Clan Sinclair: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Highland Scottish clan}} |
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[[Image:SinclairCrest.gif|thumbnail|right|Sinclair Crest]] |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} |
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[[Image:SinclairCastle3.jpg|thumbnail|right|Sinclair Castle as seen today]] |
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{{Infobox clan |
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[[Image:CastleSinclair1821.jpg|thumbnail|right|Sinclair Castle drawn in 1821]] |
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| image badge = Clan member crest badge - Clan Sinclair.svg |
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<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:SinclairCastle2.jpg|thumbnail|right|How Sinclair Castle also known as Girnigoe Castle may have once looked]] --> |
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| clan name = Clan Sinclair |
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[[Image:SinclairCastle1.jpg|thumbnail|right|How Sinclair Castle also known as Girnigoe Castle may have once looked]] |
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| chiefs crest = A cock rampant |
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| chiefs motto = Commit thy work to God<ref name="ScotClans">{{cite web |url=http://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-sinclair/ |title=Clan Sinclair Profile |website=scotclans.com |access-date=15 December 2013}}</ref> |
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| chiefs slogan = Girnigoe! Girnigoe!<ref name="Clan Sinclair USA">{{cite web |url=https://www.clansinclairusa.org/history.html |title=Clan Sinclair Hallmarks |website=clansinclairusa.org |access-date=18 April 2024}}</ref> |
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| region = [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]] |
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| district = [[Caithness]] |
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| gaelic names = ''Clann na Ceàrda'' or ''Clan na Ceàrdaich''<ref name="m1">{{cite web |author=Mac an Tàilleir, Iain |title=Ainmean Pearsanta|url=http://www2.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/cuspair/Ainmean_pearsanta.docx |work=[[Sabhal Mòr Ostaig]] |access-date=15 October 2009 |format=[[docx]]}}</ref> |
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| image arms = Earl of Caithness coat of arms.svg |
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| plant badge = Whin<ref name="ScotClans"/> |
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| pipe music = "The Sinclair's March" (a.k.a. The Red Ribbon) |
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| chiefs name = [[Malcolm Ian Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness|The Rt. Hon. Malcolm Ian Sinclair]] |
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| chiefs title = The 20th [[Earl of Caithness]]<ref name="ScotClans"/> |
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| chiefs gaelic title = |
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| seat = |
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| historic seat = [[Castle Sinclair Girnigoe]]<ref name="Coventry">{{cite book |last=Coventry |first=Martin |year=2008 |title=Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans |location=[[Musselburgh]] |publisher=Goblinshead |pages=529–533 |isbn=978-1-899874-36-1}}</ref> |
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| septs = Budge,<ref name="Kith">{{cite book |title=Scots Kith & Kin |year=2014 |page=83 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |isbn=9780007551798}}</ref> Caird, Clouston, Cline, Clyne,<ref name="Kith"/> Groat,<ref name="Kith"/> Laird, Linklater, Lyall,<ref name="Kith"/> Mason, Purdie, Purdy, Snoddy, Peace, Wares<ref name="Kith"/> |
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| branches = [[Earl of Caithness|Earls of Caithness]] (chiefs)<br>[[Lord Sinclair|Lords Sinclair]]<br>[[Barony of Roslin|Sinclair of Roslin]]<br>[[Viscount Thurso|Sinclair of Thurso]]<br>Sinclair of [[Keiss]]<br>Sinclair of Stemster and Dunbeath<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory">{{cite book |last=Henderson |first=John. W.S |year=1884 |url=https://archive.org/stream/caithnessfamilyh00henduoft#page/n9/mode/2up |title=Caithness Family History |location=[[Edinburgh]] |publisher=[[David Douglas (publisher)|David Douglas]]}}</ref><br>Sinclair of Murkle<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Assery<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Lybster<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Scotscalder<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Geise<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Greenland and Rattar<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Freswick<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Mey<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Ulbster<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Durran<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Olrig<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Dunbeath and Latheron<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair Sutherland of Brabster<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Barrock<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Stirkoke<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Dun<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Southdun<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Brabsterdorran<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Forss<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclair of Achingale and Newton<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclairs of Lybster, Reay<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>Sinclairs of Hoy and Oldfield<ref name="CaithnesFamilyHistory"/><br>See also:<br>[[Lord Herdmanston|Sinclair of Herdmanston]]<br>[[Sinclair baronets]] |
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| Allied clans = [[Clan Sutherland]] (18th century) |
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| Rival clans = [[Clan Sutherland]] (16th century)<br>[[Murray of Aberscross]]<br>[[Clan Gunn]]<br>[[Clan Campbell]] |
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}} |
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'''Clan Sinclair''' ({{langx|gd|Clann na Ceàrda}} {{IPA-gd|ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ nə ˈkʲaːrˠt̪ə||}}) is a [[Scottish Highlands|Highland]] [[Scottish clan]] which holds the lands of [[Caithness]], the [[Orkney Islands]], and the [[Lothian]]s. The chiefs of the clan were the [[Baron of Roslin|Barons of Roslin]] and later the [[Earl of Orkney|Earls of Orkney]] and [[Earl of Caithness|Earls of Caithness]]. |
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==History== |
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Clan Sinclair was a Highland [[Scottish clan]] located at the very northern tip of Scotland. |
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The Sinclairs are believed to have come from [[Normandy]] to England during the [[Norman conquest of England]], before arriving in [[Scotland]] in the 11th century. The Sinclairs supported the Scottish Crown during the [[Scottish–Norwegian War]] and the [[Wars of Scottish Independence]]. |
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St. Clare in Pont d'Eveque in Normandy is generally thought to be the birthplace of this great northern clan. |
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The chiefs were originally Barons of [[Roslin, Midlothian]] and [[William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness]] and Baron of Roslin founded the famous [[Rosslyn Chapel]] in the 15th century. He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, [[William Sinclair, 3rd Lord Sinclair|William ("the Waster")]], who inherited the title of [[Lord Sinclair]],{{#tag:ref|''[[The Scots Peerage]]'' by [[James Balfour Paul]] gives the 1st [[Lord Sinclair]] as [[William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness]],<ref name="Peerage2.LordSinclair">{{cite book |last=Paul |first=James Balfour |author-link=James Balfour Paul |year=1910 |title=The Scots Peerage; Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun07paul/page/n5/mode/2up |volume=VII |location=Edinburgh |publisher=[[David Douglas (publisher)|David Douglas]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun07paul/page/n595/mode/2up 569] |access-date=June 12, 2021}}</ref> and this version is given by the Official Clan Sinclair website's timeline, quoting from Paul's ''Scots Peerage''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clansinclair.org/Timeline11.htm |title=Clan Sinclair (timeline 1420-1476) |website=clansinclair.org |access-date=June 12, 2021 |quote=Scots Peerage (Paul)}}</ref> However, historian Roland Saint-Clair stated that the 1st Lord Sinclair was the father of the 1st Earl of Caithness, [[Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney]], as recorded by public records.<ref name="Saint-Clair2LordSinclair">{{cite book |last=Saint-Clair |first=Roland |year=1898 |title=The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the Sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair |url=https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/n9/mode/2up |location=[[Shortland Street, Auckland]], New Zealand |publisher=H. Brett |page=[https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/296/mode/2up 297] |access-date=June 12, 2021}}</ref> Therefore the numbering of the Lords Sinclair is one place different from these two different historians. [[Bernard Burke]], in his a ''Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire'', agrees with Roland Saint-Clair and says that [[Henry Sinclair, 4th Lord Sinclair|Henry Sinclair]] (died 1513) and [[William Sinclair, 5th Lord Sinclair|William Sinclair]] (died 1570) were "in reality" the fourth and fifth Lords Sinclair respectively.<ref name="Burke">{{cite book |last=Burke |first=Bernard |author-link=Bernard Burke |year=1869 |title=Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire |url=https://archive.org/details/genealogicalhera00inburk/page/n5/mode/2up |location=59 [[Pall Mall, London]] |publisher=Harrison |page=[https://archive.org/details/genealogicalhera00inburk/page/1016/mode/2up 1016] |access-date=June 15, 2021}}</ref>|group=note}} instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, [[William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness]], in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, [[Oliver St Clair, 12th Baron of Roslin|Sir Oliver Sinclair]]. |
