History of Clan MacGregor
The Children of the Mist: History of Clan Gregor
Clan Gregor (or MacGregor) claims one of the proudest ancestries in Scotland, asserted in their motto: 'S Rioghal Mo Dhream ("Royal is my Race"). They trace their lineage back to the 9th century and Kenneth MacAlpin, the first King of Scots. Originally, the clan held vast lands in Glen Orchy, Glenlochy, and Glenstrae. However, history dealt them a cruel hand, transforming this royal line into the most hunted outlaws in the Highlands.
The Campbell Encroachment The clan's misfortunes began when Robert the Bruce granted the Barony of Loch Awe—traditional MacGregor territory—to the Clan Campbell. Politically savvy and powerful, the Campbells systematically squeezed the MacGregors out of their lands. By the 16th century, the MacGregors were largely landless, forced to retire deeper into the glens. Denied legal status and harassed by the Campbells, the MacGregors turned to cattle raiding for survival. A vicious cycle of violence ensued. In 1570, the Chief Gregor Roy was captured and murdered by the Campbells. His son, Alistair, could not stop the persecution, and the MacGregors retreated into the shadows, earning the sorrowful nickname: "The Children of the Mist."
The Battle of Glen Fruin (1603) The tipping point came in 1603. Following a dispute where Clan Colquhoun refused hospitality to starving MacGregors (and subsequently executed them), Chief Alasdair MacGregor marched 400 men into Colquhoun territory at Glen Fruin. Although outnumbered by the Colquhoun’s 800 men (including cavalry), the MacGregors used superior tactics to trap their enemies in the Moss of Auchingaich. The Colquhouns were slaughtered. While it was a tactical masterpiece, it was a political disaster.
Proscription: The Nameless Clan King James VI, furious at the slaughter, issued an edict that was unique in Scottish history: Proscription. The very name "MacGregor" was abolished.
-
It became a capital crime to bear the name.
-
MacGregors were forced to adopt other surnames (like Murray, Grant, or Campbell).
-
They were hunted with bloodhounds like wild animals.
-
In 1604, the Chief and eleven chieftains were hanged at Edinburgh’s Mercat Cross.
For nearly two centuries, the clan ceased to legally exist, yet they survived in the shadows, refusing to be extinguished.
Rob Roy MacGregor Into this era of persecution was born the clan’s most famous son: Rob Roy MacGregor (1671–1734). Forced to use his mother’s name (Campbell), Rob Roy became a cattle dealer turned outlaw after being bankrupted by the Duke of Montrose. A swordsman, Jacobite, and folk hero, Rob Roy waged a private war against the Duke, raiding his lands and distributing the spoils to the poor. Immortalized by Sir Walter Scott, he became the "Robin Hood of the Highlands," proving that the MacGregor spirit could not be broken.
Restoration and Honor The persecution finally ended in 1774, when the laws against the MacGregors were repealed. The clan emerged from the mist with their pride intact. In 1822, during King George IV's visit to Edinburgh, Sir Evan MacGregor and his clansmen were given the supreme honor of guarding the Honours of Scotland (the Crown Jewels), publicly acknowledging their royal heritage. Today, the clan flourishes, welcoming all who bear the name or its many adopted aliases.