Clan Graham (''Greumaich nan Cearc'' ) is a
Scottish clan who had territories in both the
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland S ...
and
Lowlands, with one main branch Montrose, and various cadet branches. The chief of the clan rose to become the Marquess and later
Duke of Montrose.
History
Origins of the clan
There is a tradition that the first Graham was one ''Greme'' who broke the Roman
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall, known to the Romans as ''Vallum Antonini'', was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. Built some ...
driving the Roman legions out of Scotland.
However the likely origin is that the chiefs of Clan Graham were of
Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to:
*Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066
*Anglo-Norman language
**Anglo-Norman literature
*Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1066 ...
origin.
The Manor of Gregham is recorded in
William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...
's
Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...
.
When
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 ...
claimed the throne of Scotland, Graham was one of the knights who accompanied him.
Sir
William de Graham
William de Graham was an Anglo-Norman who received the lands of Abercorn and Dalkeith during the reign of David I, King of Scotland. He is known to have witnessed many charters as early as about 1127–1128, and is the first Graham known in Sco ...
was present at the erection of
Holyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Ref ...
, witnessing its foundation
charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the re ...
.
The first lands that the chiefs of Clan Graham appear to have held were around
Dalkeith
Dalkeith ( ; gd, Dail Cheith, IPA: �t̪alˈçe is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540. The settlement of Dalkeith grew southwestwards from its 12th-cent ...
in
Midlothian
Midlothian (; gd, Meadhan Lodainn) is a historic county, registration county, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east- central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinbu ...
.
Sir Nicholas de Graham attended the Parliament of 1290 where the
Treaty of Birgham was signed.
Y-DNA analysis informs us that the Clan Graham and the
Clan Jardine
Clan Jardine 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 ...
share a male line ancestor, shortly before the two male lines got their Clan name.
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Clan Graham fought at the
Battle of Dunbar in 1296 where Sir
Patrick de Graham
Sir Patrick de Graham, Lord of Kincardine (c. 1235 – 27 April 1296) was a 13th-century Scottish noble and soldier.
Patrick was born around 1235, the son of David Graham of Dundaff. He was selected to negotiate the marriage of Prince Alexan ...
of Kincardine was the only man of all the Scots not to retreat and instead fought to the death.
Sir
John de Graham
Sir John de Graham (died 22 July 1298) of Dundaff was a 13th-century Scottish noble. He was killed during the Battle of Falkirk.
He was the son of David de Graham and Agnes Noble and was born in the lands of Dundaff, Stirlingshire, Scotland. D ...
, was a friend and follower of
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 ...
.
Sir John de Graham is regarded as hero for rescuing Wallace at Queensbury.
Sir John de Graham was regarded as Wallace's right-hand man and Wallace was at his side when Graham was killed in 1298 at the
Battle of Falkirk
The Battle of Falkirk (''Blàr na h-Eaglaise Brice'' in Gaelic), on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence. Led by King Edward I of England, the English army defeated the Scots, led by William Wa ...
.
["The Scottish Clans and Their Tartans". W. & A. K. Johnston Limited. Edinburgh and London. 1886. Page 26.] John de Graham's name is still perpetuated in the district of Grahamston.
The grave of Sir John de Graham in Falkirk churchyard is still to be seen, with table stones of three successive periods above it.
One great two-handed sword of Sir John the Graham is preserved at
Buchanan Castle by the
Duke of Montrose.
Another was long in possession of the Grahams of Orchil and is now treasured by the
Freemason
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
Lodge at Auchterarder.
The Clan Graham also fought against the English at the
Battle of Durham
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place during the Second War of Scottish Independence on 17 October 1346, half a mile (800 m) to the west of Durham, England. An invading Scottish army of 12,000 led by King David II was defeated with heavy los ...
in 1346, in support of
King David II of Scots.
The Grahams acquired the lands of Mugdock north of Glasgow, where they built a stout castle around 1370.
