The Battle of Drumoak, also known as the Battle of Keith's Muir, 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 recognised ...

battle that took place at

Drumoak Drumoak (, gd, Druim M'Aodhaig, ) is a village situated between Peterculter and Banchory in North Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Drumoak is proximate to the River Dee, with Park Bridge, named for the local Park Estate, being a local cross ...

, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1402. It was fought between the Clan Irvine whose chiefs were seated at

Drum Castle Drum Castle is a castle near Drumoak in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. For centuries it was the seat of the chief of Clan Irvine. The place-name Drum is derived from Gaelic ''druim'', 'ridge'. The site is located approximately northeast of Banchory an ...

and the

Clan Keith Clan Keith is a Highland and Lowland Scottish clan, whose Chief historically held the hereditary title of Marischal, then Great Marischal, then Earl Marischal of Scotland.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family E ...

whose chiefs were the Earls Marischal.

Background

According to Leslie, at around 1393, the feud between the Irvines of Drum and Keiths (Marischal) raged most fiercely. According to an old manuscript "the old feud was cruell betwixt the two families; as that Marischall's people burnt one of Drum's children in hot

wort Wort () is the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer or whisky. Wort contains the sugars, the most important being maltose and maltotriose, that will be fermented by the brewing yeast to produce alcohol. Wort als ...

; and Drum burnt Hall-forest, and wasted sundry lands of Marischall's all in revenge of that wrong".

The battle

A foray was made by the Keiths upon the lands of the Irvines, but the Irvines overtook the Keiths before they could secure their plunder by crossing the River Dee. According to the '' New Statistical Account of Scotland'' a fight took place between the two clans on a moor on the north bank of the River Dee which is now known as Keith's Muir. The Irvines were victorious and drove their enemies across a deep and rocky part of the channel which is now known as Keith's Pot, where many of them were drowned. The leader of the Keiths is said to have made it to a rock that protrudes above the water line but was killed by the Irvine's arrows and this rock is now known as The Keith Stone.

Aftermath

By mediation of the King it was arranged for Irvine of Drum's eldest son to marry the daughter of Keith the Earl Marischal. There was never any difference between the two families after this marriage, but Irvine apparently held some resentment as although he was polite to his lady he never consummated the marriage. In 1411 Irvine of Drum took part in the

Battle of Harlaw The Battle of Harlaw ( gd, Cath Gairbheach) was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland a ...

where he held command in the Lowland army and where he engaged in a duel with Maclean of

Duart Castle Duart Castle, or ''Caisteal Dhubhairt'' in Scottish Gaelic, is a castle on the Isle of Mull, beside the Sound of Mull off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute. The castle dates back to the 13th century and ...

in which both were killed.

Archaeology

Arrowhead An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...

s have been found at Keith's Muir (moor) and have been linked with the battle.

Background

The battle

Aftermath

Archaeology

References

External links

Further reading