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The family received a grant of the Barony of Roslin in Midlothian during the twelfth century. Through marriage, the family obtained the Earldom of Orkney, and in the next century received land in Caithness. The earldom or kingdom of Orkney was later resigned by order of James III. |
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In the 16th century the Sinclairs fought against [[England]] during the [[Anglo-Scottish Wars]] and also feuded with their neighbors the [[Clan Sutherland]]. During the [[Jacobite rising of 1715]] the Sinclairs supported the Jacobite cause, but during the [[Jacobite rising of 1745]], while the clan largely had Jacobite sympathies, their chief, the Earl of Caithness, supported the British-Hanoverian Government. |
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The chief of clan Sinclair at this time split the family lands, giving the lands of Caithness to his elder son, and the lands at Roslin to his younger son. It was around this point that the spelling "Sinclair" came into general use, although the Earls of Roslin still prefer to use the older form of "St. Clare". |
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The current chief is [[Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness]]. |
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The Earls of Caithness engaged in a long succession of feuds with their neighbours and within the family. This resulted in the 4th Earl imprisoning his son in Girnigoe Castle, where he starved to death. |
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== Origins == |
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Much of the Sinclair lands in Caithness had to be sold off to pay debts. Within the family, rights to estates were disputed and culminated in a battle between the Sinclairs and the [[Clan Campbell|Campbells]] on the banks of Altimarlach, near Wick. |
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The surname of Sinclair in French is “de Sancto Claro” and in Latin, “Sanctus Clarus,” meaning Holy Light. The name derives from the hermit St. Clare and St. Clair-sur-Epte, a town near Paris close to the location of the hermit St. Clare’s martyrdom. |
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No certain record exists but it is likely that the Sinclairs came from [[Saint-Clair-sur-l'Elle|Saint-Clair]] in [[Normandy]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair">{{cite book |last1=Way |first1=George of Plean |last2=Squire |first2=Romilly of Rubislaw |author-link2=Romilly Squire of Rubislaw |author-link1=George Way of Plean |year=1994 |title=Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia |location=[[Glasgow]] |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] (for the [[Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs]]) |isbn=0-00-470547-5 |pages=322–323}}</ref> The Saint-Clairs first went to England (before they came to Scotland) with [[William the Conqueror]] during his invasion of England.<ref name="SinclairBook">{{cite book |last=Maclean-Sinclair |first=Rev. A |date=1901 |title=The Sinclairs of Roslin, Caithness and Goshen |url=http://fionamsinclair.co.uk/genealogy/Goshen/index.htm |location=[[Charlottetown]], [[Prince Edward Island]] |publisher=The Examiner Publishing Company |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624192556/http://fionamsinclair.co.uk/genealogy/Goshen/index.htm |archive-date=24 June 2014}}</ref> The name was originally "Saint-Clair" which was a place name.<ref name="SinclairBook" /> Richard of Saint-Clair and Brittel of Saint-Clair are both mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]].<ref name="SinclairBook" /> William of Saint-Clair accompanied [[Saint Margaret of Scotland]], daughter of [[Edward the Exile]] to [[Scotland]] in 1068, where she eventually married [[Malcolm III of Scotland]]. In return for his efforts, the king supposedly granted Sinclair the barony of [[Barony of Roslin|Roslin]], Scotland "in free heritage".<ref name="SinclairBook" /> |
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==Castle Sinclair Girnigoe== |
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In the 15th century the Sinclairs were granted the earldom of Caithness, but lost it in the 17th century when Sir George Sinclair, the sixth earl, who had been forced to sell off most of the family lands, died without issue. Sir John [[Clan Campbell|Campbell]] of Glenorchy was the chief mortgagee of the Sinclair estates and he promptly married Sir George's widow and claimed the earldom for himself. This did not go down well with the rest of the Sinclair family and George Sinclair of Keiss besieged and captured Girnigoe Castle, which was claimed by the Campbells. The Campbells had swift revenge at the bloody battle of Altimarlech, where so many Sinclairs were killed that the Campbells were able to cross the river without getting their feet wet. Clearly, however, the Sinclairs had influence in high places as only a few years later, in 1681, they regained the earldom by an order of Parliament. |
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One of the earliest recorded Sinclairs in Scotland was [[Henry I St Clair of Herdmanston|Henry of Saint-Clair/Sinclair]], who obtained a charter for the lands of [[Herdmanston House|Herdmanston]] in [[Haddingtonshire]] in 1160.<ref name="SinclairBook"/> |
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Girnigoe Castle, dramatically situated on the cliffs just outside Wick, was one of the main Sinclair strongholds. Although now ruined, it is well worth a visit and it still contains both a secret chamber in the vaulting of the kitchen ceiling and a grim dungeon where, it is said, the 4th Earl of Caithness imprisoned his son and heir and fed him salt beef so that eventually he died mad with thirst. |
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The chiefs of Clan Sinclair, the Earls of Caithness, descend from [[William St. Clair, 6th Baron of Roslin|William St. Clair]] who was sheriff of [[Edinburgh]] and who was granted the barony of Roslin (Rosslyn) in 1280.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> |
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Another former Sinclair property is the Castle of Mey, originally known as Barrogill Castle. In the early 1950s the castle was purchased by HM The Queen Mother who changed its name back to Castle of Mey. The castle is reputedly haunted by The Green Lady, ghost of a daughter of the 5th Earl. Having fallen in love with a local ploughman, the unhappy girl was imprisoned in the castle attic by her angry father and, in a fit of despair, she threw herself from a window. |
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== Scottish–Norwegian War == |
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==Battles== |
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*Castle Alnwick 1093, Northumbria England, Sir William Sinclair led an attack on England at Alnwick Castle in which the Scottish won. After the battle during a ceromony where the keys to the castle were to be handed over to the Scottish King an Englishman speared the Scottish King to death. Today the castle still remains a very impressive fort with a central keep and a massive encirling wall. |
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During the [[Scottish–Norwegian War]], [[Haakon IV of Norway]] invaded Scotland. However, at the [[Battle of Largs]] in 1263 he was faced with William St. Clair who commanded a wing of [[Alexander III of Scotland]]'s army.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline">{{cite web |url=http://www.clansinclair.org/Timeline.htm |title=Official Clan Sinclair Timeline |website=clansinclair.org |publisher=[[Clan Sinclair Trust]] |access-date=16 December 2013}}</ref> In 1264, William St. Clair was ordered by King Alexander of Scotland to support the forces of the king of England at the [[Battle of Lewes]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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*Allerton 1156, When Englands King Henry died the new King Stephen restarted wars to reclaim land in Scotland. The battle took place across the river Tweed. Here Sir William won high distinction in defending England and was rewarded lands in Cardaine. He was later sent to England as a Scottish ambassador to resolve land disputes. He also succeeded in claiming back Northumberland for Scotland. |
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== Wars of Scottish Independence == |
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*Rebellion of the Sinclairs 1222; The trouble was over tithes imposed by the Bishop of Caithness whose seat was at Dornoch. The '''Clan Sinclair''' Earls of Caithness had long resented the fact that the bishopric was under Sutherland control and decided to exploit the discontent over tithes, to get rid of the bishop and have the seat moved. There was soon a riot, said to be incited by Sinclair gold. The unfortunate bishop was roasted alive and his cathedral was set on fire. The rioters then headed north to join up with their '''Sinclair''' allies. Once again the Lord of '''Sutherland''' was given responsibility by the crown for restoring law and order, and for punishing Sinclair for his instigation of the incident. The [[Clan Sutherland]] force was gathered and the far northeast was laid waste in a campaign of revenge and repression. Wick and Thorso were burned and the Sinclair stronghold razed to the ground. Eighty men were tried at a summer court session at Golspie and there was strict punishment for the rioters. Four of the ringleaders were roasted and then fed to the town dogs for good measure. |
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[[file:RosslynInterior.jpg|thumb|upright|Interior of [[Rosslyn Chapel]] which was founded by [[William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness]]]] |
