Clan Sutherland
Encyclopedia
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
. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland
.
who was a Flemish
nobleman by the name of Freskin
the son or possibly grandson of Ollec. Freskin's grandson was Hugh de Moravia who was granted lands in Sutherland and was known as Lord de Sudrland. Hugh's brother, William was progenitor of the Clan Murray. Hugh's eldest son (also called William) was William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland. The place name and clan name of "Sutherland" came from it being the land to the 'south' of the Norse Earldom of Orkney and Caithness. Although the senior line of chiefs who were Earls of Sutherland were known by the surname 'de Moravia', the younger sons of the family would take the surname 'Sutherland', creating the cadet branches of the Clan Sutherland.
took place in 1314. During the Wars of Scottish Independence
, the Clan Sutherland under chief William de Moravia, 3rd Earl of Sutherland fought at Bannockburn in 1314 where the English army was defeated. At the Battle of Halidon Hill
in 1333, Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland
later led the Clan Sutherland where the Scottish army was defeated.
William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland, whose wife was the daughter of Robert the Bruce and sister of King David II of Scotland
, led the clan at Kilblene where he participated in the siege of Cupar Castle Fife. Along with the Earl of March took foray into England. William de Moravia Earl of Sutherland accompanied King David II of Scotland into England where both were captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross
in 1346, by Durham. They remained in prison for over ten years before being released. John, the son of the Earl and Princess Margaret, was designated the heir to the Throne over Robert Stewart
, who eventually became King Robert II in 1371.
and the Lairds of Forse. The Duffus Lairds descended from Nicholas Sutherland, only brother of William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1370). The Forse Lairds stem from Kenneth Sutherland, only brother of Robert de Moravia, 6th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1427). (Robert's half brother John, who was already a grandson of King Robert the Bruce
, predeceased his father.) Duffus, as already noted, is outside the country of Sutherland. So also is Forse, which is in Caithness.
of Caithness, Clan Mackay
and the Clan McLeod to the west of Sutherland. The long dispute with the MacKays came to a head when Nicholas Sutherland of Duffus, head of one of the junior branches, murdered Mackay and his heir in their beds at Dingwall Castle
where they had met in an attempt to patch up the feud. Much bloodshed followed, including a retaliatory raid on Dornoch. The cathedral was once again set on fire and many Sutherland men were hanged in the town square. After this, the feud quieted down as both sides were called away to fight against the English. In 1388 the Earl of Sutherland was a leader of the Scots invading into the west of England. He married Margaret Stewart, daughter of Alexander, Earl of Buchan, a younger son of King Robert II of Scotland
.
was fought in 1431, Angus Dubh Mackay defeats Angus Murray and the Sutherlanders on the slopes of the mountain Ben Loyal
near Tongue
.
The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet
was fought in 1480, John MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross
invaded Sutherland and fought against men of the Clan Sutherland and Clan Murray
. The Sutherlanders were victorious.
The Battle of Auldicharish
was fought in 1487, To take revenge on the Clan Ross
, chief Ian MacKay of Clan MacKay helped by a force from Clan Sutherland marched south invading the territory of Clan Ross and began laying waste to it. Chief Alistair Ross gathered his forces of 2,000 men and engaged in a long and desperate battle with the invading forces. In the end, the battle went against the Rosses with the MacKays and Sutherlands gaining the upper hand. The Ross chief was killed along with many of his clan.
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William Sutherland, 4th Laird of Duffus was killed leading the clan against the English at the Battle of Flodden Field
in 1513.
In 1517 Elizabeth de Moravia, 10th Countess of Sutherland married Adam Gordon, son of Gordon of Huntly. Their son Alexander Gordon would become the legal heir to the Earldom of Sutherland and overall chieftainship of the Clan Sutherland.
In 1517 the Clan Sutherland, encountered John Mackay and his company at a place called Torran Dubh, beside Rogart, in Strathfleet, where there ensued a fierce and cruel conflict known as the Battle of Torran Dubh
, where the Mackays were defeated.
The Battle of Alltan-Beath
took place in 1542, Chief Donald MacKay of Strathnaver decided to invade and molest the lands of Clan Sutherland. He burned the village of Knockarthur and looted Strathbrora. The Clan Sutherland and Clan Murray
, led by Hutcheon Murray of Abirscors with Gilbert Gordon of Garty, decided to attack the MacKays. They attacked the MacKays at a place called Ailtan-Beath. After the battle the MacKays fled and much of the stolen booty was recovered. Donald MacKay was captured and imprisoned in Foulis Castle
, Ross-shire by commandment of the Queen Regent.
