How did the Scottish clan system collapse?
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🚩 Why Did the Scottish Clan System Collapse? Many pinpoint the bloody Battle of Culloden in 1746 as the moment where everything changed for Scotland’s clan system, as King George’s troops crushed the Jacobite rebellion. In what today might be considered ethnic cleansing, the ruling King of England ordered all supporters of the Jacobite cause be slaughtered, including many of the clans that populated the Scottish Highlands. This was followed by the notorious Highland Clearances and bitter disputes over land ownership, during which any final traces of Highland clans were forced on mass to the sea coast, the Lowlands or abroad.
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📢 Narrated by David McCallion
📚 Research and writing:
Skylar J. Gordon
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#historymarche #scotland #highlander
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“Forgive your enemy, but always remember the bastards name.” Scottish Proverb
Who's the enemy here?
@@humanbeing2722the one in the mirror every morning 😏
I’ve married in to a family carrying a Scottish name in Australia and your explanation has helped me appreciate why they still identify so strongly with their clan crest and motto, even though their family have been in Australia a lot longer than my own. And I love telling my three year old she has a castle 😊
As a New Zealander, it's amazing how familiar all these clan names still are. I personally know those with surnames of Gordon, MacDougall, Leslie, Dunbar, MacKinnon, Munro, while plenty more are the namesake of places or famous people I'm aware of. There's an entire region of the South Island dominated by Scots heritage.
The word "forced" was used once, but it could have been clearer that emigration wasn't just the best choice left to emigrants, but they were literally forced off the land and sometimes forced on the ships at gunpoint.
I'm not as invested in this topic as you most likely are but just fyi from a laymen's perspective I think he made it pretty clear. That's definitely how I understood it at least. ✌🏻✌🏿✌🏽
Definition of forced: compelled by force or necessity : involuntary.
let's call it what it was: "cultural genocide"!
The greed of their own Lairds, shameful.
If memory serves a fair number of the '45 rebels were offered indentured servitude in the West Indies, which seemed a decent option on paper, but the climate and the work meant that few would live to see out their contract. It was effectively a death sentence to die on a plantation.
Interesting. Wouldve been good to mention during the clearance they literally turned up and burnt the homes in the winter and forced them onto the boats. The land struggles continued in the hebrides at least with many villages having land struggle monuments in them. The land was illegally sold onto the highest bidder and you now see most of Scotland is owned by a few super rich.
I heard a few regions held out and even fought back in the isles.
Why doesn't the scottish government try to reverse some of this? It is bound by the british central government or are they unwilling to change much themselves beyond the easy scottish identity politics? Doesn't seem fair a few rich families own everything, and if I were scottish I would want to change this.
I've had patients who are just old enough to remember the end of the clearances. Some said it stills haunts them.
The land already belonged to the lairds! They were simply kicking tenants off their property. I am related to a family that was booted out of Scotland during the clearances. Look at Scotland today and that land is quite lush all because the lords saw that the land could not hold millions of people. The clearances may have even have saved Scots from starvation. Look at Ireland! That land is doing much better now that millions of Irish left. Ireland would be a brown polluted scar today had it not been for the immigration.
@@christianfreedom-seeker934 missed a bjt when writing. Missed the bloody important bit at that where they remembered the stories from their parents and grandparents and how it still haunted them at knowing what their families went through. (Though one or 2 did say that some clearing continued up until WW2. Unofficially and through different legal means. And though it may have officially ended in the mid 1800's the after effects are still being felt in the Highlands and Islands today.
It's also important to note that the Lowland clans and culture (especially the remnants of the old Brythonic influences of Strathclyde and Cumbria) were wiped out by Cromwell's invasion a century prior to the last Jacobite rebellion. While the culture of the Highlands was more prominent in history, the Lowlands lost all remaining political and cultural identity (outside of the Scots Kirk) from Cromwell's destruction of the Lowlands. After that, the Lowlands became an oppressed and underground culture that has never really seen the resurrection that Highland, Welsh and Cornish culture and language has seen. And that, I think, is the greatest tragedy. All the horrors of the Highlands were preceded almost a century prior in the Lowlands, yet little of contemporary history recalls that. Now, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, the Camerons (originating as a Covenanter regiment from the Bishops Wars), etc, are all seen more as of Highland heritage than of the Lowland origins they actually have.
I’m sorry but haven’t the lowlands always been partially Germanic/English? If I remember correctly Scots has been spoken since the 14th century and it derives from Middle English
@@kadenelijah9329 Scots is a hybrid language of old German (from the influence of Northumbria on the East coast), old Gaelic, and Cumbric (an ancient language spoken in the ancient kingdoms of Strathclyde and Cumbria, closely related to old Welsh). Culturally, the west coast was very Celtic, whereas the east coast was more a mix of Celtic and Angle-Saxon. French never really influenced any of the languages in Scotland, unlike its impact on English. But a big point was that Lallans (Scots) was the official court language throughout Scotland up until the Commonwealth of England defeated the Covenanters and put the south to the torch. In doing so, they removed the last vestiges of an independent culture (especially in the west, where the Covenanters had been strongest, and therefore the destruction of castles and forts was likewise strongest). The flip side was that a lot of that culture went to Ulster and Holland instead, as many left Scotland for such places. After the Bloodless Revolution of 1688, some of that culture returned (and this is why it maintains a strong influence over Orange Order and Williamite groups), however it was much more idealised than before, as it was over two generations between the defeat of Scotland by Cromwell and the Bloodless Revolution. Hence, the Lowlands saw the almost complete destruction of ancient culture (that had, in varying forms, preceded, survived and succeeded the Romans) that was never really restored in later years - especially as Jacobite influence saw a stronger Gaelic cultural identity for Scotland than a Brythonic one. Of significance, though, was that Galloway was of Gaelic culture prior to Cromwell's invasion, as the Kingdom of Dal Riata had taken it from the Kingdom of Strathclyde during the Dark Ages. Anyway, my point being that Scots is not a variant of English (which is a hybrid of Latin, old German and old French) but a related but distinct hybrid language of old Gaelic, old German and Cumbric, reflecting the cultures and influences of the region. Hence, while there was diversity within Lowlands culture, it's loss was no less significant than the later suppression of Highland culture and language.