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During the [[Wars of Scottish Independence]], [[William St. Clair, 6th Baron of Roslin|Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn]] was captured at the [[Battle of Dunbar (1296)]] and died later, probably in the [[Tower of London]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> [[Henry St Clair, 7th Baron of Roslin|Henry]], his son, was also captured and later sent to [[St Briavels Castle]],<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> and in 1296 he swore fealty to [[Edward I of England]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> |
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*Largs 1236, Sir William Sinclair(1190 - 1270) led the soldiers of King Alexander III of Scotland to repel the last Norman invasion. Today a clumn marks the spot of where the battle took place. Every September a Viking festival celebrates the event. |
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In 1303 the [[Battle of Roslin]] took place where Scots under Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn and the [[Clan Cumming|Clan Comyn]] defeated an English force.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> The [[Battle of Loudoun Hill]] took place in 1307 where Scots under [[Robert the Bruce]], assisted by Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn again defeated the English.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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*Lewes Sussex 1265; Simon of Montfort Earl of Leicester, England. Gained great influence over other barons and bishops. They drew up the Provisions of Oxford. King Henry III objected. Civil war broke out. Rebellious barons won, capturing the King. After years of conflict the Crown returned to his son Edward. King Alexander ordered Sir William Sinclair to assist King Henry III in a bloody victory. Sinclair escaped unharmed. |
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The family initially favoured [[John Balliol]]'s claim to the throne but later it became paramount that they gave their loyalty to [[Robert the Bruce]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> The [[Battle of Bannockburn]] was fought in 1314, where the Clan Sinclair fought in support of Robert the Bruce.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> After the battle Robert the Bruce gave William Sinclair his sword.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> The Battle of Donibristle took place in 1317, [[William Sinclair (bishop)|William Sinclair]], Bishop of Dunkeld, rallied the Scots army to defeat an English invading force in [[Fife]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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===Scottish Wars of Independence=== |
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* [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]] 1297: aka Triple Battle, Battle of Roslyn Moor; 37 miles North of Stirling Castle, recaptured from England's King Edward I, by the Scottish who were led by [[William Wallace]]. They repelled an army of 30,000 English at Roslyn Moor. Sir William Sinclair (1260 - 1305) was one of Wallace's major commanders. |
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Sir William Sinclair, heir to Henry, and, it is claimed, his brother John, were among the Scots killed with [[James Douglas, Lord of Douglas|Sir James Douglas]] at the [[Battle of Teba]] (1330),<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> cutting short their attempt to carry Robert Bruce's heart to the [[Holy Land]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> They, or at least their bones, are said to be buried in [[Rosslyn Chapel]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> The [[Battle of Neville's Cross]] took place in 1346 where Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston was taken prisoner<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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*[[Battle of Bannockburn]] 1314; Another battle for Scottish Independence. Roslyn Castle again at the center of the battle. Sir Henry Sinclair (1275 - 1329) the 8th Baron of Roslyn fought impressively for which he was rewarded more land. He also signed a truce for permanent peace between Kings [[Robert I of Scotland|Robert the Bruce]] of Scotland and King Edward II of England. |
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== Later 14th century == |
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*[[Battle of Halidon Hill]] September 1402; Prince Henry Sinclair 1340-1402 slain in battle. |
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In 1379, [[Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney|Sir Henry Sinclair]], who was also Admiral of Scotland claimed the [[Earldom of Orkney]] through his mother and received it from [[Haakon VI of Norway]].<ref name="SinclairBook"/> However the earldom of Orkney was later resigned by order of [[James III of Scotland]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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==Battles (continued)== |
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*[[Battle of Flodden Field]] 1515, Coldstream, England; Sir William Sinclair was one of the nobles fighting for King James. He had previously sat in Parliament. In battle King James observed Sir William leading his followers, all wearing green. The King asked and found they were of Caithness, led by the Earl. King James wrote the renewal of Sir William's Earldom on a drumhead, the only parchment available. The drumhead was carried by runner to Sir William's lady. Sir William died in battle the next day, leaving the Earldom to his son John. |
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[[Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney]], Baron of Roslin, and Lord of Shetland (c.1345-c.1400), was a Scottish explorer [[nobleman]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> In 1391, he conquered the [[Faroe Islands]]. He is also alleged to have voyaged as far as the Americas in 1398 (being hypothetically identified with Zichmni, who travelled with the [[Zeno brothers]], for the first time by [[Johann Reinhold Forster]] in 1784<ref>Johann Reinhold Forster, ''Geschichte der Entdeckungen und Schiffahrten im Norden'', Frankfurt an der Oder, C.G. Strauss, 1784.</ref>); believers in this hypothesis claim he possibly landed in both [[Massachusetts]] and [[Nova Scotia]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/><ref>Frederick J. Pohl, ''Prince Henry Sinclair: His Expedition to the New World in 1398'' (1974; 1998).</ref><ref>[http://www.alastairhamilton.com/sinclair.htm Earl Henry Sinclair's fictitious trip to America] by Brian Smith, First published in New Orkney Antiquarian Journal, vol. 2, 2002.</ref> The voyage to America is largely disputed.<ref>Fred W. Lucas, ''The Annals of The Voyages of The Brothers Nicolo and Antonio Zeno in The North Atlantic about the End of the Fourteenth Century and the Claim founded thereon to a Venetian Discovery of America: A Criticism and an Indictment'' (Stevens, 1898).</ref> According to a biography published many years after his death, he died in battle against the English around the year 1400.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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*Somersdale, Orkney, May 1529; John Sinclair (1490-1529) 3rd Earl of Caithness died leading 500 men to help defend James Sinclair and defend the Orkneys. |
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== 15th century == |
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*Battle near Wick 1588; Earl of Sutherland Alexander Gordon divorced his obnoxious Sinclair wife in 1573. He waged all out war with her father and Clan Sinclair before gaining a decisive victory outside Wick in 1588, when more than a hundred Sinclair clansmen were killed in a pitched battle on the seashore. Earl Alexander later married the divorced wife of the Earl of Bothwell, third husband to Mary Queen of Scots. |
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[[Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney]] was taken prisoner by the English at [[Battle of Homildon Hill]] in 1402 but was soon released.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1406 he escorted Prince James to France but the ship was captured by the English and both were imprisoned in the [[Tower of London]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1407 he escaped or was released on payment of a ransom.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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*Castle Kirkwall 1614; Orkney waterfront built by Prince Henry 1390. Henry Sinclair Wadsetter 1570-1614 died leading 100 men to besiege the castle. He became paralyzed and died at night. |
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[[William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness]] (3rd Earl of Orkney and Baron of Roslin) was High Chancellor of Scotland between 1454 and 1458.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> He had been granted the [[Earl of Caithness|earldom of Caithness]] in 1455.<ref name="SinclairBook"/><ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, [[William Sinclair, 3rd Lord Sinclair|William ("the Waster")]], who later became the [[Lord Sinclair]], instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, [[William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness]], in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, [[Oliver St Clair, 12th Baron of Roslin|Sir Oliver Sinclair]].<ref name="SinclairBook"/><ref name="3rdLordSinclair">{{cite book |last=Saint-Clair |first=Roland |year=1898 |title=The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the Sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair |url=https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/n9/mode/2up |location=[[Shortland Street, Auckland]], New Zealand |publisher=H. Brett |page=[https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/296/mode/2up 297]-299 |access-date=June 12, 2021}}</ref> |
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*Battle of Altimarlech 1678; A battle took place between [[Clan Campbell]] and Clan Sinclair. |
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== |
== 16th century == |
