Clan Cumming ( gd, Na Cuimeinich ), also known as Clan Comyn, is a
Scottish clan
A Scottish clan (from Goidelic languages, 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 ...
from the central
Highlands
Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau.
Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to:
Places Albania
* Dukagjin Highlands
Armenia
* Armenian Highlands
Australia
*Sou ...
that played a major role in the history of 13th-century Scotland and in the
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...
. The Clan Comyn was once the most powerful family in 13th-century Scotland,
until they were defeated in civil war by their rival to the Scottish throne,
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
.
History
Origin of the clan
Like many of the families that came to power under King
David I David I may refer to:
* David I, Caucasian Albanian Catholicos c. 399
* David I of Armenia, Catholicos of Armenia (728–741)
* David I Kuropalates of Georgia (died 881)
* David I Anhoghin, king of Lori (ruled 989–1048)
* David I of Scotland (di ...
of Scotland, the Comyn clan is of
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
or
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
origin. The
surname
In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community.
Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...
is either a place-name, possibly derived from
Bosc-Bénard-Commin
Bosc-Bénard-Commin () is a former commune in the Eure department in Normandy in northern France.
History
On 1 January 2016, Bosc-Bénard-Commin, Bourgtheroulde-Infreville and Thuit-Hébert merged becoming one commune called Grand-Bourgtheroul ...
, near
Rouen
Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...
in the
Duchy of Normandy
The Duchy of Normandy grew out of the 911 Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between King Charles III of West Francia and the Viking leader Rollo. The duchy was named for its inhabitants, the Normans.
From 1066 until 1204, as a result of the Norman c ...
, or from
Comines, near Lille, in France.
Richard Comyn
Richard Comyn (died c. 1179) was a Scottish noble, the nephew of William Cumin.
Richard was probably born between 1115 and 1123. In 1144, William Comyn gave him Northallerton Castle, which he had re-built a few years earlier. Shortly after, he r ...
, the nephew of
William Comyn, chancellor to King David,
is the one who established this family in Scotland.
His son was
William Comyn, who married Marjory, Countess of Buchan. William's mother was Hextilda, the granddaughter of king
Donald III of Scotland
Donald III ( Medieval Gaelic: Domnall mac Donnchada; Modern Gaelic: ''Dòmhnall mac Dhonnchaidh''), and nicknamed "Donald the Fair" or "Donald the White" (Medieval Gaelic:"Domnall Bán", anglicised as Donald Bane/Bain or Donalbane/Donalbain) (c. ...
. His son was
Walter Comyn
Walter Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (died 1258) was the son of William Comyn, Justiciar of Scotia and Mormaer or Earl of Buchan by right of his second wife.
Life
Walter makes his first appearance in royal charters as early as 1211–1214. In 122 ...
, the man who acquired the
lordship of Badenoch
A lordship is a territory held by a lord. It was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas. It originated as a unit under the feudal system during the Middle Ages. In a lordship, the functions of econ ...
. The seat of power was
Ruthven Castle. Ruthven Castle commanded the northern end of two passes over the
Mounth
The Mounth ( ) is the broad upland in northeast Scotland between the Highland Boundary and the River Dee, at the eastern end of the Grampians.
Name and etymology
The name ''Mounth'' is ultimately of Pictish origin. The name is derived from ...
, the
Drumochter and Minigaig passes. This lordship passed to his nephew, the first
John Comyn
John Comyn III of Badenoch, nicknamed the Red (c. 1274 – 10 February 1306), was a leading Scottish baron and magnate who played an important role in the First War of Scottish Independence. He served as Guardian of Scotland after the forced ...
. This John was the first to be known as "the Red" Comyn. He was a descendant of
William Comyn, Earl of Buchan, by the earl's first wife, Sarah Fitz Hugh.
The chiefs also possessed the
lordship of Lochaber. Here can be found the remains of
Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle ( gd, Caisteal Inbhir Lòchaidh) is a ruined, 13th-century castle near Inverlochy and Fort William, Highland, Scotland. The site of two battles, the castle remains largely unchanged since its construction. It is now in t ...
, built by the Comyns about 1270–1280.
The Comyns were forced to sign an oath of allegiance to
Henry III of England
Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry a ...
in 1244.
However, the English king recognised the Comyn's political leadership in Scotland when in 1251, as the father-in-law to
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III (Medieval ; Modern Gaelic: ; 4 September 1241 – 19 March 1286) was King of Scots from 1249 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of Perth, by which Scotland acquired sovereignty over the Western Isles and the Isle of Man. His ...