In
John Stewart's book, ''The Grahams'', he states that "Most Scottish Clans would be proud to have one great hero. The Grahams have three." He refers to Sir John de Graham, the Marquis of Montrose and the Viscount of Dundee. Stewart also wrote,
It is remarkable that the early Grahams were one and all exceedingly capable men. In an age when the reputation of many great public figures, alas, that of most of the Scottish nobility, were sullied by deeds of violence, and often deeds of blackest treachery, it is refreshing to find that the Grahams stand out as loyal and true to the causes they espoused. Their story is not one of rapid rise to power through royal favor, or even at the expense of their peers, but rather a gradual steady rise based on their undoubted ability and worthiness which seems to have endured from one generation to another.
15th and 16th centuries
The Clan Graham fought at the
Battle of Sauchieburn led by the third Lord Graham.
The battle was fought on 11 June 1488, at the side of Sauchie Burn, a brook about two miles south of
Stirling
Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
, Scotland. In 1504 Lord Graham, on account of his gallantry was made
Earl of Montrose. He would go on to lead part of the Scottish Vanguard against the English 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, part of the
Anglo-Scottish Wars where he was slain.
The Clan Graham was among the clans which fought against the English at the
Battle of Pinkie Cleugh
The Battle of Pinkie, also known as the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh ( , ), took place on 10 September 1547 on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland. The last pitched battle between Scotland and England before the Union of the Cro ...
1547, where Robert, the eldest son of the second Earl, was killed.
17th century and Civil War
James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose
One of the most notable chiefs of the Clan Graham was James, Marquis of Montrose, a poet, but above all, the most distinguished royalist soldier of his time. He played a massive part in the Civil War in Scotland and the Grahams rallied to their chief.
Montrose had had successive victories at the
Battle of Tippermuir - with the support of Alaster M'Coll Keitach (known as
Alasdair MacColla McDonald) and his Irish soldiers, the
Battle of Aberdeen, the
Battle of Inverlochy (1645)
The Battle of Inverlochy occurred on 2 February 1645 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms when a Royalist force of Highlanders and Confederate Irish troops under the overall command of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, routed and ...
, the
Battle of Auldearn, the
Battle of Alford, and the
Battle of Kilsyth
The Battle of Kilsyth, fought on 15 August 1645 near Kilsyth, was an engagement of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The largest battle of the conflict in Scotland, it resulted in victory for the Royalist general Montrose over the forces of t ...
. After several years of continuous victories, Montrose was finally defeated at the
Battle of Philiphaugh on 13 September 1645 by the
Covenanter
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from '' Covena ...
army of
David Leslie, Lord Newark,
restoring the power of the
Committee of Estates
The Committee of Estates governed Scotland during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1638–1651) when the Parliament of Scotland was not sitting. It was dominated by Covenanters of which the most influential faction was that of the Earl of Argyll.Dav ...
.
In 1646 Montrose laid siege to the
Castle Chanonry of Ross
Castle Chanonry of Ross, also known as Seaforth Castle, was located in the town of Fortrose, to the north-east of Inverness, on the peninsula known as the Black Isle, Highland, Scotland. Nothing now remains of the castle. The castle was also know ...
which was held by the
Clan Mackenzie and took it from them after a siege of four days. In March 1650 he captured
Dunbeath Castle of the
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. ...
, who would later support him at Carbisdale. Montrose was defeated at the
Battle of Carbisdale
The Battle of Carbisdale (also known as Invercarron) took place close to the village of Culrain, Sutherland, Scotland on 27 April 1650 and was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It was fought by the Royalist leader James Graham, 1st Mar ...
by the Munros, Rosses, Sutherlands and Colonel Alexander Strachan. He was subsequently captured and executed in Edinburgh in 1650.
John Graham, Viscount of Dundee
Another notable Graham was John, Viscount of Dundee also known as "Bonnie Dundee". By means of purchase and inheritance the Graham lands had become, by the late seventeenth century, among the richest in Scotland.