I'm from Cornwall and am Cornish, most people think I'm joking with them when I tell them that. The Cornish language has a few hundred speakers now and the anglicization has gotten to the point where Aside from an accent the culture is almost all gone. Anyway my point being, historically the English have been trying to wipe out all cultures on the island but their own.
@@sa25-svredemption98 Nordic as well. Great post.
@@blairrobert3438 aye, a lot of people forget that Jutes and Frisians were also part of the northern Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (especially Northumbria), bringing a more Scandinavian flavour to the mediaeval kingdoms, followed by the later Norse settlements throughout many coastal regions of north-west Europe and the North Atlantic islands. However, while they are significant to history, they have a minor impact to the Scots language and culture, being more influential over specific proper nouns than other, more common elements of the language.
As a Drummond (and several other Scottish family names, Such as stuart, parlane and munn) who has lived in Scotland all his life and my family been in Scotland for hundreds (potentially thousands) of years and a pretty confident Gaelic speaker, I really enjoyed this video and it gives me hope that people outside of Scotland actually understand our culture and heritage and have taken interest to us, cheers for educating people about us on our behalf, and Alba gu Bràth 🏴❤️
I attended the University of Guelph in Ontario Canada. It's History department regarding Scottish History and the Scottish diaspora is the largest outside of Scotland itself. This video would have fit perfectly with what I was studying back then. This channel is fantastic. You guys do great work.
Yoooo a fellow Gryphon
Ayyy i'm a Guelph alumni too!
Lol I just signed up for my courses
Can you view this online? I’m a Scot in Scotland and love to know about the Scot’s who left etc
The Founder of the Dummond clan Was a prince From Hungary called George who accompanied Edgar Ætheling, an Anglo-Saxon prince, on his escape from William the Conqueror and the Norman conquest of England.
Unproven recent (mythical) hypothesis: earlier theories,incl. official printed histories, point to a Hungarian gentleman/knight called Maurice in the retinue of Edgar Atheling and his sister St.Margaret,who eventually became the 2nd wife of King Malcolm Canmore[ of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' fame!👍],in the same manner as the Clan Leslie was founded by another member of this Hungarian party called Bartholf!🤨
Should have pointed out,both the Drummonds and the Leslies made important later dynastic marriages with my lot,the Sinclairs,as I descend from all 3!😉
The clans, not native to the region, were houses and orders that were assembled via Black Nobility and falsely opposed by military lay orders of the Roman Empire ---- eventually becoming different lodges and banker families under Scottish Rite Freemasonry and Jesuitism.
@@mrico523 Thats makes sense,espec. continental-wide Thirty Years War of 1618-48 with Scottish Protestants opting to invariably fight as mercenaries with Denmark or Sweden,etc.,while Scottish Catholics went with either Bavaria or the Holy Roman Empire/Austria,etc.[such as the infamous Count LESLIE,assassinator of Gen.Wallenstein]😐
The first thing I think of when I hear Scotland, it's a certain Groundskeeper who lives in Springfield.
He's a maniac, maniac, that's for sure
(GREASE ME UP WOMAN ) He's class groundkeeper Willy
Aye!
Bonnie Prince Charlie was actually facing more Scots on the battlefield at Culloden than were on his side.
And therein lies the root cause of it all...
Yep,Lowland v. Highland which seems to have always been the bane of Scottish affairs!
All over his Grandfather trying to grant freedom of religion
A fact few know, and fewer want to know.
@@Wallace43266 More a feared return to Catholicism.
The clan system would have come to an end anyway before long with the Industrial Revolution, which was happening at the same time. It just would have been far less violent.
There are a ton of Highlander Scottish names in Canada and we have a bunch of Scottish military units. I work with a Cameron, Fraser, Stuart, MacDonalds, Murray, Morrison and MacLeod to name a few lol.
The first prime minister of Canada was John MacDonald haha
The amount of sheer history and lore this county has despite how small it is; is nothing short of incredible
>lore
Every European country has a very rich history .
"If you ask anyone today what the first thing is that comes to mind when they hear 'Scotland', you will probably hear - from anyone outside of Scotland at least - is 'the clans.'" No. No, it probably isn't. It's probably 'whisky' and 'kilts'. Then probably 'Nessie'. Then probably a few other things before 'clans'.
First thing that comes to my mind (Serb) when someone say Scotland is William Wallace and FREEEEEDOOOOOOOM.
Scotland, you BASTARDS!!!
Bagpipes...definitely bagpipes and kilts, then red hair and pubs as well as whisky, mountains and sheep. At least that's my take as a German, Scotland is regarded as one of the most beautiful places which a loooot of people want to visit at least once in their life, me included, so also that ^^
For me it's deep fried mars bars
@@harbinger200 also Highlander.
