Hugh Fraser, 3rd Lord Lovat (c. 1494 – 15 July 1544) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

peer and

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 boat ...

Clan Fraser of Lovat Clan Fraser of Lovat ( ) is a Highland Scottish clan and the principal branch of Clan Fraser. The Frasers of Lovat are strongly associated with Inverness and the surrounding area since the Clan's founder gained lands there in the 13th century. ...

from 1524 until 1544.

Biography

Fraser was the eldest son of

Thomas Fraser, 2nd Lord Lovat Thomas Fraser, 2nd Lord Lovat (died 21 October 1524) was a Scottish peer and Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat from c. 1500/c. 1501 until 1524. He was the only son of Hugh Fraser, 1st Lord Lovat (died c. 1500/c. 1501) and Violetta Lyon, daughter of ...

(died 1524) and Janet Gordon, daughter of Sir Alexander Gordon of Abergeldie. He enlarged the family's portfolio of lands, purchasing a number of estates and receiving several more as royal grants, including a feu-charter of the lands of Beaufort. Lovat became involved, with tragic consequences, in the succession dispute within Clanranald triggered by the death of the 7th chief, Alexander Macdonald, in c.1530. With the support of Ewen Cameron of Lochiel (d. 1547), chief of

Clan Cameron Clan Cameron is a West Scottish Highlands, 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, the highest mountain in the British Isl ...

, whose clan was on the rise in Lochaber owing to a period of strong crown pressure on Clan Donald, Alexander's son John Moidartach was installed as the 8th chief of the clan. However, Cameron's meddling in the affair was resented by the most powerful peer in northern Scotland,

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 esta ...

, a nephew of

James V James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...

. In 1540, John was arrested and imprisoned by the king, and his uncle, Ranald Gallda, promptly asserted his own claim to the chiefship of Clanranald with Lovat's backing, declaring John's birth to be illegitimate. After John's release from prison and return to Lochaber, Ranald was unable to cling to power and fled to Lovat, who gave him refuge. Cameron having joined the Macdonalds on a punitive raid of Lovat's lands in Stratherrick and Abertarff, Huntly marched to Lovat's aid and joined the Frasers on a retaliatory raid of Moidart. Returning east from this raid by a different route from Huntly, Lovat was pursued by a force of Macdonalds and Camerons, who overtook the Frasers at the head of

Loch Lochy Loch Lochy () is a large freshwater loch in Lochaber, Highland (council area), Highland, Scotland. With a mean depth of , it is the third-deepest loch of Scotland. Geography Located southwest of Loch Ness along the Glen Albyn, Great Glen, the lo ...

on 15 July 1544. Battle was joined, and the result was an unqualified disaster for Clan Fraser of Lovat: Lovat himself was killed, along with his brother James, his eldest son Simon, and some three hundred men of his clan. Although Ranald Gallda too was slain in the battle of Loch Lochy, leaving John Moidartach secure in the chiefship, an enraged Huntly swiftly returned to Lochaber in force and arrested Cameron, who was put to death at Elgin in 1547.

Marriage and family

Hugh Fraser had two brothers, William Fraser of Teachers and James Fraser of

Culbokie Culbokie (''An Cùil Bhàicidh'' in Gaelic, meaning 'the haunted nook') is a small village in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. It is located on the north side of the Black Isle. The village is south-east of Dingwall and about north of In ...

, and three sisters Margaret, Isobel and Janet, the last of whom married John Crichton of Ruthven, as well as three half-brothers, Robert Fraser, Andrew Fraser and Thomas Fraser. He married, first, Anna Grant (d. c.1536), the daughter of John Grant of

Freuchie Freuchie is a village in Fife, Scotland, at the foot of the Lomond Hills, and near Falkland. The nearest major town is Glenrothes located 4 miles to the south. The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic, ''fraoch'', meaning heather. This Fife ...

, their son Hugh Fraser, Master of Lovat was killed at Loch Lochy in 1544. Hugh Fraser married secondly, Janet Ross (d. 1565), daughter of Walter Ross of

Balnagown Balnagown Castle (also Balnagowan)(Ross Castle) is beside the village of Kildary in Easter Ross, part of the Highland area of Scotland. There has been a castle on the site since the 14th century, although the present building was remodelled in ...

. Their children included:John Anderson, ''Historical account of the family of Frisel or Fraser, particularly Fraser of Lovat'' (Edinburgh, 1825), p. 79. *

Alexander Fraser, 4th Lord Lovat Alexander Fraser, 4th Lord Lovat (1527 – 1557/1558) was a Scottish peer and Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat from 1544 until 1557. He succeeded to the chiefship in July 1544, aged seventeen, after his father Hugh Fraser, 3rd Lord Lovat and eld ...

* Simon Fraser * William Fraser of Struy * Hugh Fraser * Agnes Fraser, who married Walter MacLeod of

Dunvegan Dunvegan () is a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is famous for Dunvegan Castle, seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan is within the parish of Duirinish, Skye, Duirinish. In 2011, it had a population of 386. Name In ''The Nors ...

, their daughter was Mary MacLeod * Margaret Fraser

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors), ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (New York, 1990). {{DEFAULTSORT:Lovat, Hugh Fraser, 3rd Lord 1490s births 1544 deaths Year of birth uncertain Nobility from Highland (council area) 16th-century Scottish people Clan Fraser Chiefs Lords Lovat Lords of Parliament (pre-1707)