Clan Keith:
Origins of the Name:
A Scottish warrior slew the Danish General Camus at the Battle of Barrie in 1010 for which Malcolm II of Scotland dipped three fingers into the blood of the slain and drew them down the shild of the warrior. Thereafter the warrior was named Marbhachir Chamius or Camus Slayer. Ever since then the Chief of the Clan Kieth has borne the same mark of three red lines on his arm. The Keiths derive their name from the barony of Keith in East Lothian, said to have been granted by Malcolm II, king of Scotland, to a member of the house for services against the Danes. King Malcolms victory at the Battle of Chathem in 1018 brought him into the possesion of the lands of Lothian and the Camus Slayer warrior was then given the Lothian lands of Keth from where they take their name.
Wars of Scottish Independence:
The office of great marischal (or marshal) of Scotland, afterwards hereditary in the Keith family, may have been conferred at the same time as the barony, since it was confirmed, together with possession of the lands of Keith, to Sir Robert Keith by a charter of King Robert the Bruce, and appears to have been held as annexed to the land by the tenure of grand serjeanty. Sir Robert Keith commanded the Scottish horse at Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and was killed at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346. At the close of the 14th century Sir William Keith, by exchange of lands with Lord Lindsay, obtained the crag of Dunnottar in Kincardineshire, where he built Dunnottar Castle, which became the stronghold of the Clan Keith. He died in about 1407.
15th century:
In 1430 a later Sir William Keith was created Lord Keith, and a few years afterwards Earl Marischal, and these titles remained in the family till 1716. 1438: Battle of Blar-Tannie: A feud between the Clan Keith and some others inhabitants of Caithness. The Keiths asked Angus Mackay of Strathnaver (the son of Neil Wasse) for help. So Angus Mackay, accompanied with John Mor MacIan-Riabhaich, went into Caithness with a band of men, and invaded that country. The inhabitants of Caithness assembled an army and met the MacKays and Keiths at a place in Caithness called Blair-tannie. There ensued a cruel fight, with slaughter on either side. In the end the Keiths and MacKays had the victory, by means chiefly of John Mor MacIan-Riabhaich (an Assynt man), who was very famous in these countries for his manhood shown at this conflict. Two chieftains and leaders of the inhabitants of Caithness were slain. Angus MacKay would later be defeated by Clan Ross. Battle of Champions: It is recorded that the feud began when Dugald, Chieftan of the Keiths, abducted Helen of Braemore, daughter of Lachlan Gunn, when he discovered the she was betrothed to Alexander Gunn. The attack occurred on the night before the wedding, and Alexander was one of those slain by the Keiths. Helen subsequently committed suicide by throwing herself off Ackergill Castle's tower. The following conflicts between the two clans were for the most part indecisive, and losses were numerous on both sides. It is thought that the two chieftains of the clans, George Keith and George Gunn, called the Crowner, agreed to a 'battle of champions', between twelve of the best Gunns and twelve of the best Keiths. George Gunn holds the distinction of being the first of the Gunn chieftains to be definitively recorded, as he was somewhat renowned in Scotland at the time, hence his title of 'the Crowner' as well as the traditional Gunn title of 'MacSheumais Chataich'. He was more widely known, however, as 'Fear Am Braisdeach Mor', the 'great brooch-wearer', so named for the insigia he wore as his badge of office. The 'battle of champions', also known as 'Allt Nan Gamnha' or 'the Battle of St. Tears' for the small chapel it took place in and around, began when the Keiths caught the Gunns unawares, with not twelve men but twenty-four. George Gunn was slain, as were a number, most probably four, of his sons. The Keiths were eventually forced to retreat, barely able to carry their own dead, but not before they had stolen the Crowner's brooch, armour and claymore. His death was later avenged, in one account by one of his sons, most probably Henry, the youngest, who together with a small number of others followed the Keiths back to Dirlot Castle, where they lay an ambush. Henry killed George Keith with through an open window with an arrow. He is reported to have shouted 'Beannachd na Guinnich do ‘n Chai', or 'A Gunn's compliments to a Keith', although translations vary. Henry supposedly recovered his father's possessions and escaped back to Gunn territory.
16th Century:
In 1571 the Clan Keith joined forces with the Clan Forbes in their feud against the Clan Gordon. The Forbes were also joined by Clan Fraser and Clan Crichton. The Gordons were also joined by Clan Leslie, Clan Irvine and Clan Seton. The feud between the Gordons and Forbes which had gone on for centuries culminated in two full scale battles: The Battle of Tillieangus and the Battle of Craibstone. It was at the Battle of Tillieangus that the 6th Lord Forbes's youngest son known as Black Aurther Forbes was killed. Legend has it that "he stooped down to quench his thirst and one of the Gordons gave him his death blow through an open joint in his armour". William, fourth Earl Marischal (died 1581), was one of the guardians of Mary Queen of Scots during her minority, and was a member of her privy council on her return to Scotland. While refraining from extreme partisanship, he was an adherent of the Reformation; he retired into private life at Dunnottar Castle about 1567, thereby gaining the sobriquet "William of the Tower." He was reputed to be the wealthiest man in Scotland. His eldest daughter Anne married the regent Murray. His grandson George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal (c. 1553-1623), was one of the most cultured men of his time. He was educated at King's College, Aberdeen, where he became a proficient classical scholar, afterwards studying divinity under Theodore Beza at Geneva.
