Chiefs of Clan Fraser facts for kids
A Clan Chief is the leader of a Scottish clan. This article lists the chiefs of the Clan Fraser of Lovat. The chiefs of Clan Fraser often use the Gaelic name MacShimidh, which means 'son of Simon'.
| No. | Name | Died | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Sir Simon de Fraser | 1306 | Known as the Patriot. He led the clan during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He fought at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296 and was executed. |
| II | Simon Fraser of Lovat | 1333 | He was a cousin of the first chief. He led the clan at the Battle of Halidon Hill where he was killed. All chiefs after him were known as MacShimidh, meaning 'son of Simon'. |
| III | Simon Fraser of Lovat | 1347 | Son of the second chief. He fought at the Battle of Durham where he was killed. |
| IV | Hugh Fraser of Lovat | 1397 | Son of the third chief. |
| V | Alexander Fraser of Lovat | 1415 | Son of the third chief. |
| VI | Hugh Fraser of Lovat | 1440 | Son of the fourth chief. He was the High Sheriff of Inverness-shire in 1431. |
| VII | Hugh Fraser of Lovat | 1450 | Son of the sixth chief. |
| VIII | Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat | 1501 | Son of the seventh chief. He became a Lord of Parliament in 1458. |
| IX | Thomas Fraser, 2nd Lord Lovat | 1524 | Son of the eighth chief. He held the role of Justiciar of the Highlands. |
| X | Hugh Fraser, 3rd Lord Lovat | 1544 | Son of the ninth chief. He was killed fighting against the MacDonalds and Camerons at the Battle of the Shirts. |
| XI | Alexander Fraser, 4th Lord Lovat | 1557 | Son of the tenth chief. In 1555, he met Mary of Guise when she visited Inverness. |
| XII | Hugh Fraser, 5th Lord Lovat | 1576 | Son of the eleventh chief. Known as Red Hugh. In 1562, he met Mary, Queen of Scots at Inverness. He was made Captain of Inverness Castle. |
| XIII | Simon Fraser, 6th Lord Lovat | 1633 | Son of the twelfth chief. He served at the Court of King James I. |
| XIV | Hugh Fraser, 7th Lord Lovat | 1646 | Son of the thirteenth chief. |
| XV | Hugh Fraser, 8th Lord Lovat | 1672 | Grandson of the fourteenth chief. |
| XVI | Hugh Fraser, 9th Lord Lovat | 1696 | Son of the fifteenth chief. He married Lady Amelia Murray. |
| XVII | Thomas Fraser, 10th Lord Lovat | 1699 | Son of the fourteenth chief. He supported the Royalists during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. |
| XVIII | Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat | 1747 | The most famous chief in clan history. He was known as the Fox. He was executed in 1747 for his part in the 1745 Jacobite Rising. |
| XIX | Simon Fraser of Lovat | 1782 | Son of the eighteenth chief. He was a General who served in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. |
| XX | Archibald Campbell Fraser of Lovat | 1815 | Son of the eighteenth chief. He served as a British Consul in Tripoli and Algiers. |
| XXI | Thomas Fraser, 12th Lord Lovat | 1875 | Cousin of the twentieth chief. He was also made the 1st Baron Lovat in the United Kingdom. |
| XXII | Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat | 1887 | Son of the twenty-first chief. He served as a Lieutenant-Colonel. He was also an aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria. |
| XXIII | Simon Joseph Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat | 1933 | Son of the twenty-second chief. He fought in the Second Boer War and World War I. He also formed the Lovat Scouts. |
| XXIV | Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat | 1995 | Son of the twenty-second chief. He famously led the Commando 4 Brigade during Operation Overlord in World War II. He was often accompanied by his piper. |
| XXV | Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 16th Lord Lovat | Grandson of the twenty-fourth chief. He married Petra Palumbo in 2016. |
Contents
Understanding Clan Leadership
On May 1, 1984, a special court called the Court of the Lord Lyon made a decision. They named the 21st Lady Saltoun as "Chief of the name and arms of the whole Clan Fraser". This decision caused some confusion about who is the main chief of Clan Fraser. The Lord Lyon's role is to manage Scottish coats of arms and titles. However, the Lord Lyon does not have power over the traditional leadership of a Highland Clan.
Highland vs. Lowland Frasers
When Simon the Patriot's family first got land in the Highlands, they adopted the local Gaelic customs. This included their language, ways of warfare, and even clothing. When Simon's son grew up, he became the first Chief of Clan Fraser, known as the MacShimidh.
However, Frasers who stayed in the Lowlands kept their Germanic or Norman culture. They did not take part in clan warfare. They spoke Scots and dressed like other Lowlanders. According to Alexander Fraser, 18th Lord Saltoun, his family stayed in the Lowlands. He said that Lowland Frasers had nothing to do with the Highland Clan.
The Two Chief Lines
According to Lady Saltoun, her family, the Frasers of Philorth, are the senior line. This means they are the Chiefs of the Fraser name, even though they are a Lowland family. Lord Lovat is the Chief of the large Highland Clan Fraser of Lovat. This clan is based in Inverness-shire.
Lady Saltoun is not a direct descendant of the Simon from whom the Clan Fraser of Lovat traces its chiefs. She is descended from Simon's older brother. So, while Lord Lovat is still the Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat, the Lord Lyon's decision officially recognized the seniority of Lady Saltoun's family line for the Fraser name.
Traditionally, a clan would choose its own chief. This was different from the system where titles are simply passed down through families. The Lord Lyon's decision has made the clan's leadership structure a bit less clear.
Clan Fraser of Lovat Symbols
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The coat of arms for the Lords Lovat, who are the Chiefs of Clan Fraser of Lovat, includes special symbols. The word "strawberry" in French is fraise, which sounds similar to Fraser. Because of this, the strawberry plant is used in the coat of arms for both the Lowland and Highland Frasers.
The clan motto is JE SUIS PREST. This is an old French phrase. In modern French, it would be written "je suis prêt". It means "I am ready".
See also
