| Clan Dundas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dun deas[1] | |||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| District | West Lothian | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| David Duncan Dundas of Dundas - lived in South Africa, and moved to Canada in 2006 | |||
| Dundas of Dundas | |||
| Historic seat | Dundas Castle | ||
| |||
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Clan Dundas/ˌdʌnˈdæs/ is aScottish clan.[3]
The ancestry of the chiefs of Clan Dundas is said to be traced from Helias, son of Utred, son ofGospatrick, Prince of Northumberland.[3] However it is during the reign ofWilliam the Lion that the first reliable record of the family is found, when Serle de Dundas appears on a deed from this period.[3] Later in 1296 Serle de Dundas and Robert de Dundas both appear on theRagman Rolls swearing fealty toEdward I of England.[3]
Sir Archibald Dundas was a favourite ofJames III of Scotland and was sent by him on several important missions intoEngland.[3] The king intended to give high rank to Dundas but died before he could do so.[3] The next king,James IV of Scotland did, bestowing lands upon Dundas which included the island ofInchgarvie - with the right to build a castle there.[3]
The principal branches of the Clan Dundas were Dundas ofBlair Castle, Dundas ofArniston, Dundas ofDuddingston and Dundas ofFingask.[3]
The eighteenth laird was George Dundas who was a staunch Presbyterian and fought in theWars of the Covenant.[3] He was a member of the committee for the trial ofJames Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose.[3] Dundas was given command ofLinlithgowshire and was charged with its defense againstOliver Cromwell.[3]
The Dundases of Arniston were the senior cadets of the clan and they acquired distinction through high legal and political office.[3] Sir James Dundas, 1st of Arniston wasGovernor of Berwick underJames VI of Scotland. His son was SirJames Dundas, Lord Arniston who in 1641 was knighted byKing Charles I.[3] He also sat as a member of the Scottish parliament representing Mid-Lothian.[3] Dundas was a loyal subject to the King but vehemently disapproved of the King's interference with theChurch of Scotland.[3] He was particularly opposed to the re-introduction of bishops.[3] He was one of the first to sign the National Covenant.[3] Upon theRestoration of 1660 Dundas accepted an offer to have a seat on the bench of the supreme court despite not being a professional lawyer.[3] He took the post as Lord Arniston in 1662.[3] However he did not last long because he did not sign the declaration of 1663 stating that both theNational Covenant and theSolemn League Covenant were unlawful.[3]
William Dundas of Kincavel was the ancestor of the Dundas of Blair Castle branch of the clan.[3] He was a Jacobite who was imprisoned for his part in theJacobite rising of 1715.[3]
Sir David Dundas was born inEdinburgh in 1735 and went on to become commander-in-chief of theBritish Army in 1809.[3]
The twenty-eighth chief of Clan Dundas was Admiral Sir Charles Dundas of Dundas who was anAide-de-camp to KingGeorge V and the principal naval transport officer duringWorld War I.[3]
His son, Adam Duncan Dundas of Dundas (1903–1951), succeeded as 29th Chief in 1924. He was commissioned into71st (Forth) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery of theTerritorial Army in 1938 and served as a battery commander duringWorld War II, OC of the 228th H.A.A. Battery, 175th H.A.A. Regiment in Gibraltar, ending the war with the rank of major.[4][5]
| Tartan image | Notes |
|---|---|
.png) | Dundastartan, as published in 1842 inVestiarium Scoticum. |
