William Sutherland, 6th of Duffus (killed in 1530) was a member of the Scottish

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...

and a

cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

of the

Clan Sutherland Clan Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland, however in the early 16th century this title passed ...

Early life

He was the son of

William Sutherland, 5th of Duffus William Sutherland, 5th of Duffus (died 1529) was a member of the Scottish nobility and a cadet of the Clan Sutherland. Early life He was the son of William Sutherland, 4th of Duffus who died in 1513 and his mother may have been Janet Innes Lady ...

(died 1529) and his wife Janet, daughter of Alexander Innes.

Laird of Duffus

He succeeded his father between 22 July 1527 and 1 April 1529 when his father resigned to him the lands of

Duffus Duffus ( gd, Dubhais) is a village and parish in Moray, Scotland. The Duffus Village Inn, the local shop, Post Office and Duffus Village Hall provide a focal point for the community. Nearby are the remains of Duffus Castle, St. Peters' Kirk, a ...

. At this time he also entered into a contract with John Kynnard Of that Ilk to pay him 2300

merks The merk is a long-obsolete Scottish silver coin. Originally the same word as a money mark of silver, the merk was in circulation at the end of the 16th century and in the 17th century. It was originally valued at 13 shillings 4 pence (exactly ...

by installments and for each installment he received certain lands including Skelbo to be held from the

Earl of Sutherland Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is also the chief of Clan Sutherland. The origin ...

as overlord. Kynnard also conveyed to him, the lands of Aberscors,

Invershin Invershin ( gd, Inbhir Sin) is a scattered village in the Parish of Creich, south of Lairg and north of Bonar Bridge in the south of Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. Invershin is located cl ...

and others with the whole sale and transfer of Skelbo finally taking place on 15 September 1529. William Sutherland, 6th of Duffus, as the new Laird of Skelbo having entered into a fresh acquisition of territory gave a bond of

manrent Manrent refers to a Scottish contract of the mid-15th century to the early 17th century, usually military in nature and involving Scottish clans. The bond of manrent was commonly an instrument in which a weaker man or clan pledged to serve, in r ...

Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland (c.1505-1530), Scottish magnate, made Earl of Sutherland in 1527. Early life Alexander Gordon was the son of Adam Gordon of Aboyne (d.1538) and Elizabeth Sutherland, 10th Countess of Sutherland (d.1535), the ...

on 4 September 1529, which acknowledged that the Master of Sutherland had received him as a tenant and

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain. W ...

in the lands. A breach of the bond of service and manrent would incur a fine of £1500 Scots, £500 of which would have to be paid to

Dornoch Cathedral Dornoch Cathedral is a former Roman Catholic cathedral and is currently a Church of Scotland parish church serving the small Sutherland town of Dornoch, in the Scottish Highlands. As a congregation of the Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian ...

, £500 to the Master of Sutherland and £500 to the King. On 31 March 1530

James V of Scotland 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 James IV of Sco ...

granted to William Sutherland, 6th of Duffus the non-entry duties of the lands of Galvell, Armadale, Farr and others in

Strathnaver Strathnaver or Strath Naver ( gd, Srath Nabhair) is the fertile strath of the River Naver, a famous salmon river that flows from Loch Naver to the north coast of Scotland. The term has a broader use as the name of an ancient province also kno ...

that had previously belonged to Hugh Mackay of Farr.

Death

William Sutherland, 6th of Duffus was killed sometime between March and September 1530, by the

Clan Gunn Clan Gunn ( gd, Na Guinnich) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern Scotland, including Caithness, Sutherland and, arguably, the Orkney Isles. Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans, being descended from the No ...

Thurso Thurso (pronounced ; sco, Thursa, gd, Inbhir Theòrsa ) is a town and former burgh on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. Situated in the historical County of Caithness, it is the northernmost town on the island of Great ...

, according to

Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland. Early life Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourth ...

at the instigation of Andrew Stewart who was the

Bishop of Caithness The Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first referenced bishop of Caithness was Aindréas, a Gael who appears in sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. Ai ...

. The name of William Sutherland's wife is not known, but he left one son, William Sutherland, 7th of Duffus.

References

{{Authority control Clan Sutherland Sutherland, William 1530 deaths Year of birth unknown

Early life

Laird of Duffus

Death

See also

References