century walled garden. It is located close to Edzell, and is around north of Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. Edzell Castle was begun around 1520 by David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford, and expanded by his son, Sir David Lindsay, Lord...
was the original castle of the Chief of Clan Lindsay which they acquired in 1358 and retained ownership until 1715. - Crawford CastleCrawford CastleCrawford Castle, substantially in ruins, is located on the north bank of the River Clyde, around half a mile north of Crawford, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The ruins stand on an earlier motte and bailey earthwork. The castle was formerly known as Lindsay Tower, after its former owners, the Lindsay...
- Carsluith CastleCarsluith CastleCarsluith Castle is a ruined tower house, dating largely to the 16th century. It is located beside Wigtown Bay on the Galloway coast of south-west Scotland, around south east of Creetown.-History:...
- Spynie PalaceSpynie PalaceSpynie Palace, also known as Spynie Castle, was the fortified seat of the Bishops of Moray for about 500 years. The founding of the palace dates back to the late 12th Century. It is situated about 500m from the location of the first officially settled Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Moray, in...
- Lordscairnie CastleLordscairnie CastleLordscairnie Castle is a ruin situated near Moonzie, north-east of Cupar, Fife, Scotland. The castle was constructed in around 1495 by Alexander Lindsay, 7th Earl of Crawford . It was originally an L-plan tower house with five storeys...
- Craigie Castle, AyrshireCraigie Castle, AyrshireCraigie Castle in the old Barony of Craigie, is a ruined fortification situated about southeast of Kilmarnock and southeast of Craigie village, in the Parish of Craigie, South Ayrshire, Scotland....
- Lindsane
External links
- http://www.clanlindsay.org.au/history.htm
- http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/htol/lindsay2.html
- http://www.myclan.com/clans/Lindsay_66/default.php
- http://www.clanlindsay.com