In 1545 at Dingwall
, the Earl of Sutherland
entered into a bond of manrent
with John Mackenzie of Kintail for mutual defense against all enemies, reserving only their allegiance to the youthful Mary, Queen of Scots.
In 1547 John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland leads clan against the English army at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh
In 1555 the Battle of Garbharry
was fought, which was the last battle between the Clan Mackay and the Clan Sutherland. In 1586 the Battle of Leckmelm
took place where the Sutherlands, Mackays and MacLeods defeat the Clan Gunn.
In 1588, the Battle near Wick, Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland divorced his obnoxious Sinclair wife in 1573. He waged all-out war with her father and Clan Sinclair
before gaining a decisive victory outside Wick in 1588, when more than a hundred Sinclair clansmen were killed in a pitched battle on the seashore. Earl Alexander later married the divorced wife of the Earl of Bothwell, third husband to Mary, Queen of Scots. Sinclair & Girnigoe Castle
withstood a siege by the Earl of Sutherland 1588. In 1589, George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness, invaded and laid waste the lands of the Clan Sutherland.
but is defeated.
In 1650, the Clan Sutherland along with the Clan Munro
and the Clan Ross
joined forces with the Scottish Argyll Government to fight against James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
and his Royalist Army of foreigners, who they defeated at the Battle of Carbisdale
.
In 1685, John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland, raised men of the Clan Sutherland to oppose the Earl of Argyll's expedition. The Earl of Sutherland also raised two regiments from the clan after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The second of which he was a Colonel in command in Flanders in 1694.
were themselves divided with half supporting the Jacobites and half supporting the government. The 2nd Duke of Gordon had followed the Jacobites in 1715, but the 3rd Duke of Gordon supported the British government by the time of the 1745 uprising. However, his brother raised two regiments against him to fight as Jacobites at the Battle of Falkirk (1746)
and the Battle of Culloden
.
In 1745, the fighting force of the Clan Sutherland was given as 2,000 men. Unfortunately when the Jacobite Uprisings began in 1745 the Jacobites, under the Earl of Cromarty, stormed Clan Sutherland's Dunrobin Castle
without warning. The Earl of Sutherland
who had changed his surname from Gordon to Sutherland; William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland narrowly escaped them through a back door. He sailed for Aberdeen
where he joined the Duke of Cumberland
's army.
The redeeming parts of the Jacobite Uprising came for Clan Sutherland when they defeated the same Jacobite force under the Earl of Cromartie
, chief of Clan MacKenzie
as it made its way to join Prince Charlie at Culloden, in what became known as the Battle of Littleferry. However despite all these efforts by the Earl of Sutherland to defeat the Jacobites, including his victory at Littleferry, he struggled to prove to the parliament in London that he had not had Jacobite sympathies.
Sutherland was whoever held the title Earl of Sutherland
and unlike many Scottish clan chiefs, they did not necessarily have the name of Sutherland. The family who are first known to have been in possession of this title was a line who were known by the surname "de Moravia". The Earldom passed by right of marriage to a younger son of the chief of Clan Gordon
early in the 16th century (although not without opposition from her bastard half-brother, Alexander Sutherland of Beridale, a natural son of her father, the Earl John. He married a daughter of Iye Roy-Mackay of Strathnaver and had descendants).
This line of Gordons who were Earls of Sutherland changed their surname from Gordon to Sutherland in the 18th century during the Jacobite Uprisings. However, later on during the 18th century, the Earldom which was promoted to the rank of "Duke" passed to various people from different family lines within the Clan Sutherland.
The current Chief of Clan Sutherland is Elizabeth Millicent, Countess of Sutherland.
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...
whose traditional territory is located in the region of Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
in northern highlands of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and was one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The clan seat is at Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway...
, Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
.