, he returned them to power during the minority period.
It was only when Henry supported a take over of the Scottish government in 1255 that the Comyns resorted to kidnapping the young Alexander III in 1257.
When Alexander III's minority ended, the Comyns, instead of suffering political eclipse dominated public offices between 1260 and 1286.
John "the Black" Comyn
The son of the first John Comyn was
John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
John Comyn II of Badenoch (died 1302), nicknamed the Black Comyn, was a Scottish nobleman, a Guardian of Scotland, and one of the six Regents for Margaret, Maid of Norway. His father was John Comyn I of Badenoch.
Competitor for the Crown
In 1 ...
, known as the Black Comyn. He had a claim to the throne based on his descent from king
Donald III of Scotland
Donald III ( Medieval Gaelic: Domnall mac Donnchada; Modern Gaelic: ''Dòmhnall mac Dhonnchaidh''), and nicknamed "Donald the Fair" or "Donald the White" (Medieval Gaelic:"Domnall Bán", anglicised as Donald Bane/Bain or Donalbane/Donalbain) (c. ...
. John was made one of the six guardians of Scotland after the death of King Alexander III, in 1286. Their duty was to act as
regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
s for Margaret of Norway, heir to the Scottish throne; however, she died en route to Scotland. King
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
was asked to step in and decide who had the best claim to the crown of Scotland. He decided in favour of
John Balliol
John Balliol ( – late 1314), known derisively as ''Toom Tabard'' (meaning "empty coat" – coat of arms), was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296. Little is known of his early life. After the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, Scotland entered an ...
. John Comyn had married Eleanor Balliol, daughter of
John I de Balliol
John de Balliol (before 1208 – 25 October 1268) was an English nobleman, belonging to the House of Balliol. Balliol College, in Oxford, is named after him.
Life
John de Balliol was born before 1208 to Cecily de Fontaines, daughter of Aléau ...
, between 1270 and 1283. The Black Comyn died at
Lochindorb Castle
Lochindorb (from the gd, Loch nan Doirb meaning "loch of the minnows") is a freshwater loch north of Grantown on Spey in the Highland council area of Scotland. In the loch there is an island, which is now thought to have been artificially creat ...
in about 1303, a castle the Comyns built in the thirteenth century.
An anonymous sister of John II Comyn of Badenoch married
Sir Andrew Moray of Petty.Murray and Comyn had a son, named
Andrew, who with
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence.
Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...
would lead a Scottish army to victory at the
Battle of Stirling Bridge
The Battle of Stirling Bridge ( gd, Blàr Drochaid Shruighlea) was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallace defeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne ...
on 11 September 1297.
John "the Red" Comyn
Wars of Scottish Independence
The son of the Black Comyn was John, known as the Red Comyn (
John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
John Comyn III of Badenoch, nicknamed the Red (c. 1274 – 10 February 1306), was a leading Scottish baron and magnate who played an important role in the First War of Scottish Independence. He served as Guardian of Scotland after the forced ab ...
). This John Comyn was a descendant of both kings Donald III and David I, as his maternal grandmother was
Devorguilla of Galloway, the daughter of Margaret of Huntingdon. John Comyn married Joan de Valence. At this time the two main branches of the Clan Comyn were the Comyn
Lords of Badenoch and Lochaber, and the Comyn
Earls of Buchan.
By controlling key castles, the Comyns also controlled the main lines of communication, especially in northern Scotland, where their power stretched from
Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle ( gd, Caisteal Inbhir Lòchaidh) is a ruined, 13th-century castle near Inverlochy and Fort William, Highland, Scotland. The site of two battles, the castle remains largely unchanged since its construction. It is now in t ...
in the west to
Slains Castle
Slains Castle may refer to one of two ruined castles in Aberdeenshire, Scotland:
* Old Slains Castle, a 13th-century castle was originally the property of the Comyn Earls of Buchan, near Collieston
*New Slains Castle, a 16th-century tower house, b ...
in the east.
Between these two points, they had allied forces strategically situated in the following castles:
Ruthven Castle,
Lochindorb Castle
Lochindorb (from the gd, Loch nan Doirb meaning "loch of the minnows") is a freshwater loch north of Grantown on Spey in the Highland council area of Scotland. In the loch there is an island, which is now thought to have been artificially creat ...
