Scotland's Northwest Frontier: A Forgotten British BorderlandThe western coastal lands of the Northern Highlands are squeezed between the northern Hebrides and Drumalban, the mountainous spine of Highland Scotland. This is a region justly famed for some of the finest and most unspoilt scenery in the British Isles – but what happened here in times past? Scotland's Northwest Frontier provides the answer. For a long time, this area was a frontier zone between the medieval kingdoms of Norway and Scotland, and then between the Gaelic Lords of the Isles and the Scottish kings. In the 18th century, this remote seaboard was Britain’s ‘Afghanistan’, a dangerous region often beyond the control of London and Edinburgh. It was the last hiding place of Bonnie Prince Charlie before his escape to France after his Jacobite army had been crushed on Culloden Moor. A land of clans and lost causes, this is the story of powerful lords and warrior chiefs, Presbyterian soldiers of the Covenant and Hanoverian redcoats, Highland Clearances, road and railway builders, whisky smugglers and opium traders, from Viking times to the beginning of the 21st century. Scotland's Northwest Frontier is the entertaining story of what was for long a lawless region, followed through eight turbulent centuries. Backed by comprehensive appendices and glossary, this is one for the fireside, a travelling companion and an invaluable reference source for the bookshelf. Scotland's Northwest Frontier will appeal to those interested in Scottish history, and people who descend from Scottish clans and families. |
Contents
Introduction to the Northwest Coast | 3 |
Lords of the Northwest Coast | 15 |
A Crumbling International Frontier | 17 |
Rivalry for the Vacant Scottish Throne | 35 |
Wars for Scottish Independence | 54 |
Rise and Fall of the MacDonald Earls of Ross | 81 |
Age ofRaids Tussles for Ross | 116 |
Age of Raids Conflict around the Minch | 152 |
Closeup on an Old Frontier Land of the Three Sea Lochs | 297 |
Early Times | 299 |
Clan Beginnings | 320 |
Under the Lordship of the Isles | 339 |
The Struggle for Lochalsh | 353 |
Final Centuries of the Clan Era | 379 |
The Long Adjustment | 417 |
19th Century The Background | 419 |
Seaforth Indecision during the Wars of the Covenant | 176 |
The Royalist Seaforths | 213 |
Black William of Seaforth a Committed Jacobite | 234 |
The 45 Rising Hanoverian Reprisals | 251 |
End of the Clans Doom of the Seaforths | 282 |
19th Century Lochalsh and its Environs | 439 |
20th Century Aftermath | 481 |
vii | 505 |
Glossary | 551 |
Common terms and phrases
16th century Age of Raids Alexander Alsh Applecross Ardnamurchan Argyll army battle became British Bruce Carron Clan Donald Clan MacKenzie clan’s clansmen Coigach command Covenanting Cromartie defeat descended Dingwall district Dubh Earl of Ross east Easter Edinburgh Eilean Donan Castle England English estates Firth force frontier Gael Gaelic Gairloch Garmoran Glen Glenelg government’s Hanoverian Hebrides Highland Huntly Inverness Island Isles Jacobite James John Kenneth king king’s Kintail Knoydart Kyle laird land later Loch Duich Lochaber Lochbroom Lochcarron Lord Lordship Lowland MacDonald of Lochalsh MacDonald of Sleat Mackays MacKenzie chief MacLeods of Lewis MacMathan Macrae MacRuari Mactaggart mainland Matheson military Montrose Moray neighbouring Norse northern northwest coast Outer Hebrides peninsula political Presbyterian rebel region royal Royalist Scotland Scots Scottish Seaforth Skye soon Stewart Strome Castle Stromeferry Stuart Sutherland territory Three Sea Lochs Torquil west coast Wester Ross western William