Origins of the clan
The progenitor of the Clan Sutherland was also the progenitor of the Clan MurrayClan Murray
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The Murrays were a great and powerful clan whose lands and cadet houses were scattered throughout Scotland.- Origins of the Clan :...
who was a Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
nobleman by the name of Freskin
Freskin
Freskin was a minor nobleman active in the reign of King David I of Scotland. His name appears only in a charter by King William to Freskin's son, William, granting Strathbrock in West Lothian and Duffus, Kintrae, and other lands in Moray, "which his father held in the time of King David"...
the son or possibly grandson of Ollec. Freskin's grandson was Hugh de Moravia who was granted lands in Sutherland and was known as Lord de Sudrland. Hugh's brother, William was progenitor of the Clan Murray. Hugh's eldest son (also called William) was William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland. The place name and clan name of "Sutherland" came from it being the land to the 'south' of the Norse Earldom of Orkney and Caithness. Although the senior line of chiefs who were Earls of Sutherland were known by the surname 'de Moravia', the younger sons of the family would take the surname 'Sutherland', creating the cadet branches of the Clan Sutherland.
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Battle of BannockburnBattle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
took place in 1314. During the Wars of Scottish Independence
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
, the Clan Sutherland under chief William de Moravia, 3rd Earl of Sutherland fought at Bannockburn in 1314 where the English army was defeated. At the Battle of Halidon Hill
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill was fought during the Second War of Scottish Independence. Scottish forces under Sir Archibald Douglas were heavily defeated on unfavourable terrain while trying to relieve Berwick-upon-Tweed.-The Disinherited:...
in 1333, Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland
Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland
Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland was Earl of Sutherland. He was killed at the Battle of Halidon Hill.-External links:*...
later led the Clan Sutherland where the Scottish army was defeated.
William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland, whose wife was the daughter of Robert the Bruce and sister of King David II of Scotland
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
, led the clan at Kilblene where he participated in the siege of Cupar Castle Fife. Along with the Earl of March took foray into England. William de Moravia Earl of Sutherland accompanied King David II of Scotland into England where both were captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross
Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place to the west of Durham, England on 17 October 1346.-Background:In 1346, England was embroiled in the Hundred Years' War with France. In order to divert his enemy Philip VI of France appealed to David II of Scotland to attack the English from the north in...
in 1346, by Durham. They remained in prison for over ten years before being released. John, the son of the Earl and Princess Margaret, was designated the heir to the Throne over Robert Stewart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, who eventually became King Robert II in 1371.
Branches of the clan
The two branches of Clan Sutherland most closely related to the Sutherland Earls, or Clan Chiefs, were the Lairds of and later Lords of DuffusLord Duffus
The title Lord Duffus was created by Charles II in the Peerage of Scotland on 8 December 1650 for Alexander Sutherland. He was a descendant of the 4th Earl of Sutherland, who fell in battle in 1333. The title is now extinct, although there may be male-line Sutherlands descended from earlier lairds...
and the Lairds of Forse. The Duffus Lairds descended from Nicholas Sutherland, only brother of William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1370). The Forse Lairds stem from Kenneth Sutherland, only brother of Robert de Moravia, 6th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1427). (Robert's half brother John, who was already a grandson of King Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
, predeceased his father.) Duffus, as already noted, is outside the country of Sutherland. So also is Forse, which is in Caithness.
14th century clan conflicts
Raid of Dornoch 1372; The habitual enemies of Clan Sutherland were the Clan SinclairClan Sinclair
Clan Sinclair is a Highland Scottish clan of Norman origin who held lands in the north of Scotland, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians which they received from the Kings of Scots...
of Caithness, 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 the Clan McLeod to the west of Sutherland. The long dispute with the MacKays came to a head when Nicholas Sutherland of Duffus, head of one of the junior branches, murdered Mackay and his heir in their beds at Dingwall Castle
Dingwall Castle
Dingwall Castle was a medieval fort in the town of Dingwall, eastern Ross-shire, Scotland.The castle is believed to have been established by Norse settlers in the area in the 11th century.-Wars of Scottish Independence:...
where they had met in an attempt to patch up the feud. Much bloodshed followed, including a retaliatory raid on Dornoch. The cathedral was once again set on fire and many Sutherland men were hanged in the town square. After this, the feud quieted down as both sides were called away to fight against the English. In 1388 the Earl of Sutherland was a leader of the Scots invading into the west of England. He married Margaret Stewart, daughter of Alexander, Earl of Buchan, a younger son of King Robert II of Scotland
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
.