I would add an important part of how people's land was taken was that the law was changed in Westminster to allow that. Before this law the land held by the clan was held in common, the chief would collect rents and hold fielty but the land was owned by the clan collectively not him in common. After that law change the land was now owned by the chief alone and he could turf the people out if he wished.
Talbot: Correct !
I think that's the biggest tragedy, Scots Lairds kicking out Scots for money.
Yes this is the key, the highland chiefs became Lords etc and then threw the highlanders out on their ear. The same happened in England with the Enclosure Act. Stealing of common land by the law.
I have no problems with a private property system in place that allows people to gain their own, but seizure of ALL territory? That's a recipe for tyranny in addition to the terrible renter's mentality that just make these places progressively worse over time. Making the land and people worse off just means that you will be vulnerable later on to someone else as they surpass you.
@@scavenger6268 The logic for this came from Locke and the want of the squirearchy to extend their land ownership in England. They believed that by enclosing the land and investing they made it more productive. This is true, the common people were not given anything back in return. In Scotland, it was a bribe to get the highland leaders onside by making them the owners of vast tracts of lands that were held for the common good. The crazy thing is that the Scottish diaspora all come back and walk around these stolen lands without thinking anything of it. What would be better (an old joke) - 'how did you get this land?' My ancestors fought for it and its mine' - 'right you bastard, I'll fight you for it now -one to one'
Benjamin said - I would add an important part of how people's land was taken was that the law was changed in Westminster to allow that. Before this law the land held by the clan was held in common, the chief would collect rents and hold fielty but the land was owned by the clan collectively not him in common. This is the key, the highland chiefs became Lords etc and then threw the highlanders out on their ear. The same happened in England with the Enclosure Act. Stealing of common land by the law.
But it's all the fault of the English - what else could the new Scottish Lords do to support their new lordly lifestyles?
@@hilariousname6826 Not sure if you are serious with this reply -but it is an interesting question. What would anyone do given the opportunity to become super rich. I think in the time anyone else would have done as they did. Then again they screwed up royally by putting all their money into a South American bubble and bankrupting the country. As you know meant they had to be bailed out by the English and then have an act of union before they could get the backing of the Bank of England.
@@seanwalker6460 "What would anyone do given the opportunity to become super rich. I think in the time anyone else would have done as they did." Man, that's a dark view of human nature - I would sure like to think I would pass up on the chance to become 'super rich', if the price was putting all my extended family and distant relatives out of their homes ....
@@hilariousname6826 Hmm History is about being honest and pragmatic. I always apply the saying 'The past is a foreign country and they do things differently there' to anything that is not off my age. And they did exactly what you said. And all the Scots return to the old country and clan each year, not to take back the land but to buy tea, cake and kilts from the heirs to the bastards who forced their ancestors of their land. Dark enough for you :)
Your replies have disappeared from my feed for some reason .... But, anyway, I always found the modern recognition of the 'clan chiefs' or 'lairds' kind of pathetic, even as a kid. 'Clannishness' might have been passed down in our family - but the chiefs were a subject not spoken of. 'Tartanism' in general we regarded more as harmless spectacle than as heritage. And I still feel the same way, I suppose .....
As a Mclean who’s ancestors where forced to Ireland to make room for sheep I’m happy highlander history is actually talked about and the culture and story’s are still very much alive
Wow, this was unexpected but very entertaining!!! Please keep up the great work!!
Another great video as always!
Share Father-side Y DNA with the clan Gunn. As a Norwegian, I was thinking this was strange. Until reading the clans history. Apparently the first Gunn were a Viking called Gunni (from old norse Gunnr, meaning: battle). Ironically later the clan was mostly destroyed by a Norwegian King. Some kind of revenge for a Norwegian princes. Apparently it seems like many Scottish clans have Viking roots like the McDonalds etc. Seems like Scotlands foundations is somewhat split between the Picts, Gealic Scotts and Norwegians.
Very much so! I have Norse-Gaelic blood from both my mother and father. Really the only clan I have any information on though is Clan Sutherland, as my fathers maternal grandmother was a Sutherland herself. My mother was adopted so there is little information about her side. And my fathers (my given name) has a lot of scattered information
Ehmmm Mcdonald's
The MacDonalds and MacDougalls claim descent from Somerled, the half Viking 12th Century ruler of the Western Isles.
@@jonniemckaig883 Yes a lot of Norse-geal history in Scotland. A DNA test would be very interesting for you then, you can jump over some unknowns and find some facts.
@@archenema6792 Ahh yes Sumarlid. Mcleod also I think, supposedly origins from Olaf the black who at a point were King of Man. Planning to see their castle at Dunvegan in Skye this summer. There is also some other interesting McDonald castles there. Seems those clans sheered the area.
Whenever I think of Scotland the first 3 things that come to MY mind are: -Loch Ness monster - "Damn,Scots,they've ruined Scotland.." - "CALEDONIAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I don't know what Caledonia is I just heard it from somewhere..
How about Tree Fiddy?
Google is your friend.
Caledonia was the Roman name for Scotland
Caledonia is what the Romans called it. The French overseas territory of New Caledonia retains the name to this day
Stellar narration as always! Great video!
I can't describe how delighted and proud I am to see this topic be made into a video. A proud Ross from Inverness through and through
Those days are past now, And in the past they must remain, But we can still rise now, And be a nation again,
@@julianshepherd2038 To forget the past is to condemn the future. Its typically how history repeats itself.
