Massacre of Glencoe

The Massacre of Glencoe occurred in 1692 and was a brutal act of violence committed against the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe, led by Alastair Maclain, by government-backed soldiers from the Clan Campbell, led by Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon. The massacre was the result of a long-standing feud between the two clans, which was exacerbated by the political climate of the time.

Background

In 1688, the Glorious Revolution had taken place in England, and King William III was now on the throne. Many Highland clans, including the MacDonalds of Glencoe, had supported the deposed King James II, and as a result, they were viewed with suspicion by the new government. In an effort to bring the clans under control, King William III, also known as William of Orange, and his wife Queen Mary II issued an order that required all Highland chiefs to swear an oath of allegiance to him by January 1, 1692.

The chief of the MacDonalds of Glencoe, Alastair MacIain, was away from the glen at the time the order was issued and was unable to make it back in time to swear the oath. However, he made arrangements for a messenger to travel to Inveraray to take the oath on his behalf. Unfortunately, the messenger was delayed and did not arrive until January 6, 1692, just five days after the deadline had passed.

The Massacre

The government, under the leadership of the Earl of Breadalbane and the Marquess of Atholl, saw this as an opportunity to punish the MacDonalds for their perceived disloyalty. They ordered a company of soldiers from the Campbell clan, led by Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, to march to Glencoe and carry out a surprise attack on the MacDonalds.

On the night of February 13, 1692, the soldiers arrived at Glencoe and were welcomed into the homes of the MacDonalds as guests, in accordance with the tradition of Scottish hospitality. The following morning, the soldiers turned on their hosts and began a massacre, killing 38 men, women, and children in cold blood. Many more were injured, and many homes were burned. In the aftermath of the massacre, many of the surviving MacDonalds were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. Some were able to find shelter with other clans, while others were forced to live in the hills and forests, surviving as best they could. The massacre left a lasting impact on the Clan MacDonald, and on the Scottish Highlands as a whole.

Political Impact

The Massacre of Glencoe was a shocking and brutal act of violence that has become a defining moment in Scottish history. It is remembered as a betrayal of the clan system and a violation of the traditional code of hospitality. The massacre also had far-reaching political consequences, as it led to increased government efforts to control the Highland clans and ultimately to the abolition of the clan system in 1746

Sources

Ferguson, W. “Religion and the Massacre of Glencoe.” The Scottish Historical Review, vol. 46, no. 141, 1967, pp. 82–87. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25528697. Accessed 6 Dec. 2022.

Koller, Christian. "Glencoe 1692: Ein Massaker als komplexer Erinnerungsort." Historische Zeitschrift, vol. 296, no. 1, 2013, pp. 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1524/hzhz.2013.0001

Prebble, John. “Religion and the Massacre of Glencoe.” The Scottish Historical Review, vol. 46, no. 142, 1967, pp. 185–88. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25528722. Accessed 6 Dec. 2022.