15th century and clan conflicts
The Battle of DrumnacoubBattle of Drumnacoub
The Battle of Drumnacoub was a battle involving factions of the Clan Mackay fought in the far northwest of Scotland, some time between 1427 and 1433. It took place on a hill called Carn Fada at the southern end of the Kyle of Tongue, between Ben Loyal and the village of Tongue...
was fought in 1431, Angus Dubh Mackay defeats Angus Murray and the Sutherlanders on the slopes of the mountain Ben Loyal
Ben Loyal
Ben Loyal is an isolated mountain of 764 m in Sutherland, the northwestern tip of the Scottish Highlands. It is a Corbett located south of the Kyle of Tongue, and provides good views of the Kyle, Loch Loyal to the east, and Ben Hope to the west....
near Tongue
Tongue, Highland
Tongue is a coastal village in northwest Highland, Scotland, in the western part of the former county of Sutherland. It lies on the east shore above the base of the Kyle of Tongue and north of the mountains Ben Hope and Ben Loyal...
.
The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet
Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet
The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet was prompted by Clan Donald's invasion of the area around Dornoch in northern Scotland in 1480. Two attacks were repulsed by the local clans of Clan Sutherland and Clan Murray.-Background:...
was fought in 1480, John MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross
John of Islay, Earl of Ross
John of Islay was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He was Earl of Ross and last Lord of the Isles as well as being Mac Domhnaill, chief of Clan Donald....
invaded Sutherland and fought against men of the Clan Sutherland and Clan Murray
Clan Murray
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The Murrays were a great and powerful clan whose lands and cadet houses were scattered throughout Scotland.- Origins of the Clan :...
. The Sutherlanders were victorious.
The Battle of Auldicharish
Battle of Auldicharish
The Battle of Aldy Charrish was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 11 July 1487...
was fought in 1487, To take revenge on 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...
, chief Ian MacKay of Clan MacKay helped by a force from Clan Sutherland marched south invading the territory of Clan Ross and began laying waste to it. Chief Alistair Ross gathered his forces of 2,000 men and engaged in a long and desperate battle with the invading forces. In the end, the battle went against the Rosses with the MacKays and Sutherlands gaining the upper hand. The Ross chief was killed along with many of his clan.
16th century and clan conflicts
Battle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
in 1513.
In 1517 Elizabeth de Moravia, 10th Countess of Sutherland married Adam Gordon, son of Gordon of Huntly. Their son Alexander Gordon would become the legal heir to the Earldom of Sutherland and overall chieftainship of the Clan Sutherland.
In 1517 the Clan Sutherland, encountered John Mackay and his company at a place called Torran Dubh, beside Rogart, in Strathfleet, where there ensued a fierce and cruel conflict known as the Battle of Torran Dubh
Battle of Torran Dubh
The Battle of Torran Dubh also known as the Battle of Torran-dow was a Scottish clan battle that was fought between the Clan Mackay and Clan Sutherland, and their allies. The battle was fought in 1517 in Strathfleet in the Scottish Highlands....
, where the Mackays were defeated.
The Battle of Alltan-Beath
Battle of Alltan-Beath
The Battle of Alltan-Beath also known as the Battle of Ailtan-Beath was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1542 in the village of Knockarthur , in Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands...
took place in 1542, Chief Donald MacKay of Strathnaver decided to invade and molest the lands of Clan Sutherland. He burned the village of Knockarthur and looted Strathbrora. The Clan Sutherland and Clan Murray
Clan Murray
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The Murrays were a great and powerful clan whose lands and cadet houses were scattered throughout Scotland.- Origins of the Clan :...
, led by Hutcheon Murray of Abirscors with Gilbert Gordon of Garty, decided to attack the MacKays. They attacked the MacKays at a place called Ailtan-Beath. After the battle the MacKays fled and much of the stolen booty was recovered. Donald MacKay was captured and imprisoned in Foulis Castle
Foulis Castle
Foulis Castle lies in the parish of Kiltearn, about 1.5 miles southwest of the village of Evanton in the Highland area of northern Scotland. The castle has been the seat of the Clan Munro for over eight hundred years. During the 11th century, the clan chief was given the castle and Foulis lands as...
, Ross-shire by commandment of the Queen Regent.
In 1545 at Dingwall
Dingwall
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...
, the Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
entered into a bond of manrent
Manrent
Manrent refers to a Scottish mid 15th century to the early 17th century type of contract, usually military in nature and involving Scottish clans...
with John Mackenzie of Kintail for mutual defense against all enemies, reserving only their allegiance to the youthful Mary, Queen of Scots.
