Post by Elly on Aug 14, 2005 2:24:52 GMT 10
"Children of the Mist"
The first Gregor in Scotland was said to have been a son of King Kenneth MacAlpin in the 8th century and the clan motto, in Gaelic, means "My race is royal". The clan MacGregor is reputed to be one of the oldest in Scotland and became established in Argyll and Perthshire, in Glenorchy, Glenstrae and Glenlochy - the clan probably built the original Kilchurn Castle at the Pass of Brander near Glenstrae. But Robert the Bruce granted a substantial part of the MacGregor lands to his close friend and supporter Neil Campbell. Over the centuries, the expansionist Campbells and the MacGregors were in frequent conflict and as the Campbell's very often had the ear of the monarch, the MacGregors were often the losers. Over the years, the MacGregors gradually lost title to their lands and became tenants of the more powerful Campbells.
In order to survive, the MacGregors, like many other clans, often had to resort to raids on neighbouring land, stealing cattle and anything else worth taking. Since the MacGregor lands were on the edge of the Highlands, there were often soft targets in the richer lands of the Central Lowlands to the south, in Stirlingshire. But they were not averse to raiding other clan lands - in 1558 many MacLarens, including their chief, were murdered during a MacGregor raid.
In 1590, the clan chief was held responsible for the murder of John Drummond, the king's forester (who in turn had hanged some MacGregors for poaching) - even though the chief was not involved in the killings. However, he was pardoned by King James VI in 1596. But in 1602 two MacGregors were refused hospitality by Sir Alex Colquhoun at Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond. This may have been related to an incident in 1592 when the MacGregors fired an arrow which killed Sir Humphrey Colquhoun. But the insult of being refused hospitality had to be revenged and the MacGregors attacked Rossdhu Castle, killed two men and removed a few hundred cows and other livestock. The Colquhoun chief took the matter to the King (with a suitably embellished story). Matters were not helped when the two clans met soon after in a battle at Glen Fruin and 800 Colquhouns were badly beaten by a MacGregor band of half that number. The matter was again reported to the Privy Council in Edinburgh and in April 1603 the name of MacGregor was banned. Anyone continuing to use it could be sentenced to death and the clan chief was hanged in Edinburgh.
Rob Roy's Early Years
It was against this background that Rob Roy MacGregor was born in 1671 in a cottage on the banks of Loch Katrine in the Trossachs area of Stirlingshire. He was the third son of Donald Glas of Glengyle and Margaret Campbell. Rob Roy would later use his mother's surname when the banning of the MacGregor name was reinforced. As the son of a senior member of the clan, he was well educated, not just in reading and writing but in the crafts of fighting and swordsmanship. While Gaelic was his native tounge, he spoke (and wrote) in English also. Rob obtained land on the east side of Loch Lomond near Inversnaid but augmented his meagre living there with both cattle rustling and cattle droving. Cattle owners who paid "black rent" or "black meal" (the origin of the word blackmail) would have their cattle protected by Rob and his fellow MacGregors. Since they were often the cattle rustlers, paying to have them protect your cattle could be beneficial!
The MacGregors, including Rob Roy, continued to support the deposed King James VII against William of Orange and Queen Mary. When John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee (also known as "Bonnie Dundee"), raised an army in support of James (and his Jacobite cause), the MacGregors joined him. Rob Roy and his father fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie on 27 July, 1689 and although both sides lost many men, Rob and Donald Glas survived. During the following winter, however, Donald Glas was captured on a cattle raid and imprisoned. To eke out their low income, the MacGregors formed the "Lennox Watch" to protect cattle and on one occasion Rob restored cattle which had been stolen (by the MacRaes) to their rightful owner, the Campbell Earl of Breadalbane. This raised Rob's status and he was called on to protect a number of other estates.
