Clan Lindsay 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 ...

of the

Scottish Lowlands The Lowlands ( sco, Lallans or ; gd, a' Ghalldachd, , place of the foreigners, ) is a cultural and historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Lowlands and the Highlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowl ...

History

Lindsay tartan (Vestiarium Scoticum - plate)

Origins of the clan

The Lindsays were prominent in both England and

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 ...

from the late 11th century. The name most likely derives from the region of

Lindsey Lindsey may refer to : Places Canada * Lindsey Lake, Nova Scotia England * Parts of Lindsey, one of the historic Parts of Lincolnshire and an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 ** East Lindsey, an administrative district in Lincolnshire, ...

in England (the name of which comes from the Old English for "island of

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

"), from where the family originated. In Domesday Book, Sir Baldric de Lindsay of Hemingby is recorded as holding a number of estates in

in 1086. Sir Baldric's sons, Sir Walter and William de Lindsay accompanied

David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon David of Scotland (Medieval Gaelic: ''Dabíd'') (1152 – 17 June 1219) was a Scottish prince and 8th Earl of Huntingdon. He was, until 1198, heir to the Scottish throne. Life He was the youngest surviving son of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of ...

, to claim his throne. William's son,

William de Lindsay Sir William de Lindsay (died c.1200), Lord of Ercildum, Crawford, Baron of Luffness, Justiciar of Lothian was a 12th-century Scottish noble. Life Lindsay was a son of Walter de Lindsay. William inherited half moiety of the barony of Cavendi ...

, sat in the Parliament of 1164 and was later a justiciar. William Lindsay held the lands of

Crawford Crawford may refer to: Places Canada * Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia * Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario United Kingdom * Crawford, Lancashire, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside, England * Crawford, South Lanarkshire, a ...

and

Luffness Luffness is a hamlet in East Lothian, Scotland. It lies between the towns of Gullane and Aberlady and is approximately 20 miles east of Edinburgh. History Most of the houses in Luffness are traditional farm cottages; among its notable buildings ...

. The chief's premier title was later

Earl of Crawford Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll. Early history Sir David Lindsay, who ...

. His son, Sir William Lindsay, who sat in Parliament as Baron of Luffness in

East Lothian East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In 1975, the histo ...

, married Alice de Limesi, and from their younger son Sir William Lindsay, dapifer to the High Steward of Scotland, descends the

. Sir William Lindsay's elder son was Sir David Lindsay who married a member of the royal family named Margerie. David died in 1214 and was succeeded as Lord Crawford and High Justiciar of Lothian by his son who was also called David. This David also inherited the estates of Limesi and Wolveray. One of his cousins was another Sir David Lindsay who was

Chamberlain of Scotland Holders of the office of Lord Chamberlain of Scotland are known from about 1124. It was ranked by King Malcolm as the third great Officer of State, called ''Camerarius Domini Regis'', and had a salary of £200 per annum allotted to him. He ancien ...

in 1256.

Wars of Scottish Independence

The aforementioned David Lindsay's grandson was yet another David whose seal was appended to the letter of 1320 to the Pope, asserting the independence of Scotland, that was more often known as the

Declaration of Arbroath The Declaration of Arbroath ( la, Declaratio Arbroathis; sco, Declaration o Aiberbrothock; gd, Tiomnadh Bhruis) is the name usually given to a letter, dated 6 April 1320 at Arbroath, written by Scottish barons and addressed to Pope John ...

. His second son, Sir James Lindsay, married Egidia, daughter of

Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland Walter Stewart (G. W. S. Barrow, ‘Stewart family (per. c.1110–c.1350)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004.9 April 1327) was the 6th Hereditary High Steward of Scotland and was the father of King Rob ...

, and Marjory Bruce, daughter of Robert The Bruce and Isabella de Mar, and half-sister of

David II of Scotland David II (5 March 1324 – 22 February 1371) was King of Scots from 1329 until his death in 1371. Upon the death of his father, Robert the Bruce, David succeeded to the throne at the age of five, and was crowned at Scone in November 1331, becom ...

, son of Robert the Bruce and his second wife, Elizabeth de Burgh.

14th, 15th and 16th centuries

In 1390, Sir David Lindsay famously took part in a tournament at

London Bridge Several bridges named London Bridge have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, in central London. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It r ...

, in the presence of

Richard II of England Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father die ...

. At the tournament Lindsay won the day and the admiration of the English king. Lindsay was created

on 21 April 1398. In 1403, he was

Lord High Admiral of Scotland The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Officers of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707. The office was one of considerable power, also known as ''Royal Scottish Admiralty'', including command ...

and in 1406, he was sent as an ambassador to England. The Lindsays fought at the

Battle of Arbroath The Battle of Arbroath was fought on 24 January 1445 (or by another version in 1446) at Arbroath in Scotland. It was between rivals claimants to the post of Baillie of the Regality. Background The conflict began after the monks of the Abbey ...

in 1445.Arbroath
canmore.rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2013. In 1452,

Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Crawford Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Crawford (1423–1453) was a late medieval Scottish nobleman, and a magnate of the north-east of that country. Life Alexander Lindsay was the son of David Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Crawford and Marjory Ogilvie, the dau ...

