The Battle of Corpach was a
Scottish clan
A Scottish clan (from Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure recognis ...
battle in which the
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands lies Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The Ch ...
routed the
Clan Maclean. It took place around 1470 at
Corpach
Corpach ( gd, A' Chorpaich) is a large village north of Fort William, in the Scottish Highlands. The canal lock at Corpach Basin on Loch Linnhe, east of the narrows leading to Loch Eil, is the western sea entrance of the Caledonian Canal. It is ...
, just north of
Fort William on the west coast of Scotland.
Background
After
Alexander, Lord of the Isles was released from
Tantallon Castle
Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to b ...
in 1431, he had awarded the Cameron lands around
Fort William to the Macleans
under John Garve Maclean of Coll, as punishment for the Camerons deserting him in 1429, before the battle of Lochaber.
Battle
The
Clan Maclean invaded and were confronted by the Camerons at
Corpach
Corpach ( gd, A' Chorpaich) is a large village north of Fort William, in the Scottish Highlands. The canal lock at Corpach Basin on Loch Linnhe, east of the narrows leading to Loch Eil, is the western sea entrance of the Caledonian Canal. It is ...
. It is recorded that a young MacLean chieftain, Ewen or John Abrach, the son of John Garve Maclean of Coll was killed.
The Camerons were led in the battle by their chief Ailean nan Creach, and completely routed the Maclean forces,
retaining their lands. However the Macleans would attempt to dislodge them throughout the coming years.
See also
*
Battle of Inverlochy (1431) - nearby battle that had seen the Donalds heavily defeat the royalist forces of Mar and Caithness.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corpach, Battle of
15th-century Scottish clan battles
History of the Scottish Highlands