Clan MacMillan

Crest badge suitable for members of Clan MacMillan.

Arms of the Chief of Clan MacMillan, The MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap

Clan MacMillan is a Highland Scottish clan.

History

Origins of the clan

The MacMillans are one of a number of clans - including the MacKinnons, the MacQuarries, and the MacPhees - descended from Airbertach, a Hebridean prince of the old royal house of Moray who according to one account was the great-grandson of King Macbeth. The kin of Airbertach were closely associated with the Clann Somerhairle Ri Innse Gall ("Kings of the Hebrides"), the ancestors of the MacDougalls and the MacDonald "Lords of the Isles"; and like their allies their interests in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries ranged throughout the Hebrides and the western coastal regions of the Scottish mainland, and into Ireland. Though most of the clans certainly descended from Airbertach were associated with the Inner Hebrides (Tiree, Iona, Mull, Ulva and Colonsay) some others claiming the same descent were later settled inland along the strategic corridor that connects Lorn - the mainland region opposite those islands - to Dunkeld in Perthshire, where Airbertach's son Cormac was Bishop in the early twelfth century Celtic Church. Tradition connects the MacMillans with a number of different places in the areas associated with Airbertach's kindred: Glencannel on Mull; Craignish in Lorn, Leny and Loch Tayside in Perthshire.

Bishop Cormac's son Gilchrist or, in Gaelic, Gille Chrisosd, the prognenitor of the Clann an Mhaoil, was a religious man like his father; and it was because of this that he wore the tonsure which gave him the nickname Maolan or Gillemaol. As a Columban priest, his head would have been shaved over the front of his head in the style of St. John, rather than at the vertex of head (the dominant style in The Church of Rome). This distinctive tonsure is described in Gaelic as 'Mhaoillan'. The name MacMillan thus literally means, "son of the tonsure".

The church origins of the MacMillans are reflected in the connection of some of the earliest “children of Maolan” to two religiously based clan confederations: the Clann GhilleFhaolain (“Devotees of St. Fillan”) in Perthshire and Galloway; and the Clann GhilleChattain (“Devotees of St. Catan”) in Ulster, the Hebrides, and particularly Badenoch and Lochaber. Feuding with the Mackintoshes for the Captaincy of "Clan Chattan" - the devotees of St. Catan - involved the MacMillans in defeat at the Battle of the Clans at Perth in 1396; and finished with the chiefly family’s near-extermination at The Palm Sunday Massacre of 1430. A survivor of the massacre, Alexander mac Lachlan, fled to Knapdale, where some of the clan had probably been settled since the mid-13th century; and the famous cross that he later erected there may well be a memorial to the family and the lands he lost in Lochaber.

14th century

An early branch of the Clan MacMillan was to be found at Loch Arkaig in Lochaber. However, tradition states that the family moved from this area on the orders of King Malcolm IV of Scotland and moved to the crown lands of Loch Tay in Perthshire. It was at these lands that Robert the Bruce was sheltered by the Clan MacMillan chief after he stabbed John Comyn the "red Comyn", chief of Clan Comyn. The Clan MacMillan again proved its loyalty to Bruce by fighting for him against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 during the Wars of Scottish Independence. After the Battle of Bannockburn Robert the Bruce was so impressed with the ferocity of the MacMillan warriors that from that day forward they were entitled to wear the Red and Gold Tartan which Robert the Bruce war on that day.

Chief Malcolm Mor Macmillan received the lands of Knapdale from the Lord of the Isles in 1360. The charter is said to have been inscribed on a rock on the beach at the Point of Knap.

It was reputed to have said:
"Còir MhicMhaolain air a' Chnap
Fhad 's a bhuaileas tonn ri creag"

Which is translated from Scots Gaelic as:
"MacMillan's right to Knap
As long as waves hits rock"

(This was later destroyed by Campbell of Calder in 1615). As vassals of the Lord of the Isles, the Macmillans were caught up in the aftermath of the forfeiture of the Lordship and lost control of Knap forever. They did however manage to keep the adjoining lands of Tireleacham. Even so they were still harassed by the Campbells who had supplanted them. The Clan Mackintosh and Clan Cameron had long been at feud. The MacMillans supported the Clan Cameron and it is said that there were MacMillans among the 30 warriors representing the Clan Cameron who fought against 30 warriors from the Clan Mackintosh at a set battle known as the Battle of The Clans in 1396. It is said that four MacKintoshes survived the battle but were all mortally wounded and one of Cameron's survived by swimming across a river to escape.

A romantic depiction of a clansman illustrated by R. R. McIan, from James Logan's The Clans of the Scottish Highlands, 1845.

15th century

The Clan MacMillan are also said to have been involved with the The Palm Sunday Massacre of 1430 between the Clan Mackintosh and the Clan Cameron. Alexander MacMillan is remembered in Knapdale for the tower he built at Castle Sween which he held for MacDonald the Lord of the Isles in the 1470s.