Ramon Ross Urquhart Snover here....Victoria Ross married Donald Urquhart in the late 1700s, Ross Clan has the largest land mass, its just all the way north, like Alaska...tough folks for sure....
First things you think of when you think about Scotland: Deep fried mars bar. Ian Blackford. Difficult terrain. That phenomenon of the Bank of Scotland issuing their own bank notes (which they are entitled to do) and London takeaway owners refusing to accept them leading to a big argument about legal tender.
what abut whisky or bagpipes ?
Or the steam engine, haggis, Adam Smith, cloning sheep, ATMs, fridges, TV, telephones
Accents thick enough to take to the seas.
What about the Critical Drinker 🤔
Tartan and Kilts.
Scotland, Ireland and England. Such a beautiful part of the world and unique cultures. My wife and I dream of visiting one day. Once again, thank you for the insight.
dont forget Wales
"Wypipo don't have no culture"
England repressed and subjugated all the native cultures in an attempt to homogenize everyone. I wish one of the Nordic countries wiped them out long ago.
Informative video, thankyou.
Fantastic video keep it up your doing amazing job
In the 2nd minute where you mark Normandy on the map is modern day Belgium and definitely not Normandy, which is quite a bit to the West.
Watch it again...
Perhaps it refers to the medieval Norman Kingdom, which included more than the modern day region of Normandy in France.
@@theoutlook55 It represent the correct territories of Richard the Leonhart in France. I dont see the problem. Belgium is so far east from this...
Damn I guess he needs to take the entire video down
@@boozecruiser Quite an overreaction don't you think?
Love your videos!! Still waiting on the conclusion of the Hannibal series....
Allot Thanks For History Marche channel & Curiosity Stream for sending this a wonderful Video ...I appreciate it too much
I just love your videos guys. Please continue your astonishing work.
2 problems with this! 1. Gaelic was actually suppressed (like Welsh). Children were forbidden from speaking it at school. 2. The Highland Clearances wasn't voluntary. The Lairds that had lost fortunes gambling in London decided that sheep brought a better income than crofters. People emigrated through economic necessity or were forcibly removed from the land with their home either being pulled down or having the roofs burned. To gloss over the causes and consequences is a grave error. You also neglected to point out that the Scots Monarch was weak without support of the clans, that is why James VI was happy to go to London & be crowned King of England
Were these Lairds that enforced the land clearances Scottish or English?
Zet your v accurate !
Thank you for the facts. Why would anyone give up a tradition and a way of life so easily?
@@Tuathadana They didn't give up easily, they were punished physically and only taught in English. No English no education, and parents punished if they didn't send their children to school.
@@zetectic7968 I am agreeing with you. I just stated a rhetorical question :)
I'm from England but my heritage through my dad is Scottish and technically our lineage and surname is of a Clan (One featured in this video, though not mentioned - Innes). Personally I'm incredibly interested and have done a lot of research into the historical clans system, but also by way of interacting with the likes of Clan Societies, I really like the "modern clan system" prevalent in America. I find it really interesting that in America it seems to have been maintained much more than in the United Kingdom, and I can see why some people would think aspects are cringe from a UK perspective, but honestly I think it adds a lot in terms of the celebration of heritage (something often ignored in the UK), having an identity rooted in history (beyond an idea of nation or empire), etc. Kilts, tartans, pipe songs of clans, clan badges etc are all modern things, but they're as real and as meaningful as any real structure that existed in history for clans and clan identity.
In the UK,as a whole,'HERITAGE' means a plethora of things such as historic houses,museums,castles,churches/cathedrals,guildhalls,etc.,which are always there and present;to local and historic country/town fairs(fayres) and seasonal festivals,etc.;therefore it is more often than not taken for granted,while in the lot younger USA,its the opposite case!🤔
@@MrSinclairn that is true, I think the issue in the UK is that we place a lot of importance on local heritage, but for a lot of people thats less interesting because a large amount of people in the UK are not actually native or that connected to the place they live in. I personally find it really hard to be that interested in the local heritage of where I live, hence why I turned to my actual familial heritage. I think if you're not into local heritage, most people just kind of dismiss the idea wholly as opposed to looking into their own more direct heritage.
@@Vlognayshyall Agree it is a shame but our heritage is around us. The British just choose to be picky about what they want to identify with. The reality is we're all Celts if we go back far enough and before them, our ancestors were building great megaliths and exporting bronze to mainland Europe, the evidence is all over our countryside, literally from Orkney Isle to Lands end. The point is if you shuffle the deck on the genetics you could call most of the British Isles home, we instead just pick a window in history and call that home. Recorded history tells me my family is from Yorkshire and I've got Dane DNA and an Anglo surname so likely true that I've got good roots here going back to at least the 9th century but I'm a quarter Scot and Irish. Appreciate the surroundings and learn about past cultures because you've likely got connections to all of them. We in the UK are too quick to turn on our Kin, truth is we have a lot in common, we should not be trying separate or claim superiority as we've all got links to each other's amazing cultures and history.