, joined in a rebellion against

James II of Scotland James II (16 October 1430 – 3 August 1460) was King of Scots from 1437 until his death in 1460. The eldest surviving son of James I of Scotland, he succeeded to the Scottish throne at the age of six, following the assassination of his father. ...

and fought at the

Battle of Brechin The Battle of Brechin was fought on 18 May 1452 during the reign of James II of Scotland, about two and a half miles north north east of Brechin. It has been regarded as part of the civil war during his reign between the king and an alliance of p ...

where the royal forces were victorious. Alexander Lindsay was attained for treason but was later pardoned. The fifth Earl of Crawford rose high in royal favour. He was successively Lord High Admiral of Scotland, Master of the Royal Household, Lord Chamberlain and High Justiciary. In 1488 he was created Duke of Montrose by King James III, but this was annulled after the king's death. The sixth Earl of Crawford was killed at the

Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...

in 1513, while on close attendance to

King James IV James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauchi ...

17th century and civil war

Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford Ludovic Lindsay, 16th Earl of Crawford (1600–1652), was a Scottish landowner and Royalist. He was the son of Henry Lindsay, 13th Earl of Crawford and Helen Chisholm. In 1633-1634 Lindsay served the Polish king and commanded a unit composed pa ...

, learned his trade as a soldier on the Continent. He later fought for King Charles I during the civil war where he commanded a cavalry regiment at the

Battle of Marston Moor The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms of 1639 – 1653. The combined forces of the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester and the Scottish Covenanters und ...

. He was later captured supporting James, Marquis of Montrose, at the

Battle of Philiphaugh The Battle of Philiphaugh was fought on 13 September 1645 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. The Royalist army of the Marquis of Montrose was destroyed by the Covenanter army of Sir David Leslie, ...

in 1645. The earldom of Crawford was succeeded to by his kinsman John Lindsay, Earl of Lindsay. The Crawford title remained with this branch of the family until it passed to the Earl of Balcarres in the 19th century, who were descended from a younger son of the ninth Earl of Crawford. This branch of the family had been created Earls of Balcarres in 1650 for services during the civil war.

18th century and Jacobite risings

The first Earl of Balcarres was made hereditary governor of

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

. He was also made Secretary of State for Scotland and High Commissioner to the General Assembly. His younger son was Colin Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres, who was a staunch Jacobite and fought during the

Jacobite rising of 1715 The Jacobite rising of 1715 ( gd, Bliadhna Sheumais ; or 'the Fifteen') was the attempt by James Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the exiled Stuarts The House of Stuart, ori ...

. He only escaped being attained for treason through the intervention of the

Duke of Marlborough General (United Kingdom), General John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, (26 May 1650 – 16 June 1722 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) was an Engl ...

who was a lifelong friend of his. In 1739,

John Lindsay, 20th Earl of Crawford Lieutenant-General John Lindsay, 20th Earl of Crawford (4 October 1702 – 25 December 1749) was a Scottish peer and the first colonel of the Black Watch on its formation in 1739. Biography Lindsay was the son of Lieutenant-General John Linds ...

, was made Lieutenant-Colonel of the newly formed

43rd Regiment of Foot The 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) to form the 1st and 2nd battalions of t ...

("Black Watch" regiment) that supported the British Government during the

Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Franci ...

and had been formed from the ten

Independent Highland Companies The Independent Highland Companies were irregular militia raised from the Scottish clans of the Scottish Highlands by order of the Government between 1603 and 1760 in order to help keep the peace and enforce the law in the Highlands and were reco ...

of "Black Watch".Simpson, Peter. (1996). ''The Independent Highland Companies, 1603 – 1760''. . pp. 115 – 118.

