Battle of Clynetradwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Clynetradwell |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Earl of Sutherland and Earl of Caithness feud | |||||||
  Coats of arms of the Earl of Sutherland (left) and Earl of Caithness (right) |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Clan Sutherland (supporters of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland) | Clan Sinclair (supporters of George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Patrick Gordon of Garty John Gordon of Embo John Gordon of Kilcalmkill John Morray of Aberscross † |
George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness Nicolas Sutherland of Forse † Donald Balloch Mackay of Scoury |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 400 or 500 | 1,500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| John Morray killed. 16 common soldiers killed. Gordon of Kilcalmkill (WIA) William Morray (WIA) |
Nicolas Sutherland and Angus-Mack-Angus-Termack killed. 13 others killed. |
||||||
The Battle of Clynetradwell was a fight between two important Scottish clans. It happened in October 1590 in Sutherland, Scotland. The battle was part of a long-running disagreement between the Earl of Sutherland and the Earl of Caithness.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
A Long-Standing Feud
The Earl of Sutherland and the Earl of Caithness had been enemies for a long time. This kind of ongoing conflict between families or clans was called a feud.
Trouble in 1587
In 1587, the Earl of Caithness's men killed George Gordon of Marle. George was a relative of Alexander Gordon, the 12th Earl of Sutherland. This killing caused a lot of anger and sadness in Sutherland. An ally of the Earl of Caithness, John Sutherland, was also killed around this time.
Caithness Invades Sutherland
In 1590, George Sinclair, the Earl of Caithness, gathered all his fighters. He then led them into Sutherland. He had help from the Sutherland Laird of Forse, who lived at Forse Castle. This Laird was from an older line of Sutherland Earls.
Donald Balloch Mackay's Role
The Earl of Caithness also had support from Donald Balloch Mackay of Scourie. Donald was the half-brother of Huistean Du Mackay, who was the chief of the Clan Mackay. Even though Huistean Du Mackay supported the Earl of Sutherland, Donald Balloch had his own reasons for joining Caithness. Donald Balloch had been forced to leave his home area for killing someone. He then went to live with the Earl of Caithness.
The Battle Begins
The Fight for Cattle
The Sutherland fighters, led by the Gordons, saw the Earl of Caithness's men. They were trying to take a large group of cattle at a place called Clynetradwell. The Sutherland men, even though they were outnumbered, bravely attacked.
Fierce Fighting
They fought very hard to get their cattle back. The Sutherland people then chased the Earl of Caithness's army. Donald Balloch Mackay, who led Caithness's archers, kept his men fighting. He encouraged them to "stick to it" even when they were confused.
Caithness Retreats
The battle was intense and lasted a long time. In the end, the Earl of Caithness's army had to retreat. Historians say that Donald Balloch Mackay helped the Earl of Caithness's side a lot. Even the Sutherland accounts agreed that Donald Balloch Mackay was a good leader.
Who Was Lost
On the Earl of Caithness's side, Nicolas Sutherland and Angus-Mack-Angus-Termack were killed. Thirteen other fighters also died. For the Earl of Sutherland's side, John Morray, a loyal servant, was killed. Sixteen other common soldiers also lost their lives.
What Happened Next
Raids and Capture
While the Earl of Caithness was still in Sutherland, Huistean Du Mackay, who supported the Earl of Sutherland, attacked Caithness. He raided the area all the way to Thurso. Later, Donald Balloch Mackay was captured. He was held in Dunrobin Castle.
Release and Loyalty
However, the Earl of Sutherland released Donald Balloch. This happened with the agreement of Donald's half-brother, Huistean Du Mackay. After his release, Donald Balloch remained loyal to the Earl of Sutherland, just like his half-brother.
The Feud Continues
The long-standing feud between the Earl of Sutherland and the Earl of Caithness did not end with this battle. It continued for many more years.
See also
