Clan Buchanan
Clan Buchanan is a Highlands Scottish Clan whose origins are said to lie in the 1225 grant of lands on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond to clergyman Sir Absalon of Buchanan by the Earl of Lennox.
History
Etymology
The name is said to derive from Macauselan. The following two names are given as the root of the territorial name Buchanan, Mac a Chanonaich and Buth Chanain.11th-13th centuries and origins
Traditionally, the clan's origin myth traced the chiefly line back to Anselan O Kyan, who was of the Irish clan Ó Catháin, a provincial king of north Ulster. He is said to have landed in Argyll in 1016. According to this tradition, for his services against the Danes he received from king Malcolm II the lands of Buchanan, which lie to the east of Loch Lomond around the village of Killearn.During the reign of Malduin, Mormaer of Lennox, 1217–1250, Anselan was granted, in 1225, the island of Clairinch.. He is referred to as 'clericus meus', meaning 'my clergyman'. He is subsequently recorded as Absalom de Buchanan and it is understood that to have this title, there must have been other grants of land in the parish of Buchanan. During the reign of King Alexander II, Gilbert de Buchanan, seneschal to the Earl of Lennox, received, in 1231, a charter confirming Clareinch and other lands in Buchanan. It is from the lands of Buchanan that the Clan name is derived.
However, the traditional accounts of the origin of the clan, the land and name derivation in Scotland are inconsistent with other historical accounts for the previous period in Ireland, as well as the data from the extensive DNA project, and is officially considered to be little more than origin myth.
Further proving this account as only myth, a was held on 23 January 2021 for the Council of the Clan Buchanan Society International, wherein Clan President, David Byrne, informed all present members, "...that origin myth has been in our history books and in our tents forever. Auchmar, in his history of the clan, was the one who really pushed that forward... and it's the one everyone has clung to. It is a great story. The problem is that it's not accurate. It didn't happen. From the yDNA Project, run by Ross Buchanan and Alex Buchanan, with all the people who participated in that, there is not a single individual whose DNA matches up with any yDNA in Ireland. The male lines... all show that the Clan Buchanan was located on the shores of Loch Lomond, in the Auld Kingdom of Alba, well before the year 1000 and possibly going way beyond that. There is no historical evidence that Anselan, the prince, ever existed in Ireland. There are no history books that mention him or support the fact that he even existed. How or why the myth, the origin was created we don't know... so, that changes everything. It means that the Clan Buchanan is an old Scottish clan, not an old Irish clan. That means that our people have been in Scotland, particularly in Stirlingshire and on the shores of Loch Lomond, for thousands of years; not 1,000 years."
According to the provided to the Clan Buchanan Society International, "There is a strong DNA link to the Clan Gregor which seems to indicate a common ancestor around the year 400 A.D." This discovery made through extensive genetic testing information collected provides further proof of the existence of Clan Buchanan well before any previously thought of origin myth.
14th century and Wars of Scottish Independence
Unenviable William Wallace Link. Sir Maurice Buchanan 10th of Buchanan married Margaret Menteith. Margaret was the daughter of Sir Walter Menteith of Rusky, and granddaughter of Sir John of Menteith, Sheriff of Dunbarton Castle, and Helena daughter of Gartnait, Earl of Mar. Sir John is reputed to have betrayed Sir William Wallace to King Edward I of England on 5 Aug 1305. Sir John was imprisoned by king Robert I but in 1314 "through influence of his sons-in-law; Malice, Earl of Strathern; Sir Archibald Campbell, of Lochow; and Maurice Buchanan, of Buchanan, he was released immediately before the Battle of Bannockburn, where he deported himself valiantly on the part of the Scottish king." Sir John was also a signatory to the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.During the Wars of Scottish Independence the Clan Buchanan supported King Robert the Bruce by aiding his escape in 1306, the chief, Maurice 9th of Buchanan, refused to sign the Ragman Roll, and the chief and lairds of the clan served under Malcolm the Earl of Lennox. It is tradition and likely given the aforementioned service, but ill-documented, that the clan fought at the Battle of Bannockburn.
During the reign of King David II, undated, at least part of the lands of Buchanan belonged to Sir Gilbert Carrick.
During the reign of Donald Mormaer of Lennox, and confirmed by King David II in 1370/71, "Confirmation is of a charter by Donald, Earl of Lennox, in favour of Maurice Buchanan, son and heir of late Maurice Buchanan, of that carucate of land called Buchanan with Sallochy, with these bounds ie Akehin up to Aldmarr just as it descends below the water of Hanerch , and the land of Sallochy, with these bounds, from Sallochy all along to Kelg and then it descends to the water of Lochlomon , to hold in fee and with the freedom to hold as many courts with jurisdiction of life and limb as he may wish."
15th century, Hundred Years' War and other clan conflicts
, second son of Walter Buchanan of Buchanan, led men of the clan in support of the French against the English at the Battle of Baugé in 1421. It is said that Sir Alexander Buchanan came face to face with the Duke of Clarence and, escaping his thrust, pierced the Duke through the left eye, killing him. Sir Alexander Buchanan however was later killed leading the clan against the English at the Battle of Verneuil in 1424.The 15th century is a watershed in the evolution of Buchanan heraldry. In the Armorial de Berry, c 1445 the arms of Buchanan are Or, chevron checky of Azure and Argent, and the three boars heads erased and erect of Gules.
