ROBERTSON

Clann DONNACHAIDH

The very ancient clan Robertson claims descent from the royal house of Dunkeld, the Celtic Mormaers of Atholl.  The clan's earliest known ancestor was Conan of Glenerochie, a son of Henry, hereditary Earl of Atholl.  Donnachaidh (Duncan) Reamhar, who fought with Bruce at Bannockburn, had a son, Robert Riach, who gave his name to the family.  Duncan was captured by the English at the battle of Neville's Cross in 1346.  He married twice, acquiring considerable property on each occasion.  This included the lands of Rannoch, which would later become the seat of the clan.

The standing of the clan increased considerably during the chieftship of Robert, when he apprehended the two murderers of King James I, and delivered them to the authorities for punishment in 1437.  His reward was the Barony of Struan in Perthshire.  The clan remained loyal to the crown despite the fact that the Stewarts' greed stripped them of half their lands of Struan.

They fought under Montrose for Charles I, and Alasdair the 17th of Struan supported Bonnie Dundee in the cause of James VII.  Alasdair was forfeited but pardoned after Queen Anne succeeded to the throne.  When he House of Hanover came to power, he took up arms again, both  in 1715 and 1745.

Although the chiefs were dispossessed, they lived on by Loch Rannoch until the last of their estates were sold in the 20th century.  The present chief lives in Kingston, Jamaica.