17th century:
The 5th Earl Marischal was a firm Protestant, and took an active part in the affairs of the kirk. His high character and abilities procured him the appointment of special ambassador to Denmark to arrange the marriage of James VI with the Princess Anne. He was subsequently employed on a number of important commissions; but he preferred literature to public affairs, and about 1620 he retired to Dunnottar, where he died in 1623. He is chiefly remembered as the founder in 1593 of the Marischal College in the university of Aberdeen, which he richly endowed. From an uncle he inherited the title of Lord Altrie about 1590.
The Civil War:
William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal (c. 1617-1661), took a prominent part in the Civil War, being at first a leader of the covenanting party in northeast Scotland, and the most powerful opponent of the Clan Gordon and the Marquess of Huntly. He cooperated with James Graham the 1st Marquess of Montrose in Aberdeenshire and neighbouring counties against the Gordons. With Montrose he signed the Bond of Cumbernauld in August 1640, but took no active steps against the popular party till 1648, when he joined the Duke of Hamilton in his invasion of England, escaping from the rout at Preston. In 1650 Charles II was entertained by the marishal at Dunnottar; and in 1651 the Scottish regalia were left for safe keeping in his castle. Taken prisoner in the same year, he was committed to the Tower and was excluded from Oliver Cromwell's Act of Grace. He was made a privy councillor at the Restoration and died in 1661. Sir John Keith (died 1714), brother of the 7th Earl Marischal, was, at the Restoration, given the hereditary office of Knight Marischal of Scotland, and in 1677 was created Earl of Kintore, and Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith-Hall, a reward for his share in preserving the regalia of Scotland, which were secretly conveyed from Dunnottar to another hiding-place, when the castle was besieged by Cromwell's troops, and which Sir John, perilously to himself, swore he had carried abroad and delivered to Charles II, thus preventing further search. From him are descended the earls of Kintore.
18th century:
George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal (c. 1693-1778), served under Marlborough, and like his brother Francis, Marshal Keith, was a zealous Jacobite, taking part in the rising of 1715, after which he escaped to the continent. In the following year he was attainted, his estates and titles being forfeited to the Crown. He lived for many years in Spain, where he concerned himself with Jacobite intrigues, but he took no part in the rebellion of 1745, proceeding about that year to Prussia, where he became, like his brother, intimate with Frederick the Great. Frederick employed him in several diplomatic posts, and he is said to have conveyed valuable information to the Earl of Chatham, as a reward for which he received a pardon from George II, and returned to Scotland in 1759. His heir male, on whom, but for the attainder of 1716, his titles would have devolved, was apparently his cousin Alexander Keith of Ravelston, to whom the attainted earl had sold the castle and lands of Dunnottar in 1766. From Alexander Keith was descended, through the female line, Sir Patrick Keith Murray of Ochtertyre, who sold the estates of Dunnottar and Ravelston. After the attainder of 1716 the right of the Keiths of Ravelston to be recognized as the representatives of the earls marishal was disputed by Robert Keith (1681–1757), bishop of Fife, a member of another collateral branch of the family. The bishop was a writer of some repute, his chief work, The History of the Affairs of the Church and State of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1734), being of considerable value for the reigns of James V, James VI, and Mary Queen of Scots. He also published a Catalogue of the Bishops of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1755) and other less important historical and theological works. Robert Keith (died 1774), descended from a younger son of the family, was British minister in Vienna in 1748, and subsequently held other important diplomatic appointments, being known to his numerous friends, among whom were the leading men of letters of his time, as "Ambassador Keith". His son, Sir Robert Murray Keith (1730–1795), was on Lord George Sackville's staff at the battle of Minden. He became colonel of a regiment (the 87th foot) known as Keith's Highlanders, who won distinction in the continental wars, but were disbanded in 1763; he was then employed in the diplomatic service, in which he achieved considerable success by his honesty, courage, and knowledge of languages. In 1781 he became lieutenant-general; in 1789, he was made a privy councillor.
19th century:
From the Keith family through the female line was descended George Keith Elphinstone, Baron Keith of Stonehaven, Marishal and afterwards Viscount Keith, whose titles became extinct at the death of his daughter Margaret, Baroness Keith, in 1867.
Septs:
Austin Cate(s) Dickson Dix(s)on Dick Falconer Faulkner Harvey Hackston Haxton Hervey Hurrie Hurry Keath Keech Keeth Keyth, Kite Lumgair MacKeith Marshall Urie Urry |