The following three events are believed to have resulted in a total transformation in the Chief's arms:
1421 - The Battle of Baugé in which Sir Alexander Buchanan killed the Duke of Clarence.
1425 – Execution by King James I of Scotland, of his first-cousin, Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, and Murdoch's two older sons for treason.
1443 – Marriage of Isobel Stewart to Sir Walter Buchanan.
The arms described in the Scots Roll,, 'Or, a lion rampant Sable goutty Or within a double tressure flory counter-flory Sable', contain many of the elements of the arms registered by John Buchanan in 1657, the coat of arms we recognise today. The adoption of the double tressure flory counterflory into the Chief's arms alludes to the nearness of the Buchanan chiefly line to that of the Scottish royal line by the marriage of Isobel Stewart. The Chief's 1657 crest is a hand couped at the wrist holding a ducal cap, which celebrates Sir Alexander Buchanan's slaying of the Duke of Clarence in combat. However, the seal of George Buchanan c1557, 'Three heads erased', is similar to the 1445 arms.
In the 15th century, a feud broke out between the Buchanans of Leny and the Clan MacLaren resulting in a full-scale battle. On the day of a fair where the Clan MacLaren were busy buying, selling and enjoying themselves word came that the Clan Buchanan were marching up towards them through Strathyre. There was no time to lose and the Clan MacLaren rushed to arms. The MacLarens had not all come in by the time the Buchanans arrived, however, they were not daunted and attacked the Buchanans. At first, the Buchanans were faring better and drove the MacLarens back. The Chief of MacLarens saw one of his sons cut down and being suddenly seized with battle madness turned and shouted the famous MacLaren battle cry "Creag An Tuirc" and whirling his Claymore rushed furiously at the enemy. His clansmen followed him and the Buchanans were cut down like corn. Only two escaped by swimming the River Balvaig but even they were followed. One was cut down at Gartnafuaran and the second was cut down at a place since known by the circumstance as "Sron Laine."
In 1497 Kenneth Mackenzie, 8th of Kintail, Chief of Clan Mackenzie was killed by the Laird of Buchanan.
16th century, Anglo-Scottish Wars and the King of Kippen
During the Anglo-Scottish Wars the Clan Buchanan fought against the English at the Battle of Flodden in 1513 where the chief's elder son Patrick was killed. However, Patrick had already married a daughter of the Earl of Argyll and had two sons and daughters. Later the Clan Buchanan fought against the English at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547.John Buchanan, the second son of Walter Buchanan the 14th of Buchanan and uncle of George Buchanan the 15th of Buchanan, became proprietor of Arnprior, and afterwards, the noted "King of Kippen", a phrase which originated in a whimsical episode between himself and King James V. The story is well retold by Sir Walter Scott in the following paragraph.
17th century, Wars of the Three Kingdoms and loss of the Buchanan Estate
During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms Sir George Buchanan commanded the Stirlingshire Regiment and led the clan at the Battle of Dunbar on the side of the Scottish Covenanters. He later led the clan at the Battle of Inverkeithing but here he was captured and died in captivity later the same year. It is claimed that in Buchanan's Stirlingshire Regiment "most of his officers and a good many of the soldiers" were of the name Buchanan, and that at the Battle of Inverkeithing a "vast number of the name Buchanan" died. Other Buchanans involved with the Royalist cause include:- David Buchanan, Royalist soldier captured at Worcester. Transported on the John and Sarah, from Gravesend 13 May 1652 to Boston.
- John Buchanan, Royalist soldier captured at Worcester. Transported on the John and Sarah, from Gravesend 13 May 1652 to Boston.
The full scope of Buchanan Covenanters is unknown; however,
- Alexander Buchanan, Buchlivie, Covenanter, was sent from Tollbooth, 12 Dec 1678, on St. Michael of Scarborough, to Themes for on forwarding to the American plantations.
- Andrew Buchanan, Shirgarton, Covenanter, was sent from Tollbooth, 12 Dec 1678, on St. Michael of Scarborough, to Themes for on forwarding to the American plantations.
- Gilbert Buchanan, Glasgow, banished to the Indies, 13 Jun 1678.
Regarding the Buchanan Estate, according to William Buchanan of Auchmar, "The most flourishing condition it has been in, for diverse ages, was upon the last laird's accession to it" At this time the estate included the Barony of Buchanan, "several lands in the parishes of Killearn, Strathblane, and others in Lennox" ; "the whole estate of Badindalloch" ; and "the estate of Craigmillar in Midlothian". Along with the inheritance of the estate and clan chiefship, there was significant debt. John Buchanan was unwilling to receive his inheritance until his brother-in-law to be, David Erskine, 2nd Lord Cardross, arranged for creditors to accept as payment only a portion of what was owed. Debt continued to plague John Buchanan, and in about 1680, he and his named successor, Major George Grant, sold some of the Highland lands to James Grahame, the Third Marquess of Montrose. It appears that there were other claimants to the Highland lands and as a guarantee that the sale would proceed, John Buchanan offered the Barony of Buchanan as security. It transpired that the sale did not proceed and the Marquess of Montrose became the owner of the Barony of Buchanan and it became the seat of Clan Graham. Prior to the sale, John Buchanan of Arnpryor had been the estate manager for John Buchanan. After the sale, John Buchanan of Arnpryor received a quarter of the estate from the Marquess of Montrose for his services and assistance in evicting the whole estate.