,
Blair Castle
Blair Castle (in Scottish Gaelic: Caisteil Bhlàir) stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Atholl, ...
,
Balvenie Castle,
Dundarg Castle
Dundarg Castle is a ruined castle about north-northeast of New Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, built within the ramparts of an earlier Iron Age promontory fort. It was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuc ...
,
Cairnbulg Castle,
Castle of Rattray
The Castle of Rattray was a medieval Scottish castle, with multiple variations on its structure over approximately six centuries. Originally built as a ''"late 12th- or early 13th century defensive motte"'' it provided protection for Starny K ...
and
Kingedward.
In particular Clan Comyn castles controlled important passes from the north and west highlands into the Tay basin.
A third main branch of the Clan Comyn, the Comyns of Kilbride, held power in southern and central Scotland. They held castles at
Kirkintilloch (Dumbartonshire),
Dalswinton
Dalswinton is a small village in the historical county of Dumfriesshire in Dumfries and Galloway in the south of Scotland. It is located about northwest of Dumfries. To the east of the village a wind farm has been built with a capacity of 30&nb ...
(Nithsdale),
Cruggleton Castle
Cruggleton Castle is a multi-period archaeological site on the coast of the Machars, in the historical county of Wigtownshire in south-west Scotland. It is located at Cruggleton Point, around east of Whithorn and south-east of Sorbie. Excavati ...
(Galloway),
Bedrule, Scraesburgh (Roxburghshire) and
Kilbride (East Kilbride).
In addition to their private holdings, the Clan Comyn also held a number of royal castles through their role as hereditary sheriffs at
Dingwall Castle
Dingwall Castle was a medieval fort and royal castle in the town of Dingwall, eastern Ross-shire, Scotland.
The castle is believed to have been established by Norse settlers in the area in the 11th century.
Wars of Scottish Independence
During t ...
,
Banff Castle
Banff Castle is a ruined former royal castle near Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. History
Built as a motte and bailey castle in the 12th century and held by the Comyns, Earl of Buchan. The castle was visited by King Edward I of England in 1296 a ...
(in the north) and
Wigtown
Wigtown ( (both used locally); gd, Baile na h-Ùige) is a town and former royal burgh in Wigtownshire, of which it is the county town, within the Dumfries and Galloway region in Scotland. It lies east of Stranraer and south of Newton Stewart. I ...
in the south west.
In the early 1290s, the Clan Comyn took additional responsibility for royal castles, including
Aberdeen Castle
Aberdeen Castle was a late Middle Ages fortification, in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was situated on Castle Hill, a site today known as the Castlegate, and the location of the castle is now occupied by blocks of flats.
Burned and demolished
It is t ...
and
Jedburgh Castle
Jedburgh Castle was a castle at Jedburgh in Scotland. It was fought over during the Wars of Scottish Independence, and was demolished by the Scots commanded by Sir James Douglas of Balvenie in 1409. The site of the original castle was used to b ...
, as well as castles at
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright ( ; sco, Kirkcoubrie; gd, Cille Chùithbeirt) is a town, parish and a Royal Burgh from 1455 in Kirkcudbrightshire, of which it is traditionally the county town, within Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
The town lies southwest of C ...
,
Clunie
Clunie is a small settlement in Perthshire, Scotland, west of Blairgowrie. It lies on the western shore of the Loch of Clunie.
History
Near the village on a small hill are the foundations of an early defensive settlement. The fortificati ...
,
Dull
Dull may refer to:
__NOTOC__ Places
* Dull, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, United Kingdom, a village
* Dull, Ohio, United States, an unincorporated community
* Dull, Texas, United States, a ghost town
People
* Jack Dull (1930–1995), American prof ...
and Brideburgh.
Comyn influence over the political scene was strengthened by marriages with the earls of Marr, Ross, Angus, Strathearn and Fife, and with the powerful families of
Clan MacDougall
Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan, historically based in and around Argyll. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in Scotland, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as ...
,
Clan Murray
Clan Murray () is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants ...
, the Balliols, Mowbrays, Umphravilles and Soules.
Other prominent allies of the Comyns were the
Clan Graham
Clan Graham (''Greumaich nan Cearc'' ) is a Scottish clan who had territories in both the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands, with one main branch Montrose, and various cadet branches. The chief of the clan rose to become the Marquess and later ...
,
Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Publishe ...
,
Clan Sinclair
Clan Sinclair ( gd, Clann na Ceàrda ) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians. The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness. Th ...