@@UkSapyy I mean yes, we've all as Britons got ancestry from every part of the Isles. For the average native person in Britain, our autosomal DNA is no different from our first ancestors that came here during the bronze age when they wiped out the indigenous megalith builders. (See: Bell Beaker Invasion.) Those ancestors came from Western Europe and were the ancestors of Celtic and Germanic people who came in various waves after the bronze age. But looking at heritage is more than a material thing.. Look at the way our ancestors would've seen heritage, lineage, and family name were important, close kinship and founding new lineages were noble. In those days before the Christians, we even worshiped our closest ancestors and venerated them like Gods. There are Anglo-Saxon burials where as part of their grave goods they were entombed with bronze-age axes from the people they considered their ancestors... Our ancestors pretended to be their ancestors, who would've pretended to be their ancestors. British idea of heritage to me is just very material and not much deeper than that. I don't see it as unreasonable to say I've got deeper connections to the land my ancestors owned and were named after than I do some random piece of land near where I was born. I enjoy and venerate all historical places and the like, but I dislike the idea that they must be a part of my own heritage because I'm British..
I really like this sort of videos, they're a welcome change of pace from the endless battles. Often equally important is understanding *why* people fought those battles. Yes, because Kings demanded they did, but that alone does not account why often many thousands are swept up by a war-fever. Really enjoyed this one! Quickly becoming one of my favourites, this channel. Regards from the Country of Flanders!
Another masterpiece, thank you !
Thanks for doing this vid!! I run the Youth Athletics for the Maine Highland Games, as a member of the Saint Andrew's Society. Proud as the day is long of doing what we can to keep Scottish clans and traditions alive.
Speaking of the Diaspora, I've attended Burn's Night Dinners in Edmonton, Alberta, complete with the Piping in of the Haggis, and seen a kilted businessman carrying his briefcase on the way to the office.
I'm a Johnstone and a Colquhoun. In 1607, Clan Colquhoun, Clan MacGregor, and Clan Buchanan, fought at the Battle of Glenfruin in Luss, Scotland.
excellent as always
I appreciate the Curiosity Stream promotion in the form of when you share a piece from it that you have directly enjoyed. It is much more compelling toward using the service than I've seen in other presentations. Thank you for the videos!
You're a trusting sort.
My family surname falls under Clan MacDonald. My ancestor landed at the port of Philadelphia in 1756. I've always been very interested in the history. Thank you for this brief video.
I'll take a Big Mac and Fries.
@@BA-gn3qb Now, now - be nice!
Mine too. We were absorbed into their clan. It’s why I can wear both the Mac Donald tartan and Houston tartan.
Some of us left for Canada!
@@marianfrances4959 Thank God!
The idea of loyalty to clan first, then to country, is very much alive still in the Appalachian mountains, coincidentally where lots of Scots-Irish settled. The biggest labor struggle, basically a war, was fought in those mountains by coal miners of German and African ancestry but also Scottish and Irish.
Nicely informative video
Oh.. this just kinda makes me sad. I wish my clan was more United than it is but that does explain a lot of the loyalty traditions in Appalachia
You forgot several Clans on your map, including my own of Clan Buchan. I don’t fault you, it is messy.
It doesn't help there is false stories coming out of that time period, like Clan MacTavish being a sept of Clan Campbell. We were never, and will never be septs of anyone, Clan MacTavish is one of the oldest clans, with its historian tracing their line back much further than even Campbell.
@@user-zn4is8no7z Well I’m a Buchan Clan member, and that means I’m sept to Clan Cummings. All that means, is that some time around 1200, my Clan wanted some more protection, and so we entered a sort of ‘vassalage’ arrangement with Clan Cummings, a bigger and powerful Clan. But none of that means I’m necessarily Clan Cummings member though, it just means as I stated. So Clan MacTavish could have been sept to Clan Campbell at some time, but it doesn’t mean MacTavish is somehow gone or whatever. Just that the Clan some time ago, wanted extra protection from those dozens of other Clans.
@@jamesbuck2378 That is a fair explanation of the lie, but its still a lie none the less. Clan MacTavish has an extensive history written by the clan historian, which explains the discrepancy, as it was a lie promulgated by the Campbells themselves, some of whom continue the lie to this day, when in fact the clan has been recognized by the Lord Lyon as being their own established clan, and the history establishes they were their own clan. We are fairly certain the MacTavishes of old didn't enter into a septdom, or a sept-like state, but i'd have to refer you to the historian on that one.
@@user-zn4is8no7z Agreed. (Look at that. A discussion on the internet that didn’t begin and end in unnecessary anger.)
Interesting history to know. Thanks for such a clear and informative introduction of Scottish clan system.
Loved this! You got me, I subscribed
Welcome aboard!
I’m very excited for this! My grandma is a first generation migrant from low land Scotland and sadly she didn’t have a good relationship with her parents. After doing some DNA tests and research on various ancestral cities I’ve been able to learn through her mom We are descendants of clan Douglas, Clan Hay, and also Hamilton. There’s obviously many other obscures lines but it was incredible for my grandma and myself to learn through Archibald Douglas and Margaret Tudor do we exist. Her fathers line I am still trying to figure out and I have little to no info about them. I love your content thank you for the hard work!
Aye, same my family are also descendants of the Douglas clan too. We still carry the name, Douglas. Except historically, the name Douglas is actually written, Douglass. A historian even wrote a book about our family tree, and it dated as far back as James Douglas.
I'm from india. i have know name of every ancester from 1450AD. from ranthambore war.
My family hails from Clan Innes
Tudor is pretty damn significant aswell brah! You can lead England with the Tudor dynasty in EU4
Clan Irving was and is a big clan . If you look up the battle of Banickburn All the Douglas clan was involved with Robert the Bruce .
could you then do irish clans. They are technically families and the o'neil-o'donnell fued is greatly tied into the MacDonald-Campbell feud
This would be good! The Irish government even has a list of the existing Irish clans on their website.