Rob Roy the Business Man - And Outlaw
With the Jacobite cause getting nowhere, the Secretary of State agreed in 1691 that there would be an armistice - if the clan chiefs agreed to sign an Oath of Allegiance. (It was the late signing of this Oath that led to the massacre of the MacIans, a sept of the clan Donald, in Glen Coe in the following year). Initially, Donald Glas refused to sign but did so after the death of his wife. But after signing, the Privy Council demanded that he pay the cost of his imprisonment. To help pay the money, Rob undertook a raid to steal some cattle from around the village of Kippen. The men from there resisted and one was killed in the ensuing fight.
Rob was married to Helen Mary McGregor (a cousin from Comer) on 1 January 1693 at Corryarklet, between Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond. The designated MacGregor chief died the following month without legitimate heir. He had been somewhat weak and had been chief in name only - Donald Glas, Rob's father, had been the real leader.
During a visit to Glasgow in December 1695, Rob was arrested for an earlier misdemeanour and was sentenced to be sent to Flanders. But he escaped and returned home. Despite hard times, he managed to prosper and at least five sons survived to manhood. During this time his reputation as a swordsman was enhanced by winning a number of duels - his long arms were said to give him an advantage.
As a cattle dealer, Rob was making money buying stock in Scotland and selling them at a profit after taking them to England. But after a number of years of success, in 1712 he borrowed £1,000 from the Duke of Montrose to finance a deal. His chief drover, however, appears to have run off with the money. But Montrose believed that Rob was involved in the loss and although he offered to pay back as much as possible immediately, he was taken to court and declared a bankrupt and a thief. Rather than face imprisonment, Rob head north. Montrose demanded the seizure of Rob's property. It is said that Rob's wife Mary was raped and branded when the soldiers carried out the eviction.
Rob remained at large in the Highlands, evading capture and eventually the Campbell Earl of Breadalbane (an enemy of Montrose) gave him land in Glen Dochart. Rob returned to his previous mixture of lawful "protection" and raids (paying particular attention to the lands of Montrose). During this time he earned a reputation for helping poor people who had financial problems with Montrose - earning him a "Robin Hood" reputation.
Later Years
Rob Roy played a part in the Jacobite Uprising of 1715 - although he and his men arrived too late for the main battle of the campaign at Sheriffmuir which, marginally, the Jacobites won. But hesitation on the part of the Jacobite leaders and the late arrival of James VIII from France led to the withering of the Uprising. Rob Roy was named in the list of those accused of treason for their part in the Uprising but an amnesty was offered to all if they surrendered. Rob Roy eventually gave up some rusty weapons to the Duke of Argyll - who gave him a house in Glen Shira.
Rob Roy continued to raid the lands of the Duke of Montrose who tried on many occasions to capture this thorn in his side. Montrose obtained letters of "Fire and Sword" against Rob Roy McGregor. Montrose did manage to capture Rob Roy at Balquhidder but on the journey back to Stirling, Rob escaped. Then the Duke of Atholl tricked Rob, breaking a promise of safe conduct in the process. Rob was captured but while in prison in Dunkeld he bribed the guards and escaped yet again.
In 1720 Rob Roy moved back near Balquhidder (both Montrose and Atholl had given up trying to capture him by this time) and resumed his previous life. In 1723, Daniel Defoe (author of Robinson Crusoe) was in Scotland as an English Government spy and he wrote an embellished account of Rob's adventures entitled "Highland Rogue". This, like the later novel by Sir Walter Scott, helped to enhance his reputation.
The last ten years of his life were relatively peaceful. In 1730 he was converted to Catholicism - he had not been a particularly enthusiastic Protestant and his belief in the Jacobite cause may have influenced his decision. Rob died on 28 December 1734 after a short illness. He died as a piper was playing "I shall return no more" for a departing visitor.
Rob Roy was buried on New Year's Day, 1735 at Balquhidder in a funeral attended by many clansmen. His wife and two of his sons were later buried in the same grave. His gravestone has a sword carved on it. The gravestone with "MacGregor Despite Them" was added in the 1920s.
