| Chisholm | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Clann Siosal[1] | |||
 Crest:Gules a boar's head couped Or langued Azure | |||
| Motto | Feros ferio (I am fierce with the fierce) | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Highlands | ||
| District | Ross | ||
| Plant badge | Fern | ||
| Animal | Wild boar | ||
| Pipe music | Chisholm's March | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| Andrew Francis Hamish Chisholm of that Ilk | |||
| Thirty-third Chief of Clan Chisholm | |||
| Historic seat | Erchless Castle | ||
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Clan Chisholm (/ˈtʃɪzəm/ ⓘCHIZ-əm;Scottish Gaelic:Siosal,pronounced[ˈʃis̪əl̪ˠ]) is a HighlandScottish clan.
According toAlexander Mackenzie, the Clan Chisholm is ofNorman andSaxon origin.[3] Tradition stating that the Chisholms were a Norman family who arrived inEngland after the conquest of 1066.,[3] the original surname being De Chese to which the Saxon term "Holme" was added.[3] According to theCollins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia the Chisholm name was known in theScottish Borders since the reign ofAlexander III.[4] In early records the name is written as "de Cheseholme", eventually later becomingChisholm.[3] InScotland the earliest recorded person of the family is on theRagman Rolls as "Richard de Chisholm del Counte de Rokesburgh", referring to the Clan Chisholm's seat inRoxburghshire.[3]
One of the earliest recorded members of the family was John de Chesehelme, who in 1254 was mentioned in a bull ofPope Alexander IV.[4]
In 1296 Richard de Chesehelme rendered homage toEdward I of England and appears on theRagman Rolls.[4]
Sir John de Chesholme led the clan at theBattle of Bannockburn in 1314 against the English.[5] Robert Chisholm fought against the English at theBattle of Neville's Cross in 1346, was taken prisoner with KingDavid II and probably not released until eleven years later when his royal master returned to Scotland.[6] In 1359 after being knighted by the king[4] he succeeded his grandfather as Constable ofUrquhart Castle,[4] and later became Sheriff ofInverness and Justiciar of the North.[6] This Robert was the last Chisholm to hold lands in both the North and South ofScotland.[6] He divided his estates among his younger children.[6]
Robert's son was Alexander Chisholm who married Margaret, heiress of the lands of Erchless.[4]Erchless Castle has been the seat of the chiefs ever since.[4]
The Chisholms became well known forcattle raiding. In 1498 Wiland Chisholm of Comar and others carried off 56 oxen, 60 cows, 300 sheep, 80 swine and 15 horses belonging to Hugh Rose of theClan Rose.
In 1513, Wiland Chisholm of Comar andSir Alexander MacDonell of Glengarry were withSir Donald MacDonald of Lochalsh on his return from theBattle of Flodden when he decided to attack theUrquhart Castle.[7] Some sources say that Macdonald occupied the castle for three years despite the efforts of theClan Grant to dislodge him and his companions.[7]
John Chisholm, doctor in surgery, was appointed as chief and principal surgeon to kingJames VI in September 1573.[8] Sir James Chisholm of Dundorn was one of king James VI'smasters of the household.[8]
In 1647, Alexander Chisholm was appointed to the committee which arranged the defence ofInverness on behalf of theCovenanters against theRoyalists. In 1653 the Chisholms stole cattle from the clansMunro andFraser, they were however captured and brought to court where they were ordered to return all they had stolen and pay the Chief Munro of Foulis and Chief Fraser of Lovat £1000 interest each.[9]
After the Stuart restoration in 1660, Alexander followed his father as a justice of the peace, and in 1674 was appointed Sheriff Deputy for Inverness. Once again his duties brought him up against theMacDonalds, for in 1679 he was ordered to lead a thousand men of the county to quell a disturbance created by some members of said clan, and in 1681 he was given acommission of fire and sword against them.
During theJacobite rising of 1715, Roderick Maciain Chisholm, supported the Jacobite cause.[4] Chisholm of Crocfin led two hundred clansmen at theBattle of Sherrifmuir in 1715 where they were defeated.[4][10] Men of the Clan Chisholm were among a group of 400-500 men, which included the Mackenzies and MacDonalds, who led byKenneth Sutherland, 3rd Lord Duffus, marched onTain where they proclaimedthe Pretender.[11]
Some members of the clan took part in theJacobite rising of 1719. A landing was made on the west of Scotland, and according to one account, the Chisholms were employed as scouts.[10] They were not present at theBattle of Glen Shiel, which ended that Jacobite rebellion. Much of Roderick's lands were afterwards forfeited to the Crown.[10] With a number of other chiefs, Roderick obtained a royal pardon in 1727, but he was never allowed to regain his estates, which his brother administered until 1743, when it was transferred to Roderick's eldest son, Alexander Chisholm, younger of Comar.[10]General Wade's report on the Highlands in 1724, estimated the clan strength at 150 men.[12]
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During theJacobite rising of 1745, Roderick again supported the Jacobites. His youngest son, Roderick Og Chisholm led the clan at theBattle of Culloden, leading a very small regiment of about 80 clansmen, of which 30 were killed, including himself.[10][4] One of the 14 Jacobite battle flags taken at Culloden, which were later burnt in Edinburgh, was a white linen banner of this regiment.[13]
Two of Roderick's other sons James and John were Captains in the British army under theDuke of Cumberland.[10]
Theseat of Clan Chisholm was originally at Comar Lodge and then atErchless Castle, which was sold in 1937.