Wonderful video! I enjoyed it!
Thank you very much!
Loved the content, the graphs/maps and the attention to detail - great voice over - would love to help if I could
I'm clan Leslie from Angus , Scotland. "Grip fast".
I'm an American descendent of the McFarlands, always confused by why my ancestors were living in Ireland for several generations before they came to the U S. As I understand more about the clearances I understand why.
Good too see another McFarland in here, I believe our Irish ties are a little more brief but same basic story. I love reading into the history of our ancestors. Have you seen the 2 island castle ruins on Loch Lomond?
I'm a Texan... My ancestors are from the UK, Ireland, Scotland, and northern Europe... Basically, I have the "pasty white gene" in abundance... I have sympathy for what the Brits did to the Scots back then, but if I was to be realistic, I don't know which side my ancestors were on in that fight... Probably both sides considering how many ancestors that I would have had that many generations ago... One of the things about here in the US is that we are a mix of a lot of different cultures and if we take offense at how our Irish or Scottish ancestors were treated, if we look far enough, we might find another ancestor that was on the other side doing the mistreating... :( So, I just say, "I'm Texan"... That way, I don't have to admit that I have some Damn Yankees who were my ancestors... :)
That’s good watchin 👍
Wow! So interesting ! TY
My great grandmother and grandmother migrated here from Scotland, making me only a second generation American on my mother's side. Yet my father's side originally were from Argyle, and came over during the 1600s. Proud decedent of the Scots!!
Oddly I’m Scottish and brag about family living elsewhere. France, USA and Australia. Those gits escaped.
Good video!!
good stuff
I live in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Scottish heritage is strong here.
I am from Scotland, Scottish heritage is pretty strong her too.
Im from Scotland. Scottish heritage is stronger here Cos ya know, its Scotland...........
The Irish had their clan system as well. There were some famous ones, like Clan Cholmain of the Ui Neill (Coleman/O'Neil). Great video!
Nice job
Another good video
What are your sources??? I’m a cameron and have never heard we were descended from Anglo saxons. There actually is an old manuscript saying clan cameron was established in the 900s with the help of an exiled danish king I believe
It's messy. I've heard that as well and its the story I go with, but there are several other stories out there that i've heard credible arguments for.
@@zachtaylor8222 I have as well, but I haven’t ever heard we were descended from Anglo Saxons. I was just curious as to what the creators sources are that he found that info
@@briancameron5988 I'd like that as well. I'd not heard that theory either
There are a ton of falsehoods, which were put into place by scots and english alike. A good example is the erasure of the Clan MacTavish, and the lie that they were Septs of Clan Campbell, when the MacTavish's predate the campbells by hundreds of years
أحب هذه القناة... History March ❤️
Honestly it's kinda terrifying how an institution so ancient and prevalent throughout centuries of culture's history could be utterly unmade in such a short time...
Very cool!
I'am a Argentinean that has Scottish ancestors from the clan Gunn
It's interesting to me how the culture of my Scots-Irish, Welsh, and Border clan ancestors continued in America, especially in music and dance, not to mention distilling whiskey. They also continued the local feuding between the clans, although on a smaller scale than in Scotland. There was a famous feud between the Hatfields and McCoys over a stolen pig that went on for years, in which several people were killed. My husband's ancestors were from Lanarkshire.
@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 Notice I said Border clans or families which included a northern branch of the Hatfields. The Appalachian mountains became the home of many of these border families who had their roots in the Border Reivers wars or were shipped off to Ireland to become the Ulster or Scots Irish, many of whom later immigrated to America. There was a culture of feuds, raiding, and lawlessness that existed around the Scottish English border for hundreds of years. And a dozen or so years after the Civil War ended, there was an incident about a stolen hog that did re-ignite the Hatfield McCoy feud.
yeah! another winner of a vid man! My heritage!
I'm only here today because of the Highland Clearances. One branch of my family descends from members of Clan McKay who were evicted and emigrated to rural Illinois.
Obviously its the William Wallace. We Serbs descendant of great hero Pavle Orlovic had the same thing families as a tribes or clans throughout Montenegro. His sons retreated from Kosovo after Battle of Kosovo 1389 to Herzegovina and farther to Montenegro. I have for relatives Wallace , Murray , Kennedy , Monroe, McCombs, Morris, Gibbs. Manojlovic, Bjelica, Cengic, Milic, Hrnjez, Pervan, Perkovic, Bozovic, Prstojevic, Novakovic, Bjelogrlic, Bjeletic, Martinovic,, Samardzic. Here are just some of the last names and it wouldn't surprise me if Novak Djokovic wasn't one of us either. I also forgot to mention few more people like Movie Producer Emir Kusturica. Before his ancestors converted to Islam their last name was Babic also relatives. Then Bosnian politician Radovan Karadzic as Karadzic is also relatives and to not forget to mention we are all I2a2 Haplogroup(see the map) and one more Bosnian politician Bakir Izetbegovic. Before his ancestors converted to Islam last name was Zivkovic also relatives💪🇷🇸🏴
The Cameron’s were descended from a Norwegian prince that helped restore the king of Dal Rita to the throne They were not Anglo-Norman
Similar false hoods are spread about Clan MacTavish as well, when we can trace their line back to the kings of Dal Riata
Could you do a video on the Irish clan system?
My Grandmother was born a Leslie. They were started by a noblemen from Hungary. Always went to the highland games as a kid.
