Origins of the clan The
Scottish Gaelic word ''
means leader
and can also be translated as chief''.
Scottish-Norwegian war In 1263, during the
Scottish–Norwegian War, Ferquhar Mackintosh, the fifth chief led his clan at the
Battle of Largs against the army of
Haakon IV of Norway. The
Battle of Invernahoven was fought in 1370 between the Clan Cameron and the
Chattan Confederation of Clan Mackintosh,
Clan Macpherson, and
Clan Davidson. The
Battle of the North Inch in 1396 was fought between the Chattan Confederation that was led by the Mackintoshes and the Clan Cameron, and was one of the most important battles between these two clans.
15th century and clan conflicts The ninth chief of Clan Mackintosh, Ferquhar had to surrender the chiefship in favour of
Malcolm Beg Mackintosh, 10th of Mackintosh, son by the second marriage of William Mackintosh the seventh chief. The
Battle of Palm Sunday, 1429, was fought between the Clan Cameron against the Clan Mackintosh and the Chattan Confederation. The
Battle of Craig Cailloch was fought in 1441: the Clan Mackintosh, led by the chief's son,
Duncan Mackintosh, (later the 11th chief), at the instigation of Alexander, Lord of the Isles, began to invade and raid the Clan Cameron lands. A battle took place at Craig Cailloch between the Camerons and the Mackintoshes in which the chief's second son, Lachlann "Badenoch" was wounded and Gille Chaluim, the chief's fourth son, killed. The
Battle of Clachnaharry, was fought in 1454 between the Clan Mackintosh and the
Clan Munro led by
John Munro of Milntown. The
Raid on Ross took place in 1491, where
Ferquhard Mackintosh (later the 12th chief), supported
Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh's insurrection of 1491, the
Raid on Ross. Ferquhard also subsequently took
Inverness Castle using a "
sow". The king later imprisoned Ferquhard, along with
Kenneth Mackenzie, 8th of Kintail, in
Edinburgh Castle. Two years later they escaped, but Mackenzie was killed by the Laird of Buchanan and Ferquhard was recaptured and imprisoned in
Dunbar Castle where he remained for sixteen years until being released after the
Battle of Flodden in 1513. During the years that Ferquhard was in prison, the affairs of his clan were administered by William Mackintosh who was the eldest son of Lachlan "Badenoch" Mackintosh who was in turn the second son of Malcolm Beg Mackintosh, 10th of Mackintosh.
16th century and clan conflicts Early in 1528, Clan Mackintosh and the wider Clan Chattan suffered a
letter of Fire and Sword issued by
King James V, who assigned it to the
Earl of Moray. The Letter required "utter extermination and destruction" of the clan and its supporters "leaving none alive except priests, women and children" who were to be transported across the sea and to the low countries. This was to punish the clan for the disorder caused in Badenoch following Hector Mackintosh, the chief's illegitimate brother starting a quarrel with the Earl over who would raise the dead chief's infant son. The Earl captured 300 clan males and started to hang them one by one in order to find out where Hector was. Hector subsequently gave himself up and pledged an oath of fealty to the King.
Lachlan Mor Mackintosh, 16th of Mackintosh and his clan supported
Mary, Queen of Scots in her victory over
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly at the
Battle of Corrichie in 1562, where Huntly was killed. According to 19th century historian Alexander Mackintosh-Shaw, it is likely that Lachlan also fought at the
Battle of Langside in 1568 as five days before the battle he had subscribed to a band for the Queen's defence at the town of
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. Of the 136 subscribing barons and chiefs, apart from Mackintosh only two others were Highland chiefs:
George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly and
Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland. The
Battle of Bun Garbhain was fought in 1570 between the Clan Cameron and Clan Mackintosh. Domhnall Dubh Camshròn, XV Chief of Clan Cameron, had died, leaving an infant son, Ailean, at the head of the clan. During the battle the chief of Mackintosh is believed to have been killed by
Donald 'Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe' Cameron, (son of the XIV Chief of Clan Cameron), with a fearsome
Lochaber axe. The
Battle of Glenlivet was fought in 1594 where the Clan Mackintosh and Chattan Confederation fought on the side of the
Earl of Argyll along with
Clan Campbell, Clan Stewart of Atholl, and
Clan Forbes. They were defeated by the
Earl of Huntly's forces which consisted of
Clan Gordon,
Clan Comyn, and
Clan Cameron.
17th century and Civil War During the
Scottish Civil War the Mackintoshes fought for
James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose throughout his campaign for
Charles I of England. The
Battle of Mulroy was fought in 1668. Clan Cameron and Clan Mackintosh were at peace and
Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was responsible for keeping the peace between his men and their former enemies. However, when Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was away in London a feud broke out between
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch and their enemies Clan Mackintosh. As the Cameron Chief was away he was not able to hold back his clan and the combined forces of Cameron and MacDonald defeated the Mackintoshes who were supported by Government troops under
Kenneth Mackenzie of Suddie.
18th century and the Jacobite risings Jacobite rising of 1715 During the
Jacobite rising of 1715 the Mackintoshes remained loyal to the Stuart cause.
Jacobite rising of 1745 During the
Jacobite rising of 1745, Angus Mackintosh, twenty-second chief of Clan Mackintosh was a captain in the British
Black Watch regiment. ==Chiefs==