Gallery of arms

File:Lindsay arms.svg, Traditional Lindsay arms File:Arms of Lindsay (Earl Crawford).svg, Lindsay, Earls of Crawford File:Arms of Lindsay, Duke of Montrose.svg, Lindsay, Duke of Montrose File:Arms of Lindsay of Westville.svg, Lindsay, Earls of Balcarres (1624) File:Arms of Lindsay, Earl of Balcarres.svg, Lindsay, Earls of Balcarres (1670) File:Arms of Lindsay of Balcarres.svg, Lindsay of Balcarres File:Arms of Lindsay of Balgawies.svg, Lindsay of Balgawies File:Arms of Lindsay of Barnyards.svg, Lindsay of Barnyards File:Arms of Lindsay of Blacksolme.svg, Lindsay of Blacksolme File:Arms of Lindsay of Bonhill (alternate).svg, Lindsay of Bonhill File:Arms of Lindsay of Broadland.svg, Lindsay of Broadland File:Arms of Lindsay of Byres.svg, Lindsay of the Byres File:Arms of Lindsay of Cavill.svg, Lindsay of Cavill File:Arms of Lindsay of Covington.svg, Lindsay of Covington File:Arms of Lindsay of Crossbasket.svg, Lindsay of Crossbasket File:Arms of Lindsay of Culsh.svg, Lindsay of Culsh File:Arms of Lindsay of Dowhill.svg, Lindsay of Dowhill File:Arms of Lindsay of Dunrod.svg, Lindsay of Dunrod File:Arms of Lindsay of Eaglescairnie.svg, Lindsay of Eaglescairnie File:Arms of Lindsay of Edzell.svg, Lindsay of Edzell File:Arms of Lindsay of Evelick.svg, Lindsay of Evelick File:Arms of Lindsay of Garnock.svg, Lindsay of Garnock File:Arms of Lindsay of Kilspindie.svg, Lindsay of Kilspindie File:Arms of Lindsay of Linbank.svg, Lindsay of Linbank File:Arms of Lindsay of Loughry.svg, Lindsay of Loughry File:Arms of Lindsay of Menmuir.svg, Lindsay of Menmuir File:Arms of Lindsay of Mount.svg, Lindsay of the Mount File:Arms of Lindsay of Pitscandlie.svg, Lindsay of Pitscandlie File:Arms of Lindsay of Pitscarlies and Cairn.svg, Lindsay of Pitscarlies and Cairn File:Arms of Lindsay of Pyctstone and Wormstone.svg, Lindsay of Pyotstone File:Arms of Lindsay of Rossie.svg, Lindsay of Rossie File:Arms of Lindsay of Spynie.svg, Lindsay of Spynie File:Arms of Lindsay of Cumberland.svg, Lindsay of Staplegorton File:Arms of Lindsay of Virginia.svg, Lindsay of Virginia File:Arms of Lindsay of Wauchopdale.svg, Lindsay of Wauchopedale File:Arms of Lindsay of Wormistone.svg, Lindsay of Wormestone File:Arms of Lindsay and Limésy.svg, Ancestral arms of Alice de Limési

Clan castles

Balcarres House Balcarres House lies 1km north of the village of Colinsburgh, in the East Neuk of Fife, in eastern Scotland. It is centred on a mansion built in 1595 by John Lindsay (1552–1598), second son of David, 9th Earl of Crawford. The house became the ...

is the current seat of the Chief. It was built by

John Lindsay of Balcarres John Lindsay of Balcarres (1552–1598) was Secretary of State, Scotland. On 5 July 1581 he was appointed a Lord of Session under the title Lord Menmuir. Life He was the second son of David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford and Catherine Campbell, d ...

in 1595. *

Edzell Castle Edzell Castle is a ruined 16th-century castle, with an early-17th-century walled garden. It is located close to Edzell, and is around north of Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. Edzell Castle was begun around 1520 by David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawfo ...

was the original castle of the Chief of Clan Lindsay which they acquired in 1357 and retained ownership until 1715. *

Crawford Castle Crawford Castle, substantially in ruins, is located on the north bank of the River Clyde, around half a mile north of Crawford, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The ruins stand on an earlier motte and bailey earthwork. The castle is also known as ...

, to the north of the village of Crawford, South Lanarkshire, was from where the Earldom of Crawford was created and it was also known as Lindsay Tower. *

Luffness Castle Luffness Castle, also known as Luffness House, is a house built in a former fortification near the village of Aberlady, East Lothian, Scotland. History The lands around the current house were a part of the estates of the Gospatrick Earl of Dunba ...

, East Lothian. * Lamberton Castle, Scottish Borders * Wauchope Castle, Dumfries and Galloway. *

Carsluith Castle Carsluith Castle is a ruined tower house, dating largely to the 16th century. It is located beside Wigtown Bay in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Galloway, Scotland, around south east of Creetown. History The lands of Carsluith ...

. *

Spynie Palace Spynie Palace, also known as Spynie Castle, was the fortified seat of the Bishops of Moray for about 500 years in Spynie, Moray, Scotland. The founding of the palace dates back to the late 12th century. It is situated about 500 m from the locat ...

. *

Lordscairnie Castle Lordscairnie Castle is a ruin situated near Moonzie, north-east of Cupar, in Fife, Scotland. It is protected as a scheduled monument. History Cairnie was a property of the Lindsay family, later Earls of Crawford, from 1355. The tower was constru ...

. * Byres Castle, East Lothian. * Barnweill Castle, South Ayrshire. *

Craigie Castle Craigie Castle, in the old Barony of Craigie, is a ruined fortification situated about southeast of Kilmarnock and southeast of Craigie village, in the Civil Parish of Craigie, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The castle is recognised as one of the ea ...

, South Ayrshire. * Lindsane

References

External links

clanlindsaysociety.co.ukclanlindsay.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lindsay, Clan Scottish clans Scottish Lowlands