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*Gaelic Name: Mac na Ceardadh |
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*Motto: Commit thy work to God |
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*Badge: Whin |
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*Lands: Midlothian, Orkney and Caithness |
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*Origin of Name: Placename, French de Sancto Claro |
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*Pipe Music: Spaidsearachd Mhic nan Cearda (The Sinclair's March) |
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[[William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness]] was killed fighting for [[James IV of Scotland]] at the [[Battle of Flodden]] in 1513.<ref>{{cite book |last=Guthrie |first=William |author-link=William Guthrie (historian) |year=1767 |title=A General History of Scotland |url=https://archive.org/details/ageneralhistory14guthgoog/page/n6/mode/2up |volume=4 |location=[[Paternoster Row]], London |publisher=A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts |pages=[https://archive.org/details/ageneralhistory14guthgoog/page/n366/mode/2up 371]-372 |access-date=May 7, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> There was a loss of 300 Sinclairs including George Sinclair of Keiss, [[Henry Sinclair, 4th Lord Sinclair]],<ref name="S4thLordSinclair">{{cite book |last=Saint-Clair |first=Roland |year=1898 |title=The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the Sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair |url=https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/n9/mode/2up |location=[[Shortland Street, Auckland]], New Zealand |publisher=H. Brett |page=[https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/298/mode/2up 299]-301 |access-date=June 12, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Peerage">{{cite book |last=Paul |first=James Balfour |author-link=James Balfour Paul |year=1910 |title=The Scots Peerage; Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun07paul/page/n5/mode/2up |volume=VII |location=Edinburgh |publisher=[[David Douglas (publisher)|David Douglas]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun07paul/page/570/mode/2up 571]-572 |access-date=June 12, 2021}}</ref> Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston, the Bishop of Caithness as well as James IV of Scotland.<ref name="SinclairBook"/><ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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==Septs of the Clan== |
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*Budge |
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*Caird |
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*Clouston |
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*Clyne |
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*Linklater |
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*Lyall |
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*Mason |
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[[John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness]] (1490–1529) died at the [[Battle of Summerdale]] in May 1529 in Orkney. He was succeeded by his son [[George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness]]. [[William Sinclair, 5th Lord Sinclair]] was taken prisoner.<ref name="SinclairBook"/><ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> At the [[Battle of Solway Moss]] in 1552, Scots commanded by [[Oliver Sinclair]] of Pitcairns were beaten by the English.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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[[Category:Scottish clans|Sinclair]] |
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<!-- Deleted image removed: [[file:Northern Highlands Clan Map.jpg|thumb|Scottish clan map showing the territory of the Clan Sinclair in the Caithness region]] --> |
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In 1568, [[Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair]] assisted [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], to escape from [[Loch Leven Castle]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1570, [[John Sinclair, Master of Caithness]], son of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness burned the local Cathedral in pursuit of the [[Murray of Aberscross|Morays]] who had taken refuge in the steeple.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness later imprisoned his son, the Master of Caithness, for making peace with the [[Murray of Aberscross|Morays]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> |
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In 1588 [[Castle Sinclair Girnigoe]] withstood a siege by the Earl of Sutherland and in 1590 [[George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness]] invaded Sutherland which resulted in the [[Battle of Clynetradwell]].<ref name="GORDON">{{cite book |last=Gordon |first=Robert |date=1813 |orig-year=Printed from original manuscript 1580 - 1656|title=A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland |url=https://archive.org/details/genealogicalhist00gord |location=[[Edinburgh]] |publisher=Printed by George Ramsay and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company Edinburgh; and White, Cochrance and Co. [[London]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/genealogicalhist00gord/page/202 202]-203 |author-link=Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet}}</ref> On 3 April 1593, George, 5th Earl of Caithness resigned his earldom in return for [[Charter of novodamus|novodamus]] and remainder to his son William Sinclair. On 11 December William Sinclair of Mey was knighted by King [[James VI of Scotland]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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[[fr:Famille Sinclair]] |
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[[ru:Клан Синклер]] |
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== 17th century and Civil War == |
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[[file:Sinclair (R. R. McIan).jpg|thumb|left|A [[Victorian era]], depiction of a member of the clan by [[R. R. McIan]], from ''The Clans of the Scottish Highlands'', published in 1845.]] |
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On 21 October 1601, Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair died and was succeeded by grandson Henry.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1606, George 5th Earl of Caithness, was by an Act of Parliament allowed to change the name of Girnigoe Castle to Sinclair Castle. See: [[Castle Sinclair Girnigoe]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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The [[Battle of Kringen]] took place on 26 August 1612 in [[Otta, Norway|Otta]], Norway. [[George Sinclair (mercenary)|George Sinclair]] was killed with most of his men in an ambush.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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In 1650 Major Sinclair assisted [[James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose]] at the [[Battle of Carbisdale]] where they were defeated.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/>{{#tag:ref|Major Sinclair was John Sinclair, son of Alexander Sinclair of Brims, son of Richard Sinclair of Brims, son of William Sinclair, 2nd of Stemster and Dunbeath, son of Alexander Sinclair, 1st of Stemster and Dunbeath, son of [[William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness]].<ref name="Saint-Clair.Stemster.Dunbeath">{{cite book |last=Saint-Clair |first=Roland William |year=1898 |chapter=VI Caithness Cadets: The Sinclairs of Stemster and Dunbeath |title=The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair |url=https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/n9/mode/2up |location=[[Auckland]], [[New Zealand]] |publisher=H. Brett |pages=[https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain/page/220/mode/2up 220]-221 |access-date=February 10, 2021}}</ref>|group=note}} They escaped to [[Ardvreck Castle]], but there they were betrayed by MacLeod of Assynt and were executed.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn was killed at the [[Battle of Dunbar (1650)]] and was the last knight to be buried in full armour below [[Rosslyn Chapel]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> General Monck sacked [[Rosslyn Castle]] but the Chapel was spared.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1651, at the [[Battle of Worcester]], [[John Sinclair, 10th Lord Sinclair]] was captured by Cromwell's forces and imprisoned in the [[Tower of London]] and then at [[Windsor Castle]] until 1660 when he was liberated by General Monck.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1657, George Sinclair 6th Earl of Caithness was present when [[Oliver Cromwell]] was proclaimed Chief Magistrate of the three nations in [[Edinburgh]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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In 1680 a feud took place between [[George Sinclair, 7th Earl of Caithness|George Sinclair of Keiss]] and [[John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland|Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy]] over the right to the lands and title of the earldom of Caithness. This resulted in the [[Battle of Altimarlach]], where, legend has it that so many Sinclairs were killed that the Campbells were able to cross the river without getting their feet wet.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> Clearly, however, the Sinclairs had influence in high places as only a few years later, in 1681, they regained the earldom by an order of Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mearnscraft.co.uk/caithness.htm|title=Caithness – Mearnscraft Needlecraft Kits | access-date=2009-05-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalhouseofstewart.org.uk/clans.htm#sinc |title=Scottish Clans (S)|access-date=2005-11-19 | publisher=Royal House of Stewart |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051119124715/http://www.royalhouseofstewart.org.uk/clans.htm#sinc |archive-date = 2005-11-19}}</ref> In 1698, George Sinclair 7th Earl of Caithness died. He was succeeded by [[John Sinclair, 8th Earl of Caithness|John Sinclair of Murchill (Murkle) 8th Earl]], his cousin.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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== 18th century and Jacobite risings == |
