Biggest Clan Battle in Scottish History... Red Harlaw

Excellent!

You are a born storyteller, Sir. I’ll save the best spot by the fire for you.

I just found out I am descended from Donald! This is very interesting!!!

Well..., I'm not sure if you can call it a "clan battle" if there were only clans on one side. But, other than that semantic point, it's a good video.

I would love to see you do a video on Clan MacTavish. We are one of the most ancient of the Scottish clans, we're a Dalriatic clan, we were a Jacobite clan and fought at Culloden... there's politics and inter-clan rivalries and betrayals, different branches of the clan together controlled the whole fur trade in Canada. Our clan was in dormancy and then resurrected in 1997. We are a small clan, but we've always punched above our belt, and we're a fascinating clan that would make for a great video

I assume this battle took place after the MacKays where forced to move south-east, to Ross.

The same is true in respect to the south in the American Civil War. The Scots-Irish that settled the south traded the clan system for the Plantation society but it was essentially the same. Read Douglass Southall Freeman's great work " Lee's Lieutenants and you will see the same actions as the Clans under Bonnie Prince Charlie 20 years earlier in the '45 Rebellion.

Scotland suffered from the same thing that the Celts of Europe did against the Romans and the American Indians did against the USA. There was never a unified country, just allegiance to Clan and Tribe. A unified force always defeats in the end a group of tribes loosely assembled for a brief time. "Divide and conquer" was Julius Caesar's famous philosophy and it was true. Virtually every North American tribe fell with the help from their neighbors and the same is true of the Clans Of Scotland.

Your black?

I see Clan IRWIN on that tower!

I don’t understand why they couldn’t unite. They might of won against England. . . Maybe.

Love your stories.❤

Us scots are a good bunch we have a wee fight between ourselves every now and then

I really do enjoy your teachings, there's a lot to learn. 🤠

You didn't mention Forbes among the Lowlanders! It was through the courage and prowess of Laird Alexander Forbes in this battle that Forbes was greatly rewarded by the Scottish Crown and became the most powerful clan in Aberdeen until our feud with the Gordons. In the song the verse goes "The first blow that Laird Forbes struck, the sword ran in an ell. And the second blow that Forbes struck, the great MacDonald fell."

has it not been said that the scots could have ruled the world if they didn't have to contend with their long standing enemies, the scots.

Revisited this 2 years later and trying to study clan culture thanks to your research and presentation. So much looked through a lens of one version versus another. The old chicken and egg question. Were the clans goaded deliberately and divided against each other in a deliberate attempt to destroy a culture and way of life or was it simply internal feuds.

Clan MacLean? Do something bad? How dare you say bad things about us. We were some of the best cattle thieves and pirates you ever met.

Even more interesting historical facts explained by he who knows. Loved the way the cyclist rode past just when the cavalry was cut down 😊🌞

Ury is pronounced {you ree}. The battle took place near Inverurie. And Garioch where Inverurie is pronounced {Geerie}

It must've been those Campbell's who done it! Lol

Such a great storyteller. Thank you

People are complex, clans and history also, well done Bruce!

Scott myself and I do look at Scottish history and ask myself WHY in these simple times where there is no phone, violent game and video films people became so violent?

Wait im a Stewart no a stuart care to explain lol

Excellent stuff..

Wish there was one of ye in cymru doing this too ..

Scottish Independence!!

Being Scottish is a combination of ancestry and honoring the culture and history Thank you for expanding and disclosing its history

What of the Douglas clan?

Robert The Second was the first Stewart King of Scots, not Robert The Third.