, the Cheynes, Mowats, Lochores,
Clan Maxwell
Clan Maxwell is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands and is recognized as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Conv ...
and
Clan Hay
Clan Hay (Scottish Gaelic: ''Garadh or MacGaradh'') is a Scottish clan of the Grampian region of Scotland that has played an important part in the history and politics of the country. Members of the clan are to be found in most parts of Scotland ...
.
The long-standing authority of the Clan Comyn (Cumming) was witnessed by their extended tenure of the Justiciarship of Scotia, the most important political and administrative office in the kingdom.
Three successive Comyn Lords of Badenoch and Earls of Buchan were justiciars of Scotia for no fewer than sixty six years between 1205 and 1304.
See:
William Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
William Comyn was Lord of Badenoch and Earl of Buchan. He was one of the seven children of Richard Comyn, Justiciar of Lothian, and Hextilda of Tynedale. He was born in Scotland, in Altyre, Moray in 1163 and died in Buchan in 1233 where he is ...
and
Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan
Alexander Comyn, 2nd Earl of Buchan (died 1289) was a Scoto-Norman magnate who was one of the most important figures in the 13th century Kingdom of Scotland. He was the son of William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, and Marjory, Countess o ...
.
After suffering a succession of indignities, the Scottish people were forced into rebellion.
John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch
John Comyn III of Badenoch, nicknamed the Red (c. 1274 – 10 February 1306), was a leading Scottish baron and magnate who played an important role in the First War of Scottish Independence. He served as Guardian of Scotland after the forced ab ...
, known as ''John "the red" Comyn'' was a leader in Scottish independence. With the outbreak of war between England and Scotland, Comyn, his father, and his cousin, John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, crossed the border and attacked Carlisle on 26 March 1296, defended for King Edward I of England by
Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, the father of the future king of Scotland.
John Comyn became the most powerful political and military leader in Scotland from 1302 to 1304. He led the Scottish army against the English in the
Battle of Roslin
The Battle of Roslin on 24 February 1303 was a Scottish victory in the First War of Scottish Independence. It took place near the village of Roslin, where a force led by the Scots John Comyn and Sir Simon Fraser ambushed and defeated an Eng ...
, 23 February 1303. John's greatly outnumbered army faced and beat the well-trained English army. However, many of the Red Comyn's allies made peace with
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
, and so John submitted to King Edward I of England at Strathhord on 9 February 1304.
On 10 February 1306 John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
met in the church of the Grey Friars, Dumfries where Bruce murdered Comyn. The reasons are disputed. One account claims that the Bruce knew he had to gain the support of John Comyn; however, John was outraged when it was proposed he betray his terms with King Edward I of England. It is likely that Robert Bruce stabbed the Red Comyn at the high altar, and his companions finished the job. Sir Robert Comyn, uncle to the Comyn chief, was killed while defending his nephew. Both the Comyn chief titles as
Lord of Badenoch
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...
and
Earl of Buchan
The Mormaer () or Earl of Buchan () was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male li ...
were forfeited to the crown.
John Comyn's son, also named John, was defeated by Robert the Bruce
in a skirmish.
Comyn fled to join the English and was later killed at the
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn ( gd, Blàr Allt nam Bànag or ) fought on June 23–24, 1314, was a victory of the army of King of Scots Robert the Bruce over the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. It was ...
in 1314, fighting with the English,
against Bruce.
Any hopes of the Comyns returning to power ended at Bannockburn. Adomar Comyn, the son of John, died just two years later and was the last male of the Badenoch line. The lands in Badenoch, once the centre of Comyn power, were given to the
Clan Macpherson
Clan Macpherson (, ) is a Highland Scottish clan and a member of the Chattan Confederation.
History
Origins
The Scottish Gaelic surname for Macpherson is ''Mac a' Phearsain'' which means ''son of the parson''. The Celtic church allowed pries ...
for supporting Robert Bruce. The fall of the Badenoch Comyns removed the Comyns from politics in Scotland although other branches of the clan continued to thrive.
The spelling of the name Comyn generally became ''Cumming'' and the Cummings of Altyre were recognised as the clan chiefs.
14th-, 15th- & 16th-century clan conflicts
At the beginning of the fifteenth century, Clan Comyn, now known as Clan Cumming, had been reduced to a Highland clan. But its members played a significant part in the history and culture of the
Badenoch
Badenoch (from gd, Bàideanach, meaning "drowned land") is a traditional district which today forms part of Badenoch and Strathspey, an area of Highland Council, in Scotland, bounded on the north by the Monadhliath Mountains, on the east by th ...