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[[file:TartanClanSinclair.gif|thumb|Sinclair dress tartan (modern)]] |
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During the [[Jacobite rising of 1715]] the Clan Sinclair supported the Jacobite cause, however by the time of the [[Jacobite rising of 1745]] the Clan Sinclair supported the British Hanoverian Government.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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In 1708, Chief John, Master of Sinclair (Son of Henry Lord Sinclair) after killing two men in [[duel]]s was exiled to [[Prussia]] but later pardoned by [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1715, John Master of Sinclair captured a vessel with 420 stand of arms bound for the Earl of Sutherland.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1715, at the [[Battle of Sheriffmuir]], David Sinclair of Brabsterdorran fought for Jacobite cause, as did John, Master of Sinclair who fled to [[Orkney]] and then to Europe.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> On 3 November 1733, John Sinclair of Murkle the younger son of John 8th Earl created Lord Murkle.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1736, Sir James Sinclair glazed the windows for the first time of [[Rosslyn Chapel]], relaid the floor with flagstones and repaired the roof of the chapel.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> In 1736, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn resigned his office as hereditary Grand Master Mason of Scotland to the Scottish Lodges on their foundation. He was later reappointed for his life.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> The Sinclairs of Roslin (Rosslyn) laid claim to be hereditary [[List of Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Scotland|Grand Master Masons of Scotland]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> In 1739 forty-four Scottish Freemasons' Lodges met in Edinburgh to found the [[Grand Lodge of Scotland]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> William St Clair was a candidate for Grand Master and promptly became the first elected Grand Master after offering to surrender his hereditary rights.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Sinclair"/> On 17 June 1739 Major Malcolm Sinclair 'A good and faithful servant of [[Sweden]]' was charged with affairs of State, he was assassinated at Grunberg in Silesia by agents of [[Tsaritsa]] [[Anna of Russia]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/>\ |
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On 4 June 1745, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn, a lieutenant general with the [[Royal Scots]] regiment, was appointed the commander of the British Forces in [[Flanders]].<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> On 16 April 1746, at the [[Battle of Culloden]], he commanded the Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian Government side.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> The Jacobite rebel, [[John Mackenzie, Lord MacLeod]], tried raising the Sinclairs in arms but had little success: only about thirty men under Sinclair of Scotscalder arrived at the place of muster, and Sinclair of Scotscalder's estates were later forfeited.<ref name="Mackay.189">{{cite book |last=Mackay |first=Angus |year=1906 |url=https://archive.org/stream/bookofmackay00mack#page/188/mode/2up |title=The Book of Mackay |location=Edinburgh |publisher=N. Macleod |page=189}}</ref> However, the Clan Sinclair was strongly Jacobite, but after hearing the news of the Jacobite failure at the Battle of Culloden, this apparently made them "sneak home again".<ref name="Mackay.189"/> It was also reported that had [[William Sutherland, 17th Earl of Sutherland|Lord Sutherland]] and [[George Mackay, 3rd Lord Reay|Lord Reay]] not been in their way then the Sinclairs would have been among the first of the rebels,<ref name="Mackay.189"/> with about 500 Caithness Sinclairs who were ready to join the Jacobites, although the Earl of Caithness, their chief, supported the British Government.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> When [[Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden]] was forming the 18 [[Independent Highland Companies]] to oppose the [[Jacobite rising of 1745]] the Sinclairs were not offered a company.<ref>{{cite book |last=MacLeod |first=Ruairidh. H. F.S.A. Scot |year=1984 |title=Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness |url=https://archive.org/details/tgsi-vol-liii-1982-1984/page/n1/mode/2up |volume=LIII |page=[https://archive.org/details/tgsi-vol-liii-1982-1984/page/311/mode/2up 312] |access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref> In 1750, Sir William Sinclair of Dunbeath founded the Baptist church at Keiss.<ref name="OfficialClanSinclairTimeline"/> |
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At the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn commanded the Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian government side. The Clan Sinclair was not directly involved in the battle, but some members of the clan did fight on the Jacobite side, and a Sinclair flag was found on the field afterwards. |
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Most of the flags of the Prince Charles' army that were captured at Culloden were burnt by the public hangman in Edinburgh. A list was made of those flags, but only contains brief descriptions. |
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A discussion about the list of burnt colours and other Jacobite flags appears in military-illustrated-past-present-1991-07-38. pp.39-45 |
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== Castles == |
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{{multiple image |
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| direction = vertical |
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| width = 250 |
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| footer = |
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| image1 =Rosslyn Castle - geograph.org.uk - 906575.jpg |
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| alt1 = |
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| caption1 = The ruins of [[Roslin Castle]], former seat of the Sinclair Barons of Roslin |
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| image2 = CastleSinclair1821.jpg |
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| alt2 = |
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| caption2 = The ruins of [[Castle Sinclair Girnigoe]] as it appeared in 1821, historic seat of the Earls of Caithness, chiefs of Clan Sinclair |
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| image3 = Castle of Mey 2.jpg |
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| alt3 = |
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| caption3 = The [[Castle of Mey]], former seat of the Sinclairs of Mey |
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| image4 = Ravenscraig Castle 02.jpg |
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| alt4 = |
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| caption4 = The ruins of [[Ravenscraig Castle]] |
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}} |
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Castles that were either built by the Sinclairs or came into their possession have included amongst many others: |
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* [[Roslin Castle]], also known as ''Rosslyn Castle'' in [[Midlothian]], is considered the earliest seat of the Sinclairs in Scotland. The ruins show that it was once a large, strong, princely stronghold. The main tower is ruinous, but a range that dates from the sixteenth century is almost complete. The keep was probably built by Sir William Sinclair who set out on a [[crusade]] with [[Robert the Bruce]] and was killed fighting the [[Moors]] in [[Granada]] in 1330. Roslin Castle was sacked and torched in 1544 by the [[Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset|Earl of Hertford]]. In 1650 it was attacked again by [[George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle]] during [[Oliver Cromwell]]'s invasion. The castle was damaged by a mob of [[Covenanter]]s in 1688. The castle is now owned by the Sinclair-Erskine family.<ref name="Coventry"/><ref>The [[National Monuments Record of Scotland]] gives the original date of the castle as "around 1390", NMRS Site Reference NT26SE 21.00 [http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=51811] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118191028/http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=51811 |date=18 January 2008 }}.</ref> The Sinclairs also built the famed [[Rosslyn Chapel]] nearby.<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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* [[Castle Sinclair Girnigoe]], near [[Wick, Caithness]] was once thought of as two castles: ''Castle Sinclair'' and ''Castle Girnigoe'', however later theories are that it was one large fortress. There is not much left of the part that is known as Castle Sinclair, but the Castle Girnigoe part is a substantial ruin that rises five stories on a cliff above the sea. The castle was damaged by the [[Clan Campbell]] when it was attacked after the [[Battle of Altimarlech]] in 1681. The castle is now in the care of the [[Clan Sinclair Trust]].<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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* [[Castle of Mey]], {{convert|7|mi|km}} north-east of [[Castletown, Highland|Castletown, Caithness]] is a Z-plan tower house that rises six stories and dates from the sixteenth century. The castle was property of the Sinclair Earls of Caithness from 1566 and they built the castle. William Sinclair, son of George Sinclair of Mey, while a student at [[Edinburgh High School]] in 1595, shot and killed Bailie MacMorran in a siege at the school. MacLeod of Assynt who betrayed [[James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose]] was later imprisoned in the castle. In 1952 the castle was sold to [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] who had it restored.<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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* [[Ravenscraig Castle]], in [[Kirkcaldy]] dates from the fifteenth century and is one of the first castles in Britain to have been built for both defensive and offensive artillery use. The Sinclairs received Ravenscraig after they resigned the Earldom of Orkney. They owned it until 1650 and it was the Sinclairs who completed the castle. The property later passed to the Sinclair-Erskine family and is now in the care of [[Historic Scotland]] who have opened it to the public.<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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* [[Ackergill Tower]], near Wick, Caithness,<ref name="Coventry"/> was seized by the Sinclairs in 1547 but later returned to the [[Clan Keith]]. It was acquired by the Sinclairs again in 1612. |
