Battle of Drumchatt (1497)
Who Fought
Clan Mackenzie and possibly Clan Munro versus Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
History & Significance
The Battle of Drumchatt was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1497. The Clan Mackenzie and possibly the Clan Munro defeated the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh at Drumchatt (Druimchat) or "the Cat's Back", a ridge to the southeast of Strathpeffer.
In 1493, the powerful chief of the Clan Donald, Sir John of Islay, lost his right to the title of Lord of the Isles when it was revoked by James IV of Scotland, having also already forfeited the title of Earl of Ross in 1475. As a result, many of the western and other northern clans, particularly the Clan MacLeod of Harris and Dunvegan, felt that they no longer had to pledge allegiance to the MacDonalds.
In 1495, King James assembled an army at Glasgow. Then, on 18 May, many of the highland chiefs made their submissions to him, including those of the Clan Mackenzie and Clan Munro. This may explain the unusual alliance between the Munros and Mackenzies who were rival clans. However, while the presence of the Clan Munro at the Battle of Drumchatt in 1497 is mentioned by early 19th-century historian Donald Gregory, according to late 19th-century historian Alexander Mackenzie, the Munros are not mentioned as being present in the earliest account which was written by Sir Robert Gordon in the early 17th century.
The earliest account of the Battle of Drumchatt of 1497 was written by Sir Robert Gordon (1580–1650) in his manuscript A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland (written in the early 17th century and published in 1813). It is also recorded in Donald Gregory's History of the Western Highlands and Isles of Scotland (1835). The battle is also recorded by historian William Anderson in his book The Scottish Nation: Or, The Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Geographical History of the People of Scotland.
Thereafter, some of the islanders and the Clandonald met with Clankeinzie at a place in Ross called Drumchatt, where ensued a sharp skirmish; bot in the even the ilanders wer put to the worst, and chassed out of Rosse at that tyme.
A.D. 1497: "The active share taken by King James in supporting the pretensions of Perkin Warbeck, withdrew his attention, for a time from the state of the Western Isles, and seems to have given opportunity for a new insurrection—which, however, was suppressed without the necessity for another Royal expedition. Sir Alexander (MacDonald) of Lochalsh — whether with the intention of claiming the earldom of Ross, or of revenging himself on the Mackenzies, for his former defeat at Blairnepark, is uncertain—invaded the more fertile districts of Ross in a hostile manner. He was encountered by the Mackenzies and Munroes at a place called Drumchatt, where, after a sharp skirmish, he and his followers were again routed and driven out of Ross."
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Drumchatt (1497) lies on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.
According to Sir Robert Gordon, writing in the early seventeenth century, the skirmish at Drumchatt was fought after the Battle of Blar Na Pairce and saw the Clan Donald islanders meet the Clan Mackenzie at a place in Ross called Drumchatt, where a sharp skirmish ensued; by the evening, however, the islanders were put to the worst and chased out of Ross entirely.
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