Aye... You have many times brought aboot the discussion we are faced with here and as men try to justify the reasoning of a loss or defeat it still comes down as again you ask us to realize the many reasons why these things happen. My family are Hendersons/McKendricks of Argyll and I know a bit of the history but 10 generations ago is far from being understood except unless one tries to place themselves in the place and realize what family had to suffer to stay alive. it was a live, fight and die condition...the learning curve and the growth of a Nation was emerging. My relatives left Argyll in 1770 for their own reasons...they must have been tired and saw the chance in the new free world as their mission to continue the faith to save themselves and their faimly from destitution and dimise. Many were not so fortunate, Many as in the war and battles did not survive. I am a survivor in many way like them under certain and completely different conditions in this year 2023, but I can tell you from them the blood that runs through my veins...I know and can feel the pain the ancients must have felt being pressed to change and develope to new and different ways to live in the land that they loved and the people who were their kin.

Can you do a video on the Battle of Inchbare in Angus. It's another Battle involving the Lord of The Isles and King David's men.

My Clan MacKinnon was on the loosing side. As a result, they ended up in Canada in 1883, living in sod shanties, being shown how to hunt & butcher Bison by local Indigenous people. 3 years later in 1886, they returned the favor by giving thirsty, starving Indians food & Drink as the Indians were being marched thru Moosomin Saskatchewan by white soldiers to imprisonment in Winnipeg after the 1885 Riel Metis rebellion in Batouche Alberta.

I toured the Culloden Battlefield, escorted by a local historian who was very conversant with the actual battle history. I stood exactly where my clan fought & mostly died horrible deaths.

I really enjoyed this view, thank you. History as we read in books is not true

You often throw in some deep thoughts to your 'stories' and this is no exception. But the one that has moved me the most has been the story of Glencoe.

Ideas and ideals. Beliefs and make believes. These are the rotten issues which are at the heart of all trouble. Can they ever end? Of course they can, where they begin... within self.

Phenomenal storytelling.

The disunity and in fighting of the Scotish Clans is the.only reaaon the English were able to subdue them. Same thing that happen to their Celtic Ancestors when Rome invaded Gaul then later Britain.

MacNeacail 🦾

One of my McDuffie ancestors was a bard to Donald the King of the Isles , several others were the pipers of the McDonald's . Eventually we were forced at bayonet point to immigrate to America along with the MacDonalds we fought side by side with for centuries . Thank you Bruce for teaching me more about the history of my people . As always you never disappoint ! 😊

I like the way Bruce not just tells us about history, but how 'be' and think about history. This is important because most viewers use the history to justify their own prejudices. This Harlaw story just underlines that Scotland's power-broking and power-seeking politics was no less complex than anywhere. But it does remind us of the perennial theme of Scotlands history: the struggle between 2 types of feudal systems, the Highland clan one and the lowland European one.

Hey my man, really enjoying your work here. Great material, fueled by an undeniable passion and delivered with panache. Well done!

Was there supposed to be an English attack into Scotland at roughly the same time, like some sort of early reverse Flodden, only with the English and Henry IV not showing up in the south? I didn't quite catch that bit. And didn't Henry IV have a run in with the Percys of Northumberland about that time, with Hotspur getting whacked at the Battle of Shrewsbury? I think the Percys were allied with the Douglas family. All very Game of Thrones.

amazing how much of this you can learn from Coorries songs

You made an excellent point about observing history from sentimentality or detached observation. It's hard to see the whole circus unless one exits the lion's cage and gets a good seat in the bleachers. I find the interplay of family, politics, loyalty, and power so human. That which motivates and compels.puts spice in the soup. Thank you for your excellent stories.

to me the whole clan system is mind boggling openings became available when male lines ran out and daughters married into other family clans that then presented openings for takeovers to large parts of Scotland no wonder historians have a hard time working it all out treaty's made between families then a marriage made bang all up for grabs do a family history search in Scotland like me with a surname Allan if you can find records I can wear about six different tartans it's a hole lot easier saying I have family ties to Scotland and other parts of the UK and all around the world its all the blood shed the took place that's the sad part and the clearances that wrangle me

I make comment it’s edited - people of border England/Scotland -imagine death from both ends “ intell “ is only option failure is not an option for civility while people are outraged quite often. Who do would save both sides - families of the border - who brought the pain of decision - families of border & balancing & timing convenience of problems.

I always appreciate your perspective Bruce, very thought provoking. Thank you.