Battle of Mulroy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mulroy
Part of the Scottish clan wars
Cairn at roadside near Maol Ruadh, site of the Battle of Mulroy
Date August 1688 Location Mulroy, near Roybridge, Braes of Lochaber, Scotland Result Rebel victory
Belligerents
Rebels: Clan MacDonald of Keppoch Clan Cameron	Clan Mackintosh Government Independent Highland Company
Commanders and leaders
Coll Macdonald, 16th of Keppoch	Lachlan MacKintosh of Mackintosh Kenneth Mackenzie of Suddie (killed in action)
Strength
According to Alexander Mackenzie: half the number that Mackintosh had. According to Mackintosh-Shaw: more than the number that Mackintosh had.	According to Alexander Mackenzie: 1000 men. According to Alexander Mackintosh-Shaw: 1000 men.
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Many of Mackintosh's followers were slain, including Mackenzie of Suddie. Great numbers were also taken prisoner.
Registered battlefield
Official name	Battle of Mulroy
Designated	30 November 2011
Reference no.	BTL26

The Battle of Mulroy (also called Maol Ruadh or Maoile Ruaidh in Scottish Gaelic) was a battle between two Scottish clans. It happened in August 1688 in the Lochaber area of Scotland. The battle was fought between the Clan Mackintosh and the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch. The Mackintosh clan had help from government soldiers, while the MacDonalds of Keppoch were supported by the Clan Cameron. They were fighting over land in the Braes of Lochaber. Today, the battlefield is protected by Historic Scotland.

Why the Battle Happened

In the 1400s, the leader of Clan Mackintosh was given a special paper, called a charter, for the lands of Glenroy and Glen Spean. But the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch refused to leave these lands. They did not agree that Mackintosh owned them.

Over the years, there were many attempts to make the MacDonalds leave. Sometimes, these attempts were supported by law, and sometimes they were not. But the MacDonalds always managed to keep control of the Brae of Lochaber.

In 1681, Mackintosh finally received a "commission" from the government. This was a special order that allowed him to remove the MacDonalds of Keppoch. But it didn't solve the problem. The MacDonald chief, Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch, died in 1682. His son, Coll of the Cowes, took over. Coll asked the Privy Council of Scotland (a powerful government group) to help settle the argument. But Mackintosh had Coll arrested and put in prison. He was later let out on bail.

Things were quiet for a few years. But in 1688, the problem became serious again. The Privy Council gave Mackintosh the same special order he had received in 1681. This order was a "commission of fire and sword." This meant Mackintosh had permission to use force to take the lands. He wanted to make the MacDonalds of Keppoch pay rent, as he believed he was their landlord.

Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, another clan chief, tried to help them make peace. But he failed and went to Edinburgh. While he was away, some of his clan, the MacMartin-Camerons, decided to help the MacDonalds of Keppoch. This was because they were related to the MacDonalds through marriage.

Clan Macpherson and Clan Grant were supposed to help Mackintosh, but they did not. Still, Mackintosh marched to Lochaber with about 1,000 of his own men. He also had a company of the king's soldiers led by Mackenzie of Suddie. These soldiers were part of an "Independent Highland Company." These companies were special groups of soldiers who helped keep the peace in the Highlands.

The Battle of Mulroy

The battle happened on August 4, 1688. The MacDonalds of Keppoch were joined by their relatives, the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry and the MacDonalds of Glencoe.

According to some accounts, the MacDonalds had more fighters than Mackintosh. As daylight arrived, Mackintosh saw that the MacDonalds were on a ridge, which is a high piece of land. This gave them a great advantage.

Both Mackintosh and Mackenzie of Suddie ordered their men to charge up the hill. But the MacDonalds came rushing down the hill towards them. They fought with swords, targes (shields), and Lochaber axes. The MacDonalds' attack was very strong, and Mackintosh's men had to give way.

The battle was fierce and bloody. Mackintosh's side was defeated. Many of his followers were killed, including four of their leaders. Mackenzie of Suddie was also badly wounded and died. Many of Mackintosh's men were taken prisoner.

What Happened After

Before letting Mackintosh go, MacDonald of Keppoch made him agree to give up his claims to the disputed lands. However, some say that Mackintosh was released because the Macphersons, who were part of Mackintosh's larger clan group, suddenly showed up. The MacDonalds, even though they had won, were not ready to fight another fresh group of soldiers. So, they handed Mackintosh over to the Macphersons.

The Privy Council blamed Cameron of Lochiel for the fighting. They said he was the main cause of the bloodshed. Most of the powerful lords decided he should be arrested and put on trial. But with the help of George Mackenzie, Viscount Tarbat, who was a relative and also on the Privy Council, Lochiel managed to escape back to his friends in Lochaber. Mackenzie of Suddie's soldiers suffered heavy losses in the battle.

After the battle, Mackintosh did not want to risk another defeat. This gave MacDonald of Keppoch a chance to act. In April 1689, MacDonald led almost a thousand men through Mackintosh's lands. They caused a lot of damage and then stopped outside Inverness. The people of Inverness had helped Mackintosh in his fight, and MacDonald had other reasons to be angry with them. He entered the town without anyone stopping him. He threatened to burn the town down unless they paid him 4,000 merks (a type of Scottish money).

The town was scared for three days. Then, Lord Dundee arrived and helped them make a deal. Dundee arranged for the town to pay MacDonald 2,000 dollars. However, he could not get back the cattle that had been taken from Mackintosh.

Pipe Music

The famous pipe tune MacDonald took the Brae on them is about this battle. It highlights how the Highlanders had an advantage by attacking from the high ground.

The Last Clan Battle?

The Battle of Mulroy is sometimes called the last private clan battle fought between Scottish clans. However, this might not be completely true. The Mackintoshes had official government support for their actions. Their army even included government soldiers from an Independent Highland Company.

Because of this, some historians say the Battle of Altimarlach, fought in 1680, was the last true clan battle. In the late 1600s, clans usually only fought with official permission from the king or government. Mackintosh only moved against MacDonald of Keppoch because the government agreed with his claim and even sent him soldiers.

Images for kids

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  Medieval church on the Brae of Lochaber

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  Another view of the Brae of Lochaber