The first Gregor in Scotland was said to have been a son of King Kenneth MacAlpin in the 8th century and the clan motto, in Gaelic, means "My race is royal". The clan MacGregor is reputed to be one of the oldest in Scotland and became established in Argyll and Perthshire, in Glenorchy, Glenstrae and Glenlochy - the clan probably built the original Kilchurn Castle at the Pass of Brander near Glenstrae. But Robert the Bruce granted a substantial part of the MacGregor lands to his close friend and supporter Neil Campbell. Over the centuries, the expansionist Campbells and the MacGregors were in frequent conflict and as the Campbell's very often had the ear of the monarch, the MacGregors were often the losers. Over the years, the MacGregors gradually lost title to their lands and became tenants of the more powerful Campbells.
In order to survive, the MacGregors, like many other clans, often had to resort to raids on neighbouring land, stealing cattle and anything else worth taking. Since the MacGregor lands were on the edge of the Highlands, there were often soft targets in the richer lands of the Central Lowlands to the south, in Stirlingshire. But they were not averse to raiding other clan lands - in 1558 many MacLarens, including their chief, were murdered during a MacGregor raid.
In 1590, the clan chief was held responsible for the murder of John Drummond, the king's forester (who in turn had hanged some MacGregors for poaching) - even though the chief was not involved in the killings. However, he was pardoned by King James VI in 1596. But in 1602 two MacGregors were refused hospitality by Sir Alex Colquhoun at Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond. This may have been related to an incident in 1592 when the MacGregors fired an arrow which killed Sir Humphrey Colquhoun. But the insult of being refused hospitality had to be revenged and the MacGregors attacked Rossdhu Castle, killed two men and removed a few hundred cows and other livestock. The Colquhoun chief took the matter to the King (with a suitably embellished story). Matters were not helped when the two clans met soon after in a battle at Glen Fruin and 800 Colquhouns were badly beaten by a MacGregor band of half that number. The matter was again reported to the Privy Council in Edinburgh and in April 1603 the name of MacGregor was banned. Anyone continuing to use it could be sentenced to death and the clan chief was hanged in Edinburgh.
Rob Roy's Early Years
It was against this background that Rob Roy MacGregor was born in 1671 in a cottage on the banks of Loch Katrine in the Trossachs area of Stirlingshire. He was the third son of Donald Glas of Glengyle and Margaret Campbell. Rob Roy would later use his mother's surname when the banning of the MacGregor name was reinforced. As the son of a senior member of the clan, he was well educated, not just in reading and writing but in the crafts of fighting and swordsmanship. While Gaelic was his native tounge, he spoke (and wrote) in English also. Rob obtained land on the east side of Loch Lomond near Inversnaid but augmented his meagre living there with both cattle rustling and cattle droving. Cattle owners who paid "black rent" or "black meal" (the origin of the word blackmail) would have their cattle protected by Rob and his fellow MacGregors. Since they were often the cattle rustlers, paying to have them protect your cattle could be beneficial!
The MacGregors, including Rob Roy, continued to support the deposed King James VII against William of Orange and Queen Mary. When John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee (also known as "Bonnie Dundee"), raised an army in support of James (and his Jacobite cause), the MacGregors joined him. Rob Roy and his father fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie on 27 July, 1689 and although both sides lost many men, Rob and Donald Glas survived. During the following winter, however, Donald Glas was captured on a cattle raid and imprisoned. To eke out their low income, the MacGregors formed the "Lennox Watch" to protect cattle and on one occasion Rob restored cattle which had been stolen (by the MacRaes) to their rightful owner, the Campbell Earl of Breadalbane. This raised Rob's status and he was called on to protect a number of other estates.