,
Strathspey Strathspey may refer to one of the following:
* Strathspey, Scotland, an area in the Highlands of Scotland
* Strathspey Camanachd
Strathspey Camanachd is a shinty club based in Grantown-on-Spey, Strathspey, Scotland, currently competing in the ...
, and
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
regions of
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
.
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Cummings carried on significant, and bloody, feuds with
Clan Macpherson
Clan Macpherson (, ) is a Highland Scottish clan and a member of the Chattan Confederation.
History
Origins
The Scottish Gaelic surname for Macpherson is ''Mac a' Phearsain'' which means ''son of the parson''. The Celtic church allowed pries ...
,
Clan Shaw
Clan Shaw is a Highland Scottish clan and is a member of the Chattan Confederation.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Cou ...
, and
Clan Brodie
Clan Brodie is a Scottish clan whose origins are uncertain. The first known Brodie chiefs were the thegn, Thanes of Brodie and Dyke in Morayshire. The Brodies were present in several clan conflicts, and during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, c ...
over lands in
Nairnshire
The County of Nairn (also called Nairnshire) ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Narann) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. The county was used for local administration until the county council, based at the county t ...
. In 1550 Alexander Brodie, chief of Clan Brodie and 100 others were denounced as rebels for attacking the Cummings of Altyre.
In 1424, the Comyns forcibly took possession of some of the
Clan Mackintosh
Clan Mackintosh (''Clann Mhic an Tòisich'') is a Scottish clan from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The chiefs of the clan are the Mackintoshes of Mackintosh. Another branch of the clan, the Mackintoshes of Torcastle, are the chiefs of Cl ...
lands at Meikle Geddes and Rait, but Malcolm Mackintosh retaliated and put many of the Comyns to the sword.
This action was met with retaliation by the Comyns, who invaded the Mackintosh homeland of Moy and unsuccessfully tried to drown the Mackintoshes on their island of Moy.
A feast of reconciliation was held at the Comyn's
castle of Rait, but the Mackintoshes slaughtered their Comyn hosts.
In 1594, the Clan Cumming supported the
Earl of Huntly
Marquess of Huntly (traditionally spelled Marquis in Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: ''Coileach Strath Bhalgaidh'') is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existin ...
, chief of
Clan Gordon
Clan Gordon is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire ...
, along with 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 Chief ...
at the
Battle of Glenlivet
The Battle of Glenlivet was a Scottish clan battle fought on 3 October 1594 near Glenlivet, Moray, Scotland. It was fought between Protestant forces loyal to King James VI of Scotland who were commanded by Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argy ...
, where they defeated the
Earl of Argyll
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...
, chief of
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell ( gd, Na Caimbeulaich ) is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan be ...
. He was supported by the
Chattan Confederation
Clan Chattan ( gd, Na Catanaich or gd, Clann Chatain) is a unique confederation of Highland clans. The clan is distinctive in highland clan history in that it was acknowledged to be a community or confederation, of twelve separate Scottish cla ...
of
Clan Mackintosh
Clan Mackintosh (''Clann Mhic an Tòisich'') is a Scottish clan from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The chiefs of the clan are the Mackintoshes of Mackintosh. Another branch of the clan, the Mackintoshes of Torcastle, are the chiefs of Cl ...
, the
Clan Murray
Clan Murray () is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants ...
, and the
Clan Forbes
Clan Forbes is a Highland Scottish clan from Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
History
Origins
The name Forbes is most probably a location name assumed from the lands of Forbes in Aberdeenshire, in possession of this family reputedly since the time ...
.
During the late sixteenth and throughout the seventeenth century, members of the clan were known for their musical talents. They served as the hereditary pipers and fiddlers to the Laird of Grant of
Clan Grant
Clan Grant is a Highland Scottish clan.
History
Origins
One theory is that the ancestors of the chiefs of Clan Grant came to Scotland with the Normans to England where the name is found soon after the conquest of that country, although some h ...
.
