Battle of Drumoak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Drumoak |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Clan Irvine and Clan Keith feud | |||||||
 The River Dee at Drumoak |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Clan Irvine | Clan Keith | ||||||
The Battle of Drumoak, also called the Battle of Keith's Muir, was a fight between two powerful Scottish families, known as clans. It happened in 1402 in a place called Drumoak, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The battle was between Clan Irvine, whose leaders lived at Drum Castle, and Clan Keith, whose leaders were the Earls Marischal.
Why They Fought
For many years, the Irvine and Keith clans had a strong rivalry. They often had disagreements and conflicts. Around 1393, this rivalry became very intense. Old stories say that the Keiths caused harm to the Irvine family. In return, the Irvines attacked some of the Keiths' lands and their castle, called Hallforest Castle. This shows how serious the conflict was between these two families.
The Battle Begins
One day, the Keith clan launched a raid on the lands belonging to the Irvines. They took valuable items and tried to escape with their loot. However, the Irvine clan quickly caught up to them. The Keiths were trying to cross the River Dee to get away.
A big fight then broke out between the two clans. It happened on a flat, open area of land (a moor) on the north side of the River Dee. This place is now known as Keith's Muir.
Irvine Victory
The Irvine clan won the battle. They chased their enemies, the Keiths, towards a deep and rocky part of the river. This spot is now called Keith's Pot. Many of the Keiths were pushed into the water and drowned there.
It is said that the leader of the Keiths managed to reach a rock sticking out of the water. But the Irvine warriors shot him with arrows, and he was killed. This rock is still known today as The Keith Stone.
What Happened Next
After the battle, the King stepped in to help settle the conflict. He arranged for the oldest son of the Irvine leader to marry the daughter of the Keith leader. This marriage helped to end the long-standing rivalry between the two families. They never fought each other again after this.
Later, in 1411, the Irvine leader from Drum took part in another important battle called the Battle of Harlaw. He was a commander in the Lowland army. During this battle, he fought in a duel with a warrior from the Maclean clan of Duart Castle. Sadly, both men were killed in this duel.
Clues from the Past
People have found arrowheads at Keith's Muir, the place where the battle happened. These arrowheads are believed to be from the Battle of Drumoak. They give us a real connection to this historical event.
