Clan Sinclair

Clan Sinclair was a Highland Scottish clan which acquired land at the very northern tip of Scotland.

Origin

The clan has its origins in Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, in Normandy, France. William “The Seemly” Sinclair, among others, accompanied William the Conqueror in 1066 on his invasion of England. He also accompanied Margaret, daughter of Edmund the Exile from Hungary to Scotland in 1057, where she eventually married Malcolm II. In return for his efforts, the king granted him the barony of Roslin "in free heritage".

History

In 1379, the family obtained the Earldom of Orkney, and in the 1455 received land in Caithness. The earldom or kingdom of Orkney was later resigned by order of James III.

William Sinclair, Earl of Caithness and Orkney, and Baron of Roslin, the head of the Sinclair family (they were not a Highland Clan, but a Lowland 'interest') split the family lands, giving the lands of Caithness to his elder son William Sinclair in 1476, and the lands at Roslin to his younger son. It was around this point that the spelling "Sinclair" came into general use, although the Earls of Roslin still prefer to use the older form of "St. Clair".

The Earls of Caithness engaged in a long succession of feuds with their neighbours and within the family. Many of the clans most notable battles were between them and the Campbells or the Sutherlands.

Much of the Sinclair lands in Caithness had to be sold off to pay debts. Within the family, rights to estates were disputed and culminated in a battle between the Sinclairs and the Campbells on the banks of Altimarlach, near Wick.

Places

A number of castles in Scotland have come to be associated with the Sinclairs. Some were built by them, and some they came to possess.

The earliest seat of the Sinclairs in Scotland is considered to be Roslin Castle, which was built by William St. Clair, the 1st baron of Roslin (1028 – 1070). His family also built the famed Rosslyn Chapel.

Sinclairs have owned, at one time or another, a great many Scottish castles, including Braal Castle, Dunbeath Castle, Keiss Castle, and the Castle of Old Wick.

But perhaps the best-known Sinclair Castle was Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, dramatically situated on the cliffs just outside Wick. Although now ruined, it is well worth a visit and it still contains both a secret chamber in the vaulting of the kitchen ceiling and a grim dungeon where, it is said, the 4th Earl of Caithness imprisoned his son and heir and fed him salt beef so that eventually he died mad with thirst.

Another former Sinclair property is the Castle of Mey. While it was originally known as the Castle of Mey, its name was changed for a time to Barrogill Castle. It was built by George, 4th Earl of Caithness. In 1952 the castle was purchased by HM The Queen Mother who changed its name back to Castle of Mey.

Battles

• Battle of Alnwick, Northumbria England, 1093. Sir Henry Sinclair (1060 - 1110) led an attack on England at Alnwick Castle in which the Scottish won. After the battle during a ceromony where the keys to the castle were to be handed over to the Scottish King an Englishman speared the Scottish King to death. Today the castle still remains a very impressive fort with a central keep and a massive encirling wall.

• Battle of the Standard,1138. Here Sir Henry Sinclair (1100 - 1165) won high distinction in defending England and was rewarded lands in Cardaine. He was later sent to England as a Scottish ambassador to resolve land disputes. He also succeeded in claiming back Northumberland for Scotland.

• Rebellion of the Sinclairs, 1222. The trouble was over tithes imposed by the Bishop of Caithness whose seat was at Dornoch. The Clan Sinclair Earls of Caithness had long resented the fact that the bishopric was under Sutherland control and decided to exploit the discontent over tithes, to get rid of the bishop and have the seat moved. There was soon a riot, said to be incited by Sinclair gold. The unfortunate bishop was roasted alive and his cathedral was set on fire. The rioters then headed north to join up with their Sinclair allies. Once again the Lord of Sutherland was given responsibility by the crown for restoring law and order, and for punishing Sinclair for his instigation of the incident. The Clan Sutherland force was gathered and the far northeast was laid waste in a campaign of revenge and repression. Wick and Thurso were burned and the Sinclair stronghold razed to the ground. Eighty men were tried at a summer court session at Golspie and there was strict punishment for the rioters. Four of the ringleaders were roasted and then fed to the town dogs for good measure.

