Battle of Morar

Battle of Morar
Part of the Scottish clan wars

Morar and Loch Morar
Date1602
Location
Morar, near Mallaig, Scotland
grid reference NM6792
56°58′N 5°49′W / 56.967°N 5.817°W / 56.967; -5.817
Result Tactical draw
Strategic Mackenzie victory
Belligerents
Clan Mackenzie
Clan Ross		 Clan MacDonell of Glengarry
Commanders and leaders
Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail
Alexander Ross of Invercharron[1]
Andrew Munro of Novar[1]		 Glengarry MacDonald
Strength
Clan Mackenzie: 1,700[1]
Clan Ross: 180[1]		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
2 killed[1]
A "few" wounded[1]		 Unknown

The Battle of Morar was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1602, near Loch Morar, in the Scottish Highlands.[2][3] It was fought between the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry against the Clan Mackenzie who were supported by men of the Clan Ross and Andrew Munro of Novar.[1][4]

Background

A feud took place between the Mackenzies, led by Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, and the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry.[2] The Mackenzies wanted the MacDonell Laird of Glengarry to appear before the Justice court at Edinburgh for previous crimes against them.[2] Meanwhile, two MacDonells were killed.[2] Glengarry MacDonell did not appear in court on the arranged date but went about his own hand to revenge the slaughter of his clansmen.[2] As he did not appear in court the Mackenzies wasted the MacDonell country of Morar.[2]

Battle

The two sides met and a battle took place with (according to some accounts) great slaughter on both sides.[2] According to historian Alexander Mackenzie the Clan Mackenzie were supported by the Clan Ross at the battle of Morar.[1] This was due to Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, being married to Ann Ross daughter of George Ross of Balnagowan, chief of Clan Ross.[1] After this they came to an agreement to obtain peace where Glengarry MacDonell was glad to requite and renounce to the Lord MacKenzie of Kintail, and give him the inheritance of the lands of Strome.[2][3]

Aftermath

After the battle, Strome Castle was still in the hands of the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry. Mackenzie of Kintail therefore laid siege to it. During the siege on Mackenzie's side Andrew Munro of Novar was wounded along with two or three others. The MacDonells surrendered and Mackenzie blew up the castle with gunpowder.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mackenzie, Alexander (1894). History of the Mackenzies, with genealogies of the principal families of the name. Inverness: A. & W. Mackenzie. pp. 201-204. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "The troubles betwixt the Lord Kintaile and the Laird of Glengarrie". The History of the Feuds and Conflicts among the Clans in the Northern Parts of Scotland and in the Western Isles. Glasgow: Printed by J. & J. Robertson for John Gillies, Perth. 1780 [Originally published in 1764 by Foulis press]. pp. 70–71. Retrieved 12 October 2020. Written from a manuscript wrote in the reign of James VI of Scotland (Sir Robert Gordon's A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland).
  3. ^ a b Gordon, Robert (1813) [Printed from original manuscript 1580 - 1656]. A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland. Edinburgh: Printed by George Ramsay and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co, Edinburgh; and White, Cochrance and Co. London. pp. 248–249. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  4. ^ MacPhail, James Robertson Nicolson (1914). Highland Papers. Vol. 2. Edinburgh : T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society. pp. 38–42. Retrieved 16 September 2019. MacPhail's 1914 book contains a transcript of John Mackenzie of Applecross's 17th century MS History of the Mackenzies
  5. ^ Mackenzie, Alexander (1894). pp. 215-217.
  6. ^ MacPhail, James Robertson Nicolson (1914). pp. 47-48.