Battle of Garbharry
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Garbharry was a Scottish clan
battle fought in the year 1555. It was the last battle to be fought between the Clan MacKay
and Clan Sutherland
. It was fought "beside the water of Garbharry", at "the foot of the hill called Beinn-mhor, in Berriedale".
to punish Iye MacKay for his failure to attend her in Inverness. The Earl destroyed the Mackay's main stronghold on the north coast, Borve Castle
north of Farr which the Clan Mackay had used to carry out raids on the Clan Sutherland. The Earl of Sutherland confronted Iye Mackay in Strathbrora, forcing him to surrender himself to imprisonment in Edinburgh.
Iye's first cousin John-More MacKay then assumed power. He led a raid towards Helmsdale
, and burnt the chapel of St. Ninian's at Navidale just north of Helmsdale before pulling back.
The Queen granted commission to John Gordon, Earl of Sutherland, against Iye MacKay and his country. The Earl of Sutherland, assisted by Huntly, and having the regent's commission, raised an overwhelming force, and for the first time that ever any Earl of Sutherland adventured to do so, invaded MacKay's country. So Earl John assembling all his forces, entered into Strathnaver, sack-ing and spoiling before him in a hostile manner, and possessed all the places of doubt, lest, as Hollinshed sayeth, any hole might be left for them to pass away from thence. But when Earl John perceived that Iye MacKay would not abide and fight him, he besieged the strong castle and fort called Borwe, the principal strength of that country, not two miles distant from Far. After a short siege, he took it by force, and hanged Rory MacKean-Voir, captain thereof.
Iye MacKay and his people, however, acted more manfully than to hide themselves in holes, and more prudently than to fight such a multitude: they marched by another direction to the coast-side, and spoiled before them, doing more injury than they had received. It appears that Earl John had been apprehensive of this, and had ordered his chamberline, MacKenzie of Kintail
, to guard his country in his absence, assisted by his clan, and others from Ross, of which Earl John was then lieutenant. They met at Strathbora, where they had a conflict and whosever credits Sir Robert, needs be at no loss to the conjecture how it terminated. He says, that on that occasion, Iye MacKay burnt the church at Loth, but mentions no cause. It rests on his authority that he did so at all: but if he did so, it must have been in order to redress himself of the enemy who had taken sanctuary there: but stones and timber were then beginning to be less held in veneration than formerly. Some time thereafter, Iye MacKay having left his country and affairs under the management of his cousin, John-More MacKay, took his journey to Edinburgh
, and gave himself up to the regent, to take his trial, in reference to any crimes that might be charged against him. It is said that she was much taken with his appearance, and felt inclined to befriend him. She had also many upright men of her council at that time, such as the Earls of Cassilis, Glencairn, and Argyle, Lord James Stuart, afterwards Earl of Murray, and others. It does not appear that he was brought to any trial, but kept in confinement for some time.
The Queen Regent having gotten the Government of Scotland from the Earl of Arran, she made her progress into the North, and so to Inverness the year of God 1555. Then was Y Mackay (the son of Donald) summoned to compear before the Queen at Inverness, for that he had spoiled and molested the country of Sutherland during Earl John's being in France with the Queen Regent. Mackay refused to compear, whereupon there was a commission granted to John, Earl of Sutherland, against him. Earl John invaded Strathnaver in all hostile manner, and besieged the Castle of Borve, the principal fort of that country, which he took by force, and caused hang the Captain, then demolished the fort. In end, he beset Y Mackay so, on all sides, that he forced him to render himself, and then was delivered by Earl John to Sir Hugh Kennedy, by whom he was conveyed South and committed to ward in the Castle of Edinburgh, where he remained a long space. Whilst Y Mackay staid in captivity, his cousin-german John Mor Mackay, took upon him the government of Strathnaver. This John Mor taking the occasion of Earl John's absence in the south of Scotland, he invaded Sutherland with a company of the most resolute men in Strathnaver; they burnt the chapel of St. Ninian's in Navidell, where the inhabitants of the country, upon this sudden tumult, had conveyed some of their goods; so, having spoiled that part of the country, they retire homeward. The inhabitants of Sutherland assembled together, and followed in all haste under the conduct of MacJames, the Terell of the Doil, and James MacWilliam. They overtook the Strathnaver men at the foot of the hill called Beinn-mhor, in Berriedale, and invaded them beside the water of Garbharry, where then ensued a cruel conflict, fought with great obstinacy. The Strathnaver men were overthrown and chased; about 120 of them were slain, and some drowned in Garbharry. This is the last conflict that hath been fought betwixt Sutherland and Strathnaver.
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...
battle fought in the year 1555. It was the last battle to be fought between the Clan MacKay
Clan MacKay
Clan Mackay is an ancient and once powerful Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old kingdom of Moray. They were a powerful force in politics beginning in the 14th century, supporting Robert the Bruce. In the centuries that followed they were...
and Clan Sutherland
Clan Sutherland
Clan Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is located in the region of Sutherland in northern highlands of Scotland and was one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The clan seat is at Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland...
. It was fought "beside the water of Garbharry", at "the foot of the hill called Beinn-mhor, in Berriedale".
