Sir Walter Scott
As a member of our ancient and honoured Clan, we are entitled to wear the MacGregor tartans and to proudly proclaim our motto: 'S Rioghail Mo Dream (Our Race is Royal) in memory of our descent from the MacAlpin Kings of ancient Alba (Scotland).
We shall strive to preserve the heritage and culture of the Highlands of Scotland and of our celebrated Clan. By passing on these traditions to future generations we will ensure that "MacGregor, despite them, shall flourish forever!"
Well... there's LOTS of stuff here about the Clan MacGregor, and I'm gonna try to make it easy for you to navigate. :-) Below are the various sections you can toddle off to, and after each section you will have the option to jump to this ersatz Table of Contents or to the bottom of the page. This way you can choose which part of the history that you want to look at and in what order, and just when you want to roll "oot" the door! There are also links within some of the sections to take you to more in-depth history and/or background. I'm gonna start you off with a link to one of the best Scotland Links Page sites I've seen. But don't go away yet! Read on and have fun!
A History of the Clan
A Feisty Clan
The Death of John Drummond-Ernoch
The Colquhons & The Battle of Glenfruin
The Proscription
Children of the Mist
The Tides Turn
Rob Roy MacGregor
The Oath—and Why the Highlanders Fought for Britain
Some "THANK YOUs" for historical information & such
The Clan Gregor Society
In Scottish Gaelic, the old language of our people, "Mac" means "Son of." We of Clan Gregor, are the Sons of Gregor, the Followers of Gregor, and better known as the MacGregors. The name McGregor is merely a shortened (or anglized) version of our name.
The story of the Clan Gregor is perhaps the most stirring and fascinating of all Scottish clans [Yeah, we're humble, too... *GRIN*]. It is a tale of adventure, greed, bravery, romance and oppression, woven against a background of betrayal and intrigue.
Our Clan Motto (JUST in case anyone is tempted to forget it *GRIN*) is found not only on our Coat of Arms, but in our Clan Badge and Clan Shield as well.
The Clan Gregor is one of the oldest clans, and our proud motto is based on the deeply held belief and tradition [rightly so!—toldya we were humble *HEE HEE*] that we are descended from Grig (or Griogair [Gregor]), a 9th century king, and through him, from the ancient kings of Alba (Scotland).
Dunsufferige was the capitol of Pictland. The Picts were the first people in Scotland, and were the ones who drove the Romans out. Funny thing, too... 'twas the Romans who gave the name "Pict" or "Picti" to the itinerant tribes who then lived North of the River Forth. Why? These tribes painted and/or tattooed their skin with coloured wood to produce intricate patterns... hence the Roman word "picti" or "picture" as we know it today. ANYWAY... After Pictland became Alba, they were ruled by Kings by the name of MacAlpin. In 849, King Kenneth MacAlpin united the Picts and the Celtic people that had migrated into what we know as Scotland. When Kenneth died, his younger brother Gregor became King. AH! So THAT'S where the Gregor puzzle piece fits in! Ta-Dah! as my "Scottish Bro," Gaul, would say!
A Highland Clan, the MacGregor ancestral lands were on the east bank of Loch Lomond, up through Glenorchy, Glen Dochard, the Trossick Mountains to Lock Katrine, Loch Voll and the Braes of Balquhidder. These extensive territories in the Central Highlands, from Argyll to Aberdeenshire, were coveted by others, especially the Campbells, who, over the years, obtained various legal charters to dispossess the MacGregors (no love lost here—a prayer handed down by generations of MacGregors stated: "Frae the greed o' the Campbells, Good Lord deliver us!").
Landless, scattered, and driven by a sense of revenge, many MacGregors took to raiding and plundering the property of those who had dispossessed them. So... our clan's reputation as caterans and outlaws was not entirely unearned, but given the history, the MacGregors were as much sinned against as sinners. Moreso, in view of the very harsh laws which were passed against the clan. Despite severe hardships, the spirit and unity of the clan remained unbroken and the clan survived. MacGregors were determined to fight for what we believed to be rightly ours:
(Traditional)
Certainly, the politics of the times played a part. It was a game the Griogaraich initially scorned, for the Clan Gregor from time immemorial held its lands in the traditional manner—that is, by coir a' chlaidheimh (the right of the Claymore [sword]). This proved to be disastrous arrogance, for the political game was one which others, especially the Campbells, played with great expertise.
King Robert The Bruce gave the barony of Loch Awe to the Campbells for their aid in raising him to the throne. Loch Awe was MacGregor land (oopsie), and The Bruce left it up to the Campbells how they would take possession of the area. The Campbells built the castle of Kilchurn and the MacGregors were forced to retreat deeper into the ancestral lands, until eventually restricted to Glenstrae. Chief of Clan Gregor, Iain the Black died in 1519 without a male heir. The Campbells supported Eian MacGregor as chief since he was married to the daughter of Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy. Eian's son, Alistair, fought the English at Pinkie Cleugh, but died shortly thereafter. In 1560, "the outlaw" Gregor Roy MacGregor fought the Campbells after Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy refused to recognise his claim to his estates. In 1570 he was captured and killed by the Campbells. His son, Alistair, took over as chief, but was unable to stop the Campbell persecution of the MacGregors.