Was destroyed at the point of a bayonet upon the field of Culloden and during the enforcement of the highland clearances, which supressed and destroyed highland clan culture and system effectively and with firm prejudice.
Butcher Cumberland saw to that. Greatest injustice and shame in history that Prince Charlie could only leave his people a memory when they had given him their lives.
@@Wallace43266 To be fair, neither side gave much quarter during campaign so was tit for tat. Unfortunately the 45 rising just gave the government cause belli they needed to deal with highland clans. As having revolted nearly half a dozen times since 1688, prove themselves a clear and present danger to safety of the realm, that had to be dealt with brutally to secure lasting peace and order in Scotland. Which worked as there were no more risings of the clans in Scotland after 1746.
More Scots on the 'English' side than on the 'Scottish'.
@@jackwhitehead5233 It was a Highlander army in 1745, yeah, but if you're interested in some loyal exceptions look up the Manchester Regiment
@@jackwhitehead5233 What s your source for that. As there were only 4 Scottish battalions in the government army; 3 lowland and one highland and even allowing for Scottish volunteers serving in said army, cannot see those numbers topping the five thousand that made up Jacobite army.
The clan tradition sure did survive and thrive over here in the U.S., I had the chance to meet my kinfolk from across the nation during a big family gathering. While we didn't do the Highland games, the youth, including me at the time, did talk about our distant relation and heritage
Fred Hun ! Sentimental fud !
Who's your clan chief, and what's it like when you get levied for tribal conquest?
@@Pilbsu XD I'm afraid I've been misleading I am part of a clan but those in the family who had all the oral history and knew the exact members are all dead now sadly The furthest we can go was one of our ancestors moved from Scotland during the clearances I believe but that's about it other than he was a member of a clan
"If you ask anyone today what the first thing is that comes to mind when they think of Scotland, the answer you will probably hear - from anyone outside of Scotland, at least - is "the clans"." Now that's just untrue! The first thing coming to mind is kilts and bagpipes! At least, that's what it's like here, in post-Soviet countries.
How about the whiskey? Or the great inventors? Or James I, II and Charles I & II. Or Bobby Burnes.
Funny enough I was looking at stuff about this topic earlier today
Always glad to see Scottish or Irish history being covered
Even if you have a Scottish name, Armstrong for example, you are more likely to have just as much Czech, Dutch and German ancestry. Especially if you're American.
Their map was lame, no armstrong on it, no mention of border reivers or the fact that armstrongs fought the english for 3 centuries. I couldnt care less about "highlanders", they did nothing until the english came to them in their areas.
Extended Dutch maybe thru the anglo saxons but those names exist 1,000 years apart. But Scotland’s contact with other parts of Europe is pretty limited. You got a lot of people form Ireland and other parts of Britain constantly. Then you have smaller amounts from Scandinavia during the Viking age and France post William the Conqueror / Angevin age
noooooo, you don't get it they've watched outlander and got a 20% dna result so they must be just as scottish lmao.
Airson na cinnidhean!
Cool video and very informative, and respect because you have Romanian🇷🇴 subtitles.
gaelic was never the language of lowland Scotland. as it was never conquered by the Irish gael tribes. Old English or older native brythonic languages were our tongue in the lowlands
The lowlands were conquered by the Gaels as Scotland was a Gaelic kingdom ,it is true large parts did not become Gaelic speaking besides the. South West and the northern areas of the lowlands
@@mikeoxsmal8022 No sir the gaels never actually conquered the lowlands they tried once and were defeated by the saxon kingdom of Northumberland at dagestan in about 605 AD also your missing the centuries old brythonic kingdom of Strathclyde in the west which was around a lot longer than the actual gaels. what eventually became Scotland started as a gael kingdom but later integrated with the Royal line of the North East brythonic people known as the picts mixing the 2 royal lines. The gael kingdoms in the North West Highlands and western Isles was conquered by vikings creating the norse gael culture. they never returned to Scotland until the 12th century AD. Scotland as a kingdom ended up a Norman feudal state like England.
Proud , courageous, and stubborn, the Scotch/Irish immigrants to Appalachia not only imbued a healthy distrust of a powerful central government into American political philosophy, they also have traditionally been the largest per capita ethnic group in volunteering for the military.
It's crazy how your average American knows more about Scottish history and traditions than your average Scot. A countries heritage should never be forgotten it should be preserved and cherished so that future generations can learn from it. The Highland Clearances really were a crime against humanity and are why my moms family came to the US.