The presentchief is Andrew Francis Hamish Chisholm of that Ilk, thirty-third Chief of Clan Chisholm.
The following is a list of some of the previous chiefs of Clan Chisholm.[14]
| No. | Name | Died | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| XXXIII | Andrew Francis Hamish Chisholm of Chisholm | Married Julie Dawn Greenacre. | |
| XXXII | Alastair Hamish Wiland Andrew Fraser Chisholm of Chisholm | 1997 | Married Rosemary Yolanda Grant. |
| XXXI | Roderick Gooden-Chisholm, assumed the name Chisholm of Chisholm | 1943 | Married Margaret Chisholm Fraser of Culbokie and Guisachan. |
| XXX | Chisholm Gooden-Chisholm | 1929 | |
| XXIX | James Chisholm Gooden-Chisholm | Son of James Gooden and Mary Chisholm (daughter of the 23rd chief). Married Anne Elizabeth Lambert. | |
| XXVIII | Roderick Donald Matheson Chisholm | 1887 | Obtained a Commission as Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. |
| XXVII | James Sutherland Chisholm | 1885 | Great-grandson of Alexander Chisholm of Muckerach, immediate younger brother of Roderick XXI chief. Died at Erchless Castle. |
| XXVI | Duncan MacDonell Chisholm | 1858 | Obtained a Commission in theColdstream Guards. Succeeded by his cousin. |
| XXV | Alexander William Chisholm | 1838 | Member of Parliament for Inverness. Succeeded by his brother. |
| XXIV | William Chisholm | 1817 | Married Elizabeth, daughter of Duncan MacDonell XIV of Glengarry. |
| XXIII | Alexander Chisholm | 1793 | Known as the "fair-haired Chisholm". Succeeded by his brother. |
| XXII | Alexander Chisholm | 1785 | Married Elizabeth Mackenzie of Stewart. |
| XXI | Roderick Chisholm | 1767 | Led the Clan Chisholm at theBattle of Sherrifmuir in 1715 on the Jacobites side. His lands afterwards forfeited to the Crown. |
| XX | John Chisholm | Married Jane, daughter of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon. | |
| XIX | Alexander Chisholm | Sheriff-Deputy of the county of Inverness from 1689 to 1695. Married daughter of Roderick Mackenzie I of Applecross. | |
| XVII | Alexander Chisholm | Married in 1639, his cousin, a daughter of Mackenzie V of Gairloch. | |
| XVI | John Chisholm | In 1628 entered into a contract with Colin Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth, Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, Hector Munro of Clynes, John Grant of Glenmoriston, John Bayne of Tulloch and others. | |
| XV | Thomas Chisholm | 1590 | Died soon after his father, succeeded by his brother. |
| XIV | Alexander Chisholm | 1590 | Married Janet McKenzie, daughter ofKenneth Mackenzie, 10th of Kintail, chief of Clan Mackenzie. |
| XIII | John Chisholm | In 1542 received remission for all past offences from KingJames V of Scotland. | |
| XII | Wiland de Chisholm | 1512 | First to spell the name without an "e". Laid siege toUrquhart Castle. Owned the estates of Comar and Erchless. |
| XI | Wiland de Chisholme | Described as "of Comar". Given a commission by George,Earl of Huntly to attack theClan Mackenzie for the killing of Harold Chisholm. | |
| X | Alexander de Chisholme | 1432 | Described as "Lord of Kinrossy" in a deed dated atElgin on 9 August 1422. Succeeded by his brother. |
| IX | Thomas de Chisholme | Married Margaret, daughter of Lachlan Mackintosh, VIII chief ofClan Mackintosh. | |
| VIII | Alexander de Chisholme | Married Margaret, Lady of Erchless. | |
| VII | Sir John de Chisholme | Received lands of Lower Kinmylies, near Inverness from Alexander of the Isles. Married Cathrine Bisset. Succeeded by his brother. | |
| VI | Sir Robert de Chisholme | Constable of Urquhart Castle and Sheriff of Inverness. Married Margaret, daughter of Haliburton of that Ilk. | |
| V | Sir Robert de Chisholme | Fought and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346. Married Anne, daughter of Sir Robert Lauder. | |
| IV | Alexander de Chisholme | Described as "Lord of Chisholme in Roxburgh and Paxtoun in Berwickshire". | |
| III | Sir John de Chesholme | Designated Del Counte de Berwyke. Found in the Ragman's Rolls of Edward I of England in 1296 but later joined Robert the Bruce of Scotland and fought at theBattle of Bannockburn in 1314. | |
| II | Richard de Chisholme | Described as Del Counte of Roxburgh | |
| I | John de Chisholme | Named in bull of Pope Alexander IV in 1254. Granted lands in the county of Berwick. |
Notes
Bibliography