Cumming Clan today
Many members of the Cumming (Comyn) clan left Scotland for greener pastures, some went to Ireland, England and Wales; others later migrated in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to North America, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Mascarene Islands (Mauritius and La Réunion). Due to the diffusion of the clan, spelling of the family name changed over time. Spellings in different regions include, the Scottish Cumming or Comyn, the Irish Cummins or O'Comyn, as well as Cummin, Cummins, Cumins, Cummine, Coman, Cuming, Comins, Comin, Commins, Cummings, Comings, Comeens, Commens, and Common.
Chiefs and seat
After the death of the last chief in the Badenoch line, the chiefship fell on the Cummings of Altyre. It is retained by this family to the present. The current
Chief
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boa ...
is Sir Alexander "Alastair" Penrose Cumming of Altyre, a descendant of Sir Robert Comyn, the knight who was killed while defending his nephew, John the Red Comyn.
*The
clan seat
A family seat or sometimes just called seat is the principal house, residence of the landed gentry and Aristocracy (class), aristocracy. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a ...
is at Altyre,
Moray
Moray () gd, Moireibh or ') is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.
Between 1975 ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
.
Castles
Castles held by the Clan Comyn and later by their descendants the Clan Cumming have included amongst many others:
![Badenoch Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Badenoch_Castle.jpg)
*
Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle ( gd, Caisteal Inbhir Lòchaidh) is a ruined, 13th-century castle near Inverlochy and Fort William, Highland, Scotland. The site of two battles, the castle remains largely unchanged since its construction. It is now in t ...
, a mile north-east of
Fort William, is a ruinous courtyard castle that has a round tower at each corner, the largest of which is known as the Comyn's Tower.
The castle was captured and destroyed by Robert I in 1307. The lands were held by the Comyns but passed to the
Gordons of Huntly.
*
Lochindorb Castle
Lochindorb (from the gd, Loch nan Doirb meaning "loch of the minnows") is a freshwater loch north of Grantown on Spey in the Highland council area of Scotland. In the loch there is an island, which is now thought to have been artificially creat ...
, near
Grantown-on-Spey
Grantown-on-Spey ( gd, Baile nan Granndach) is a town in the Highland Council Area, Counties of Scotland, historically within the county of Moray. It is located on a low plateau at Freuchie beside the river Spey at the northern edge of the Cairng ...
, held by the Comyns and visited by
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
in 1303.
Later passed to the
Stewarts.
*
Dunphail Castle
Dunphail Castle is a ruined 14th-century tower house, about south of Forres, Moray, Scotland, west of nearby Dunphail House, and east of the River Divie.Coventry, Martin (1997) ''The Castles of Scotland''. Goblinshead. p.160
History
The ca ...
, a few miles south of
Forres
Forres (; gd, Farrais) is a town and former royal burgh in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately northeast of Inverness and west of Elgin. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions. There ...
, Moray, was a property of the Comyn's that was besieged in 1330, and as a result Alasdair Comyn of Dunphail and four of his men were captured after trying to leave the castle to find meal.
They were beheaded and their heads flung over the walls, allegedly with the words "here's your beef for your bannocks".
Five decapitated skeletons were reputedly found buried near the castle.
The garrison of the castle also tried to flee but were slaughtered.
Headless ghosts are said to haunt the old ruin and tales of the sounds of groans and fighting have also been reported.
The lands later passed to the
Dunbars, but nearby
Dunphail House was built in 1828 for the Cummings, and it was designed by
William Playfair
William Playfair (22 September 1759 – 11 February 1823), a Scottish engineer and political economist, served as a secret agent on behalf of Great Britain during its war with France. The founder of graphical methods of statistics, Playfai ...
.
*
Balvenie Castle,
Moray
Moray () gd, Moireibh or ') is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.
Between 1975 ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, was held by the Comyns, but was slighted by their rival
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
in 1308, and then passed to the
Clan Douglas
Clan Douglas is an ancient clan or noble house from the Scottish Lowlands.
Taking their name from Douglas in Lanarkshire, their leaders gained vast territories throughout the Borders, Angus, Lothian, Moray, and also in France and Sweden. The f ...
.
*
Banff Castle
Banff Castle is a ruined former royal castle near Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. History
Built as a motte and bailey castle in the 12th century and held by the Comyns, Earl of Buchan. The castle was visited by King Edward I of England in 1296 a ...
, at
Banff, Aberdeenshire
Banff ( gd, Banbh) is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron. It is a former royal burgh, and is the county town of the ...
.
*
Bedrule Castle, in the
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothi ...
, held by the Comyns and visited by
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
in 1298.
*
Blair Castle
Blair Castle (in Scottish Gaelic: Caisteil Bhlàir) stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Atholl, ...
