| Clan Oliphant | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Motto | Tout pourvoir (From French: Provide for all)[1] | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| Richard Eric Laurence Oliphant of that Ilk[1] | |||
| Chief of the Name and Arms of Oliphant | |||
| Seat | None | ||
| Historic seat | Aberdalgie,Dupplin Castle andKellie Castle | ||
| |||
| |||
| |||
Clan Oliphant is aHighlandScottish clan.[2]
Although this remains the subject of ongoing research the earliest member of this Clan known to date is Roger Olifard, who witnessed a foundation charter to the Clunic priory of St. Andrew's, Northampton, byEarl Simon.[3] The Charter was dated between 1093 and 1100 and Roger himself made a grant of 3 shillings yearly to this priory.[4]
One theory claim that Oliphants were ofFrench origin who by the twelfth century held lands aroundNorthamptonshire inEngland.[2] InDomesday,Northamptonshire, there is a mention of "In Lilleford, Willelmus Olyfart", which land was held of theCountess Judith.[5] Also in thePipe Roll, 31 Hen. I is mention of a William Olifard of Northamptonshire as well as a Hugh Olifard ofHuntingdonshire.[5] William held five hides in Lilford (Lilleford) of the fee of the King of Scotland while Hugh Olifard of Stokes was a knight in the service of the Abbot of Petersborough before 1120; both appear in thepipe roll of 1130.[6]
Maybe theprogenitor of the Olifard family was"David Holyfard", godson of KingDavid I of Scotland and in 1141 his protector; who was also in possession of Lilford (Lilleford) in Northamptonshire, showing the Northamptonshire family connection to Scotland.[5] David was a son of William Olifard, mentioned in the pipe rolls of Cambridgeshire (1158), Northamptonshire (1163) and Huntingdonshire (1168 and 1169). He saved his godfather, David I of Scotland, from capture during theBattle of Winchester in 1141.[2][7] David held the lands ofCrailing andSmailholm, both inRoxburghshire, and served as theJusticiar of Lothian.[2] He is not mentioned in records after 1170 and is supposed to have died shortly thereafter.[8] One of David's sons was sent as a hostage forWilliam the Lion.[2]
David Olifard's sonSir Walter Olifard, the second Justiciar, in 1173 married Christian, the daughter ofFerchar, Earl of Strathearn; her dowry was the lands of Strageath.[9]
The Oliphant name appears on theRagman Rolls of 1296 submitting toEdward I of England.[2] However, like most of the Scots forced to swear fealty to the English king, the Oliphants soon took up the cause of Scottish independence.[2]
During theWars of Scottish Independence SirWilliam Oliphant fought at theBattle of Dunbar (1296) and was captured and imprisoned atDevizes in England.[8] He was released and appointed Constable ofStirling Castle. In 1304Stirling was the final stronghold remaining in Scots hands. KingEdward I of England laid siege to the castle for three months before they surrendered.[10] Sir William was again captured and sent to theTower of London.[2][11] He was later released and appointed Governor ofPerth by KingEdward II of England.[8] Perth was subsequently captured by KingRobert the Bruce and Sir William was sent in chains to theWestern Isles where it is presumed he died.[8] There is no further mention of him in any records.[8]
His cousin, whom he is sometimes confused with,William Oliphant, Lord of Aberdalgie also fought at the battle of Dunbar and was also captured and was sent toRochester Castle where he was held, being released only after agreeing to serve King Edward I of England overseas.[12] He returned to Scotland where he was second in command of Stirling Castle under his cousin, Sir William Oliphant.[13] He was captured once again, this time being imprisoned atWallingford Castle. Sir William was released at least by 1313 and served the Bruce in the continued struggle to defeat the English. He was one of the signatories to the Declaration of Arbroath on 6 April 1320 and his seal is still visible.[14] He was subsequently rewarded with land at Gallery inAngus, Gask andNewtyle both inPerthshire. He was also given the lands ofMuirhouse near Edinburgh in compensation for lands taken by KingJohn de Balliol inKincardineshire.[15]