Rob Roy the Business Man - And Outlaw
With the Jacobite cause getting nowhere, the Secretary of State agreed in 1691 that there would be an armistice - if the clan chiefs agreed to sign an Oath of Allegiance. (It was the late signing of this Oath that led to the massacre of the MacIans, a sept of the clan Donald, in Glen Coe in the following year). Initially, Donald Glas refused to sign but did so after the death of his wife. But after signing, the Privy Council demanded that he pay the cost of his imprisonment. To help pay the money, Rob undertook a raid to steal some cattle from around the village of Kippen. The men from there resisted and one was killed in the ensuing fight.
Rob was married to Helen Mary McGregor (a cousin from Comer) on 1 January 1693 at Corryarklet, between Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond. The designated MacGregor chief died the following month without legitimate heir. He had been somewhat weak and had been chief in name only - Donald Glas, Rob's father, had been the real leader.
During a visit to Glasgow in December 1695, Rob was arrested for an earlier misdemeanour and was sentenced to be sent to Flanders. But he escaped and returned home. Despite hard times, he managed to prosper and at least five sons survived to manhood. During this time his reputation as a swordsman was enhanced by winning a number of duels - his long arms were said to give him an advantage.
As a cattle dealer, Rob was making money buying stock in Scotland and selling them at a profit after taking them to England. But after a number of years of success, in 1712 he borrowed £1,000 from the Duke of Montrose to finance a deal. His chief drover, however, appears to have run off with the money. But Montrose believed that Rob was involved in the loss and although he offered to pay back as much as possible immediately, he was taken to court and declared a bankrupt and a thief. Rather than face imprisonment, Rob head north. Montrose demanded the seizure of Rob's property. It is said that Rob's wife Mary was raped and branded when the soldiers carried out the eviction.
Rob remained at large in the Highlands, evading capture and eventually the Campbell Earl of Breadalbane (an enemy of Montrose) gave him land in Glen Dochart. Rob returned to his previous mixture of lawful "protection" and raids (paying particular attention to the lands of Montrose). During this time he earned a reputation for helping poor people who had financial problems with Montrose - earning him a "Robin Hood" reputation.
Later Years
Rob Roy played a part in the Jacobite Uprising of 1715 - although he and his men arrived too late for the main battle of the campaign at Sheriffmuir which, marginally, the Jacobites won. But hesitation on the part of the Jacobite leaders and the late arrival of James VIII from France led to the withering of the Uprising. Rob Roy was named in the list of those accused of treason for their part in the Uprising but an amnesty was offered to all if they surrendered. Rob Roy eventually gave up some rusty weapons to the Duke of Argyll - who gave him a house in Glen Shira.
Rob Roy continued to raid the lands of the Duke of Montrose who tried on many occasions to capture this thorn in his side. Montrose obtained letters of "Fire and Sword" against Rob Roy McGregor. Montrose did manage to capture Rob Roy at Balquhidder but on the journey back to Stirling, Rob escaped. Then the Duke of Atholl tricked Rob, breaking a promise of safe conduct in the process. Rob was captured but while in prison in Dunkeld he bribed the guards and escaped yet again.
In 1720 Rob Roy moved back near Balquhidder (both Montrose and Atholl had given up trying to capture him by this time) and resumed his previous life. In 1723, Daniel Defoe (author of Robinson Crusoe) was in Scotland as an English Government spy and he wrote an embellished account of Rob's adventures entitled "Highland Rogue". This, like the later novel by Sir Walter Scott, helped to enhance his reputation.
The last ten years of his life were relatively peaceful. In 1730 he was converted to Catholicism - he had not been a particularly enthusiastic Protestant and his belief in the Jacobite cause may have influenced his decision. Rob died on 28 December 1734 after a short illness. He died as a piper was playing "I shall return no more" for a departing visitor.
Rob Roy was buried on New Year's Day, 1735 at Balquhidder in a funeral attended by many clansmen. His wife and two of his sons were later buried in the same grave. His gravestone has a sword carved on it. The gravestone with "MacGregor Despite Them" was added in the 1920s.