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Clan Dunbar

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Clan Dunbar
Dunbarra
MottoIn Promptu ( In readiness)[1]
Profile
RegionLowlands
DistrictDumfries and Galloway
Chief
Sir James Michael Dunbar
14th Baronet of Mochrum and 39th Hereditary Chief of the Name and Arms of Dunbar
SeatMochrum Castle
Historic seatDunbar Castle
Clan branches
Dunbars of Mochrum (current chiefs)[2]
Dunbar Earls of Dunbar(historic chiefs)[2]
Dunbars of Northfield[2]
Dunbars of Hempriggs[2]
Dunbars of Durn[2]
Dunbars of Both[2]
Rival clans

Clan Dunbaris aScottish clanof theScottish Lowlands.[2]

History[edit]

Origins of the Clan[edit]

The chiefs of Clan Dunbar are of ancientCelticorigin.[2]The town and port ofDunbarhave featured prominently in Scottish history on various occasions.[2]

Gospatric, Earl of Northumbriareceived fromMalcolm III of Scotland,the lands of Dunbar as well as other parts ofLothian.[2]In 1128 Gospatric's son,Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian,witnessed the foundation ofHolyrood Abbey.[2]He also accorded the rank of earl and made donations toKelso Abbey.[2]

In around 1184Patrick of Dunbarmarried Ada, daughter ofWilliam the Lionand was created justiciar of Lothian.[2]Patrick, Earl of Dunbar's daughter received the lands of Home as part of her dowry.[2]This established the line which later became theEarls of Homein the 17th century.[2]The Earl of Dunbar's son, Patrick, went to theCrusadesand died at theSiege of Damiettain 1248.[2]

Wars of Scottish Independence[edit]

One of the competitors for the Scottish Crown in 1291 wasPatrickBlack Beard,Earl of Dunbarwho claimed it through his royal grandmother, Ada.[2]Patrick's wife was aComynwho heldDunbar CastleforJohn Balliol,although she was forced to surrender it in April 1296.[2]Patrick, Earl of DunbarshelteredEdward II of Englandafter his escape from theBattle of Bannockburnin 1314.[2]Historians have said that if Dunbar had seized Edward then Edward may have been forced to make peace withRobert the Bruce,preventing further bloodshed.[2]However despite Dunbar's apparent treachery he made peace with his cousin, King Robert, and was present at the Parliament atAyrin 1315.[2]

Dunbar was later appointed governor ofBerwickwhere he was besieged byEdward III of England.[2]Dunbar surrendered to the English but renounced any allegiance to the English king and as a result his castle was besieged by theEarl of Salisbury.[2]The castle was under the command of Dunbar's wife,Black Agnes.[2]The English attacked the castle with all the siege craft technology of the fourteenth-century including a machine called a "Sow".[2]However, Black Agnes personally directed the machine's destruction by rocks being hurled from the castle walls.[2]The siege lasted nineteen weeks and the Earl of Salisbury retired leaving Agnes in possession of her husband's fortress.[2]When the English fled for their lives, Agnes is said to have scoffed,behold the litter of the English pigs.[2]

Thetenth Earl of Dunbarhad vast estates and was one of the most powerful nobles inScotland.[2]He fought at theBattle of Otterburnin 1388.[2]The Earl arranged for his daughter to marry a son ofRobert III of Scotlandhowever due to the influence of theClan Douglasthe marriage did not take place.[2]

15th century[edit]

George, 11th Earl of Dunbarsucceeded to his father's vast estates in 1420.[2]He was prominent in public affairs but his wealth became his undoing.[2]James I of Scotlandcoveted the Dunbar estates and imprisoned the earl on charges of treason with the estates being forfeited to the Crown.[2]He was the last Earl of Dunbar.[2]

16th century[edit]

The ruins ofDunbar Castle,the original seat of the chiefs of Clan Dunbar.

There were several other branches of the Clan Dunbar including the Dunbars of Mochrum (current chiefs), Dunbars of Northfield, Dunbars of Hempriggs, Dunbars of Durn and the Dunbars of Both.[2]The representative of each branch achieved the rank of baronet.[2]

During the reign ofJames V of Scotland,Gavin Dunbar (archbishop of Glasgow),who was a younger son of Sir John Dunbar of Mochrum, distinguished himself at theUniversity of Glasgowand became Dean of Moray in 1514.[2]He was appointed Archbishop of Glasgow in 1524.[2]However he was criticised for his participation in the persecution of Protestants which was instigated byCardinal Beaton.[2]

In 1513 Sir John Dunbar ofMochrum,Wigtownshirewas killed at theBattle of Flodden.[3]

In 1598 the lands of George Dunbar of Moyness were raided by theClan Cameron.The men listed as being involved in this raid include a good number of Camerons and those from the various tribes of Clan Cameron. Among the so-named "perpetrators" was Allan Cameron, XVI Captain and Chief of Clan Cameron and twenty six other Camerons of noteworthy families. They burnt a handful of homes and took away three score and ten horses, among numerous other personal possessions.[4]

17th and 18th centuries[edit]

In 1694 Sir James Dunbar of Mochrum was created aBaronet of Nova Scotia.[2]The second baronet served in the cavalry of theDuke of Marlboroughwith great distinction.[2]He was recognised as clan chief upon the death of Ludovic Dunbar in 1744.[2]

Clan chief[edit]

Sir Jean Ivor Dunbar was the 13th Baronet of Mochrum and theChief of the Name and Armsof Dunbar. After his death in 1993 the title passed to his son, Sir James Michael Dunbar, 14th Baronet of Mochrum and 39th Hereditary Chief of the Name and Arms of Dunbar. He is a retired Colonel of theUnited States Air Force.In 1990 the chiefship was only established after a celebrated court case that was first heard before theLord Lyon King of Arms,the Supreme Court in Edinburgh, and then finally in the House of Lords where it was concluded.[2]

Castles[edit]

  • Mochrum Castle is the seat of the current chiefs of Clan Dunbar, the Dunbars of Mochrum.
  • Dunbar Castlewas the original seat of the chiefs of Clan Dunbar, the Earls of Dunbar.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Clan Dunbar Profilescotclans. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  2. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahaiajakalamanaoapaqarWay, George and Squire, Romily.Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia.(Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, TheStanding Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 122 - 123.
  3. ^Guthrie, William(1767).A General History of Scotland.Vol. 4.Paternoster Row,London: A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts. pp.371-373.Retrieved8 May2023.
  4. ^The First Raid of Moynesclan-cameron.org. Retrieved 14 September 2013.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clan_Dunbar&oldid=1153794222"