Clan Donnachaidh
Clan Donnachaidh Society
History
The chiefs are numbered from Duncan the
Stout (stout in battle rather than in belly) who lived in
the 1300s. He held lands in Rannoch and around Glen
Errochty and took his followers to fight at Bannockburn in
1314 in support of his friend, King Robert the Bruce. His
son Robert (perhaps called after Bruce) inherited land from
his own mother and his estate ran from the edge of the
Grampians to the gates of Perth.
Clan Donnachaidh, which means the children of Duncan,
emerged from the union of the Scottish and Pictish kingdoms
and counts amongst its forebears the Kindred of St.
Columba. In 1437 the chief Robert Riach (grizzled) captured
Sir Robert Graham who, with others, had just murdered the
King James I at Perth. In reward James II gave Robert a
charter in which all of his lands were made into a feudal
barony giving him administrative control over them.
The main clan name and that of the chiefs is Robertson, but
many other names taken by those descending from the chiefs
or belonging to the families who lived on clan estates and
sought the chief's protection can be considered septs of
the clan. The most prominent are Duncan and Reid.
The kindred descend from Donnachaid Reamhar (Stout
Duncan) de Atholia and are more properly named Clan
Donnachaidh (Donnachie). He led the Clan at the battle of
Bannockburn in 1314 where he fought for Bruce. The name
ROBERTSON comes from the 4th Chief, Robert Riabhach (the
grizzled). He became known as Robert Riach and in 1437 he
captured Sir Robert Graham who had assassinated James 1st.
In gratitude of this James 2nd made Robert's lands in
Struan into a Barony in 1438. Robert died in 1460, from
wounds received in battle, and was succeeded by his son
Alexander. Throughout history the Clan maintained strong
bonds with the Royal House and also with the Earldom of
Atholl although in the 16th century much land was lost
through debts incurred by the 8th Chief who was murdered in
1587. There were further financial problems in 1597 but in
1606 many of the lands were restored by the generosity of a
loyal kinsman by the name of John Robertson who was a rich
merchant in Edinburgh. The Robertson Chiefs remained loyal
to the Stewarts and supported the Marquess of Montrose in
all his battles. Two Chiefs died in quick seccession and
the next, Alexander, was an eighteen year old student at
St. Andrews University. He had been intended for the
academic life and became known as the Poet Chief. However,
he supported the Rising of 1688 but the defeat of James
7th, in 1690, saw his lands forfeited and he escaped into
exile in France. An amnesty granted by Queen Anne in 1703
saw his return but he mustered his Clan in 1715 in support
of the Old Pretender. He was twice captured and twice
escaped, again fleeing to France. He took advantage of
another amnesty in 1725 and again returned to Scotland but
never did swear allegiance to the Hanovarians. He once more
mustered the Clan in 1745 in support of Prince Charles
Edward Stuart i.e. Bonnie Prince Charlie, but the Jacobite
cause was finally defeated the next year at Culloden. He
died in 1749 without an heir. The Chiefship passed to
Duncan Robertson of Drumachine but by supporting the
Jacobites their lands were again forfeited. Duncan's son
Alexander became the 15th Chief and he lived to see all
rights and lands i.e. the Darony of Struan, restored to him
by the Crown in 1784. The 18th Chief, George, sold the
Barony in 1854 but reserved, for himself and his heirs, the
right to be buried in the family burial grounds. Threafter
the Chiefs lived on their estates in Jamaica until
eventually returning to a life of farming in Cranbrook in
Kent.
