Donald Cameron (born c. 1550), known as Black Taylor of the Axe (

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

''Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe'') was a famed warrior of 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 Sco ...

during the reign of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

. Born

illegitimate Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...

, his father was Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, 14th chief of Clan Cameron, and his mother was the daughter of the chief 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 ...

. Donald Cameron is claimed as the

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

ous ancestor of the

Taylor sept Taylor is a sept ("branch") of Clan Cameron, a Scottish clan. Present day members of the Taylor sept hold the Scottish surname Taylor. Sept namebearer Some members of the Taylor sept are descendants of Donald Cameron ('Taillear Dubh na Tuai ...

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 ...

. He is alluded to in the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

of the chief of Clan Cameron, as a likeness of him appears as the

supporters In heraldry, supporters, sometimes referred to as ''attendants'', are figures or objects usually placed on either side of the Escutcheon (heraldry), shield and depicted holding it up. Early forms of supporters are found in medieval seals. H ...

holding a

Lochaber axe The Lochaber axe ( Gaëlic: tuagh-chatha) is a type of poleaxe that was used almost exclusively in Scotland. It was usually mounted on a staff about five feet long. Specifics of the weapon The Lochaber axe is first recorded in 1501, as an "old ...

Childhood

After Donald's birth, Ewen kept his son, and had him nursed by a tailor's wife at Lundavra in

Lochaber Lochaber ( ; gd, Loch Abar) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creation ...

("Cameron country"). There, as an infant, Donald received the nickname ''An Taillear Dubh'' (''an'', a diminutive; ''Taillear'', an occupational reference to the caretaker's husband; ''Dubh'', translated as "black" in the context of meaning "dark haired" or "dark tempered"). Ewen died in captivity in 1553, prisoner of the chief of Clan MacDougall who was holding Ewen captive until such time as he agreed to marry the chief's daughter. Acknowledgement of Donald's parentage did not suffice according to laws of hereditary succession, the consequence being that Ewen, an unmarried man, died without "legitimate issue". The title of 15th chief of Clan Cameron passed instead to Ewen's younger brother, Donald Cameron of Lochiel. As for property, Donald did not inherit his father's lands, as Queen Mary – unhappy with Ewen's fighting history and lack of obedience towards her summons – granted all of Ewen's lands to

George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly (151428 October 1562) was a Scottish nobleman. Life He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV and Margaret Drummond. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estat ...

Warrior

Donald was raised by Corunan MacLachlans, the earliest

cadet branch In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets— realm, title ...

of Strathlachlan to leave

Cowal Cowal ( gd, Còmhghall) is a peninsula in Argyll and Bute, in the west of Scotland, that extends into the Firth of Clyde. The northern part of the peninsula is covered by the Argyll Forest Park managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. The Arrochar ...

, and hereditary

standard-bearer A standard-bearer, also known as a flag-bearer is a person (soldier or civilian) who bears an emblem known as a standard or military colours, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used (and often honoured) as a ...

s to Cameron of Lochiel. Corunan was located midway between Fort William and

Corran Corran may refer to: Given name *Corran Addison, South African canoeist *Corran Horn, fictional character from the ''Star Wars'' franchise * Corran McLachlan, scientist and entrepreneur *Coran: character from Voltron Surname * Andrew Corran, born ...

Ardgour Ardgour () (, meaning ''Height of the goats'') is an area of the Scottish Highlands on the western shore of Loch Linnhe. It lies north of the district of Morvern and east of the district of Sunart. Administratively it is now part of the wa ...

in Lochaber, and it was here that Donald developed skills with the fighting weapon of his area, the

, using it when Camerons battled. The 15th chief of Clan Cameron died without legitimate issue in 1569. His younger brother, John, would have been next in

line of hereditary succession In inheritance, a hereditary successor is a person who inherits an indivisible title or office after the death of the previous title holder. The hereditary line of succession may be limited to heirs of the body, or may pass also to collateral l ...

, but had recently died, thereby John's infant son, Allan Cameron of Lochiel (born 1567/68), became 16th chief of Clan Cameron. Soon thereafter, around 1570, the Battle of Bun Garbhain pitted Camerons against their principal rival

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 ...

. It was here that Donald, with his Lochaber axe, became a Cameron hero for slaying Mackintosh of Mackintosh, 15th chief of Clan Mackintosh, earning Donald the nickname ''Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe''. When Donald went to Allan's family with news of this battle, Allan's mother, daughter of the slain Mackintosh chief, became enraged, and attempted to kill baby Allan. Donald intervened in time, saving the young 16th chief of Clan Cameron, another heroic act, but Allan's mother was banished from Lochaber forever. Fighting was not limited to clan against clan. Because of his youth, Allan was vulnerable to being

usurped A usurper is an illegitimate or controversial claimant to power, often but not always in a monarchy. In other words, one who takes the power of a country, city, or established region for oneself, without any formal or legal right to claim it as ...

by a Cameron cadet branch (distant family). Ewen Cameron of Erracht, uncle of the 14th chief of Clan Cameron, became suspect and so it was that in the 1580s, Donald's men, Cameron of Lochiel, murdered Ewan Cameron of Erracht in battle at

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 ...

on behalf of young Allen, and retaining the line of hereditary succession for Camerons of Lochiel.

Legacy

Cameron-Mackintosh fighting continued to be bloody. Eventually, Donald fled with his family and followers to Cowal and found safety. His descendants settled in Strath Eachaig where they were known as ''Mac-an-taillear'' ("son of the tailor"). By the 18th century, his descendants carried the surnames ''MacInTaillear'', ''Macintaylor'', ''Taylor'' and ''Tayler'' and still lived on the Cowal peninsula. They referred to Donald with endearment as ''Taillear Dubh'', while referring to themselves as ''Clann an Taillear Dhuibh Chamronaich'' ("Children of the Black Taylor of the Camerons").(Mackenzie, 1875, pages 526-530) Donald's legacy is preserved in the double black lines of the Taylor sept's

tartan Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...

, designed in 1955 by Lt.Col. Iain B. Cameron.

Footnotes

References

*Mackenzie, Alexander, Alexander Macgregor, and Alexander Macbain.
The Celtic Magazine
'. Inverness: A. and W. Mackenzie, 1875.

External links

Translation of medieval Scottish bynames
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameron, Donald

Clan Cameron History of the Scottish Highlands People from Lochaber 16th-century Scottish people 1550s births Year of birth uncertain Year of death unknown Year of birth unknown