In 1547 John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland leads clan against the English army at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh
Battle of Pinkie Cleugh
The Battle of Pinkie Cleugh, on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland on 10 September 1547, was part of the War of the Rough Wooing. It was the last pitched battle between Scottish and English armies, and is seen as the first modern battle in the British Isles...
In 1555 the Battle of Garbharry
Battle of Garbharry
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...
was fought, which was the last battle between the Clan Mackay and the Clan Sutherland. In 1586 the Battle of Leckmelm
Battle of Leckmelm
The Battle of Leckmelm was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1586, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Gunn against the Clan Sutherland, Clan Mackay and Clan MacLeod.-Background:...
took place where the Sutherlands, Mackays and MacLeods defeat the Clan Gunn.
In 1588, the Battle near Wick, Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland divorced his obnoxious Sinclair wife in 1573. He waged all-out war with her father and Clan Sinclair
Clan Sinclair
Clan Sinclair is a Highland Scottish clan of Norman origin who held lands in the north of Scotland, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians which they received from the Kings of Scots...
before gaining a decisive victory outside Wick in 1588, when more than a hundred Sinclair clansmen were killed in a pitched battle on the seashore. Earl Alexander later married the divorced wife of the Earl of Bothwell, third husband to Mary, Queen of Scots. Sinclair & Girnigoe Castle
Sinclair & Girnigoe Castle
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe is a castle located about 3 miles north of Wick on the east coast of Caithness, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is considered to be one of the earliest seats of Clan Sinclair.-History:...
withstood a siege by the Earl of Sutherland 1588. In 1589, George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness, invaded and laid waste the lands of the Clan Sutherland.
17th century and Civil War
In Sir Robert Gordon's time during the 17th century the Clan Sutherland began to acquire the reputation for enthusiastic and pious Protestantism. This is probably what made the Gordon Earls of Sutherland begin to distance themselves from their Gordon of Huntly cousins who were Catholics and later Jacobites. Sir Robert's nephew, for example, was known as the Covenanting Earl and the clan was involved with the troubles through the 17th and 18th centuries but was supportive of the British Crown. In 1645 John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland leads the clan against the royalists at the Battle of AuldearnBattle 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...
but is defeated.
In 1650, the Clan Sutherland along with the Clan Munro
Clan Munro
-Origins:The main traditional origin of the clan is that the Munros came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th century and that they fought as mercenary soldiers under the Earl of Ross who defeated Viking invaders in Rosshire...
and 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...
joined forces with the Scottish Argyll Government to fight against 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...
and his Royalist Army of foreigners, who they defeated at the Battle of Carbisdale
Battle of Carbisdale
The Battle of Carbisdale took place close to the Village of Culrain on 27 April 1650 and was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
.
In 1685, John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland, raised men of the Clan Sutherland to oppose the Earl of Argyll's expedition. The Earl of Sutherland also raised two regiments from the clan after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The second of which he was a Colonel in command in Flanders in 1694.
18th century and Jacobite Uprisings
In 1719, a detachment of men from the Clan Sutherland fought for the British government at the Battle of Glenshiel where they helped to defeat the Jacobites. The Clan Sutherland also supported the British government during the Jacobite uprisings in 1745-1746. The Earl and chief of Clan Sutherland had been of the surname Gordon ever since the early 16th century and their now distant cousins, the chiefs of Clan GordonClan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
were themselves divided with half supporting the Jacobites and half supporting the government. The 2nd Duke of Gordon had followed the Jacobites in 1715, but the 3rd Duke of Gordon supported the British government by the time of the 1745 uprising. However, his brother raised two regiments against him to fight as Jacobites at the Battle of Falkirk (1746)
Battle of Falkirk (1746)
During the Second Jacobite Rising, the Battle of Falkirk Muir was the last noteworthy Jacobite success.-Background:...
and the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
.
In 1745, the fighting force of the Clan Sutherland was given as 2,000 men. Unfortunately when the Jacobite Uprisings began in 1745 the Jacobites, under the Earl of Cromarty, stormed Clan Sutherland's Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway...
without warning. The Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
who had changed his surname from Gordon to Sutherland; William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland narrowly escaped them through a back door. He sailed for Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
where he joined the Duke of Cumberland
Duke of Cumberland
Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British Royal Family, named after the county of Cumberland.-History:...