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* [[Braal Castle]], near [[Thurso]], [[Caithness]], is a ruinous castle that passed to the Sinclair Earls of Caithness by 1547 and then went to the Sinclairs of Ulbster.<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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* [[Dunbeath Castle]], near [[Dunbeath]], Caithness,<ref name="Coventry"/> was acquired by the Sinclairs in the 15th century. |
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* [[Keiss Castle]], near Wick, Caithness, the original castle of which was held by the Sinclairs of Keiss until they abandoned it for new Keiss Castle in 1755. The old castle is now dangerously ruined.<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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* [[Wick, Highland#Castle of Old Wick|Castle of Old Wick]], near Wick, Caithness. During a feud between the Clan Sutherland and Clan Sinclair the castle was starved into submission by John Sinclair, Master of Caithness in 1595. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland.<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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* [[Thurso Castle]], near [[Thurso]], Caithness is a ruinous mansion on the site of a castle. It was held by the Sinclairs of Greenland and Rattar in 1612. Thurso Castle was the home of [[Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet|Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet of Ulbster]] who compiled the ''[[Statistical Accounts of Scotland|Statistical Account of Scotland]]'' and who died in 1835. This line of Sinclairs had been made Baronets in 1786 and [[Viscount Thurso|Viscounts Thurso]] in 1952, and they still live in Caithness.<ref name="Coventry"/> |
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== Clan profile == |
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[[file:Ancient Hunting Sinclair.JPG|thumb|Sinclair hunting tartan (ancient)]] |
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* [[Clan chief|Clan Chief]]: [[Malcolm Ian Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness]] |
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* [[Crest badge]]: <small>Note: the crest badge is made up of the chief's [[heraldic crest]] and [[Heraldry#Mottoes|motto]],</small> |
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* Chief's [[motto]]: "Commit thy work to God" (sometimes styled as Latin: "''Revela Domino opera tua''{{-"}}) |
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* Chief's [[heraldic crest|crest]]: A cock rampant |
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* Clan [[plant badge]]: [[Gorse|Whin]] |
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* Lands: [[Midlothian]], [[Orkney]] and [[Caithness]] |
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* [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] Name: Mac na Ceardadh |
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* Origin of Name: Placename, French: "de Sancto Claro" |
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* [[Bagpipes|Pipe Music]]: "''Spaidsearachd Mhic nan Cearda''{{-"}} ("The Sinclair's March") |
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== See also == |
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* [[Earl of Rosslyn]] |
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== Notes == |
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{{refs|group=note}} |
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== References == |
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{{refs}} |
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== External links == |
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* [http://www.clansinclair.org ClanSinclair.org, the clan chief's site] |
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* [http://sinclair.quarterman.org Clan Sinclair at Quarterman.org] |
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* [http://www.clansinclaircanada.ca/ Clan Sinclair Association Canada (CSAC)] |
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* [http://www.clansinclairusa.org Clan Sinclair USA] |
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* [http://www.stclairresearch.com Sinclair / St. Clair DNA Study] |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131019171210/http://www.castlesinclairgirnigoe.org/news.html#31 Clan Sinclair Trust] |
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* [http://clansinclairitalia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/clan-sinclair-italia.html Clan Sinclair Italia] |
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* {{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Sinclair |volume=25 |page=141 |short=1}} |
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{{Scottish clans}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinclair, Clan}} |
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[[Category:Clan Sinclair| ]] |
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[[Category:Scottish clans]] |
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[[Category:Scoto-Norman clans]] |
Latest revision as of 23:28, 17 December 2024
Clan Sinclair | |||
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Clann na Ceàrda or Clan na Ceàrdaich[1] | |||
Motto | Commit thy work to God[2] | ||
Slogan | Girnigoe! Girnigoe![3] | ||
Profile | |||
Region | Highlands | ||
District | Caithness | ||
Plant badge | Whin[2] | ||
Pipe music | "The Sinclair's March" (a.k.a. The Red Ribbon) | ||
Chief | |||
The Rt. Hon. Malcolm Ian Sinclair | |||
The 20th Earl of Caithness[2] | |||
Historic seat | Castle Sinclair Girnigoe[4] | ||
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Clan Sinclair (Scottish Gaelic: Clann na Ceàrda [ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ nə ˈkʲaːrˠt̪ə]) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians. The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness.
The Sinclairs are believed to have come from Normandy to England during the Norman conquest of England, before arriving in Scotland in the 11th century. The Sinclairs supported the Scottish Crown during the Scottish–Norwegian War and the Wars of Scottish Independence.
The chiefs were originally Barons of Roslin, Midlothian and William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and Baron of Roslin founded the famous Rosslyn Chapel in the 15th century. He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, William ("the Waster"), who inherited the title of Lord Sinclair,[note 1] instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness, in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Sir Oliver Sinclair.
In the 16th century the Sinclairs fought against England during the Anglo-Scottish Wars and also feuded with their neighbors the Clan Sutherland. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the Sinclairs supported the Jacobite cause, but during the Jacobite rising of 1745, while the clan largely had Jacobite sympathies, their chief, the Earl of Caithness, supported the British-Hanoverian Government.
The current chief is Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness.
Origins
[edit]The surname of Sinclair in French is “de Sancto Claro” and in Latin, “Sanctus Clarus,” meaning Holy Light. The name derives from the hermit St. Clare and St. Clair-sur-Epte, a town near Paris close to the location of the hermit St. Clare’s martyrdom.
No certain record exists but it is likely that the Sinclairs came from Saint-Clair in Normandy.[11] The Saint-Clairs first went to England (before they came to Scotland) with William the Conqueror during his invasion of England.[12] The name was originally "Saint-Clair" which was a place name.[12] Richard of Saint-Clair and Brittel of Saint-Clair are both mentioned in the Domesday Book.[12] William of Saint-Clair accompanied Saint Margaret of Scotland, daughter of Edward the Exile to Scotland in 1068, where she eventually married Malcolm III of Scotland. In return for his efforts, the king supposedly granted Sinclair the barony of Roslin, Scotland "in free heritage".[12]
One of the earliest recorded Sinclairs in Scotland was Henry of Saint-Clair/Sinclair, who obtained a charter for the lands of Herdmanston in Haddingtonshire in 1160.[12]
The chiefs of Clan Sinclair, the Earls of Caithness, descend from William St. Clair who was sheriff of Edinburgh and who was granted the barony of Roslin (Rosslyn) in 1280.[11]
Scottish–Norwegian War
[edit]During the Scottish–Norwegian War, Haakon IV of Norway invaded Scotland. However, at the Battle of Largs in 1263 he was faced with William St. Clair who commanded a wing of Alexander III of Scotland's army.[13] In 1264, William St. Clair was ordered by King Alexander of Scotland to support the forces of the king of England at the Battle of Lewes.[13]
Wars of Scottish Independence
[edit]During the Wars of Scottish Independence, Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn was captured at the Battle of Dunbar (1296) and died later, probably in the Tower of London.[13] Henry, his son, was also captured and later sent to St Briavels Castle,[13] and in 1296 he swore fealty to Edward I of England.[11]
In 1303 the Battle of Roslin took place where Scots under Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn and the Clan Comyn defeated an English force.[13] The Battle of Loudoun Hill took place in 1307 where Scots under Robert the Bruce, assisted by Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn again defeated the English.[13]