,
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, was once held by the Comyns.
*
Cadzow Castle,
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton ( sco, Hamiltoun; gd, Baile Hamaltan ) is a large town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It sits south-east of Glasgow, south-west of Edinburgh and nort ...
.
*
Castle Grant
Castle Grant stands a mile north of Grantown-on-Spey and was the former seat of the Clan Grant chiefs of Strathspey in Highlands, Scotland.Coventry, Martin. (2008). ''Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Cl ...
,
Inverness
Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
, Scotland
*
Castle of Rattray
The Castle of Rattray was a medieval Scottish castle, with multiple variations on its structure over approximately six centuries. Originally built as a ''"late 12th- or early 13th century defensive motte"'' it provided protection for Starny K ...
,
Crimond
Crimond is a village in Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland, located northwest of the port of Peterhead and just over from the coast.
Geography
The main A90 road runs through Crimond and is lined by Crimond Church with a villag ...
,
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
a ruin, though the land is still held by the family.
*Castle Roy, near
Grantown-on-Spey
Grantown-on-Spey ( gd, Baile nan Granndach) is a town in the Highland Council Area, Counties of Scotland, historically within the county of Moray. It is located on a low plateau at Freuchie beside the river Spey at the northern edge of the Cairng ...
.
*
Comyn's Castle, near
East Kilbride
East Kilbride (; gd, Cille Bhrìghde an Ear ) is the largest town in South Lanarkshire in Scotland and the country's sixth-largest locality by population. It was also designated Scotland's first new town on 6 May 1947. The area lies on a rais ...
.
*
Dalswinton Castle,
Dumfries
Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...
.
*
Delgatie Castle
Delgatie Castle is a castle near Turriff, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
A castle has stood on the site of Delgatie Castle since the year 1030 AD, although the earliest parts of the castle standing today were built between 1570 and 1579. Additio ...
,
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
.
*
Dundarg Castle
Dundarg Castle is a ruined castle about north-northeast of New Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, built within the ramparts of an earlier Iron Age promontory fort. It was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuc ...
, Aberdeenshire.
*
Ellon Castle
Ellon Castle is a scheduled monument within the town of Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Only ruins survive of the 16th-century structure that may incorporate sections from the 15th century together with 18th-century renovations. The ruins form a focal poin ...
, Aberdeenshire.
*
Inchtalla Castle,
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling, gd, Siorrachd Sruighlea) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration countyRegisters of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. of Scotland. Its county town is Stirli ...
.
*
Kirkintilloch Castle,
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland.
Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
.
*
Mains Castle
Mains may refer to:
* Mains electricity ("line power" in the United States)
* Mains electricity by country
* Electricity transmission
* Public utility, "mains services", including electricity, natural gas, water, and sewage disposal
* Main course ...
,
East Kilbride
East Kilbride (; gd, Cille Bhrìghde an Ear ) is the largest town in South Lanarkshire in Scotland and the country's sixth-largest locality by population. It was also designated Scotland's first new town on 6 May 1947. The area lies on a rais ...
, was held by the Comyns but passed to the
Lindsays in 1382.
*
Old Slains Castle
Slains Castle (otherwise known as Old Slains Castle) is a ruined castle near Collieston in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is not to be confused with New Slains Castle, a separate building located five miles to the north-east. Built in the13th century ...
, Aberdeenshire.
*
Pitsligo Castle
Pitsligo Castle is a ruined castle half a mile east of Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Modified in the 1570s by the Forbes of Druminnor, it was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rock ...
,
Rosehearty
Rosehearty ( gd, Ros Abhartaich) is a settlement on the Moray Firth coast, four miles west of the town Fraserburgh, in the historical county of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The burgh has a population of approximately 1,300 with about 25 per cent ...
,
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
, was held by the Comyns
*
Pittulie Castle
Pittulie Castle is an oblong tower house probably dating from 1596,Lindsay, Maurice (1986) ''The Castles of Scotland''. Constable. p.398 half a mile from Pitsligo Castle, Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument. Built by ...
, near
Rosehearty
Rosehearty ( gd, Ros Abhartaich) is a settlement on the Moray Firth coast, four miles west of the town Fraserburgh, in the historical county of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The burgh has a population of approximately 1,300 with about 25 per cent ...
,
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
, was held by the Cumines and the sold to Sir William Forbes
*
Rait Castle,
Nairn
Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the tradit ...
