Rob Roy MacGregor

Robert Roy MacGregor (; 7 March 1671 – 28 December 1734) was a Jacobite Scottish outlaw, who later became a Scottish and Jacobite folk hero.

Early life

He was born in the Kingdom of Scotland at Glengyle, at the head of Loch Katrine, as recorded in the Church of Scotland baptismal register of Buchanan, Stirling. His parents were the local Clan MacGregor tacksman, Donald Glas MacGregor, and Margaret Campbell. He was also descended from the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch through his paternal grandmother. Because the name MacGregor was outlawed, Rob Roy sometimes went by his mother's name of Campbell.

In January 1693, at Corrie Arklet farm near Inversnaid, he married Mary MacGregor of Comar (1671–1745), who was born at Leny Farm, Strathyre. The couple had four sons: James Mor MacGregor (1695–1754), Ranald (1706–1786), Coll (died 1735) and Robert (1715–1754)—known as Robìn Òig or Young Rob. It has been argued that they also adopted a cousin named Duncan, but this is not certain.

Jacobite risings

Along with many Highland clansmen, at the age of eighteen Rob Roy MacGregor together with his father joined the Jacobite rising of 1689 led by John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee, and Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, to support the Stuart King James VII, whose flight from Britain following the Glorious Revolution of 1688 had been declared by the English Convention Parliament to be an abdication, then in Scotland the Convention of Estates adopted the Claim of Right and declared that James had forfeited the Scottish throne. Although victorious in initial battles, Dundee was killed at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, deflating the rising which then lost the Battle of Dunkeld. MacGregor's father was taken to jail, where he was held on high treason charges for two years. MacGregor's mother Margaret's health failed during Donald's time in prison. By the time Donald was finally released, his wife was dead.

Like many other Scottish clan chiefs during the 17th and 18th centuries, MacGregor operated an extralegal Watch over the cattle herds of the Lowland gentry in return for black mail (protection money), which was used to feed the families of his tenants and clansmen. Any cattle that were stolen from herds under his Watch were either retrieved or paid for in full.

MacGregor became a respected cattleman—this was a time when cattle raiding and protection rackets, selling protection against theft, were commonplace means of earning a living.Carol Kyros Walker (1997). ''Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland by Dorothy Wordsworth''. Yale University Press. See Appendix 5. MacGregor borrowed a large sum to increase his own cattle herd, but owing to the disappearance of his chief herder, who was entrusted with the money, MacGregor defaulted on his loan.

His principal creditor, James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose, then seized his lands. In a letter later circulated on his behalf and widely believed at the time, MacGregor alleged that Montrose had twice offered to forgive his debts in return for perjured testimony that would help to frame the Duke of Argyll for both high treason and Jacobitism. MacGregor further claimed that when he indignantly refused, he was branded an outlaw, and his wife and family were evicted from their house at Inversnaid, which was then burned down. MacGregor also claimed that John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl offered him a full pardon under the same terms, which he also indignantly refused. In retaliation, MacGregor waged a private blood feud against Montrose, both raiding his cattle and robbing his rents.

Another version states that MacGregor's estates of Craigrostan and Ardess were forfeited for his part in the Jacobite rising of 1715. The Duke of Montrose then acquired the property in 1720 by open purchase from the Commissioners of Enquiry.

Glen Shira

Despite having fought on opposing sides during the 1715 rising, MacGregor and his family moved immediately afterwards to Glen Shira, where they lived under the protection of John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, also known as Red John of the Battles, "Iain Ruaidh nan Cath". Argyll sought to negotiate an amnesty and protection for Rob. When MacGregor's allegations about the reasons for his outlawry were made public by the Duke, it was widely believed, according to a surviving letter by a Church of Scotland minister, that Montrose and Atholl were both part of a plot by Argyll's enemies in the House of Lords and at Court.

The Duke also granted him permission to build a house in the Glen for the surrendering up of weapons, "Traditionally the story goes that Argyll only received a large cache of rusty old weapons." A sporran and dirk handle which belonged to Rob Roy may still be seen at Inveraray Castle. Rob Roy allegedly continued to use Glen Shira as a base for cattle raiding against the Montrose estates and despite repeated demands from the latter, Argyll refused to hand MacGregor over or otherwise curb his activities.

In July 1717, MacGregor and the whole of the Clan Gregor were specifically excluded from the benefits of the Indemnity Act 1717 which had the effect of pardoning all others who took part in the Jacobite rising of 1715.

