Clan MacRae
Encyclopedia
The Clan Macrae is a Highland Scottish clan
. The clan has no chief; it is therefore considered an Armigerous clan
.
of the patronymic
from the Gaelic personal name Macraith. This personal name
means "son of grace". The name is recorded numerous times in the Middle Ages, and was used by various unrelated families.
, and Rev.
Alexander Macrae in the early 20th century, the main authority for the early history of Clan Macrae is the late 17th century manuscript
account of the clan written by Rev. John Macrae. Alexander Macrae largely based his history of the clan upon John Macrae's earlier account.
According to tradition, the Macraes were originally from Ireland
, and shared a common ancestry with the Mackenzies
and Macleans
. The Macraes were said to have originated from Clunes, which is located near the southern shore of the Beauly Firth
, and was within the lordship of Lovat. Alexander Macrae stated that these traditions likely refer to a period sometime in the middle of the 13th century. According to John Macrae, after a violent dispute arose between the Macraes and more powerful Frasers of Lovat, three sons of the Macrae chief
set off for new lands. One of the sons settled in Brahan, near Dingwall; another settled in Argyll
; and the other settled in Kintail
.
At that time Kintail was held by the Mackenzies, and according to John Macrae's account, there were very few Mackenzies of the chiefly line and thus the chief of that clan welcomed the Macraes because they shared a common descent and could be relied upon. Although John Macrae did not know the name of the Macrae brother who settled in Kintail, he stated that this Macrae brother married the daughter, or granddaughter, of Macbeolan who possessed a large part of Kintail before the Mackenzie's rise to power. Alexander Mackenzie considered this marriage to be the real reason for the loyalty given by the Macraes to their Mackenzie lords; he did not believe the Macraes and Mackenzies to share a common ancestry in the male line as John Macrae had claimed.
Alexander Macrae was of the opinion that these events probably took place sometime in the first half of the 14th century, before the Mackenzies became firmly established in the Kintail area. He stated that there didn't appear to be any evidence that the Macraes were in the Kintail area before the time of these events, but noted that it was said that Eilean Donan Castle was garrisoned by Macraes and Maclennans
in the late 13th century, during the period when the fortress was first taken into possession by Kenneth, founder of the Mackenzies of Kintail.
According to tradition, one of the prominent ancestors of the Macraes from Kintail was Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd
, According to John Macrae, Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd was about two, or three, generations removed from the Macrae who settled in Kintail from Clunes. Alexander Macrae stated that Fionnla Dubh was a contemporary of Murdo Mackenzie, fifth chief of the Mackenzies of Kintail
. In 1416, Murdo died and was succeeded by his son, Alexander. According to the traditions of John Macrae, when the bastard uncles of the young Mackenzie chief began oppressing the folk of the district, Fionnla Dubh was instrumental in retrieving him from the south of Scotland; upon Alexander's return, the Mackenzie lands were brought back under control. The main line of the Macraes from Kintail, the Macraes of Invernate, trace their descent from Fionnla Dubh.
The Macraes are known to have been constant supporters of the Mackenzies in recorded times; in 1520, and for many years onwards, they were constable
s of Eilean Donan Castle. In view of their constant service to the Mackenzies, the Macraes of Kintail became known as the Mackenzies' "shirt of mail
". Macraes also served as counsellors to the chiefs, tutors of the chiefs' sons, chamberlains of Kintail and ministers of the local churches. There were also poets, physicians and musicians among the Macraes.
in 1640 and died in 1704,
During the Civil War the Clan Macrae supported the Royalist
cause but under the equivocating Earl of Seaforth firstly fought valiantly on the losing State side at the Battle of Auldearn
in May 1645 before following Seaforth to support the royalist James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
.
Rev. Farquhar Macrae's grandson, Duncan Macrae of Inverinate
was the compiler of the famous Fernaig manuscript
1688-93.