The Viscount of Dundee led a small Government Troop of Cavalry which was surprised and defeated at the
Battle of Drumclog
The Battle of Drumclog was fought on 1 June 1679, between a group of Covenanters and the forces of John Graham of Claverhouse, at Drumclog, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
The battle
Following the assassination of Archbishop James Sharp on ...
in 1679 by an overwhelming force of rebel Covenanters (estimates suggest Graham was outnumbered by about 4–1). However he was victorious at the
Battle of Bothwell Brig
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
where he put down a rebellion by the Covenanters. The battle was fought on 22 June 1679 in
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 Scotl ...
.
Dundee was appointed Commander in Chief of all Scottish Forces by King James VII but died at the
Battle of Killiecrankie whilst commanding the
Jacobite Forces during their victory over a much larger
Williamite Army in 1689.
18th century and Jacobite uprisings
The Clan Graham took no side in the Jacobite Uprisings and remained neutral throughout. Highlanders can thank
James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose for the repeal in 1782 of the
Dress Act 1746 prohibiting the wearing of highland dress.
He persuaded Parliament to remove the law forbidding Scots to wear their tartan.
[
]
Castles
*
Mugdock Castle was the seat of the chiefs of the Clan Graham
Dukes of Montrose
Duke of Montrose (named for Montrose, Angus) is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. The title was created anew in 1707, for James Graham, 4th Marquess of Montrose, great-grandson of famed James Graham, 1st Marquess ...
.
It was held by the Grahams from the middle of the 13th century.
*
Buchanan Castle in
Stirlingshire is the current seat of the chief of Clan Graham.
*
Claypotts Castle was held by the Grahams of Claverhouse.
*
Dalkeith Palace was held by the Grahams from the 12th century but 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. Th ...
in about 1350.
*
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 ...
(also known as Fintry Castle) was originally held by the
Clan Stewart
Clan Stewart ( Gaelic: ''Stiùbhart'') is a Scottish Highland and Lowland clan. The clan is recognised by Court of the Lord Lyon; however, it does not have a Clan Chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because the clan has no chief it ...
but it passed to the Grahams in 1350 and it was the Grahams who built the current castle.
The castle was sold to the
Clan Erskine in the 19th century and then to the Cairds.
It was later given to the people of Dundee and today the grounds are a public park.
*Inchtalla Castle was the seat of the Grahams who were
Earls of Menteith
The Mormaer or Earl of Menteith was the ruler of the province of Menteith in the Middle Ages. The first mormaer is usually regarded as Gille Críst, Earl of Menteith, Gille Críst (or Gilchrist), simply because he is the earliest on record. The ...
.
*
Kincardine Castle, Auchterarder was a substantial castle that was held by the Grahams from about 1250.
However the castle was demolished by Campbell Earl of Argyll in 1646.
*Sir John de Graham Castle, also known as Graham's Castle,
or Dundaff Castle,
was said to be the birthplace of the legendary Sir John de Graham, who fought at the
Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.
Tartan
Chief
Since 1992, the chief of the family has been
James, Duke of Montrose, Marquis of Graham and Buchanan, Earl of Kincardine, Viscount of Dundaff, Lord of Mugdock, Aberuthven and Fintrie, Baronet of Braco.
See also
*
Graham (surname) Graham is a surname of Scottish and English origin. It is typically an Anglo-French form of the name of the town of Grantham, in Lincolnshire, England. The settlement is recorded in the 11th century ''Domesday Book'' variously as ''Grantham'', ''G ...
, for a list of notable people with the Graham surname
*
Graham
Graham and Graeme may refer to:
People
* Graham (given name), an English-language given name
* Graham (surname), an English-language surname
* Graeme (surname), an English-language surname
* Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer
* Clan ...
, for a list of Graham places
*
Scottish clan, for a list of other Scottish clans
* The
First City Regiment (
Grahamstown
Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London. Makhanda is the largest town in the Makana ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
) wears the Graham of Montrose tartan and badge.
Notes and references
External links
Clan Graham SocietyGraham Lowlanders Pipes and Drums Leeuwarden''House GRAHAM: From the Antonine Wall to the Temple of Hymen'' ree eBook PDF
{{Scottish clans
Graham
Graham and Graeme may refer to:
People
* Graham (given name), an English-language given name
* Graham (surname), an English-language surname
* Graeme (surname), an English-language surname
* Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer
* Clan ...