I grew up in a place called Fraserburgh, a town started in the 1500s by the Fraser Clan but I had no idea they were French originally. Really interesting
So, thoughts: (i) the demise of clans in Scotland started with David I's introduction of feudalism into Scotland. Indeed by the end of the Wars of Independence most 'lowland clans' had largely adapted to a feudal society. (ii) "religion of England" where does this come from? James VI's mother was removed from her throne by the Scottish (90% of them by a 1640 estimation -I am unable to find a reasonable estimation before this) population who followed protestantism - which became the state religion of Scotland 6 years before James VI was born (if we're going to be pedantic Scots followed presbyterianism a division of Calvinism [Calvin being a Frenchman who lived in Geneva], while England was Anglican - that shares similarities with Lutheranism - this would later lead to friction that would result in the War of the Three Kingdoms). While many clans remained stoutly catholic - this was by no means universal. (iii) The desire to dissolve the clan system was largely based in (lowland) Scottish desires to civilise the highlands - the treatment of civilians by highlanders during the war of the three kingdoms, as well as during the restoration period led to a belief that highlanders were demonic beasts (not too far from the contemporary western view of groups like the Taliban). Indeed Scottish aristocrats were eager to utilise any weapon they could to weaken the clan system - eg Glencoe massacre. (iv) Culloden: its worth noting that the same jacobite army had defeated the same hanoverian army months before at the battle of Falkirk - indeed from the raising of the standard at Glenfinnan the jacobite army had marched south, won a battle outside edinburgh (Prestonpans), out-manouvered 2 hanoverian armies and marched to Derby. Having received (some dodgy) intelligence of further forces in their way to London, they turned back and marched north - fighting at falkirk and continued to retreat until culloden. Additionally negotiations were underway between britain and France (the jacobite campaign serving as a proxy in this war), so support had stopped. In short the campaign was over - had the jacobites won, its likely that the army would have broken down anyway. (ivb)prior to the battle several jacobite detachments were dispatched to try and muster more men, subseqently when these returned post culloden to Ruthven barracks (as an aside I can trace an ancester [McPherson] who was part of one of these detachments) there were more jacobite troops than had engaged on the battlefield. Despite this Charles decided to disband his army. (ivc) The alignment of loyalties during jacobite activilty did not match nationality (there were English and Irish jacobites) or religion (there were protestant jacobites and catholic hanoverians) but rather loyalties during the war of the three kingdoms. To this end it is worth noting that a significant number of clans were against the jacobites, and indeed fought at Culloden (again another ancestor [Maciver] fought in the Argyll militia which led the flanking attack against the jacobite right wing) (v) It may be worth noting that the first disarming act in the Highlands was passed by James IV (ie pre union) in an attempt to weaken the clans (particularly McDonalds) (vi) agricultural revolution: this is passed over quickly - but misses the fact that this occurred during the same time as enclosure was occurring in the lowlands and England/Wales. Indeed the clearest move (ie the removal of Tacksmen) in the 1770s (ie 25years after culloden) that drove the ease of removal of individuals from lands likely would have been unaffected had the 1745 not occurred. While the re-issued disarming act was more widely enforced it could not be done 100% (dirks were tools as well as weapons) and indeed until the 19th century singlestick (ie training for broadsword fighting) tournaments were common. (vii) growing use of gaelic in the lowlands and highlands: gaelic, like the loss of influence of clans dropped in Scotland in the 14th century - indeed by the end of the 14th century medieval Scots was more likely to be spoken (it can be argued that regions such as what made up the former kingdom of fortreu (north Fife) and Alt Clud (most of strathclyde) never spoke gaelic and instead spoke bythronic) - gaelic was alien to most central belt scots by the end of the middle ages, this served only as another reason for the need of central belt scots to 'civilise' (viii) clan vs national loyalty: this is not unique indeed before around 1600 the idea of the nation state and loyalty to this structure would be alien to most people. The case of loyalty would be first to local leaders and to those they held loyalty to. The idea of loyalty to a nation-state as we consider it today is a relatively recent phenomenon. This is best demonstrated by looking at historical conflicts where the contemporary nations do not match historic boundaries eg. Seljuk invasion of anatolia, 100 years war. Overall: One element this video misses is where did clans come from, it would be useful to discuss the differences (ie the breakup of Somerled's Lordship of the Isles) of regional clans in different areas and how that affected their structure. To overly simplify the breakdown of 'governance' (or better the distraction of governing structures to rule the wealthy south of Scotland) led to the creation of (what we'd call today) strongmen leaders who ruled through family loyalty - the Clans were an evolution of this. This led to a state of affairs that could be very good (if you were close to the leader) or bad (if you were outside of the protection of a clan). While most of these structures didnt get large enough to consider them 'tribes' the structure had similar issues with respect to individual freedoms and roles. Much of what is commented on today is seen through the lens of (Sir Walter Scott's) romanticism, in which an idealised society (in all honesty not far removed from the concept of noble savage) of fairness and virtue which allows the modern viewer/reader to ascribe values that weren't there. This lends itself to being hijacked by those who wish to pursue their own agenda by projecting their cause onto the historic scene, damaging both the reading of history (ie we should seek to avoid the tragedies of the past - difficult to do if they're re-imagined) and to the modern day (drawing grievance from a mis-presentation of events projected to the modern setting).
A thorough summary of what this video should have been all about. Thank you.
According to the 2016 Census of Canada, the number of Canadians claiming full or partial Scottish descent is 4,799,010, or 13.93% of the nation's total population. However, some demographers have estimated that the number of Scottish Canadians could be up to 25% of the Canadian population. (Wikipedia). The Clan names live on in Canada in a big way..........
thx
"Those days are past now, And in the past they must remain, But we can still rise now, And be a nation again"
Ps that’s Orkney onthe map above the main land. You forgot Shetland
Great history
When she thinks your cheating, but actually your learning how the clan system fell in Scotland .
Ah, so Scotland is the Skavens from the Warhammer Fantasy series.
skavens arent as smelly
Cool i had no idea
Great!
“When they think of Scotland they probably think of the clans.” Uh, not really? I usually think of kilts, bagpipes, the highlands and lowlands, etc. This is the first I’ve ever heard of these clans. For history buffs or Scots themselves I can see that, but for someone across the sea like me? No.
i think of the hills and good fish n chips but that's because i belong to a clan & currently live in the hellscape of texas lol