Sir Walter Oliphant, Lord of Aberdalgie and son of Sir William, marriedPrincess Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of KingRobert the Bruce.[16] By 1364 Sir Walter held lands of Kellie and, those of Gask Aberdalgie and Dupplin in free barony.[17]
Sir John Oliphant, Lord of Aberdalgie, was son of Sir Walter and succeeded his father. He had a charter from King Robert II for all of his father's lands held from the crown on 10 December 1388. Sir John had four brothers: Firstly, Sir Walter, 1st of Kellie, to whom his father conveyed the lands of Kellie and Pitkeirrie, both in the sheriffdom of Fife, which was confirmed by Robert II. on 20 October 1379; Secondly, Malcolm Oliphant, who had a charter from his brother, Sir John Oliphant, for the lands of Hazelhead dated 13 January 1412 and as these lands reverted to the senior line in future years, it is evident that he either d. without issue or else any issue had extinguished; Thirdly, William Oliphant who, in spite of their being second cousin to the King, was executed with his younger brother Arthur at Perth in 1413/1414 for complicity in the murder of Patrick, Earl of Strathearn, in 1413; Fourthly, Arthur Oliphant.[18]
Sir William Oliphant, Lord of Aberdalgie succeeded his father in 1417 and was sent to and retained in England as a hostage on the King's release on 28 March 1424. He was released in December 1425 but was dead by 12 August 1428.[19]
Sir John Oliphant, Lord of Aberdalgie succeeded his father by 12 August 1428 and was served heir to his grandfather, Sir John Oliphant, in the lands of Cranshaws in 1441.[20] In 1445, Sir John Oliphant was killed at theBattle of Arbroath,[21] supporting theClan Ogilvy in a clan battle against theClan Lindsay.[citation needed]
Sir Laurence Oliphant of Aberdalgie was Sir John's son who succeeded his father in 1445[22] and upon coming of age was created a Lord of Parliament in 1458 byJames II of Scotland.[2] He was later keeper ofEdinburgh Castle.[2] He died soon after attending a session of the Lords Auditors on 1 February 1498/99.[22]
During theAnglo-Scottish Wars, Sir Laurence Oliphant's grandson was killed at theBattle of Flodden in 1513,[23] and his great-grandson was captured at theBattle of Solway Moss in 1542.[2]
The fourth Lord Oliphant supportedMary, Queen of Scots and fought for her at theBattle of Langside in 1568.[2]
The chief's eldest son, another Laurence, was implicated in the conspiracy known as theRuthven Raid led by theClan Ruthven, to kidnap the young KingJames VI of Scotland and was therefore exiled in 1582.[2] The ship in which he and his co-conspirator, theMaster of Morton sailed in was lost at sea.[2][24]
When the 5th Lord Oliphant died leaving a daughter but no son, the daughter's husband, a Douglas and brother of the Earl of Angus, claimed the Oliphant peerage in the female line. In court,Charles I of England created a new title of Lord Mordington for the daughter and husband, with the precedency of Lord Oliphant and created a new Lord Oliphant title on the nearest male cousin, Patrick Oliphant.[2]
A number of the main branches of the Clan Oliphant were devoted to the Jacobite cause and Charles Oliphant, the ninth Lord Oliphant fought at theBattle of Killiecrankie in 1689 and was afterwards imprisoned.[2]
Patrick Oliphant's son, Charles Oliphant, the ninth Lord Oliphant strongly opposed theTreaty of Union in 1707 and joined his cousin, Oliphant of Gask in theJacobite rising of 1715.[2] The tenth and last Lord Oliphant played an active role in theJacobite rising of 1745.[2] After the defeat at theBattle of Culloden he escaped firstly toSweden and then toFrance.[2] He was allowed to return to Scotland in 1763 but did not relent his opposition to the Hanoverians.[2]
Carolina Oliphant (Lady Nairne), daughter of the Oliphant Laird of Gask was a renowned Jacobite poet.[2]
These include:
Other branches of Clan Oliphant exist but as of today they still await rightful claimants for their chieftainly arms and the right to wear one or two eagle's feathers. These have produced a US General, the renowned Australian scientist SirMark Oliphant who was involved in theManhattan Project, his nephew the influential cartoonist,Pat Oliphant and theGlobe journalist,Thomas Oliphant.
| Tartan image | Notes |
|---|---|
.png) | Olyfavnttartan, as published in 1842 inVestiarium Scoticum. |