The family initially favoured John Balliol's claim to the throne but later it became paramount that they gave their loyalty to Robert the Bruce.[11] The Battle of Bannockburn was fought in 1314, where the Clan Sinclair fought in support of Robert the Bruce.[11] After the battle Robert the Bruce gave William Sinclair his sword.[13] The Battle of Donibristle took place in 1317, William Sinclair, Bishop of Dunkeld, rallied the Scots army to defeat an English invading force in Fife.[13]
Sir William Sinclair, heir to Henry, and, it is claimed, his brother John, were among the Scots killed with Sir James Douglas at the Battle of Teba (1330),[11] cutting short their attempt to carry Robert Bruce's heart to the Holy Land.[11] They, or at least their bones, are said to be buried in Rosslyn Chapel.[13] The Battle of Neville's Cross took place in 1346 where Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston was taken prisoner[13]
Later 14th century
[edit]In 1379, Sir Henry Sinclair, who was also Admiral of Scotland claimed the Earldom of Orkney through his mother and received it from Haakon VI of Norway.[12] However the earldom of Orkney was later resigned by order of James III of Scotland.[13]
Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, Baron of Roslin, and Lord of Shetland (c.1345-c.1400), was a Scottish explorer nobleman.[11] In 1391, he conquered the Faroe Islands. He is also alleged to have voyaged as far as the Americas in 1398 (being hypothetically identified with Zichmni, who travelled with the Zeno brothers, for the first time by Johann Reinhold Forster in 1784[14]); believers in this hypothesis claim he possibly landed in both Massachusetts and Nova Scotia.[11][15][16] The voyage to America is largely disputed.[17] According to a biography published many years after his death, he died in battle against the English around the year 1400.[13]
15th century
[edit]Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney was taken prisoner by the English at Battle of Homildon Hill in 1402 but was soon released.[13] In 1406 he escorted Prince James to France but the ship was captured by the English and both were imprisoned in the Tower of London.[13] In 1407 he escaped or was released on payment of a ransom.[13]
William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness (3rd Earl of Orkney and Baron of Roslin) was High Chancellor of Scotland between 1454 and 1458.[11] He had been granted the earldom of Caithness in 1455.[12][11] He split the family lands, disinheriting his eldest son from his first marriage, William ("the Waster"), who later became the Lord Sinclair, instead giving the lands of Caithness to the second son from his second marriage, William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness, in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Sir Oliver Sinclair.[12][18]
16th century
[edit]William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness was killed fighting for James IV of Scotland at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.[19][11] There was a loss of 300 Sinclairs including George Sinclair of Keiss, Henry Sinclair, 4th Lord Sinclair,[20][21] Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston, the Bishop of Caithness as well as James IV of Scotland.[12][13]
John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness (1490–1529) died at the Battle of Summerdale in May 1529 in Orkney. He was succeeded by his son George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness. William Sinclair, 5th Lord Sinclair was taken prisoner.[12][13] At the Battle of Solway Moss in 1552, Scots commanded by Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairns were beaten by the English.[13] In 1568, Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair assisted Mary, Queen of Scots, to escape from Loch Leven Castle.[13] In 1570, John Sinclair, Master of Caithness, son of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness burned the local Cathedral in pursuit of the Morays who had taken refuge in the steeple.[13] George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness later imprisoned his son, the Master of Caithness, for making peace with the Morays.[11]
In 1588 Castle Sinclair Girnigoe withstood a siege by the Earl of Sutherland and in 1590 George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness invaded Sutherland which resulted in the Battle of Clynetradwell.[22] On 3 April 1593, George, 5th Earl of Caithness resigned his earldom in return for novodamus and remainder to his son William Sinclair. On 11 December William Sinclair of Mey was knighted by King James VI of Scotland.[13]
17th century and Civil War
[edit]On 21 October 1601, Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair died and was succeeded by grandson Henry.[13] In 1606, George 5th Earl of Caithness, was by an Act of Parliament allowed to change the name of Girnigoe Castle to Sinclair Castle. See: Castle Sinclair Girnigoe.[13]
The Battle of Kringen took place on 26 August 1612 in Otta, Norway. George Sinclair was killed with most of his men in an ambush.[13]
In 1650 Major Sinclair assisted James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose at the Battle of Carbisdale where they were defeated.[13][note 2] They escaped to Ardvreck Castle, but there they were betrayed by MacLeod of Assynt and were executed.[13] Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn was killed at the Battle of Dunbar (1650) and was the last knight to be buried in full armour below Rosslyn Chapel.[13] General Monck sacked Rosslyn Castle but the Chapel was spared.[13] In 1651, at the Battle of Worcester, John Sinclair, 10th Lord Sinclair was captured by Cromwell's forces and imprisoned in the Tower of London and then at Windsor Castle until 1660 when he was liberated by General Monck.[13] In 1657, George Sinclair 6th Earl of Caithness was present when Oliver Cromwell was proclaimed Chief Magistrate of the three nations in Edinburgh.[13]
In 1680 a feud took place between George Sinclair of Keiss and Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy over the right to the lands and title of the earldom of Caithness. This resulted in the Battle of Altimarlach, where, legend has it that so many Sinclairs were killed that the Campbells were able to cross the river without getting their feet wet.[11] Clearly, however, the Sinclairs had influence in high places as only a few years later, in 1681, they regained the earldom by an order of Parliament.[24][25] In 1698, George Sinclair 7th Earl of Caithness died. He was succeeded by John Sinclair of Murchill (Murkle) 8th Earl, his cousin.[13]
18th century and Jacobite risings
[edit]During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the Clan Sinclair supported the Jacobite cause, however by the time of the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Clan Sinclair supported the British Hanoverian Government.[13]
In 1708, Chief John, Master of Sinclair (Son of Henry Lord Sinclair) after killing two men in duels was exiled to Prussia but later pardoned by Anne, Queen of Great Britain.[13] In 1715, John Master of Sinclair captured a vessel with 420 stand of arms bound for the Earl of Sutherland.[13] In 1715, at the Battle of Sheriffmuir, David Sinclair of Brabsterdorran fought for Jacobite cause, as did John, Master of Sinclair who fled to Orkney and then to Europe.[13] On 3 November 1733, John Sinclair of Murkle the younger son of John 8th Earl created Lord Murkle.[13] In 1736, Sir James Sinclair glazed the windows for the first time of Rosslyn Chapel, relaid the floor with flagstones and repaired the roof of the chapel.[13] In 1736, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn resigned his office as hereditary Grand Master Mason of Scotland to the Scottish Lodges on their foundation. He was later reappointed for his life.[13] The Sinclairs of Roslin (Rosslyn) laid claim to be hereditary Grand Master Masons of Scotland.[11] In 1739 forty-four Scottish Freemasons' Lodges met in Edinburgh to found the Grand Lodge of Scotland.[11] William St Clair was a candidate for Grand Master and promptly became the first elected Grand Master after offering to surrender his hereditary rights.[11] On 17 June 1739 Major Malcolm Sinclair 'A good and faithful servant of Sweden' was charged with affairs of State, he was assassinated at Grunberg in Silesia by agents of Tsaritsa Anna of Russia.[13]\
On 4 June 1745, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn, a lieutenant general with the Royal Scots regiment, was appointed the commander of the British Forces in Flanders.[13] On 16 April 1746, at the Battle of Culloden, he commanded the Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian Government side.[13] The Jacobite rebel, John Mackenzie, Lord MacLeod, tried raising the Sinclairs in arms but had little success: only about thirty men under Sinclair of Scotscalder arrived at the place of muster, and Sinclair of Scotscalder's estates were later forfeited.[26] However, the Clan Sinclair was strongly Jacobite, but after hearing the news of the Jacobite failure at the Battle of Culloden, this apparently made them "sneak home again".[26] It was also reported that had Lord Sutherland and Lord Reay not been in their way then the Sinclairs would have been among the first of the rebels,[26] with about 500 Caithness Sinclairs who were ready to join the Jacobites, although the Earl of Caithness, their chief, supported the British Government.[13] When Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden was forming the 18 Independent Highland Companies to oppose the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Sinclairs were not offered a company.[27] In 1750, Sir William Sinclair of Dunbeath founded the Baptist church at Keiss.[13]
At the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn commanded the Royal Scots regiment on the British-Hanoverian government side. The Clan Sinclair was not directly involved in the battle, but some members of the clan did fight on the Jacobite side, and a Sinclair flag was found on the field afterwards.
Most of the flags of the Prince Charles' army that were captured at Culloden were burnt by the public hangman in Edinburgh. A list was made of those flags, but only contains brief descriptions.
