In researching my Scots ancestors I was struck by the number who died violently, either in battle, often against the English, but also in wars among the Scots themselves as a result of clan rivalry or a struggle over Scots kingship. A number of those listed below were executed for reasons related to the above conflicts. Thankfully it is difficult to imagine anything like that happening today, despite recent moves for Scotland to succeed from the United Kingdom and the UKs withdrawal from the European Union. Similarly the two world wars that devastated Europe in the previous century would appear to be something of the past. Although challenges and tensions remain at a global level we can at least be thankful for the progress has been made in the quest for world peace.
Battle of Bothnagowan, near Elgin, 1040
Duncan I, King of Scotland
Killed by Macbeth
Battle at Dukeld 1045
Crinan, Lay-Abbot of Dunkeld
killed in battle after rising in rebellion against Macbeth in support of the claim to the throne of his grandson Malcolm (later Malcom III)
Battle of Alnwick 1093
Malcolm III King of Scotland
1210
Angus McCrory, Lord of Bute and Arran;
his son James MaCrory, Lord of Bute (killed by the men of Skye, along with two brothers of James)
Battle of Falkirk 1298
Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl;
Sir Herbert de Maxwell of Carlaverlock
Battle of Bannockburn 1314
Gilbert de Clare (fighting on side of English);
Robert de Clifford (fighting on side of English)
Battle of Teba, Andalucia, Spain
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas ("the Black Douglas")
Battle of Dupplin Moor 1332
Donald, 8th Earl of Mar;
Alexander Fraser, of Touchfraser and Cowie;
Sir John Scrymgeour of Dudhope
Battle of Halidon Hill 1333
Sir Archibald Douglas;
Sir Simon Fraser, of Brotherton and 1st of Lovat;
Malcolm, 5th Earl of Lennox;
Aodhe de Ross, 4th Earl of Ross;
Sir Alan Stewart;
Sir James Stewart
Battle of Nevilles Cross, Durham, 1346
Sir David de la Hay 6th of Erroll;
Sir Edward Keith;
Morice Moray,
1st Earl of Strathearn
Battle of Nisbett Moor, 1402
Patrick Hepburn of Hailes (younger)
Battle of Harlaw, 24 July 1411
Eachan McLean;
Sir James Scrymgeour
Battle of Verneuil 1424
Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas
Battle of Bloody Bay 1480
William "Dubh" McLeod
Battle of Sauchieburn 1488
James III King of Scotland
Battle of Flodden 1513
Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll;
Sir Duncan Campbell, 2nd of Glenorchy;
Sir William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose;
Sir Alexander Gordon of Glenmure and Loch;
King James IV of Scotland;
William Ruthven, Master of Ruthven;
Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox
Battle of Pinkie 1547
Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming
Battle of Langside 1568
John "Gorm" Campbell of Carrick, 1st of Lochnell
Battle of Glenlivet 1594
Archibald Campbell 2nd of Lochnell
Duncan Campbell (father)
Duncan Campbell (son)
Battle of Inverlochy 1645
John Campbell, 4th of Lochnell
Others killed in inter-clan warfare
Somerlad, Thane of Argyll, Renfrew 1164;
James Macrory Lord of Bute 1210;
Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow c1294 killed while fighting Alexander, Lord of Lorne;
John Comyn of Badenoch, stabbed to death by Robert the Bruce in front of the altar of Dumfries church on 10 Feb 1305;
Dougall McDougall, 9th of Dunollie and of Lorn (killed by the Campbells);
Dugald Stewart, 1st of Appin, killed in action, supporting the MacLarens against the Macdonells of Keppoch;
Kenneth McKenzie, executed on the orders of the Earl of Ross in 1346;
John Stewart, 2nd Lord Lorn, died from wounds inflicted by Black Alan MacDougall;
Sir John Lyon 1st of Glamis, He was killed (perhaps rather treacherously) on 4 November 1382 during a quarrel with Sir James Lindsay of Crawford, nephew of the King, near Menmuir in Angus;
James I, King of Scotland, murdered by his uncle, Walter Stuart, Earl of Atholl;
Sir Thomas Boyd 5th of Kilmarnoch. In 1439 he killed Sir Alan Stewart of Darnley in a feud. He was killed in revenge by Sir Alan Stewart's brother on 9th July 1439;
Sir John Colquhuon of Lusk, murdered by marauding Highlanders on 24 September 1439;
Lachlan "Cattanach" McLean, 7th of Duart, murdered in Edinburgh in 1523 by Sir John Campbell 1st of Cawdor;
John Fleming, 2nd Lord Fleming. He was assassinated by John Tweedie of Drumelzier, and his followers, while hawking.(1524)
Executed
Sir Simon Fraser, Hanged, drawn and quartered by the English in 1306;
Sir Alexander Scrymgeour of Dudhope, Captured by the English at the Battle of Methven in 1306, he was subsequently hanged, drawn and quartered at York on 4 Aug 1306;
Duncan, 8th Earl of Lennox, beheaded on Stirling Castle hill 1425, after rebelling against King James I of Scotland;
Allan MacDonald 4th of Clanranald, He was tried and executed before King James IV at Blair Atholl (1509);
Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, 13th chief of Clan Cameron, taken prisoner by 4th Earl of Huntly, tried for high treason and beheaded in 1547
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