Underestimating the value of cultivating political and diplomatic skills cost the MacGregors dearly—the loss of lands and many innocent lives. The hardest loss of all, however, was that of our birthright—our very name!
A series of rebellious acts of defiance due to the usurpation of MacGregor lands eventually led to the Clan being outlawed and the clan name proscribed. Subsequent to the reign of James VI, during the rule of Charles II, the proscription was temporarily lifted. (This was due to the fact that despite the outlawing of the clan, two hundred MacGregors fought against Cromwell during the civil war. It was in gratitude for this bravery and loyalty that Charles repealed the proscription of the MacGregor name). William of Orange, however, immediately upon ascending the throne, re-imposed the proscription.
In 1589, Deputy Forester of the Royal Forest of Glen Artney, John, 4th Laird of Drummond-Ernoch, had been instructed to provide venison for the wedding feast of King James VI. As he went about his task, Drummond is said to have discovered a band of MacGregors poaching deer in the royal game preserve, capturing a few of them, summarily executing them by hanging them on the spot. It is said that in retaliation, the remaining poaching kinsmen killed Drummond, supposedly cutting off his head, first parading it at the home of Drummond's sister, Lady Margaret Stewart of Ardvorlich (driving her mad in the process), and then taking it with them back to Balquhidder Kirk. [Recent research indicates that it was likely the "hand" of Drummond, not the head, which was removed; and that it was highly unlikely, given the hospitality shown the MacGregors by Lady Stewart on their journey home, that they would have behaved in such a fashion. That would have violated one of the most sacred principles of Highland culture. In addition, the parties supposedly involved were kinsmen—although relatively distant in relation. Oh those transcription errors!]. Now... from the accumulated information, including a deposition given by Alexander MacNab, there are indications that it wasn't even the MacGregors who did the dirty deeds! It may have been the MacIans or MacDonalds of Glencoe who had been caught poaching, and simply another case of drumming up a story to answer the purpose intended: to deprive the MacGregors of all their ancestral lands, which were considerable. Nevertheless, the Privy Council was petitioned "for justice" by Drummond's survivors, and on 04 February 1590 issued a commission to a lengthy list of nobles (Colin Campbell, Earl of Argyle, foremost among them) to seek and apprehend certain named MacGregors deemed responsible. It was further recommended that ALL MacGregors be captured and punished, for if any were innocent of this particular crime, they certainly were participants in other crimes (don'tchya just LOVE the logic?). This commission allowed anyone to use any measure, including the use of lethal force, to bring anyone associated with the Clan Gregor to justice, and it rewarded the captors with half the value of any property which was to be automatically forfeited by any captured MacGregor. Kinda warms the cockles of your heart, don't it? :( Happily enough, though, the fact that the Drummonds and the MacGregors fought side-by-side when the Scots Army, commanded by Bonnie Prince Charlie faced off against its enemies at the Battle of Prestonpans on 21 September 1745 seems to indicate that the MacGregors and Drummonds did not hold each other to blame for whatever DID happen in Glen Artney in 1589. The CAMPBELLS, on the other hand... but I digress...
During a feud with the Clan Colquhoun in 1603 (could it possibly have been about... uhm... say... land?), Chieftain Alexander MacGregor fought in the celebrated Battle of Glenfruin (near Loch Lomond). When the tide of battle shifted to the MacGregors, the Colquhouns turned and fled. Some of the MacGregors gave pursuit, and a number of Colquhouns were killed. The widows and mothers laid the bloody shirts of their slain kinsmen in front of King James VI and complained about the barbarity of the MacGregors. This—along with other circumstances—led to the prosecution of the clan, with the Laird of MacGregor and many of his followers being executed in 1604.
What did this mean? This Proscription, which remained in effect for approximately 170 years stated, among other things:
Sir Walter Scott
Nameless, landless, and outlawed with a bounty on their heads, it would have been easier for our ancestors to have given in and disappeared from history as a clan. Defeat and disgrace, however, are not of the MacGregor nature. [We're the original "Unsinkable Molly Brown" types: "I ain't down yet!"] The clan took to the hills, became known as Clann a' Ched (The Children of the Mist), and fought back. The clan somehow survived.
Duncan Bàn Macintyre
Better times eventually prevailed. John Murray-MacGregor, who made a fortune in London, managed to secure an Act of Parliament (in November, 1774) in favour of the Members of Clan Gregor, in which the repressive measures against the clan were repealed and the name was restored. With the lifting of these harsh laws against Clan Gregor, clansmen and clanswomen threw off their assumed names and resumed the name MacGregor.
At this time, there were 826 MacGregors who wanted to claim the chiefship, but it was awarded to General John Murray, who was created a Baronet in 1795, in which year, having been elected chief-designate (the chiefship was de jure and de facto vacant)—recognised and awarded the plain arms of the chief by decree of Lyon Court as Chief of the MacGregors.
