Clan Davidson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clan Davidson |
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| Daibhidh | |||
Crest: A stag’s head erased, proper - a stag on a silver field, one foot lifted, with an argent, silver arrow through the neck. The stag usually is natural colored with gold horns.
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| Motto | "Sapienter si sincere", translated as "Wisely if sincerely" | ||
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| Plant badge | Boxwood or Red Whortleberry | ||
| Pipe music | Failte Thighearna Thulaich ("Tulloch's Salute") | ||
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| Grant Guthrie Davidson of Davidston | |||
| Chief of Clan Davidson | |||
| Historic seat | Tulloch Castle | ||
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Clan Davidson is a Highland Scottish clan. A clan is like a large family group, often with a shared history and a chief. Clan Davidson is also part of a bigger group called the Chattan Confederation.
Contents
History of Clan Davidson
Where Did the Clan Come From?
The exact beginnings of Clan Davidson are a bit of a mystery, with a few different stories.
- Some historians believe the Davidsons helped start the Chattan Confederation. They might be related to Gilliecattan Mhor, an early chief of Clan Chattan from the 11th or 12th century.
- Another story says the Davidsons came from David Dow (meaning "the black"). He was one of the younger sons of Muriach, who was a church leader and later became a leader of Clan Chattan.
- A third idea suggests the Davidsons came from David Dubh of Clan Cumming. This David married the daughter of the sixth chief of Clan Mackintosh, who was also a leader of the Chattan Confederation. His followers became known as Clan Dhai.
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Battles and Changes (14th to 15th Centuries)
The Clan Davidson faced a tough time in 1370 at the Battle of Invernahavon. This battle was fought between the Chattan Confederation and the Clan Cameron. There was a disagreement between the Davidsons and another clan, the Clan Macpherson, about who would lead the right side of the battle. The Mackintoshes, who led the confederation, supported the Davidsons. Because of this, the Macphersons left the battlefield.
The Clan Cameron took advantage of this, and the Davidsons were almost completely defeated. However, the Macphersons eventually returned to the fight, and the Camerons were beaten.
Later, in 1396, the Battle of the North Inch took place. Most records suggest this battle was between Clan Cameron and Clan Chattan, which included both Davidsons and Macphersons. After this battle, the chief of Clan Davidson is thought to have moved north. This is when the Davidson families of Cantray and Tulloch started to appear.
The Clan Grows (16th to 18th Centuries)
By the 1500s, you could find people with the Davidson name all over Scotland. The first Davidsons in Cromarty, a town in the north, were recorded in 1670.
An important Davidson was Alexander Davidson, who worked as a town clerk in Fortrose. His family later became the Davidson Lairds (landowners) of Tulloch Castle. These Davidsons became the chiefs of the clan.
In the 1700s, some members of the Clan Chattan Confederation, including many Davidsons, supported a political cause called Jacobitism. Because of this, some were sent to the American colonies.
Davidsons in the American Revolutionary War
Many of these Scots, once free, settled in the Piedmont Mountains of North Carolina. They built new lives and raised families. When the American Revolution began, this area became known as a "Hornet's Nest" of rebels by the British.
One famous Davidson who fought in the American Revolutionary War was Brigadier General William Lee Davidson (1746–1781). He was a general in the North Carolina militia and sadly died in battle at battle of Cowan's Ford.
Clan Home and Special Items
Tulloch Castle became the main home of the Clan Davidson chiefs in the 1700s. The castle was carefully fixed up in 1922. Even though the Davidsons later sold the castle, it's still a very important place for clan traditions.
A special item kept by the local City Council is a suit of armour. People say it was worn by a Davidson leader from Aberdeen who died in the Battle of Harlaw in 1411. The Clan Davidson Association, a group for clan members, was started in 1909 and is still very active today.
Clan Chiefs Through Time
- Duncan VI of Tulloch (died 1917)
- 1917-1997: The chief position was empty or debated.
- Duncan Davidson of Davidston, New Zealand (1997)
- Alister Davidson of Davidston, New Zealand (1998-2014)
- Grant Guthrie Davidson 3rd of Davidston, New Zealand (2015–present)
More to Explore
- Chattan Confederation
- Scottish clan
- Davidson (name)
- Day (surname)