, near Stirling
. The Macraes formed the left flank and were left unprotected when the Jacobite cavalry was moved by error across to the right. The Highland foot (Macraes) were charged by the Government cavalry, fell back and rallied again and again, up to twelve times. Of the 663 Jacobite casualties suffered in the battle 58 of those killed were Macraes. Among those killed was Duncan Macrae, who as a young man was known for both his superior strength and his tender heart. During the battle he killed at least seven men with his claymore
before he was shot down by an English trooper. His claymore was exhibited for many years in the Tower of London
as "The great Highlander’s sword". Another Macrae killed at Sheriffmuir was John of Conchra, who was distinguished in battle and esteemed in the Highlands, he was one of the "Four Johns of Scotland".
In 1721 a force of men from the Clan Ross
, led by chief William Ross 6th of the Pitcalnie line and his brother Robert went on a rent collecting expedition into the lands of the Mackenzies. They were confronted by a force of 300 men from the Clan MacKenzie
and Clan Macrae, led by a Colonel Donald Murchison. The Rosses were outnumbered and after a short battle the two sides parley
ed and the Rosses withdrew realising that further resistance was useless. The next day the chief's son Walter Ross died of his wounds and his nephew William, son of Robert Ross, was wounded but survived. See main article: Battle of Glen Affric
.
The Macraes did not support the Jacobite cause in the Jacobite Rising of 1745
. A number of Macraes are known to have taken the side of the British government as part of the Independent Companies under Captain Colin MacKenzie. It is recorded that the MacKenzie Company was at Shiramore in Badenoch in June 1746 and it included over sixty Macraes. In the 18th and 19th century, Highlanders emigrated to places such as Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand. Clan Macrae became the "Scattered children of Kintail".
, has long been associated with the Macraes, when it was a stronghold of the chiefs of Clan Mackenzie
. The ruinous castle was purchased and rebuilt during 1912-1932, by Lt.-Col. John Macrae-Gilstrap. Its beauty, and spectacular setting, has made it the most photographed castle in Great Britain, and it draws many visitors every year.
, clan badge
s, and clan tartans are all means of identifying clans and displaying members' allegiance to their clan. A crest badge suitable to be worn by a member of Clan Macrae, on a bonnet
or upon the chest, contains the crest: A cubit arm grasping a sword, all proper. The motto which circles the crest is: FORTITUDINE, which means "with fortitude" in Latin
.
The more authentic Clan badges (sometimes called plant badges) are actually plants, of which sprigs are worn upon a bonnet or upon the chest as a badge. The clan badge of Clan Macrae is club moss. sometimes referred to as staghorn grass. It may refer to the Mackenzie chiefly arms, due to the Macraes' close association with the Mackenzies.
The Slogan
representing the war cry of the clan Sgurr Uaran refers to a prominent rallying point in the clan's traditional lands, Sgurr Fhuaran
, a mountain near Loch Duich
which is one of the "Five Sisters of Kintail".
A 2/4 March for bagpipes was composed in honour of Clan Macrae.
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...
. The clan has no chief; it is therefore considered an Armigerous clan
Armigerous clan
An armigerous clan is a Scottish clan, family or name which is registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon and once had a chief who bore undifferenced arms, but does not have a chief currently recognized as such by Lyon Court...
.
Surname
The surname Macrae (and its variations) is an AnglicisationAnglicisation
Anglicisation, or anglicization , is the process of converting verbal or written elements of any other language into a form that is more comprehensible to an English speaker, or, more generally, of altering something such that it becomes English in form or character.The term most often refers to...
of the patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
from the Gaelic personal name Macraith. This personal name
Personal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
means "son of grace". The name is recorded numerous times in the Middle Ages, and was used by various unrelated families.
Traditional origins of the clan
According to the late 19th century historian Alexander MackenzieAlexander Mackenzie (historian)
Alexander Mackenzie, FSA Scot was a Scottish historian, author, magazine editor and politician. He was born on a croft, in Gairloch. In 1869 he settled in Inverness, where he later became an editor and publisher of the Celtic Magazine, and the Scottish Highlander. Mackenzie wrote numerous clan...