Background
In 1555 John, Earl of Sutherland was commissioned by the Queen Regent, Mary of GuiseMary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
to punish Iye MacKay for his failure to attend her in Inverness. The Earl destroyed the Mackay's main stronghold on the north coast, Borve Castle
Borve Castle, Sutherland
Borve Castle in Sutherland, Scottish Highlands is now a ruin. Formerly called the House of Burro. It was built in Kirtomy Bay near the hamlet of Farr....
north of Farr which the Clan Mackay had used to carry out raids on the Clan Sutherland. The Earl of Sutherland confronted Iye Mackay in Strathbrora, forcing him to surrender himself to imprisonment in Edinburgh.
Iye's first cousin John-More MacKay then assumed power. He led a raid towards Helmsdale
Helmsdale
Helmsdale is a village on the east coast of Sutherland, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The modern village was planned in 1814 to resettle communities that had been removed from the surrounding straths as part of the Highland Clearances....
, and burnt the chapel of St. Ninian's at Navidale just north of Helmsdale before pulling back.
Battle
The Sutherlands assembled a force under MacJames, the Terell of the Doil and James MacWilliam and set off in pursuit. They caught up with the Mackays in Berriedale. 120 Mackays were killed in battle, and others drowned in the waters of the Garbharry.Sir Robert Gordon
Historian Sir Robert Gordon (1580–1656) wrote of the feud in his book the "Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland":The Queen granted commission to John Gordon, Earl of Sutherland, against Iye MacKay and his country. The Earl of Sutherland, assisted by Huntly, and having the regent's commission, raised an overwhelming force, and for the first time that ever any Earl of Sutherland adventured to do so, invaded MacKay's country. So Earl John assembling all his forces, entered into Strathnaver, sack-ing and spoiling before him in a hostile manner, and possessed all the places of doubt, lest, as Hollinshed sayeth, any hole might be left for them to pass away from thence. But when Earl John perceived that Iye MacKay would not abide and fight him, he besieged the strong castle and fort called Borwe, the principal strength of that country, not two miles distant from Far. After a short siege, he took it by force, and hanged Rory MacKean-Voir, captain thereof.
Robert MacKay
Robert MacKay after giving Sir Robert Gordon's account continues to the Battle of Garbharry in his book the "History of the House and Clan of the Name MacKay" (1829):Iye MacKay and his people, however, acted more manfully than to hide themselves in holes, and more prudently than to fight such a multitude: they marched by another direction to the coast-side, and spoiled before them, doing more injury than they had received. It appears that Earl John had been apprehensive of this, and had ordered his chamberline, MacKenzie of Kintail
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...
, to guard his country in his absence, assisted by his clan, and others from Ross, of which Earl John was then lieutenant. They met at Strathbora, where they had a conflict and whosever credits Sir Robert, needs be at no loss to the conjecture how it terminated. He says, that on that occasion, Iye MacKay burnt the church at Loth, but mentions no cause. It rests on his authority that he did so at all: but if he did so, it must have been in order to redress himself of the enemy who had taken sanctuary there: but stones and timber were then beginning to be less held in veneration than formerly. Some time thereafter, Iye MacKay having left his country and affairs under the management of his cousin, John-More MacKay, took his journey to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and gave himself up to the regent, to take his trial, in reference to any crimes that might be charged against him. It is said that she was much taken with his appearance, and felt inclined to befriend him. She had also many upright men of her council at that time, such as the Earls of Cassilis, Glencairn, and Argyle, Lord James Stuart, afterwards Earl of Murray, and others. It does not appear that he was brought to any trial, but kept in confinement for some time.
Conflicts of the Clans
An account of the battle was written in the book Conflicts of the Clans published by the Foulis Press in 1764, written from a manuscript from the time of King James VI of Scotland (1566–1625):The Queen Regent having gotten the Government of Scotland from the Earl of Arran, she made her progress into the North, and so to Inverness the year of God 1555. Then was Y Mackay (the son of Donald) summoned to compear before the Queen at Inverness, for that he had spoiled and molested the country of Sutherland during Earl John's being in France with the Queen Regent. Mackay refused to compear, whereupon there was a commission granted to John, Earl of Sutherland, against him. Earl John invaded Strathnaver in all hostile manner, and besieged the Castle of Borve, the principal fort of that country, which he took by force, and caused hang the Captain, then demolished the fort. In end, he beset Y Mackay so, on all sides, that he forced him to render himself, and then was delivered by Earl John to Sir Hugh Kennedy, by whom he was conveyed South and committed to ward in the Castle of Edinburgh, where he remained a long space. Whilst Y Mackay staid in captivity, his cousin-german John Mor Mackay, took upon him the government of Strathnaver. This John Mor taking the occasion of Earl John's absence in the south of Scotland, he invaded Sutherland with a company of the most resolute men in Strathnaver; they burnt the chapel of St. Ninian's in Navidell, where the inhabitants of the country, upon this sudden tumult, had conveyed some of their goods; so, having spoiled that part of the country, they retire homeward. The inhabitants of Sutherland assembled together, and followed in all haste under the conduct of MacJames, the Terell of the Doil, and James MacWilliam. They overtook the Strathnaver men at the foot of the hill called Beinn-mhor, in Berriedale, and invaded them beside the water of Garbharry, where then ensued a cruel conflict, fought with great obstinacy. The Strathnaver men were overthrown and chased; about 120 of them were slain, and some drowned in Garbharry. This is the last conflict that hath been fought betwixt Sutherland and Strathnaver.