The Scottish-Norwegian War

• Battle of Largs 1263. Sir William Sinclair(1190 – 1270) led the soldiers of King Alexander III of Scotland to repel the last Norman invasion. Today a column marks the spot of where the battle took place. Every September a Viking festival celebrates the event.

• Battle of Lewes, 1264. Simon of Montfort, Earl of Leicester, England had gained great influence over other barons and bishops. They drew up the Provisions of Oxford. King Henry III objected. Civil war broke out. The rebellious barons won, capturing the King. After years of conflict the Crown was returned to his son Edward. King Alexander III of Scotland had ordered Sir William Sinclair to assist King Henry III in a bloody victory. Sinclair escaped unharmed.

Scottish Wars of Independence

• Battle of Stirling Bridge, 1297. This battle, 37 miles north of Stirling Castle, recaptured from England's King Edward I, by the Scottish who were led by William Wallace. Sir William Sinclair (1260 – 1305) was one of Wallace's major commanders.

• Battle of Roslin, 1303. Scots defeated an army of 30,000 English at Roslin Glen in three separate engagements.

• Battle of Bannockburn, 1314. Sir William Sinclair (1300 – 1330) led the Knights Templar into that battle, and his brother Sir Henry Sinclair (1275 – 1329) the 8th Baron of Roslin fought impressively, for which he was rewarded with more land. He also signed a truce for permanent peace between Robert the Bruce of Scotland and King Edward II of England.

• Battle of Halidon Hill, 1402. Prince Henry Sinclair (1340 – 1402) was slain in battle.

Other Battles

• Battle of Flodden Field, 1515. Sir William Sinclair was one of the nobles fighting for King James. He had previously sat in Parliament. In battle King James observed Sir William leading his followers, all wearing green. The King asked and found they were of Caithness, led by the Earl. King James wrote the renewal of Sir William's Earldom on a drumhead, the only parchment available. The drumhead was carried by runner to Sir William's lady. Sir William died in battle the next day, leaving the Earldom to his son John.

• Somersdale, Orkney, May 1529. John Sinclair (1490 – 1529) 3rd Earl of Caithness, died leading 500 men to help James Sinclair defend the Orkneys.

• Battle near Wick, 1588. Earl of Sutherland Alexander Gordon divorced his obnoxious Sinclair wife in 1573. He waged all out war with her father and Clan Sinclair before gaining a decisive victory outside Wick in 1588, when more than a hundred Sinclair clansmen were killed in a pitched battle on the seashore. Earl Alexander later married Jean Gordon, the divorced wife of the Earl of Bothwell, third husband to Mary Queen of Scots.

• Castle Kirkwall, 1614. Castle Kirkwall was an Orkney waterfront stronghold built by Prince Henry 1390. Henry Sinclair Wadsetter (1570 – 1614) died leading 100 men to besiege the castle. He became paralyzed and died at night.

• Battle of Altimarlech, 1678. A battle took place between Clan Campbell and Clan Sinclair. Legend has it that so many Sinclairs were killed that the Campbells were able to cross the river without getting their feet wet. Clearly, however, the Sinclairs had influence in high places as only a few years later, in 1681, they regained the earldom by an order of Parliament.

Names, Mottos and Badges

• Gaelic Name: Mac na Ceardadh
• Motto: Commit thy work to God
• Badge: Whin
• Lands: Midlothian, Orkney and Caithness
• Origin of Name: Placename, French de Sancto Claro
• Pipe Music: Spaidsearachd Mhic nan Cearda (The Sinclair's March)

Tartan


Clan Sinclair Tartan

Septs of the Clan

• Budge
• Caird
• Clouston
• Clyne
• Linklater
• Lyall
• Mason

Notable Sinclairs

• Malcolm Ian Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness, chief of the Clan Sinclair
• Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster
• Major General Arthur St. Clair
• Upton Sinclair, author
• Gordon Sinclair, radio journalist and commentator
• Sir Clive Sinclair, inventor
• Trevor Sinclair, footballer
• Christine Sinclair, footballer

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