Clan Napier
| Clan Napier | |
|---|---|
| Motto | “Sans Tache” (Without Stain) |
| Tartan(s) | www.clanshop.co.uk/clannames/napier.htm |
| Clan chieftain | Major the Right Honourable Sir Francis Nigel Napier, KCVO, K St J, DL, Hon. D Lit. 14th Lord Napier, 5th Baron Ettrick, and 11th Baronet of Nova Scotia. |
| Clan seat(s) | Merchiston Tower |
| Website | www.napier.ac.uk/depts/clan_napier |
The Clan Napier is a Scottish
clan originally from lands around Loch
Lomond, but with presence in Stirlingshire
and Edinburgh.
Arms
The arms of the Clan Napier are: Quarterly, 1st & 4th, Argent, a saltire engrailed cantoned of four roses Gules, barbed Vert; 2nd & 3rd, Or, on a bend Azure, a mullet pierced between two crescents of the Field, within a double tressure flory counterflory of the Second. Only the Lord Napier is entitled to use these arms as such. The current chief of the name and arms of Napier is Francis Nigel Napier, the current Lord Napier.
History
Origins
There is some debate about the origin of the name Napier. One theory holds that a “naperer” is "a person in charge of table linen in a royal or manor house” and that the original Napiers must have been “naperers” from England or France. The other theory is that the name Napier is a derivative spelling of “Nae Peer.” In 1625, Sir Archibald Napier of Merchiston, the first Lord Napier, presented an affidavit to the College of Heralds, in which he described this origin of the name Napier, as having been bestowed by the king (probably Alexander II) on one Donald Lennox in recognition for acts of bravery. He states:
“After the battle as the manor is everyone advancing and setting forth his own acts the King said unto them "Ye have all done well but there is one amongst you who hath Na peer," and calling Donald into his presence he commanded him in regard of his worthy service and in augmentation of his honour to change his name from Lenox to Napier, and gave him the lands of Gosford and lands in Fife and made him his own servant, which discourse is confirmed by sundry of my old evidencies and testimonies wherein we are called Lenox alias Napier.”
Appearance and Movement in Scotland
Merchiston Tower
Merchiston Tower as it appeared in the early 1800s, was home to John Napier, and is now at the center of Napier University's Merchiston campus.
The earliest reference to Napiers in Scotland is in the charter of Malcolm, Earl of Lennox, granting lands at Kilmahew in Dumbartonshire to John de Naper, sometime around 1290. This John Napier was probably one of the few defenders of Stirling Castle who were forced to surrender to the English in 1304. The Napiers held lands at Kilmahew for 18 generations. The estate was sold in 1820. The Kilmahew Napiers were the progenitors of most of the Napiers in the United States, when, sometime around 1650, Dr. Patrick Napier, surgeon-general to the Scottish Army, after their defeat by Oliver Cromwell at the battle of Dunbar, emigrated to America.
Another branch of the clan appeared in Merchiston, near Edinburgh. The first Laird of Merchiston, Alexander Napier, obtained a charter to the lands of Merchiston in 1436. The Napiers of Merchiston would produce Provosts of Edinburgh, numerous admirals and generals, as well as John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston, inventor of logarithms. Merchiston Tower in Edinburgh still stands, as centerpiece to Napier University’s Merchiston campus.
Battles
- John de Naper fought at the siege of Stirling Castle in 1304 against Edward I.
- John Napier of Rusky, the 3rd Laird of Merchiston was killed in the Battle of Sauchieburn on June 11, 1488 in service to the king.
- Sir Alexander, the 5th Laird of Merchiston, fought at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, but did not survive.
- Alexander, the 6th Laird of Merchiston died at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547.
- Archibald, 9th Laird of Merchiston, fought in the Battle of Philipaugh in 1645. He was over 70 years of age.
Notable Napiers
- John Napier, 8th Laird of Merchiston – inventor of logarithms
- General Charles Napier - A statue of him still stands in Trafalgar Square.
- Admiral Charles Napier – or “Black Charlie,” who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
- Robert Napier, Baron of Magdala – was awarded an hereditary peerage for his efforts to rescue British diplomats in Abyssinia.
- Robert Napier – a marine engineer often considered the “father of Clyde Shipbuilding.”
- Francis Napier – chaired the Napier Commission in 1883.
