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Donald Cameron ('Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe')
Encyclopedia
Donald Cameron also known as Black Taylor of the Axe (Scottish Gaelic: Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe), who lived in the Scottish Highlands
during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, was an illegitimate son of Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, 14th chief
of Clan Cameron
, and the daughter of the chief of Clan MacDougall
. Donald Cameron is claimed as the eponym
ous ancestor of the Taylor sept
of Clan Cameron. He is alluded to in the coat of arms
of the chief of Clan Cameron, as a likeness of him appears as the supporters
holding a Lochaber axe
.
("Cameron country"). There, as an infant, Donald received the nickname An Taillear Dubh (an, a diminutive; Taillear, an occupational reference to the caretaker's husband; Dubh, translated as "black" in the context of meaning "swarthy" or "dark tempered").
Ewen died in captivity in 1553, prisoner of the chief of Clan MacDougall who was holding Ewen captive until such time as he agreed to marry the chief's daughter. Acknowledgement of Donald's parentage did not suffice according to laws of hereditary succession, the consequence being that Ewen, an unmarried man, died without "legitimate issue". The title of 15th chief of Clan Cameron passed instead to Ewen's younger brother, Donald Cameron of Lochiel. As for property, Donald did not inherit his father's lands, as Queen Mary – unhappy with Ewen's fighting history and lack of obedience towards her summons – granted all of Ewen's lands to George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
.
, the earliest cadet branch
of Strathlachlan to leave Cowal
, and hereditary standard-bearer
s to Cameron of Lochiel. Corunan was located midway between Fort William
and Corran
of Ardgour
in Lochaber,
and it was here that Donald developed skills with the fighting weapon of his area, the Lochaber axe
, using it when Camerons battled.
The 15th chief of Clan Cameron died without legitimate issue in 1569. His younger brother, John, would have been next in line of hereditary succession
, but had recently died, thereby John's infant son, Allan Cameron of Lochiel (born 1567/68), became 16th chief of Clan Cameron.http://www.thepeerage.com/p19953.htm#i199529 Soon thereafter, around 1570, the Battle of Bun Garbhain pitted Camerons against their principal rival Clan Mackintosh
. It was here that Donald, with his Lochaber axe, became a Cameron hero for slaying Mackintosh of Mackintosh, 15th chief of Clan Mackintosh,http://www.thepeerage.com/p19953.htm#i199528 earning Donald the nickname Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe.
When Donald went to Allan's family with news of this battle, Allan's mother,http://www.thepeerage.com/p19953.htm#i199528 daughter of the slain Mackintosh chief, became enraged, and attempted to kill baby Allan. Donald intervened in time, saving the young 16th chief of Clan Cameron, another heroic act, but Allan's mother was banished from Lochaber forever.
Fighting wasn't limited to clan against clan. Because of his youth, Allan was vulnerable to being usurped
by a Cameron cadet branch (distant family). Ewen Cameron of Erracht,http://www.thepeerage.com/p19954.htm uncle of the 14th chief of Clan Cameron, became suspect and so it was that in the 1580s, Donald's men, Cameron of Lochiel, murdered Ewan Cameron of Erracht in battle at Inverlochy Castle
on behalf of young Allen, and retaining the line of hereditary succession for Camerons of Lochiel.
By the 18th century, his descendants carried the surnames MacInTaillear, Macintaylor, Taylor and Tayler and still lived on the Cowal peninsula. They referred to Donald with endearment as Taillear Dubh, while referring to themselves as Clann an Taillear Dhuibh Chamronaich ("Children of the Black Taylor of the Camerons").(Mackenzie, 1875, pages 526-530)
Donald's legacy is preserved in the double black lines of the Taylor sept's tartan
, designed in 1955 by Lt.Col. Iain B. Cameron.
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, was an illegitimate son of Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, 14th chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
of Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as...
, and the daughter of the chief of Clan MacDougall
Clan MacDougall
Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan consisting of the descendants of Dubgall mac Somairle, son of Somerled, who ruled Lorne and the Isle of Mull in Argyll in the 13th century...
. Donald Cameron is claimed as the eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous ancestor of the Taylor sept
Taylor sept
Taylor is a sept of Clan Cameron, a Scottish clan. Present day members of the Taylor sept hold the Scottish surname Taylor.-Sept namebearer:...
of Clan Cameron. He is alluded to in the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the chief of Clan Cameron, as a likeness of him appears as the supporters
Supporters
In heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. These figures may be real or imaginary animals, human figures, and in rare cases plants or inanimate objects...
holding a Lochaber axe
Lochaber axe
The Lochaber axe was a halberd that came into use in Scotland around 1300. The name of the weapon derives from Lochaber, an area in the western Scottish Highlands, as the weapon was employed principally by the Scottish highlanders, who required armament against cavalry.The axe itself is similar to...
.
Childhood
After Donald's birth, Ewen kept his son, and had him nursed by a tailor's wife at Lundavra in LochaberLochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
("Cameron country"). There, as an infant, Donald received the nickname An Taillear Dubh (an, a diminutive; Taillear, an occupational reference to the caretaker's husband; Dubh, translated as "black" in the context of meaning "swarthy" or "dark tempered").
