Clan Ross ( ) is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earls of Ross.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). p. 5.
The Earl's son, William was abducted in about 1250 in a revolt against the Earl's rule. However, he was rescued with help from the Clan Munro who were rewarded with lands and who became closely connected with their powerful benefactors.
The Rosses took part in the Battle of Verneuil 1424, against the English in France.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 14. On the death of the Earl of Buchan and Ross at that battle, James I claimed Earldom of Ross for himself though the rightful claim to the title was in Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles. James I eventually restored the earldom to the heiress of line, Mariota, Countess of Ross, the mother of Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles who became the Earl of Ross.
In the late 15th century the Clan Mackay and Clan Ross had long been at feud. This resulted in the Battle of Tarbat in 1486 where the Mackays were defeated by the Rosses and the Mackay chief was killed.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 16. This was followed by the Battle of Aldy Charrish where the Rosses were defeated by the Mackays and the Ross chief was killed along with many of his clan.Mackay, Robert. (1829). pp. 86. Quoting from: Gordon, Sir Robert. (1580–1656). A Geanealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland. According to 17th-century historian Sir Robert Gordon, who was a younger son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland, the Clan Sutherland joined the side of the Clan Mackay at this battle.Mackay, Robert, (1829). pp. 86. Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert (1580–1656), A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland. However 19th-century historian Angus Mackay disputes the Sutherland's presence at the battle stating that it would be unlikely that the Earl of Sutherland at the time would have assisted against the Rosses as he was married to a daughter of the Ross chief of Balnagowan, and also that the feudal superiority of the Sutherlands over the Mackays "nowhere existed save in his own fertile imagination".Mackay, Angus. (1906). pp. 70 – 71.
In 1496, the King summoned chiefs David Ross and Iye Roy Mackay. He ordered them to appear before the Earl of Argyll who was then the Lord High Chancellor of Scotland and make peace, on the understanding that should they not be peaceful that they would be fined 500 merks. The Mackays continued to raid the Rosses and it would appear the civil authority was too feeble to stop them. However the Mackays soon became involved in feuding with the Clan Sutherland and raids on the Rosses did not continue.
During the Anglo-Scottish Wars, John Ross, 2nd Lord Ross of Halkhead, died when leading his forces against the English at the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513.
Chief Alexander Ross 9th of Balnagowan (d.1592) is recorded as being a man of violence, utterly unscrupulous, given to raiding lands and forcing his clansmen to draw out agreements in his favour with total disregard for the law.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 18–19. Soon he was imprisoned in Tantallon Castle. Later he was released on the condition that he would live peacefully but he did not. His own son George was given permission to use fire and sword against him but Alexander could not be brought in. Alexander died in 1592.
David Ross 12th of Balnagowan signed the National Covenant at Inverness on 26 April 1638.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 20. He later joined the royalists for a short time only to become a covenanter again and was present at the defeat of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose at the Battle of Carbisdale in 1650. The Clan Ross and Clan Munro fought on the side of the Scottish Government, then led by the Duke of Argyll. They defeated the royalist army of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. David Ross, 12th of Balnagowan later led some of the clan at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 where he was captured and imprisoned at the Tower of London.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 22. He is said to have died there in 1653 and been buried in Westminster.
In 1689, 100 men of the Clan Ross occupied Castle Leod to watch for movements of the Jacobite Mackenzies.
The clan rivalries which had erupted in rebellion were finding an outlet in local politics. The Mackenzie's Earl of Seaforth title came to an end in 1716, and it seems to have been arranged that while the Clan Ross held the county seat the Munros would represent the Tain Burghs. To secure the burghs, control of three out of the five was necessary. The Ross ascendancy was secure in Tain, and from 1716 to 1745 the Munros controlled Dingwall. In 1719 a company of men from the Clan Ross fought for the government at the Battle of Glen Shiel where the Jacobites, including the Mackenzies were defeated.Mackenzie, Alan. (2006). History of the Clan Mackenzie. Chapter 11. pp. 156.
In 1721, a small force of men from the Clan Ross, led by chief William Ross 6th of the Pitcalnie line and his brother Robert went on a rent collecting expedition into the lands of the Mackenzies.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 24. They were defeated by a much larger force of Mackenzies at the Battle of Glen Affric.Mackenzie, Alan. (2006) History of the Clan Mackenzie. Chapter 10. pp. 142–143. General Wade's report on the Highlands in 1724, estimated the combined clan strength of the Rosses and Munros at 700 men.
The McFarquhars of Redcastle brought a strong Jacobite contingent from the Black Isle to join the forces of the Earl of Cromarty and a rebel, John Ross joined them. Forays were made before the Battle of Culloden and on the day before the battle, 15 April 1746, about 200 of the McFarquhar's Jacobite force were ambushed by pro-government Scots at the Battle of Littleferry near Golspie. At most, one-tenth survived; John Ross escaped to Sutherland but was first to be put on a list of rebels. However, apart from him the Clan Ross supported the government.
The chiefship of Clan Ross devolved upon Ross of Pitcalnie, heir of David who was the last of the direct line of Balnagowan. Sir John, the 5th baronet, assumed the name "Ross" and then, after Carstairs was sold in 1762, the designation "of Balnagowan."
The Balnagowan estate itself is no longer in Ross hands. Its recent owner, Egyptian millionaire Mohammed Fayed (d. 2023), former owner of the Harrods department store, put a lot of money into improving the estate and restoring the castle. The current Chief lives in Perthshire. His son, Hugh, and grandson, Calum, are both interested and involved in the Gaelic scene across Scotland.
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