16th century

Following the demise of the Macdonald's Lordship of the Isles at the beginning of the sixteenth century, the MacMillan's lordship of Knapdale was given by the crown to the Clan Campbell, whose tenants the MacMillans thereafter became; and it was probably at this time that a son of the last MacMhaolain Mor a Chnap who remained loyal to the Lord of the Isles fled Kilchamaig in South Knap to re-establish a branch of the family in Lochaber, who became the Macmillans of Murlagan. The chief of the Clan Cameron who were the clan that had defeated the Chattan Confederation as the Lairds of Lochaber let Murlagan and the neighbouring farms on Loch Arkaigside to the MacMillans for sword-service, and Clann 'ic 'illemhaoil Abrach ("the Lochaber M'millans") were among Lochiel's most important and loyal followers from the time of the last risings in favour of the forfeited Lords of the Isles in the middle of the sixteenth century

17th century

Macmillan of Knap was considered chief of the clan and when the line became extinct in 1665, the title passed to the Dunmore branch, and from them to the Lagalgarve branch in which it is still vested. There is however some confusion as to whether the Knapdale bloodline is actually extinct due to records of MacMillans being destroyed after the Jacobite Rising from 1685 to the end with The Battle of Culloden on April 16th 1746. There is a dark period of time in Scottish history where Jacobite Clans were banished from Scotland and their family records destroyed. Therefore it is unknown if The Old Dunmore Line is extinct or just dormant.

18th century & Jacobite Uprisings

The Clan MacMillan are not noted as being a Jacobite clan however tradition states that indeed, Clann 'ic 'illemhaoil Abrach formed a company of Lochiel's regiment in 1745 and fought as such at the battle of Culloden, and another tradition states that there were two MacMillans who carried the Chief of Clan Cameron of Lochiel from where he fell at the Battle of Culloden. However the Clan MacBain also claim to have carried Lochiel of the battlefield at Culloden. Prince Charles Edward Stewart made his last stand from the Clan MacMillan home in Arkaig.

After the defeat at Culloden, many Jacobite supporters were forced to flee Scotland or face the brutal treatment of the British. The aftermath of the battle and subsequent crackdown on Jacobitism was brutal, earning Cumberland the sobriquet "Butcher". Jacobite MacMillans branched off to many different continent's.

Somerled MacMillan relates that there is a family story about a James who was disinherited by the clan because he fought against the British during the American Revolutionary War. This James had first been thought to be the a grandson of Alexander MacMillan(4th of New Dunmor Line, 25th Chief of clan MacMillan) according to handed down tradition. But, upon investigation, Somerled is of the belief that the James in question is the grand-nephew, not son since Alexander had died in 1770, six years before the American Revolutionary war had officially started. It is believed that the James in question is James McMillen (b.1764) son of Neil McMillen who fled Scotland in 1746 after the battle of Culloden. At the age of 15, James McMillen enlisted in Captain John Schenck's Company, Colonel Asher Holmes' New Jersey Regiment 1779, re-enlisting to year 1783. Records tell us that James was out on scouting parties when The war came to an end. Tradition tells us that James McMillen and his family were disowned/disinherited by the Hierarchy of Clan MacMillan in Scotland.

Clan castles & memorials

The Castle Sween includes a tower which stands as a memorial to the MacMillans. The other MacMillan memorial is a cross which stands in the locked church at Kilmory. The cross is visible through the glass church windows. Other medieval grave slabs can also be seen. This cross is recognised as one of the finest surviving examples of Celtic art in Scotland, and shows a chief of the MacMillans hunting deer.

Clan Profile

Finlaystone House

• Chief: George Gordon MacMillan of MacMillan & Knap MA, DL.^[1][2]
• Seat: Finlaystone House, Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire.^[3]
• Gaelic Name: MacGilleMhaolain.
• Chief's heraldic motto: MISERIS SUCCURRERE DISCO (translated from Latin: "I learn to succour the unfortunate").^[4]
• Plant Badge: Holly.
• Lands: Lochaber, Argyll and Galloway,Western Isles - Barra/South Uist
• Origin of Name: Gaelic, MacMhaolain (Son of the bald or tonsured one).

Clan Septs

Septs of the Clan MacMillan include: http://www.clanmacmillan.org/Septs.htm

Baxter, Gibbon, Gibson, M'Ghille-Domhnuich, McMill, MacMill, McMull, MacMull, Bell, Beall, Lany, Lennie, Leny, Linholm, M'Ghille-Duinn M'Noccater, M'Nuccator, Bleu, Blew, MacBaxter, Baker, M'Ghille-Guirman, M’Vaxter, Blue, M'Bell, M'Ghille-ghuirm M'Veil, Brown, Broun, M’Callum, M'Hannanich, Mellan, Millan, Callum, M’Calman, M'Igeyll, M'Igheil, Mellanson, Melançon, Calman M'Can, M'Cannie, M'Ildonich, Millan, Can, Cane, M'Channanich, M'Ilduin, Millanson, Cannan, Channan, M'Colman, M'Colmin, M'Inville, M'Iveil, M'Iyell, Milliken, Millikin, Coleman, M'Geil, M'Geyll, M'Kan, M'Kane, Milligan, Mulligan, Colman, Colmin, M'Gibbon, M'Gibson, M'Kean, M'Kenn, Mullan, Mullen, Connon, M’Gill, M'Maoldonich, Walker.

See also

• Scottish clan

References

1. ^ clanmacmillan.org
2. ^ burkes-peerage.net
3. ^ clanmacmillan.org
4. ^ Way of Plean, George; Squire, Romilly (2000). Clans & Tartans. Glasgow: HarperCollins. p. 218.. ISBN 0-00-472501 8. 

External links

• Official Clan MacMillan website
• http://www.scotclans.com/clans/MacMillan/history.html
• http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/m/macmill2.html