, and Rev.
The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
Alexander Macrae in the early 20th century, the main authority for the early history of Clan Macrae is the late 17th century manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
account of the clan written by Rev. John Macrae. Alexander Macrae largely based his history of the clan upon John Macrae's earlier account.
According to tradition, the Macraes were originally from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and shared a common ancestry with the Mackenzies
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...
and Macleans
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 Macraes were said to have originated from Clunes, which is located near the southern shore of the Beauly Firth
Beauly Firth
The Beauly Firth is a firth in northern Scotland. It is effectively a continuation of the Moray Firth westward, and is bounded at one end by Beauly and at the other by Inverness . The Kessock Ferry has crossed at the eastern end since the 15th Century...
, and was within the lordship of Lovat. Alexander Macrae stated that these traditions likely refer to a period sometime in the middle of the 13th century. According to John Macrae, after a violent dispute arose between the Macraes and more powerful Frasers of Lovat, three sons of the Macrae chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
set off for new lands. One of the sons settled in Brahan, near Dingwall; another settled in Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
; and the other settled in Kintail
Kintail
Kintail is an area of mountains in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. It consists of the mountains to the north of Glen Shiel and the A87 road between the heads of Loch Duich and Loch Cluanie; its boundaries, other than Glen Shiel, are generally taken to be the valleys of Strath Croe and Gleann...
.
At that time Kintail was held by the Mackenzies, and according to John Macrae's account, there were very few Mackenzies of the chiefly line and thus the chief of that clan welcomed the Macraes because they shared a common descent and could be relied upon. Although John Macrae did not know the name of the Macrae brother who settled in Kintail, he stated that this Macrae brother married the daughter, or granddaughter, of Macbeolan who possessed a large part of Kintail before the Mackenzie's rise to power. Alexander Mackenzie considered this marriage to be the real reason for the loyalty given by the Macraes to their Mackenzie lords; he did not believe the Macraes and Mackenzies to share a common ancestry in the male line as John Macrae had claimed.
Clan MacLennan
Clan MacLennan, also known as Siol Ghillinnein, is a Highland Scottish clan which historically populated lands in the north-west of Scotland. The surname MacLennan in Scottish Gaelic is Mac Gille Fhinnein meaning the son of the follower of St Finnan.-History:-Origins:According to tradition the...
in the late 13th century, during the period when the fortress was first taken into possession by Kenneth, founder of the Mackenzies of Kintail.
According to tradition, one of the prominent ancestors of the Macraes from Kintail was Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd
Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd
Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd is purported to have been a 15th century Scotsman, who lived in the north-west of Scotland. The Gaelic Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd translates into English as "Fionnla the black, son of Gillechriosd". Fionnla Dubh is known from a late 17th century traditional account...
, According to John Macrae, Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd was about two, or three, generations removed from the Macrae who settled in Kintail from Clunes. Alexander Macrae stated that Fionnla Dubh was a contemporary of Murdo Mackenzie, fifth chief of the Mackenzies of Kintail
Chiefs of Clan Mackenzie
The chiefs of the Scottish highland Clan Mackenzie were historically known as the Mackenzies of Kintail. By tradition the Mackenzie chiefs descend from Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st of Kintail however their earliest ancestor proven by contemporary evidence is Alexander Mackenzie, 6th of Kintail...
. In 1416, Murdo died and was succeeded by his son, Alexander. According to the traditions of John Macrae, when the bastard uncles of the young Mackenzie chief began oppressing the folk of the district, Fionnla Dubh was instrumental in retrieving him from the south of Scotland; upon Alexander's return, the Mackenzie lands were brought back under control. The main line of the Macraes from Kintail, the Macraes of Invernate, trace their descent from Fionnla Dubh.