MacGregor participated in the Battle of Glen Shiel in 1719, in which a British Government army with allied Highlanders defeated a force of Jacobite Scots supported by the Spanish. Two of the Jacobite commanders, Lord George Murray and the 5th Earl of Seaforth, were badly wounded. Some accounts claim that Rob Roy himself was wounded, but the actual text of Ormonde's account of the battle provides no evidence for this claim. Instead, it states that Seaforth was wounded: "Finding himself hard-pressed, Lord Seaforth sent for further support. A reinforcement under Rob Roy went to his aid, but before it reached him the greater part of his men had given way, and he himself had been severely wounded in the arm."

Sometime around 1720 and after the heat of MacGregor’s involvement at the Battle of Glen Shiel had died down, Rob Roy moved to Monachyle Tuarach by Loch Doine. Sometime before 1722, he finally moved to Inverlochlarig Beag on the Braes of Balquhidder.

Later life

MacGregor's feud against the Duke of Montrose continued until 1722, when he was forced to surrender. Later imprisoned, he was finally pardoned in 1727. He died in his house at Inverlochlarig Beg, Balquhidder, on 28 December 1734 after an illness brought on by old age and a bad winter, aged 63.

K. Macleay, M.D., in ''Historical Memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan MacGregor'' quotes, "but he had taken the resolution of becoming a Roman Catholic, and he accordingly left the lonely residence we have described, and returning to Perthshire, went to a Mr. Alexander Drummond, an old priest of that faith, who resided at Drummond Castle." Macleay takes the view that Rob did this out of sorrow for his crimes.

Legacy

Glengyle House, on the shore of Loch Katrine, dates back to the early 18th century, with a porch dated to 1707, and is built on the site of the 17th century stone cottage where Rob Roy is said to have been born. Since the 1930s, the Category B-listed building had been in the hands of successive water authorities, but was identified as surplus to requirements and put up for auction in November 2004, despite objections from the Scottish National Party.

The Rob Roy Way, a long distance footpath from Drymen to Pitlochry, was created in 2002 and named in Rob Roy's honour.

Descendants of Rob Roy settled around McGregor, Iowa, United States, and in 1849 it was reported that the original MacGregor seal and signet was owned by Alex McGregor of Iowa. The Scots Gaelic clan seal was inscribed "S' Rioghal Mo Dhream" ("Royal is my race"). The signet was a bloodstone from Loch Lomond, and was sketched by William Williams.

In 1878, the football club Kirkintilloch Rob Roy was founded and named in his memory.

Early settlers to New Zealand named Roys Peak, Rob Roy Peak and Rob Roy Glacier in honour of Rob Roy MacGregor.

In popular culture

A fictionalised account of his life, ''The Highland Rogue'', was published in 1723. Rob Roy became a legend in his own lifetime and George I was moved to issue a pardon for his crimes just as he was about to be transported to the colonies. The publication of '' Rob Roy'' by Sir Walter Scott in 1817 further added to his fame and fleshed out his biography. Hector Berlioz was inspired by the book to compose an overture. William Wordsworth wrote a poem called "Rob Roy's Grave" during a visit to Scotland; the 1803 tour was documented by his sister Dorothy in ''Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland'' and the editor of the book changed the place of burial to the present location.

Adaptations of his story have also been told in film, including the silent film '' Rob Roy'' (1922), the Walt Disney Productions film '' Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue'' (1953) and the 1995 film '' Rob Roy'' directed by Michael Caton-Jones (starring Liam Neeson as the title character and shot entirely on location in the Scottish Highlands). The 1995 ''Rob Roy'' film was also novelized in that year by Donald McFarlan (based on the screenplay by Alan Sharp) and adapted to a Nova abridged audiobook read by British actor Brian Cox, who also appeared in the film.

In 1894, a bartender at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City created the Rob Roy cocktail in honour of the premiere of '' Rob Roy'', an operetta by composer Reginald De Koven and lyricist Harry B. Smith loosely based upon Robert Roy MacGregor.

In 2017, a new statue of Rob Roy was commissioned to be installed in Peterculter, Aberdeen. The sculptor appointed was David J. Mitchell, a graduate of Grays School of Art in Aberdeen. The statue was publicly unveiled at a ceremony on the bridge on 16 September 2017.

See also

* Auchenbathie Tower
* Clan Gregor
* Gilderoy (outlaw)
* Rob Roy (dog), US First Lady Grace Coolidge's pet collie featured in a life-size portrait in the White House

References

Bibliography

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External links

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McGregor
village museum with a King James Bible bearing Rob Roy's signature

Rob Roy on the Web


about Rob Roy

"Robert 'Rob Roy' MacGregor: outlaw and folk hero"
by Brendan O'Brien, from Scotsman.com, 27 Jan 2005.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Macgregor, Robert Roy
1671 births
1734 deaths
Rob Roy
Scottish outlaws
People from Argyll and Bute
18th-century Scottish people
Scottish folklore
Scottish Jacobites
Scottish Roman Catholics
Converts to Roman Catholicism
People of the Jacobite rising of 1719