Scottish Clans - Clan CUNNINGHAM

SCOTTISH CLANS - CUNNINGHAM


MOTTO OVER FORK OVER	CLAN TARTAN CUNNINGHAM

The family Cunningham take their name from the district of Cunningham in northern Ayrshire. The land of Kilmaurs of that area was granted by Hugo de Moreville, Constable of Scotland to a vassal named Warnebald in the 12th century and it is from his descendants that the Cunningham family originate..

In 1263 Haakon IV, King of Norway, arrived off the coast of this area to reassert his rule over Scotland. This led to the sea battle of Largs from which Haakon would never return home. For his part in the battle, Harvey Cunningham of Kilmaurs had his family’s property expanded by Alexander II.

In 1321 Robert the Bruce granted further lands and through the marriage of Sir William Cunningham to Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Dennieston the Cunninghams extended their possessions further to include Glencairn. His grandson Sir Alexander de Cunningham was created Lord Kilmaurs in 1462 and then Earl of Glencairn in 1488 by James III. However he died with James at the Battle of Sauchieburn in that year. William, 3rd Earl was captured at Solway Moss but released in exchange for support of the marriage of Mary Queen of Scots to King Edward VI of England. Alexander, 5th Earl of Glencairn was a supporter of the Reformation and responsible for the destruction of the chapel at Holyrood. He was a member of the ‘Lords of the Congregation of Jesus Christ’, whose business was misappropriating church property and undermining Scotland’s government on behalf of the well-paying English. The group’s work was instrumental in the Tudors’ destruction of Mary, Queen of Scots’ rights. His Protestant sentiments fuelled the long-standing feud between the Cunninghams and the Montgomeries, Earls of Eglinton. However the 9th Earl returned to the Stewart side leading the rising of 1653 for Charles II. The rebellion was defeated but he was made Lord Chancellor after the Restoration in 1660

While Scotland was under the control of Cromwell’s generals in 1653, Glencairn raised a rebellion on behalf of Charles II who was safe on the Continent. The rebellion was hopeless but in 1660 he was created Lord Chancellor of Scotland, following the Restoration. On the death of the 15th Earl who died without issue in 1796 the Earldom became dormant although the undisputed claimant to the chiefship today descends from the Cunninghams of Corsehill. Other important cadet branches are the Cunninghams of Caprington, Craigends and Robertlane.