History
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s of Eilean Donan Castle. In view of their constant service to the Mackenzies, the Macraes of Kintail became known as the Mackenzies' "shirt of mail
Chain Mail
"Chain Mail" is a single by Mancunian band James, released in March 1986 by Sire Records, the first after the band defected from Factory Records. The record was released in two different versions, as 7" single and 12" EP, with different artworks by John Carroll and, confusingly, under different...
". Macraes also served as counsellors to the chiefs, tutors of the chiefs' sons, chamberlains of Kintail and ministers of the local churches. There were also poets, physicians and musicians among the Macraes.
17th century and civil war
The Rev. Farquhar Macrae, born in 1580, Constable of Eilean Donan, was both an energetic churchman and a great Latin scholar. On his first visit to the island of Lewis he is said to have baptised all the inhabitants under forty years of age, no clergyman having resided on the island during that period. His second son, John Macrae, became minister of DingwallDingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
in 1640 and died in 1704,
During the Civil War the Clan Macrae supported the Royalist
Cavalier
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...
cause but under the equivocating Earl of Seaforth firstly fought valiantly on the losing State side at the Battle of Auldearn
Battle of Auldearn
The Battle of Auldearn was an engagement of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It took place on 9 May 1645, in and around the village of Auldearn in Nairn. It resulted in a victory for the royalists led by the Earl of Montrose and Alasdair MacColla over a Covenanter army under the command of Sir John...
in May 1645 before following Seaforth to support the royalist James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
.
Rev. Farquhar Macrae's grandson, Duncan Macrae of Inverinate
Donnchadh MacRath
Donnchadh MacRath, also known as Duncan MacRae of Inverinate and Donnchadh nam Pìos, was a Scottish Gaelic poet and the compiler of the Fernaig manuscript which he committed to paper using an English-influenced system of orthography.-Origins:...
was the compiler of the famous Fernaig manuscript
Fernaig manuscript
The Fernaig manuscript is a document containing approximately 4,200 lines of verse consisting largely of political and religious themes. The manuscript was composed between 1688 and 1693 by Donnchadh MacRath in Wester Ross and is notable for the author's unique orthography which is, like the more...
1688-93.
18th and Jacobite risings
The Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 was a disastrous event for the Macraes. The crucial battle was 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...
, near Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
. The Macraes formed the left flank and were left unprotected when the Jacobite cavalry was moved by error across to the right. The Highland foot (Macraes) were charged by the Government cavalry, fell back and rallied again and again, up to twelve times. Of the 663 Jacobite casualties suffered in the battle 58 of those killed were Macraes. Among those killed was Duncan Macrae, who as a young man was known for both his superior strength and his tender heart. During the battle he killed at least seven men with his claymore
Claymore
The term claymore refers to the Scottish variant of the late medieval longsword, two-handed swords with a cross hilt, of which the guards were in use during the 15th and 16th centuries.-Terminology:...
before he was shot down by an English trooper. His claymore was exhibited for many years in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
as "The great Highlander’s sword". Another Macrae killed at Sheriffmuir was John of Conchra, who was distinguished in battle and esteemed in the Highlands, he was one of the "Four Johns of Scotland".
In 1721 a force of men from the Clan Ross
Clan Ross
Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earls of Ross.-Origins:Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan first named as such by King Malcolm IV of Scotland in 1160...
, led by chief William Ross 6th of the Pitcalnie line and his brother Robert went on a rent collecting expedition into the lands of the Mackenzies. They were confronted by a force of 300 men from 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...
and Clan Macrae, led by a Colonel Donald Murchison. The Rosses were outnumbered and after a short battle the two sides parley
Parley
Parley is a discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or other matters. The root of the word parley is parler, which is the French verb "to speak"; specifically the conjugation parlez "you speak", whether as imperative or indicative.Beginning in the High Middle...
ed and the Rosses withdrew realising that further resistance was useless. The next day the chief's son Walter Ross died of his wounds and his nephew William, son of Robert Ross, was wounded but survived. See main article: Battle of Glen Affric
Battle of Glen Affric
The Battle of Glen Affric took place in 1721 in Glen Affric, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between forces of the Clan Ross against the forces of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan MacRae.-Background:...