's army.
The redeeming parts of the Jacobite Uprising came for Clan Sutherland when they defeated the same Jacobite force under the Earl of Cromartie
Earl of Cromartie
Earl of Cromartie is a title that has been created twice, both times for members of the Mackenzie family. This branch of the family descends from Sir Roderick Mackenzie, whose elder brother Kenneth Mackenzie was created Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609 and was the father of Colin Mackenzie, 1st...
, chief of 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...
as it made its way to join Prince Charlie at Culloden, in what became known as the Battle of Littleferry. However despite all these efforts by the Earl of Sutherland to defeat the Jacobites, including his victory at Littleferry, he struggled to prove to the parliament in London that he had not had Jacobite sympathies.
Chiefs
The chief of ClanScottish 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...
Sutherland was whoever held the title Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
and unlike many Scottish clan chiefs, they did not necessarily have the name of Sutherland. The family who are first known to have been in possession of this title was a line who were known by the surname "de Moravia". The Earldom passed by right of marriage to a younger son of the chief of Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon, also known as the House of Gordon, is a Scottish clan. The chief of the clan was the powerful Earl of Huntly, now also Marquess of Huntly.-Origins:...
early in the 16th century (although not without opposition from her bastard half-brother, Alexander Sutherland of Beridale, a natural son of her father, the Earl John. He married a daughter of Iye Roy-Mackay of Strathnaver and had descendants).
This line of Gordons who were Earls of Sutherland changed their surname from Gordon to Sutherland in the 18th century during the Jacobite Uprisings. However, later on during the 18th century, the Earldom which was promoted to the rank of "Duke" passed to various people from different family lines within the Clan Sutherland.
The current Chief of Clan Sutherland is Elizabeth Millicent, Countess of Sutherland.
Castles
- Dunrobin CastleDunrobin CastleDunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway...
is the seat of the Earl of Sutherland, chief of the Clan Sutherland. - Dornoch CastleDornoch CastleDornoch Castle is situated opposite Dornoch Cathedral in the village of Dornoch, in Sutherland, Scotland, a little over north of Inverness.-History:...
given to John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland in 1557 by the Bishop of Caithness. - Duffus CastleDuffus CastleDuffus Castle, near Elgin, Moray, Scotland, was a motte-and-bailey castle and was in use from c.1140 to 1705. During its occupation it underwent many alterations. The most fundamental was the destruction of the original wooden structure and its replacement with one of stone. At the time of its...
was the seat of the Sutherland of DuffusLord DuffusThe title Lord Duffus was created by Charles II in the Peerage of Scotland on 8 December 1650 for Alexander Sutherland. He was a descendant of the 4th Earl of Sutherland, who fell in battle in 1333. The title is now extinct, although there may be male-line Sutherlands descended from earlier lairds...
branch of the clan. - Forse CastleForseForse Castle is a ruined building dating from 1200 in the hamlet of Forse in the Caithness region in the Scottish council area of Highland.The castle stands on a peninsula about 50 metres above sea level...
was the seat of the Sutherland of Forse branch of the clan.
Clan Profile
- Gaelic Names: Suithearlarach (Singular) & Na Suithearlaraichean (Collective)
- Motto: "Sans Peur" (FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for "Without Fear") - SloganSlogan (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...
: "Ceann na Drochaide Bige!" (Gaelic for "The Head of the Little Bridge!") - Pipe Music: "The Earl of Sutherland's March"
- Crest: A cat-a-mountain saliant Proper
- Supporters: Two savages wreathed head and middle with laurel, holding batons in their hands proper.
- Plant Badge: Butcher's Broom, Cotton Sedge
- Animal Symbol: Cat.
- Arms (Earl of Sutherland as recorded for the fifteenth Earl, 1719):
- Shield: Gules, three mullets Or, on a bordure of the second a double tressure flory counterflory of the first.
Tartans
- Old Sutherland (Ancient)
- Old Sutherland (Dress)
- Old Sutherland (Modern)
- Old Sutherland (Muted)
- Old Sutherland (Weathered)
- Sutherland (Modern)
Septs
- Cheney
- Cheyne
- Chiene
- Clyne
- Duffes
- Duffus
- Federith
- Gray
- Grey
- Keith
- Mouat
- Mowat(t)
- Murray
- Norman
- O'May