Robert Campbell of Glenlyon facts for kids
Robert Campbell (born 1630, died 1696) was a Scottish nobleman. He is mostly known for his role as an officer during a sad event called the Massacre of Glencoe. He was the 5th Laird, or lord, of Glenlyon.
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Early Life and Challenges
Robert Campbell was the second son of Archibald Campbell. He inherited Meggernie Castle from his father. Robert worked hard to make the castle much grander. He replaced the old straw roof with slates and made the castle much bigger. It became one of the most important homes in the area.
However, Robert also faced many money problems. He spent a lot, gambled, and made some bad investments. This led him to be close to losing everything. Even though he borrowed money from friends, family, and people who lived on his land, he still couldn't pay his debts.
Selling the Forests
To try and pay off his debts, Robert sold all the valuable trees in Glenlyon. These trees were part of the ancient Caledonian forest. Workers came from other parts of Scotland to cut down the trees. The logs were sent floating down the Lyon River, which sometimes caused floods. This helped his money situation for a while.
Even after selling the forests, Robert still had many debts. His tenants, who lived on his land, even offered him half of their cattle to help him. But he said no. Instead, in 1684, he sold almost all of his family's land to the Earl of Tullibardine. The only property he kept was a small house and land called Chesthill, which belonged to his wife.
The Glencoe Event
In 1689, a group of people from Glencoe, called the MacIains, along with their relatives, attacked Glenlyon. They stole Robert Campbell's animals and burned his last remaining property. This made his money problems even worse. Robert believed that the Glengarry men, not just those from Glencoe, were mostly to blame for this attack.
To support his family, Robert Campbell, who was 59 years old, joined the Earl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot. This is how he became involved in the Massacre of Glencoe. Later, some officials tried to say that the massacre was just about old family arguments and stolen cattle. But records show this was not the real reason.
Later Years and Death
Robert Campbell's regiment was sent to fight in a war in Flanders, a region in Europe. They fought against the French armies in 1696. Robert Campbell died that same year, on August 2, 1696, in a city called Bruges. He passed away without much money.
Family Life
Robert Campbell married Helen Lindsay in 1663. She was the daughter of Sir Alexander Lindsay. Robert and Helen had several children:
- John Campbell, who later became the 6th Laird of Glenlyon.
- Duncan Campbell.
- Robert Campbell.
- Alexander Campbell.
- James Campbell.
- Elizabeth Campbell.
- Janet Campbell.
- Jean Campbell.