A discussion about the list of burnt colours and other Jacobite flags appears in military-illustrated-past-present-1991-07-38. pp.39-45
Castles
[edit]Castles that were either built by the Sinclairs or came into their possession have included amongst many others:
- Roslin Castle, also known as Rosslyn Castle in Midlothian, is considered the earliest seat of the Sinclairs in Scotland. The ruins show that it was once a large, strong, princely stronghold. The main tower is ruinous, but a range that dates from the sixteenth century is almost complete. The keep was probably built by Sir William Sinclair who set out on a crusade with Robert the Bruce and was killed fighting the Moors in Granada in 1330. Roslin Castle was sacked and torched in 1544 by the Earl of Hertford. In 1650 it was attacked again by George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle during Oliver Cromwell's invasion. The castle was damaged by a mob of Covenanters in 1688. The castle is now owned by the Sinclair-Erskine family.[4][28] The Sinclairs also built the famed Rosslyn Chapel nearby.[4]
- Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, near Wick, Caithness was once thought of as two castles: Castle Sinclair and Castle Girnigoe, however later theories are that it was one large fortress. There is not much left of the part that is known as Castle Sinclair, but the Castle Girnigoe part is a substantial ruin that rises five stories on a cliff above the sea. The castle was damaged by the Clan Campbell when it was attacked after the Battle of Altimarlech in 1681. The castle is now in the care of the Clan Sinclair Trust.[4]
- Castle of Mey, 7 miles (11 km) north-east of Castletown, Caithness is a Z-plan tower house that rises six stories and dates from the sixteenth century. The castle was property of the Sinclair Earls of Caithness from 1566 and they built the castle. William Sinclair, son of George Sinclair of Mey, while a student at Edinburgh High School in 1595, shot and killed Bailie MacMorran in a siege at the school. MacLeod of Assynt who betrayed James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was later imprisoned in the castle. In 1952 the castle was sold to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother who had it restored.[4]
- Ravenscraig Castle, in Kirkcaldy dates from the fifteenth century and is one of the first castles in Britain to have been built for both defensive and offensive artillery use. The Sinclairs received Ravenscraig after they resigned the Earldom of Orkney. They owned it until 1650 and it was the Sinclairs who completed the castle. The property later passed to the Sinclair-Erskine family and is now in the care of Historic Scotland who have opened it to the public.[4]
- Ackergill Tower, near Wick, Caithness,[4] was seized by the Sinclairs in 1547 but later returned to the Clan Keith. It was acquired by the Sinclairs again in 1612.
- Braal Castle, near Thurso, Caithness, is a ruinous castle that passed to the Sinclair Earls of Caithness by 1547 and then went to the Sinclairs of Ulbster.[4]
- Dunbeath Castle, near Dunbeath, Caithness,[4] was acquired by the Sinclairs in the 15th century.
- Keiss Castle, near Wick, Caithness, the original castle of which was held by the Sinclairs of Keiss until they abandoned it for new Keiss Castle in 1755. The old castle is now dangerously ruined.[4]
- Castle of Old Wick, near Wick, Caithness. During a feud between the Clan Sutherland and Clan Sinclair the castle was starved into submission by John Sinclair, Master of Caithness in 1595. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland.[4]
- Thurso Castle, near Thurso, Caithness is a ruinous mansion on the site of a castle. It was held by the Sinclairs of Greenland and Rattar in 1612. Thurso Castle was the home of Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet of Ulbster who compiled the Statistical Account of Scotland and who died in 1835. This line of Sinclairs had been made Baronets in 1786 and Viscounts Thurso in 1952, and they still live in Caithness.[4]
Clan profile
[edit]- Clan Chief: Malcolm Ian Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness
- Crest badge: Note: the crest badge is made up of the chief's heraldic crest and motto,
- Chief's motto: "Commit thy work to God" (sometimes styled as Latin: "Revela Domino opera tua")
- Chief's crest: A cock rampant
- Clan plant badge: Whin
- Lands: Midlothian, Orkney and Caithness
- Gaelic Name: Mac na Ceardadh
- Origin of Name: Placename, French: "de Sancto Claro"
- Pipe Music: "Spaidsearachd Mhic nan Cearda" ("The Sinclair's March")
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ The Scots Peerage by James Balfour Paul gives the 1st Lord Sinclair as William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness,[7] and this version is given by the Official Clan Sinclair website's timeline, quoting from Paul's Scots Peerage.[8] However, historian Roland Saint-Clair stated that the 1st Lord Sinclair was the father of the 1st Earl of Caithness, Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, as recorded by public records.[9] Therefore the numbering of the Lords Sinclair is one place different from these two different historians. Bernard Burke, in his a Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, agrees with Roland Saint-Clair and says that Henry Sinclair (died 1513) and William Sinclair (died 1570) were "in reality" the fourth and fifth Lords Sinclair respectively.[10]
- ^ Major Sinclair was John Sinclair, son of Alexander Sinclair of Brims, son of Richard Sinclair of Brims, son of William Sinclair, 2nd of Stemster and Dunbeath, son of Alexander Sinclair, 1st of Stemster and Dunbeath, son of William Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Caithness.[23]
References
[edit]- ^ Mac an Tàilleir, Iain. "Ainmean Pearsanta" (docx). Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
- ^ a b c "Clan Sinclair Profile". scotclans.com. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Clan Sinclair Hallmarks". clansinclairusa.org. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Coventry, Martin (2008). Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans. Musselburgh: Goblinshead. pp. 529–533. ISBN 978-1-899874-36-1.
- ^ a b c d e Scots Kith & Kin. HarperCollins. 2014. p. 83. ISBN 9780007551798.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Henderson, John. W.S (1884). Caithness Family History. Edinburgh: David Douglas.
- ^ Paul, James Balfour (1910). The Scots Peerage; Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom. Vol. VII. Edinburgh: David Douglas. p. 569. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ "Clan Sinclair (timeline 1420-1476)". clansinclair.org. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
Scots Peerage (Paul)
- ^ Saint-Clair, Roland (1898). The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the Sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair. Shortland Street, Auckland, New Zealand: H. Brett. p. 297. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Burke, Bernard (1869). Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire. 59 Pall Mall, London: Harrison. p. 1016. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Way, George of Plean; Squire, Romilly of Rubislaw (1994). Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. Glasgow: HarperCollins (for the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). pp. 322–323. ISBN 0-00-470547-5.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Maclean-Sinclair, Rev. A (1901). The Sinclairs of Roslin, Caithness and Goshen. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island: The Examiner Publishing Company. Archived from the original on 24 June 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq "Official Clan Sinclair Timeline". clansinclair.org. Clan Sinclair Trust. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- ^ Johann Reinhold Forster, Geschichte der Entdeckungen und Schiffahrten im Norden, Frankfurt an der Oder, C.G. Strauss, 1784.
- ^ Frederick J. Pohl, Prince Henry Sinclair: His Expedition to the New World in 1398 (1974; 1998).
- ^ Earl Henry Sinclair's fictitious trip to America by Brian Smith, First published in New Orkney Antiquarian Journal, vol. 2, 2002.
- ^ Fred W. Lucas, The Annals of The Voyages of The Brothers Nicolo and Antonio Zeno in The North Atlantic about the End of the Fourteenth Century and the Claim founded thereon to a Venetian Discovery of America: A Criticism and an Indictment (Stevens, 1898).
- ^ Saint-Clair, Roland (1898). The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the Sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair. Shortland Street, Auckland, New Zealand: H. Brett. p. 297-299. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Guthrie, William (1767). A General History of Scotland. Vol. 4. Paternoster Row, London: A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts. pp. 371-372. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Saint-Clair, Roland (1898). The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the Sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair. Shortland Street, Auckland, New Zealand: H. Brett. p. 299-301. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Paul, James Balfour (1910). The Scots Peerage; Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; Containing an Historical and Genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom. Vol. VII. Edinburgh: David Douglas. pp. 571-572. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Gordon, Robert (1813) [Printed from original manuscript 1580 - 1656]. A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland. Edinburgh: Printed by George Ramsay and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company Edinburgh; and White, Cochrance and Co. London. pp. 202-203.
- ^ Saint-Clair, Roland William (1898). "VI Caithness Cadets: The Sinclairs of Stemster and Dunbeath". The Saint-Clairs of the Isles; being a history of the sea-kings of Orkney and their Scottish successors of the sirname of Sinclair. Auckland, New Zealand: H. Brett. pp. 220-221. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Caithness – Mearnscraft Needlecraft Kits". Retrieved 11 May 2009.
- ^ "Scottish Clans (S)". Royal House of Stewart. Archived from the original on 19 November 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2005.
- ^ a b c Mackay, Angus (1906). The Book of Mackay. Edinburgh: N. Macleod. p. 189.
- ^ MacLeod, Ruairidh. H. F.S.A. Scot (1984). Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness. Vol. LIII. p. 312. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ The National Monuments Record of Scotland gives the original date of the castle as "around 1390", NMRS Site Reference NT26SE 21.00 [1] Archived 18 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine.