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Clan Chattan

Confederation of Highland Scottish clans From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clan Chattan

Clan Chattan (Scottish Gaelic: Na Catanaich or Clann Chatain),[5] also sometimes referred to as "Clan Dhugaill" (Quehele) after its progenitor Dougall-Dall, is a unique confederation of Highland clans.[6] This distinctive allied community[7] comprised at its greatest extent seventeen separate clans (currently twelve),[8] who each had their own clan chief recognized under Scottish law, but were further united and bound to the superior chief of the Confederation for mutual solidarity, sustenance and protection in the Middle Ages and early modern period in the Great Glen and Cairngorms. A tribal coalition of this magnitude was a source of apprehension to both the Lord of the Isles and the Kings of Scots and records exist of machinations to "crying doon the Clan Chattan" by formenting internal dissension.[9]

Quick Facts Profile, Region ...
Clan Chattan
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Profile
RegionHighland
DistrictInverness
Chief
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Malcolm Mackintosh of Torcastle, 33rd Chief of Clan Chattan, a resident of New Zealand represented by John Mackintosh of Mackintosh, 31st Chief of Clan Mackintosh and President of the Clan Chattan Association.[1]
Historic seatTor Castle in Lochaber, Moy Hall in Inverness (current)
Septs of Clan Chattan
Allied clans
See each member clan's list but most significantly: Clan MacDougall (early period), Clan Bruce (early period), Clan Donald (early period), Clan Grant, Clan Mackenzie of Kintail, Clan Campbell of Cawdor, Clan Rose, Clan Erskine (Earls of Mar) on occasion, Clan Gordon (Earls of Huntly) on occasion
Rival clans
See each member clan's list but most significantly: Clan Donald (early period), Clan Cumming, Clan Cameron, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, Clan Erskine (Earls of Mar) on occasion, Clan Gordon (Earls of Huntly) on occasion
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Origins and early history

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There are multiple theories about the true origins of this clan:

In the time of Malcolm II of Scotland the Clan Chattan possessed the lands of Glen Loy and Loch Arkaig.[6] It was here that Tor Castle became the clan chief's seat.[6] Not much is certain about the history of the clan until towards the end of the 13th century.[6]

The merging of the Chattan and Mackintosh clans

Eva, (most probably incorrectly anglicized from Aife), daughter and heiress of Gilpatric or Dougal Dall, 6th chief of Clan Chattan in Lochaber, married Angus Mackintosh, 6th chief of Clan Mackintosh, in 1291.[6] Thus Angus Mackintosh also became 7th chief of Clan Chattan.[11] Some members of alternative male inheritance lines have however questioned the validity of this decision through a female line which would lead to occasional discord. Neither side of this dispute have questioned the historicity of Aife, merely the inheritance line.[12]

Migration out of Lochaber

The couple resided at Tor Castle before withdrawing to Rothiemurchus apparently due to the enmity of Aonghus Óg of Islay, chief of Clan Donald, the uncle of Angus Mackintosh. Tradition has it that he had intended to marry Eva off to one of his family members and in so doing acquire the Clan Chattan lands.[13][6] As a result, the lands at Arkaig were occupied by Clan Cameron who claimed that they had been abandoned.[6] This was the beginning of a long and bitter feud that was fought between the Clan Chattan and Clan Cameron until 1666.[6]

Another reason for the migration is explained in MacPherson clan traditions is that in 1309, Robert the Bruce offered the lands of Badenoch to them if they destroyed the Bruce's enemies, the Clan Comyn.[14]

Earliest written documents

The earliest official document, the MS 1467 which recognises the Clan Chattan is dated 1467; but the chronicler Bower, writing about 1440, speaks of Clan Chattan in 1429. Bellenden, in his translation of Boece, about 1525, is the first who mentions this clan having been at the Inches in Perth in 1396, and this probably owing to a misprint in the original, of Clan Quhete for Quhele'. He referred to it as Quhattan.[15]

From singular clan to Confederation

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Prior to the 14th century, the Clan Chattan was a conventional clan.[6] However it evolved into an alliance or confederation of at least seventeen clans which was made up of:

  • firstly of the descendants of the "blood" or the original clan (Clan Cattanach, Clan Vurich/Clan MacPherson, Clan MacPhail and Clan Dhai/Clan Davidson (according to Skene) and possibly Clan Vean/Clan MacBean (or McBain)).[10] The MacMartins of Clan Cameron and Clan MacMillan are also sometimes described as have being originally related to the Old Clan Chattan but parted ways.[16][17][18]
  • secondly of the Clan Mackintosh and their cadet branches (Clan Shaw, Clan Farquharson, Clan MacThomas) and Clan Davidson (according to the Kinrara MS, the clans principal account of their origins and early history).[19]
  • thirdly of families who were not originally related by blood (Clan MacGillivray who took protection around 1268,[20] Clan Tearlach/the Macleans of Dochgarroch ,[21] the Clan Revan/MacQueens of Strathdearn and the Clan Inteir/MacIntyres of Badenoch). Other lesser known clans are also recorded:
    • The Vic Gories, who took protection around 1369.[22]
    • The Dhus of Strathnairn, who took protection around 1373.[22]
    • Clan Slioch Gow Chruim/The Gows or Smiths, who took protection around 1399.[23]
    • Clan Clerich/The Clarks, who took protection around 1400.[24]
    • Clan Tarril, the Kinrara MS also states, " In the time of Lachlan (8th of Mackintosh, who died in 1407), a small clan from Strathnairn settled in Petty, becoming followers of Mackintosh." Within two generations however, their status changed. Gillespie, a brother of the Earl of Ross, entered Petty with reivers driving off cattle and inhabitants. The invaders were surprised at Culloden by Duncan and two other sons of Malcolm Mackintosh, who recovered the stolen goods, but were too late for Clan Tarril, nearly all of whom were slain.[25]
    • The Sliochd Gillie vor MacAonas who took protection around 1485.[22]
    • The Finlay Cheir who took protection around 1502.[26] and
    • 'Clan an t-Saoir',[27] Clan Andrish or the MacAndrews ('Clan Gillandrish').[28][6] The Kinrara MS states a Donald MacGillandris, was part of a bridal retinue of Mora MacDonald of Moydart, future wife of the 10th Chief of Mackintosh. Settled at Connage in Petty. This family is mentioned in a royal summons for the "Maisterfull spoliatioun’’ of Halhill in 1513 with Dougal Mor Mackintosh.[29]
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Tree showing the ancestries and merging of Clans Chattan and MacKintosh, forming the early Confederation. Based on the recorded genealogies of clans Macpherson, Davidson and Mackintosh (click to enlarge).

The Skene assumption

William Forbes Skene, however, gave a different version of how Clan Chattan was formed prior to the Mackintosh alliance.[30] Clan Vuirich (Clan MacPherson) and Clan Day (Clan Davidson) were the original co-founders and referred to as old Clan Chattan.[30] Added to these were six "stranger septs" who took protection from the clan.[30] These were Clan Vic Ghillevray (Clan MacGillivray), the Clan Vean (Clan MacBean), the Clan Vic Govies, the Clan Tarrel, the Clan Cheanduy, and the Sliochd Gowchruim or Smiths.[30]

However, Skene's phrase about "stranger septs" and the names linked to them is not supported by any of the works of the respected Clan Chattan historians,[31][32][33][34] and may therefore be a historical error by Skene, whose shortcomings have been noted by later writers – one of Skene's harshest critics was the Scottish philologist Alexander MacBain.

Sir Æneas Mackintosh/Charles-Fraser Mackintosh assumption

Noted historian of Clan Chattan, Charles Fraser-Mackintosh, in his 'An Account of the Confederation of Clan Chattan; its kith and kin' (the work known as 'Minor Septs of Clan Chattan') published a list of 16 associated tribes of Clan Chattan, along with an associated date reference, as written down by Sir Æneas Mackintosh. It begins with The Clan vic Gillivray, 1271. The second clan is The Clan Wurrich (Macpherson), 1291 and the third is The Clan Vean (Macbeans), 1292; then the fourth is The Clan Day (Davidsons), 1350. Others follow including (No.9) The Clan Tearlich (Macleans of the North), 1400, (No.10) The Clan Revan (Macqueens), 1400 and (No.14) The Clan Phail (Macphails), 1500.[35]

In his 'The Mackintoshes and Clan Chattan' (1903), A. M. Mackintosh arranges his chapters to provide a history of Clan Chattan, its chiefs and its Mackintosh branches, then in Chapter XV details the 'Tribes and Families of Clan Chattan other than the Mackintoshes of Inverness-shire'.

  • He begins (page 405) with the heading 'Clans Springing from the Mackintoshes': the Shaws, the Farquharsons, the Mackintoshes of Dalmunzie, the McCombies and Clan Thomas.
  • Then A. M. Mackintosh comes to Part II of this chapter headed 'Clans Supposed to be of the Blood of the Old Clan Chattan' (i.e. not Mackintoshes, but members of Eva's family): the MacPhersons, the Cattanachs, the MacBeans and the MacPhails.
  • The author then covers in Part III of the same chapter, headed (page 496) 'Clans Not of the Blood of either MackIntoshes or Old Clan Chattan': the MacGillivrays, the Davidsons, the Macleans of Dochgarroch, Clan Tarril, the Smiths or Gows, the MacQueens or Clan Revan, Clan Andrish and the Clarks or Clan Chlerich.

The members today

Today, the Clan Chattan Association, which is based in Scotland with members across the world, comprises the following twelve principal clans:[36]

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Approxiamate location of the different clans throughout the Confederation lands. Note: Clan boundaries were known to change over time and were not static. This is a general map of Clan Chattan lands at their greatest extent. This map also does not include any temporary Mackintosh lands in the Lochaber district.

Chiefs

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Old Chattan Chiefs

The following is a list of the traditional chiefs of the Clan Chattan before marriage between Aife/Eva, heiress of Clan Chattan, with the Chief of Clan Mackintosh, through whose marriage a new line of Mackintosh Captains (Chiefs) of Clan Chattan was created :[11]

More information No., Name ...
No. Name
1 Gillicattan Mor, first known chief of Clan Chattan
2 Diarmid
3 Gillicattan,
4 Muirach, father of Gillicattan, and Ewan Ban, father of the 3 branches of Clan Macpherson
5 Gillicattan
6 Dougal or Gilpatric, his daughter married Angus Mackintosh, 6th chief of Clan Mackintosh, thus Mackintosh became 7th chief of Clan Chattan.
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Thereafter the Chiefs of Clan Mackintosh are also the Chiefs of Clan Chattan. See: Chiefs of Clan Mackintosh.

The Chattan Confederation Chiefs

Each Clan in the Confederation retained their chiefs, but acknowledged the Mackintosh chief as the overall Captain of the Confederation.

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Arms of all the Clan Chiefs in the Clan Chattan Confederation

The separation of titles

In 1942, the Lyon Court separated the leadership of Clan MacKintosh and Clan Chattan. The leadership of Clan Chattan passed to the Mackintosh of Torcastle line. The Chief of Clan Mackintosh had been at the same time Captain of Clan Chattan, until the death of Alfred Donald Mackintosh of Mackintosh CBE, who chose as his heir to the Mackintosh inheritance Rear-Admiral Lachlan Donald Makintosh CB DSO DSC. The omission of a stipulation in Alfred's will, concerning inheritance of the captaincy of Clan Chattan, led The Lord Lyon of the day to create the historic separation of the two titles. Lachlan became The Mackintosh of Mackintosh, and his cousin Duncan Alexander Eliott Mackintosh became Mackintosh of Mackintosh-Torcastle, and Head of the hail kin of Clan Chattan.[37] At this juncture the chieftainship of Mackintosh and Clan Chattan split.

The last few Clan Chattan Confederation chiefs therefore were:

  • Duncan Alexander Eliott Mackintosh of Mackintosh-Torcastle, born 1 December 1884 and died 29 May 1966. He married Ellen Primrose Smith and they had three sons and two daughters.
  • Kenneth Mackintosh, born 23 November 1916, who became the 32nd Chief of Clan Chattan. He married Margaret Farmer and had two children.
  • Duncan Alexander John Mackintosh, born in 1946, according to Burke's Peerage.
  • However, a genealogy published in an updated history of the Clan Mackintosh noted that Duncan died young, and that his younger brother Malcolm Mackintosh (born 20 October 1950) succeeded their father, who died in 1976, as 33rd Chief of Clan Chattan, becoming styled as Malcolm Mackintosh of Mackintosh-Torcastle and Clan Chattan.[38][39]

Clan Mackintosh therefore remains the principal clan of the Clan Chattan Confederation and the current and past Mackintosh of Mackintosh has been President of the Clan Chattan Association.

Battles, Skirmishes and Raids

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Clan Chattan as a whole or as individual clans were involved in the following events:

Gathering the Confederation for Battle

No single gathering point is known to exist for the entire Confederation to have ever used, but several other gathering points have been identified:

  • Clach An Airm in Strathnairn: Known gathering point of the MacGillivrays to organise and sharpen weapons.[72][73]
  • Clach na Coileach: Meeting place in the MacThomas lands.
  • Carn na Cuimhe beside the river Dee, east of Invercauld: Known gathering point of the Farquharsons. A fire cross was said to have been sent around the clan lands by runners to notify fighting men to gather.[74]
  • Creag Dhubh: Known gathering point of the Macphersons, a rocky hill near Cluny Castle in times of emergency.
  • Dunlichity Church: Known gathering point of the Mackintosh and nearby MacPhails with evidence of the stone walls being used to sharpen swords.[75]
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Panorama South from Chattan Clan monument to Sarah Justina Macpherson of Cluny at Creag Dhubh, Laggan, Scotland

Confederation Agreements

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The list below shows some of the more important agreements of the Confederation in terms of Bands of union, friendship, maintenance and manrent.

1397 Band Of Union

The Chattan Confederation‟s first band may have been created in 1397 after the Battle of the North Inch, but it only lasted 14 years until 1411 when Clan MacPherson decided to take a different stand than the rest of the Chattan Confederation in regional politics.[50]

1543 Band of Union

Signed at Inverness by most of the chiefs of the tribes of Clan Chattan, including the Macphersons, they agreed that they would support their chief, William Mackintosh, 15th of Mackintosh, as a vassal of the Earl of Huntly.[76][77]

1609 Band of Union

After the death of Mackintosh of Dunnachten in 1606, the Mackintoshes made an effort to reunite the clan and bring to an end the "controversies, questions, debates and hosts, that has fallen furth betwixt the said haill kin of Clan Chattan these times bygone, whereupon there followed groat incanvanisnciss" The Chattan Confederation came together at Termit about five miles from Inverness in 1609 to sign a new Band.[78][79]

1664 Band of Union

Renewal of the 1609 Band, signed at Kincairne, but with an additional clause of action against Ewan Cameron in response to a Royal Commission seeing the Camerons as rebels at that point.[80]

1756 Band of Union (Deed of Consent)

The MacBeans of Faillie ventured into land holdings but had developed a huge debt. As the MacBean's estate was not enough to pay off the debt, these lands fell under control of the court. The whole debt, with interests and costs, then fell onto the wider Clan Chattan. The burden, however, was still too heavy, and the estate was of little use to the MacBeans after 1744. By 1756 William MacBean consented to MacKintosh's reclaiming the Laggau lands, signing a deed of consent. This deed was also signed by other leaders of Clan Chattan, such as Alexander MacPhail of Inverernie, Robert MacKintosh, Tacksman of Termite, William MacKintosh of Aberarder, William MacKintosh of Holme and John MacKintosh of Calclachie. These heads of Clan Chattan signed this agreement at Gask, in Strathnairn, on 27 October 1756, in presence of Donald MacBean and Alexander Fraser, farmer in the Mains of Tordarroch. This document is peculiarly interesting in respect that it is dated several years after the Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland) Act 1746 came into effect, which abolished such agreements and the powers of clan chiefs.[81]

2009 Band of Union

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the 1609 Clan Chattan Band of Union, a new Band of Union was signed in 2009 to renew the clans historic connection.[82][83]

Other Agreements

  • 1467: Friendship with Lord Forbes and others, on the one part; and Duncan Macintosh, of Clan Chattan, Hugh Rose of Kilravock and others, on the other part.
  • 1481: Maintenance between Farquhar Macintosh, son and apparent heir of Duncan Macintosh, of Clan Chattan, to Hugh Rose of Kilravock.[84]
  • 1490: Manrent and marriage between Duncan Mackintosh to Cawdor.[85][86]
  • 1527: Friendship between Hector Mackintosh of Mackintosh and Hector Munro of Foulis, Chief of Clan Munro; John Campbell of Cawdor, Hugh Rose of Kilravock, Chief of Clan Rose; and "Donald Ilis of Sleat".[87]
  • 1549: Friendship between William Mackintosh of Dunachton and Earl John of Sutherland.[88]
  • 1568: Friendship between Lachlan Mackintosh and Earl of Huntly as his superior and confirmation of control of the lands of Benchar, Clune, Kincraig, Schiphin, Essich, Bochrubin, Dundelchat and Tordarroch.[89]
  • 1588: Friendship with William Macleod of Macleod, 13th chief of Clan Macleod.[90]
  • 1589: Bond agreement between Mackintosh and MacDonald of Keppoch that he would pay 2000 pounds for rent in his lands.[91]
  • 1590: Friendship and protection between clans Mackintosh and Grant of Freuchy and against aggressive Earls.[92]
  • 1591: Manrent between MacPherson and the Earl of Huntly signed at Huntly Castle.
  • 1593: Manrent between Mackintosh of Dunnachten and the Earl of Moray.[93]
  • 1595: Manrent between Clan Farquharson and Clan Chattan and acknowledgement of the Chief of the Mackintosh as their superior chief.[94][95]
  • 1609: Manrent between Donald MacQueen of Corrybrough and the chiefs of Clan Chattan.[96]

Internal and external disputes that affected the unity of the Confederation

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Internal disputes

  • 1370: Between clans MacPherson and Davidson as to which clan would form on the right wing of the Confederation Chief in battle.[97][98]
  • 1464: Between clans Mackintosh and Shaw after Shaw gained possession of Rothimurchus lands from the Bishop of Moray, making them independent of the Mackintosh.[99]
  • 1572: Honor killing of Dougal Macpherson by Hector Mackintosh to revenge the killing of his father 21 years earlier.[100]
  • 1591: Between clans Mackintosh and MacPherson over the hereditary leadership of the Clan Chattan Confederation and sealing a separate agreement of manrent with the Earl of Huntly. In 1672, Duncan MacPherson of Cluny applied for and obtained from Lord Lyon the matriculation of arms as "the laird of Cluny MacPherson as the only true representer of the ancient and honorable family of Clan Chattan". However, the Chief of MacIntosh at that time successfully sued a reduction and Lyon apparently charged Cluny with adding supporters which had not been really granted in the text of the parchment. MacIntosh was thus upheld as the Chief of Clan Chattan.[101]
  • Between clans Mackintosh and MacPherson over the construction of a mill in the same river as that of the existing MacPherson one. This argument led to the Mackintoshes asking the Grants to assist them in the fight to which they refused and the MacPhersons pulling down the incomplete structure.[102]
  • Between clans Shaw and Farquharson: a fight between a party from Rothimurcus and Finla Mor Farquharson and his followers over a claim made by Shaws to the lands of Invercauld.[103]
  • 1669-1699: twice letters of horning between MacPails and Shaws.[104]
  • 1673: Between clans Farquharson and MacThomas over disputed grazing rights in upper Glenisla.[105]

It is not clear if the Confederation had a formal dispute resolution process for internal disputes. There is however a recorded agreement dated 4 June 1726, appointing Macgillivray of Dunmaglass arbiter between Lachlan, 20th chief of Mackintosh, and Lachlan Macpherson of Cluny, in any disputes that might arise in the carrying out of an agreement made between the two at Moy Hall on 15 September 1724.[106]

External disputes

Throughout the 16th Century, the Clan Chattan Confederation was caught up in the machinations of the Earls of Mar, Moray and Huntly, particularly George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly, mainly to use parts of the clan in their respective earldoms in disputes between themselves. This led to external attempts to divide the various tribes of Clan Chattan by undermining known internal disputes.[107][108]

James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray tried to take back lands in Pettie and Strathern from Clan Chattan his father, James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray had gifted them for loyal support. This then resulted in an insurrection against the Earl. The Earl then issued at letter of intercommuning against the Clan Chattan, preventing anyone from assisting or harboring clan members under severe penalty. The matter was resolved after large fines were paid and several clan members executed. Details of this issue was recorded by John Spalding, a noted historian of the era.[109][110]

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Clan Chattan lands affected by expanding Earldoms circa 17th century

Highland Clearances

The Badenoch Land clearances of 1797, affected the township of Biallid Beag, the location of an ancient Macpherson/Macintyre cemetery, St. Patricks.[111]

From Confederation to Association

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The activities of the Clan are carried on by the Clan Chattan Association, a descendant of the original association established in 1727 for the purpose of defending the interests of the clan "against all who would seek the injury of any of its subscribers".[112]

In the nineteenth century, many clan societies and associations emerged, with the aim of promoting social interaction between people linked by a common name, and interest in their clan's history. Among these was the second Clan Chattan Association, founded in Glasgow in 1893. Initial support for the association was strong with the meetings, lectures and dances described as "a brilliant success", but it faded out by about 1900. Even so, clan historians of that period produced several works which are still used today.[112]

In the summer of 1933, the third Clan Chattan Association was founded in London. Now based in Scotland, the association has worldwide membership. It organizes a number of activities, such as the annual events in early August at Moy Hall in conjunction with the Highland Field Sports Fair. Members are kept informed of events through the annual journal of the association.[112]

Modern Council of Clan Chattan Association

The council of Clan Chattan Association comprises eight Chiefs, who represent all of the individual clans, as president and Vice Presidents:[113]

  • John Mackintosh of Mackintosh (President)
  • Philip Farquharson (Vice President)
  • James Brodie Macpherson of Cluny (Vice President)
  • Iain Shaw of Tordarroch (Vice President)
  • Richard McBain of McBain (Vice President)
  • Grant Guthrie Davidson of Davidston (Vice President)
  • Andrew MacThomas of Finegand (Vice President)
  • The Very Reverend Allan MacLean of Dochgarroch (Vice President)

Of the remaining clans of the Chattan Confederation:

  • Clan MacGillivray has a clan Commander but no claimant to the chiefship.
  • Clan MacPhail's last reported chief died in Australia in the early 1900s[114] The clan has however started a process to select a Commander.[115]
  • Clan MacQueen's chiefly line moved to New Zealand and although descendants remain, there has been no claimant to the chiefship.

Clan Profile

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  • The correct pronunciation of Chattan is Hattan. The "C" is silent. The "H" is slightly guttural.
  • Pipe music: Gathering of Clan Chattan /Cruinneachadh Chloinn Chatain[116]
More information Image, Notes ...
Image Notes
ThumbClan Chief's Coat of Arms:
  • Left upper quadrant: A Rampant Lion used to denote the relation to ancient royalty.
  • Right upper quadrant: A bloody hand holding a heart is believed to be an allusion to the heart of Robert the Bruce and thus intended to express the clan's loyalty to him. The description of this quarter in the shield is officially given in the 1947 Matriculation with the wording: 2nd, argent, a dexter hand couped fessways holding a heart in pale Gules, a label Azure in chief charged with three 'bulls' heads cabossed of the first for difference (for Mackintosh). By comparison, the description of this quarter in the 1947 Matriculation of the Chief of Clan Mackintosh is 2nd, argent, a dexter hand couped fessways grasping a heart paleways gules – i.e. no label.[117]
  • Left lower quadrant: A Boars Head | Depicts the clan connection to the House of Gordon through marriage, and
  • Right lower quadrant: An Azure (blue) Lymphad of pre-1947 may allude to the clan's connection with the Lord of the Isles.
  • At the centre, the Azure (blue) lymphad on a gold shield shown 'inescutcheon', along with a difference in the 2nd quarter of the main shield, distinguishes the arms as those of Mackintosh of Mackintosh-Torcastle, Chief of Clan Chattan, as opposed to those of Mackintosh of Mackintosh, Chief of Clan Mackintosh.[118][119]
Thumb* Crest badge: A cat salient, proper.
  • Clan's motto: Touch not the cat bot a glove' or '“Na bean don chat gun lamhainn” in Scottish Gaelic. [120][121] (The archaic spelling of 'catt', and the use of either 'but' or 'bot' are present in different sources in various combinations).

There is various thoughts as to the origin of the cat as this clan's crest: 1. As a play on words related Saint Catan. 2. As an ancient totem: The original clan residence, Tor Castle has a field adjacent called Dail a’ Chait i.e. ‘The field of the Cats’ where ‘Divination’ is said to have occurred. The correct designation is Tigh-ghairm nan Cat; i.e. ‘The House of Invocation of the Cats.[122][123]

ThumbClan Chattan tartan. Individual Clans of Clan Chattan each have their own tartans. There is however also a specific Clan Chattan tartan, formerly known as Mackintosh Chief, recognised by The Lord Lyon in 1938.[124] James Logan, author of the Scottish Gael[125] states that the Chief of the Clan Mackintosh, Sir Aeneas Mackintosh of that Ilk, acknowledged this sett as the Clan tartan in 1816. ('The Scottish Gael' 1831). It was also included in the recording of Arms by George C McChlery, Public Register of Arms and Bearings 44/66 on 22 August 1960.[126]
ThumbHeraldic Standard of Clan Chattan.
ThumbClan plant badge: Red Whortleberry Latin vaccinium vitis-idaea
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Clan crests of the entire Chattan Confederation

In Folklore and Culture

  • In a book of Scottish Songs, published in Edinburgh in 1791, there is a ballad entitled "Hardyknute" which contains the following:

"Syne he has gane far hynd attowre
· Lord Chattan's land sae wyde
That Lord a worthy wight was ay
Quhen faes his courage seyd :
Of Pictish race by mother's syde,
Quhen Picts ruled Caledon,
Lord Chattan claim'd the princely maid,
Quhen he saift Pictish crown."[127]

  • "The Curse of Moy" is a poem by Mr. Morrit of Rokeby, included in Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. During the period 1704 and 1833 no Mackintosh Chief left a son to follow him, a circumstance known as "The Curse of Moy," with the result that the leadership of the clan passed from kinsman to kinsman.[130]
  • The Green Lady of Newton Castle, a type of ghost specific to the highlands called a Glaistig. [131][132]
  • Macpherson's Rant, A "lament" said to have been composed by Jamie Macpherson on the eve of his execution.

People who have had a huge influence on the Chattan Confederation

  • Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass: Commanded the Clan Chattan at Culloden. Known to be a fearsome warrior, standing some 6 ft 5in tall;
  • Anne Mackintosh: Leader in the Jacobite Rising of 1745 who mustered the Clan Chattan Regiment;
  • Ewen MacPherson of Cluny: Leader in the Jacobite Rising of 1745;
  • Henry Smith: Blacksmith who aided Clan Chattan at the Inches of Perth;
  • Hector Mackintosh: Uncle of the infant chief in custody of the Earl of Moray, used the Clan Chattan to cause destruction throughout the region in attempt to get his nephew released;
  • Shaw Macghillechrist Mhic Iain: Leader of Clan Chattan at the Inches of Perth;
  • William Mackintosh of Benchar: Summoned the whole clan to meet at Termit in 1609 to rekindle the Bond of Union;
  • William Mackintosh of Borlum: Leader in the Jacobite Rising of 1715.

Castles and other structures associated with the Confederation

See also

  • The Black Chanter, part of a set of pipes that allegedly fell from the heavens in battle and is in the custody of Clan Macpherson at Newtonmore.
  • Cateran
  • Locomotive LMS 14766, the Clan Chattan, part of a class of locomotives of the Highland Railways of 4-6-0 passenger engines, built by Hawthorne Leslie and Co of Newcastle between 1919 and 1921.[133]
  • Dun-le-Catti, Hill of the Cats in Daviot and Dunlichty
  • Screw steamer, the Clan Chattan, built in 1902 for the Clan Line Steamers Ltd. – Cayzer, Irvine & Company, Glasgow[138]
  • St Catan
  • Scottish wildcat

Published academic works

  • Cathcart, Alison: Kinship and Clientage 1451 to 1609, Published by Brill Leiden, Boston 2006.
  • Cathcart, Alison: Clan Chattan’s response to government policy in the Scottish Highlands c. 1580–1609, pages 163–184 a chapter from Fighting for Identity, Editors: Murdoch S and Mackillop A, Crisis of Identity? ISBN 978-90-04-47430-7 Publication: 26 Jul 2021.
  • Farquharson, S, The Jacobite Rising of 1715: A Clan Farquharson Perspective, 74 pages, ISBN 978-069-246-0566.
  • Fraser-Mackintosh, Charles; Dunachton Past and Present: Episodes in the History of the Mackintoshes, pub The Inverness Advertiser, Inverness, 1866.
  • Fraser-Mackintosh, Charles; An Account of the Confederation of Clan Chattan: Its Kith and Kin, pub. J.Mackay, Glasgow, 1898.
  • Gibson, John Graham; The Highlander, vol II, no. 143, (5 Feb. 1876), Letters from Carmichael concerning Mackintosh´s Lament, Old and New World Highland Bagpiping, pub. Birlinn Ltd., 2005.
  • Mackintosh, Margaret; The Clan Mackintosh and the Clan Chattan, pub. W. and A.K. Johnston, Edinburgh and London, 1948.
  • Mackenzie, Graeme; For Ever Unfortunate – The Original Clan Chattan", TGSI, Vol. LXI, 1999–2000; Inverness, 2003.
  • Mackenzie, Graeme; "Gillicattan's Posteritie: MacMillans, MacPhersons, Mackintoshes & Camerons, and the great Lochaber feud"; Highland Roots, Inverness, 2009.
  • Macpherson, Alan G; An Old Highland Parish Register, Survivals of Clanship and Social Change in Laggan, Inverness-shire, 1755–1854, The Journal of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, Part Two, 1967.
  • Macpherson, Alan G; Day´s March to Ruin: The Badenoch Men in the ‘Forty-Five, pub. Clan Macpherson Association, 1996.
  • Macpherson, Alan G; The loyal dissuasive and other papers concerning the affairs of Clan Chattan. Ed Scottish History Society, 1902.
  • Macpherson, Alan G; The seanchaidhean, Historians of the Macpherson (Part 2). Journal of the Clan Association, 7(6), pgs 356–359, 1982.
  • McGillivray, R. The Clan MacGillivray, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 146 pages, 2004.
  • Murdoch Mackenzie of Ardross The origin of the haill tribes of the Clan Chattan, 1687.
  • Paton, Henry; The Mackintosh Muniments 1442 to 1882 published in 1903.
  • Taylor, David Vaughan, PHD Thesis, A society in transition, Badenoch, 1750–1800, University of the Highlands and Islands, 2015 details the post Culloden Battle era for Mackintosh and Macpherson families in the Badenoch area presenting an analysis of the social and economic transformation.
  • Taylor, Elizabeth, Braemar Highlands: Their tales, traditions and history, University of Guelph, ISBN 143-713-1816, 1879.

References

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