| Battle of Dingwall | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theScottish clan wars | |||||||
 Modern dayDingwall looking out towards theCromarty Firth | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Kingdom of Scotland (Clan Mackay and allies) | Lordship of the Isles (Clan Donald and allies) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Mackay of Strathnaver | Donald of Islay | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 4,000 men[1] | 10,000 men[2] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
TheBattle of Dingwall was aScottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1411, inDingwall in theScottish Highlands. It was fought between theClan Mackay and theClan Donald.
Sir Robert Gordon, from his book theA Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland:
This Angus-Dow Mackay fought against Donald, Lord of the Isles at Dingwall in Ross, because that Donald had molested some friends which Angus-Dow had in that country. At this conflict Angus Dow was overcome and taken prisoner, and his brother Rory-Gald, with divers others, were slain. Donald of the Isles having detained Angus-Dow a while in captivity, released him, and gave him his daughter in marriage, whom Angus-Dow carried home with him to Strathnaver, and had a son by her, called Niel-Wass, so named because he was imprisoned in theBass.[3]
Robert Mackay gives an account of the battle in his bookHistory of the House and Clan of Mackay (1829), quoting from theA Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland by Sir Robert Gordon:
Donald of the Isles, says Sir Robert, conceived such indignation and displeasure at his being deprived of the earldom, that he raised all the power of the Isles, and invaded and spoiled the country of Ross, where he was met by Angus-Dow Mackay, some of whose friends he had injured; a severe conflict ensued, when Mackay, overpowered by numbers, was overcome, his brother Roderick slain, and himself taken prisoner. Emboldened by this victory, Donald marched through Inverness and Murray, threatening to destroy all before him, which issued in the well knownBattle of Harlaw, fought in the year 1411; in which there were slain on Donald's part, MacLean and MacKintosh, and on the other side Sir Alexander Ogilvy, Sir James Scrimeor, Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum, Sir William Aberthy of Saltoun, Sir Robert Maule of Panmure, Sir Robert Davidson, and divers other gentlemen.[4]
In the aftermath of the Battle of Dingwall and theBattle of Harlaw, according to 17th-century historian Sir Robert Gordon, chief Angus Du Mackay married a daughter of Donald MacDonald, Lord of the Isles.[5] However, 19th-century historian Angus Mackay states that chief Angus Du Mackay actually married a sister of the Lord of the Isles, not his daughter.[6]
According to Alister Farquar Matheson, Angus Mackay led a force ofMackays,Munros,Mackenzies andDingwalls at the Battle of Dingwall againstDonald of Islay, Lord of the Isles.[7] According toNorman Macrae,The Eagle Stone near Dingwall was placed there by the Munros while marching against Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles in 1411.[8] However, according toCharles Ian Fraser, there is no positive proof for the assumption that the Munros were with Angus Mackay at this battle and that some Munros did in fact fight in the Lord of the Isles' host at the subsequent Battle of Harlaw.[9]
Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert. (1580 to 1656).A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland