MacGregor Clan:
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.
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.
THE OEATH!
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...
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.
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.
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.
THE OEATH!
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...
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.
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