.
The Macraes did not support the Jacobite cause in the Jacobite Rising of 1745
Jacobite Rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...
. A number of Macraes are known to have taken the side of the British government as part of the Independent Companies under Captain Colin MacKenzie. It is recorded that the MacKenzie Company was at Shiramore in Badenoch in June 1746 and it included over sixty Macraes. In the 18th and 19th century, Highlanders emigrated to places such as Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand. Clan Macrae became the "Scattered children of Kintail".
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan Castle, located on Loch DuichLoch Duich
Loch Duich is a sea loch situated on the western coast of Scotland, in the Highlands.-History:In 1719, British forces burned many homesteads along the loch’s shores in the month preceding the Battle of Glen Shiel....
, has long been associated with the Macraes, when it was a stronghold of the chiefs of Clan Mackenzie
Chiefs of Clan Mackenzie
The chiefs of the Scottish highland Clan Mackenzie were historically known as the Mackenzies of Kintail. By tradition the Mackenzie chiefs descend from Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st of Kintail however their earliest ancestor proven by contemporary evidence is Alexander Mackenzie, 6th of Kintail...
. The ruinous castle was purchased and rebuilt during 1912-1932, by Lt.-Col. John Macrae-Gilstrap. Its beauty, and spectacular setting, has made it the most photographed castle in Great Britain, and it draws many visitors every year.
Symbols
Today, Crest badgesScottish crest badge
A Scottish crest badge is a heraldic badge worn to show allegiance to an individual or membership in a specific Scottish clan. Crest badges are commonly called clan crests, but this is a misnomer; there is no such thing as a collective clan crest, just as there is no such thing as a clan coat of...
, clan badge
Clan badge
A clan badge, sometimes called a plant badge, is a badge or emblem, usually a sprig of a specific plant, that is used to identify a member of a particular Scottish clan. They are usually worn in a bonnet behind the Scottish crest badge, or attached at the shoulder of a lady's tartan sash...
s, and clan tartans are all means of identifying clans and displaying members' allegiance to their clan. A crest badge suitable to be worn by a member of Clan Macrae, on a bonnet
Bonnet (headgear)
Bonnets are a variety of headgear for both sexes, which have in common only the absence of a brim. Bonnet derives from the same word in French, where it originally indicated a type of material...
or upon the chest, contains the crest: A cubit arm grasping a sword, all proper. The motto which circles the crest is: FORTITUDINE, which means "with fortitude" in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
.
The more authentic Clan badges (sometimes called plant badges) are actually plants, of which sprigs are worn upon a bonnet or upon the chest as a badge. The clan badge of Clan Macrae is club moss. sometimes referred to as staghorn grass. It may refer to the Mackenzie chiefly arms, due to the Macraes' close association with the Mackenzies.
The Slogan
Slogan (heraldry)
A slogan is used in Scottish heraldry as a heraldic motto or a secondary motto. It usually appears above the crest on a coat of arms, though sometimes it appears as a secondary motto beneath the shield...
representing the war cry of the clan Sgurr Uaran refers to a prominent rallying point in the clan's traditional lands, Sgurr Fhuaran
Sgurr Fhuaran
Sgùrr Fhuaran is a Scottish mountain that is situated on the northern side of Glen Shiel, east south east of Kyle of Lochalsh.- Overview :...
, a mountain near Loch Duich
Loch Duich
Loch Duich is a sea loch situated on the western coast of Scotland, in the Highlands.-History:In 1719, British forces burned many homesteads along the loch’s shores in the month preceding the Battle of Glen Shiel....
which is one of the "Five Sisters of Kintail".
A 2/4 March for bagpipes was composed in honour of Clan Macrae.
External links
- http://www.clan-macrae.org.uk/ Clan Macrae Scotland
- http://www.clanmacrae.org/ Clan MacRae Society of Canada
- http://www.macrae.org/ Clan MacRae Society of North America