12th-century Scottish clan battles

The Battle of Renfrew was fought between the Kingdom of the Isles and the Kingdom of Scotland in 1164, near Renfrew, Scotland.


15th-century Scottish clan battles

The Battle of Bloody Bay, or Blàr Bàgh na Fala in Scottish Gaelic, was a naval battle fought near Tobermory, Scotland. It was fought on the coast of Mull 2 miles (3 kilometres) north of Tobermory, between John MacDonald of Islay, the Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald; and his son, Angus Og Macdonald. The precise date of the battle varies in sources, from 1480 to 1483.

The Battle of Dingwall was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1411, in Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Mackay against the Clan Donald.

The Battle of Drumchatt was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1497. The Clan Mackenzie and possibly the Clan Munro defeated the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh at Drumchatt (Druimchat) or “the Cat’s Back”, a ridge to the southeast of Strathpeffer.

The Battle of Glendale was a battle fought on the Inner Hebridean Isle of Skye, between the MacDonalds of Sleat and the MacDonalds of Clanranald, against the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan and the MacLeods of Lewis. According to MacLeod tradition preserved in the early 19th century, the battle was fought in about the year 1490;

The Battle of Inverlochy (1431) (Scottish Gaelic: Blàr Inbhir Lòchaidh) was fought after Alexander of Islay (Alasdair Ìle, Rìgh Innse Gall), Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, had been imprisoned by King James I.

Inverlochy Castle, 1857, Horatio McCulloch

The Battle of Lagabraad, also known as the Battle of Logiebride, or Lagebread, was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1480, or 1483, and was fought between the Clan Donald and the Clan Mackenzie of the Scottish Highlands.

The Battle of Lochaber was a battle fought in 1429, in the Scottish Highlands, between the forces of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, 3rd Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald against the Royalist army of King James I of Scotland.

The Battle of Mamsha was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1429 and that was fought by the Clan Fraser of Lovat who defeated the invading Clan Donald.

The Raid on Ross was a conflict that took place in 1491 in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Mackenzie and several other clans, including the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh, Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, the Clan Cameron, and the Chattan Confederation of Clan Mackintosh.

The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet was prompted by Clan Donald‘s invasion of the area around Dornoch in northern Scotland in 1480. Two attacks were repulsed by the local clans of Clan Sutherland and the Murrays of Aberscross.


16th-century Scottish clan battles

The Battle of Glendale was a battle fought on the Inner Hebridean Isle of Skye, between the MacDonalds of Sleat and the MacDonalds of Clanranald, against the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan and the MacLeods of Lewis. According to MacLeod tradition preserved in the early 19th century, the battle was fought in about the year 1490;

The Battle of the Shirts (Scottish Gaelic: Blàr na Léine, also the Battle of Kinloch-Lochy) was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1544 in the Great Glen, at the northern end of Loch Lochy.

The Battle of the Spoiling Dyke (also known as the Battle of the Spoiled Dyke, Blar Milleadh a’ Ghàraidh, Millegearaidh) was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1578, fought in the Scottish Highlands, between the MacDonalds of Uist and the Clan MacLeod.

The Raids of Urquhart were two raids carried out in the vicinity of Urquhart Castle in the Scottish Highlands in October 1544 and April 1545 where a large amount of cattle, horses, harvest, furniture and military equipment were stolen from the Clan Grant, a Highland Scottish clan, by the Clan Cameron and Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, both also Scottish Highland clans.

Urquhart castle in summer evening, Scotland

The Battle of the Western Isles was a series of conflicts in 1585 and 1586 on the islands of Jura, Islay, Mull and Tiree, Scotland as well as the peninsula of Kintyre on the mainland. However, although the historic sources describe this as having taken place in the “Western Isles” which are now known as the Outer Hebrides, all of the aforementioned locations are actually in the Inner Hebrides. It was fought between the Clan Macdonald of Sleat and Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg against the Clan Maclean.


17th-century Scottish clan battles

The Battle of Benbigrie took place on Isle of Islay in 1598 between the forces of Hector Og Maclean, 15th Chief and Sir James MacDonald, 9th of Dunnyveg

The Battle of Carinish was a Scottish clan battle fought in North Uist in 1601. It was part of a year of feuding between Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan and the Clan MacDonald of Sleat, that ended with a MacDonald victory and an enforced peace.

Sgurr nan Gillean in the Cuillin, Isle of Skye, Scotland.

The Battle of Coire na Creiche (Battle of Benquhillan) was a Scottish clan battle fought in the Isle of Skye in 1601. It was the culmination of a year of feuding between Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan and the Clan MacDonald of Sleat.

The Battle of Morar was a Scottish cla battle fought in 1602, near Loch Morar, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry against the Clan Mackenzie who were supported by men of the Clan Ross and Andrew Munro of Novar.