.
*
Ruthven Barracks
Ruthven Barracks (), near Ruthven in Badenoch, Scotland, are the best preserved of the four barracks built in 1719 after the 1715 Jacobite rising. Set on an old castle mound, the complex comprises two large three-storey blocks occupying two side ...
, near
Kingussie
Kingussie ( ; gd, Ceann a' Ghiùthsaich ) is a small town in the Badenoch and Strathspey ward of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically in Inverness-shire, it lies beside the A9 road, although the old route of the A9 serves as the ...
, is the site of a castle once owned by the Comyns.
*
Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle (; gd, Caisteal na Sròine) is a ruined castle that sits beside Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. The castle is on the A82 road, south-west of Inverness and east of the village of Drumnadrochit.
The present ruins dat ...
, near
Inverness
Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
.
Tartans
Chief' arms
*Arms of the chief (Cumming): Azure, three garbs Or. Crest: A lion rampant Or holding in his dexter paw a dagger Proper. Motto: Courage. Supporters: Two horses Argent.
[Cruikshank Roger, James. (1986). ''Rothesay Castle and the Rothesay Tombs'', (Privately Printed), 26. "...the bearings of the Cummings being three garbs or wheat-sheaves."]
*Arms of the Comyns of Buchan: Azure, three garbs Or.
*Arms of the Comyns of Badenoch: Gules three garbs Or.
*Arms of Gordon-Cumming: Quarterly, 1st & 4th, three garbs Or (Cumming); 2nd & 3rd, Argent, three bends Sable, each charged with as many roses of the field (Penrose); overall, in an escutcheon Argent, is placed the Arms, Crest, Motto and Supporters of Gordon of Gordonston
Religious sites
Clan Cumming is associated with these religious sites :
*Altyre Kirk, Moray, Scotland
*Cumbernauld Chapel, Lanark, Scotland
*
Deer Abbey
Deer Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Buchan, Scotland. It was founded by 1219 under the patronage William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, who is also buried there.
History
There was an earlier community of Scottish monks or priests, nev ...
, Aberdeen, Scotland
*
Glasgow Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Ghlaschu) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The cathedral was the seat of the Archbishop ...
, Strathclyde, Scotland
*
Inchmahome Priory
Inchmahome Priory is situated on Inchmahome, the largest of three islands in the centre of the Lake of Menteith, close to Aberfoyle, Scotland.
The name "Inchmahome" comes from the Gaelic ''Innis MoCholmaig'', meaning island of St Colmaig.
The ...
, Perth, Scotland
See also
*
Battle of the Pass of Brander
The Battle of the Pass of Brander in Scotland forms a small part of the wider struggle known as the Wars of Scottish Independence, and a large part of the civil war between the Bruce and Balliol factions, a parallel and overlapping conflict. ...
*
Battle of Roslin
The Battle of Roslin on 24 February 1303 was a Scottish victory in the First War of Scottish Independence. It took place near the village of Roslin, where a force led by the Scots John Comyn and Sir Simon Fraser ambushed and defeated an Eng ...
*
Comyn (disambiguation)
*
Comyn's Road
Comyn's Road is an ancient roadway in Scotland, linking Blair Atholl in Perth and Kinross and Ruthven, Badenoch, in the Highland (council area), Highlands. Named for Clan Cumming (''Clan Comyn''), it runs for , although today it is only visi ...
*
Cummins (disambiguation)
*
Cummings (disambiguation) Cummings may refer to:
Places Canada
* Cummings, Saskatchewan, an unincorporated hamlet
United States
* Cummings, Mendocino County, California, an unincorporated community
* Cummings, Kansas
* Cummings, North Dakota, an unincorporated commu ...
*
Buchan
Buchan is an area of north-east Scotland, historically one of the original provinces of the Kingdom of Alba. It is now one of the six committee areas and administrative areas of Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland. These areas were created by th ...
*
Earl of Buchan
The Mormaer () or Earl of Buchan () was originally the provincial ruler of the medieval province of Buchan. Buchan was the first Mormaerdom in the High Medieval Kingdom of the Scots to pass into the hands of a non-Scottish family in the male li ...
*
John "the Black" Comyn
*
John "the Red" Comyn
*
Commins (surname)
Notes and references
External links
Clan Cumming Society of the USA"Clann Chuimein- The Cumins" entry in RR McIan's Costumes of the Clans of Scotland
{{Scottish clans
Cumming