The path of history has not been an easy one for our Clan, and its survival during the torment of the dark years of proscription is all the sweeter for it.
Although the years of repression are now more than two centuries gone, MacGregors today, no matter where we may be, can still find comfort and strength in remembering and knowing:
Sir Walter Scott
The Hereditary Chief of the Clan is Brig. Sir Gregor MacGregor, Baronet of Bannatyne, Newtyle, Angus, Scotland.
The American Honourary Clan Chieftain is Mr. Malcolm G. MacGregor of Florida.
Currently, the Honourary Chieftain of the Clan Gregor Society, Western USA Chapter, is Carolyne McGregor Long (yep! a woman!), a MacGregor of Glen Mor.
No history of the Clan Gregor would be complete without mention of the legendary Rob Roy MacGregor—often thought of as sort of a Scottish Robin Hood. Born at Glen Gyle in 1671 (at the west end of Lock Katrine in the Trossachs, on a main cattle droving route from the west), he trained in the cattle business, both legitimate and (oopsie) less so—he operated a "watch," providing security for other peoples' cattle if they paid protection money (not exactly of the "Guido" kind of "family" but more like your modern freelance "security guard." *GRIN*). He was a skilled swordsman, expert in hill craft, exceptionally resourceful, and a Jacobite supporter (sympathetic to the exiled House of Stuart). Because of the proscription, Rob Roy MacGregor assumed his mother's named of Campbell. He married Mary of Comar in 1693.
Due to a succession of hard winters in the years 1696 through 1699, it was necessary for clans living on the edge of the Highlands (like the MacGregors) to raid cattle in order to survive. It's the sort of thing that happens when you get your land taken away, and a lot of your livelihood swiped in the process... The years 1700 through 1711 saw a great expansion of the cattle business. The Duke of Montrose, in 1712 contracted Rob Roy to buy cattle for him for fattening and resale, but Rob Roy's assistant absconded with the funds. Without giving Rob Roy the opportunity to arrange for repayment of the money, Montrose immediately declared Rob Roy an outlaw, burned his home and seized his lands. Historians have argued for years about the "whys" involved... What were Montrose's motives? Was it (1) Political (the Duke was anti-Jacobite)? or (2) Greed (did he just want Rob Roy's lands)?
From 1713 through 1720 Rob Roy lived beyond the law. He frequently raided the properties of the Duke of Montrose in revenge for the Duke's actions. Government forces repeatedly failed to bring him to Lowland justice. As such, Rob Roy became sort of a local folk hero. There are many stories about Rob Roy's exploits during this period. He was involved in Jacobite uprisings, but eventually emerged from hiding. He had successfully evaded all the efforts of the British Army to capture and to hold him (sorta like "They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven? Is he in hell? That damned, elusive Pimpernell!").
In 1720, Rob Roy peacefully settled at Balquhidder and returned to cattle business of the legal kind. A formal pardon was arranged through General Wade in 1725. Meanwhile, Daniel Defoe wrote a book featuring Rob Roy MacGREGOR called "Adventures of a Highland Rogue," which enhanced Rob Roy's folk hero reputation. Even the King is said to have enjoyed the story!
A "Legend in his own Lifetime," Rob Roy died peacefully at home in Balquhidder in 1734. A thorn in the side of the government almost until the end, he typified the last of the old order, the clansmen who lived beyond the reach of the Lowland authority, surviving in a hostile Highland environment through his courage and resourcefulness. The old Clan system was dismantled after The Battle of Culloden—only twelve years after Rob Roy's death.
Years later, Sir Walter Scott heard many tales of Rob Roy's exploits, and even talked to old men who could remember him. These first-hand accounts and embellished tales wove their way into his novel, "Rob Roy," in which Scott portrayed Rob—under threat from the Lowland based government, and the spread of industry and commerce—as a symbol of a vanishing way of life.
"But ye, children—ye are unsworn!
Play the pipes, wear the kilt and never forsake your king!"
The Clan Gregor Society was instituted in 1822 and is one of the oldest clan societies. In its early days it was managed by a committee of Edinburgh and Glasgow professional men, all surnamed MacGregor or McGregor. Their object was to extend "to the Poor of the Clan the benefits of a sound and Christian education." To this worthy end, large sums were subscribed and distributed, and this benevolent work contributed greatly to the rising fortunes of the clan throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Today, the Society is a growing organisation with membership throughout the world. It's most active objectives are to extend the links of kinship and friendship between MacGregors, wherever they may be, and to provide a focal point for all members of the Clan and, indeed, any interested visitors who wish to learn more of our noble past.
In addition to the names Gregor and MacGregor (various spellings), more than one hundred names are recognised as forming part of Clan Gregor. Membership in the Clan Gregor Society is open to all who regard themselves as MacGregors, and to all others as associate or honourary members, in accordance with the Society's rules.
Okay! So who broke my counter ALREADY?!?