Ewen died in captivity in 1553, prisoner of the chief of Clan MacDougall who was holding Ewen captive until such time as he agreed to marry the chief's daughter. Acknowledgement of Donald's parentage did not suffice according to laws of hereditary succession, the consequence being that Ewen, an unmarried man, died without "legitimate issue". The title of 15th chief of Clan Cameron passed instead to Ewen's younger brother, Donald Cameron of Lochiel. As for property, Donald did not inherit his father's lands, as Queen Mary – unhappy with Ewen's fighting history and lack of obedience towards her summons – granted all of Ewen's lands to George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estates in 1524 at age 10...
.
Warrior
Donald was raised by Corunan MacLachlansClan MacLachlan
Clan Maclachlan, also known as Clan Lachlan, is a Highland Scottish clan that historically centred on the lands of Strathlachlan on Loch Fyne, Argyll on the west coast of Scotland...
, the earliest cadet branch
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
of Strathlachlan to leave Cowal
Cowal
thumb|Cowal shown within ArgyllCowal is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands.-Description:The northern part of Cowal is mostly the mountainous Argyll Forest Park. Cowal is separated from the Kintyre peninsula to the west by Loch Fyne, and from Inverclyde and North Ayrshire to...
, and hereditary standard-bearer
Standard-bearer
A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...
s to Cameron of Lochiel. Corunan was located midway between Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
and Corran
Corran, Lochaber
Corran is a former fishing village, situated on Corran Point, on the west side of the Corran Narrows of Loch Linnhe, in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. There are three small settlements set apart from the main cluster of houses: North Corran, Clovullin and Sallachan.The Highland Council Corran...
of Ardgour
Ardgour
Ardgour is a district of Lochaber on Ardnamurchan peninisula on the western shore of Loch Linnhe, in Highland Scotland.The term Ardgour, together with Kingairloch, is applied to a large area of countryside around the village, from the Glensanda Superquarry, Kingairloch and Kilmalieu in the south...
in Lochaber,
and it was here that Donald developed skills with the fighting weapon of his area, the Lochaber axe
Lochaber axe
The Lochaber axe was a halberd that came into use in Scotland around 1300. The name of the weapon derives from Lochaber, an area in the western Scottish Highlands, as the weapon was employed principally by the Scottish highlanders, who required armament against cavalry.The axe itself is similar to...
, using it when Camerons battled.
The 15th chief of Clan Cameron died without legitimate issue in 1569. His younger brother, John, would have been next in line of hereditary succession
Line of hereditary succession
Successor to hereditary title, office or like, in case of the heritage being indivisible, goes to one person at a time. There are also other sorts of order of succession than hereditary succession .The hereditary line of succession may be limited to heirs of the body, or may pass also to collateral...
, but had recently died, thereby John's infant son, Allan Cameron of Lochiel (born 1567/68), became 16th chief of Clan Cameron.http://www.thepeerage.com/p19953.htm#i199529 Soon thereafter, around 1570, the Battle of Bun Garbhain pitted Camerons against their principal rival Clan Mackintosh
Clan MacKintosh
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
. It was here that Donald, with his Lochaber axe, became a Cameron hero for slaying Mackintosh of Mackintosh, 15th chief of Clan Mackintosh,http://www.thepeerage.com/p19953.htm#i199528 earning Donald the nickname Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe.
When Donald went to Allan's family with news of this battle, Allan's mother,http://www.thepeerage.com/p19953.htm#i199528 daughter of the slain Mackintosh chief, became enraged, and attempted to kill baby Allan. Donald intervened in time, saving the young 16th chief of Clan Cameron, another heroic act, but Allan's mother was banished from Lochaber forever.
Fighting wasn't limited to clan against clan. Because of his youth, Allan was vulnerable to being usurped
Usurper
Usurper is a derogatory term used to describe either an illegitimate or controversial claimant to the power; often, but not always in a monarchy, or a person who succeeds in establishing himself as a monarch without inheriting the throne, or any other person exercising authority unconstitutionally...
by a Cameron cadet branch (distant family). Ewen Cameron of Erracht,http://www.thepeerage.com/p19954.htm uncle of the 14th chief of Clan Cameron, became suspect and so it was that in the 1580s, Donald's men, Cameron of Lochiel, murdered Ewan Cameron of Erracht in battle at Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle is a ruined, 13th-century castle near Fort William, Scotland. The site of two battles, the castle remains largely unchanged since its construction. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland.-History:...
on behalf of young Allen, and retaining the line of hereditary succession for Camerons of Lochiel.
Legacy
Cameron-Mackintosh fighting continued to be bloody. Eventually, Donald fled with his family and followers to Cowal and found safety. His descendants settled in StrathEachaig where they were known as Mac-an-taillear ("son of the tailor").By the 18th century, his descendants carried the surnames MacInTaillear, Macintaylor, Taylor and Tayler and still lived on the Cowal peninsula. They referred to Donald with endearment as Taillear Dubh, while referring to themselves as Clann an Taillear Dhuibh Chamronaich ("Children of the Black Taylor of the Camerons").(Mackenzie, 1875, pages 526-530)
Donald's legacy is preserved in the double black lines of the Taylor sept's tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
, designed in 1955 by Lt.Col. Iain B. Cameron.