Scottish Clans - Clan MacKINTOSH

SCOTTISH CLANS - MacKINTOSH


MOTTO TOUCH NOT THE CAT WITHOUT A GLOVE	CLAN TARTAN MacKINTOSH DRESS TARTAN

The founder of the MacKintosh clan is reputed to have been Shaw MacDuff, second son of the Earl of Fife, and a member of the royal house of Dalriada. He travelled north with Malcolm IV in the twelfth century to suppress rebellion in Morayshire and was granted lands in the Findhorn valley. These lands became the heartland of the clan and the burial place of the clan chiefs. Shaw was known at this time as “Mac an Toiseach” or “son of the chief”, hence the name MacKintosh.

The MacKintosh chiefs led the clan with great skill throughout the early part of their history, even leading the great confederation of clans known as Clan Chattan.

The clan had to fight to defend their position and held long-running feuds with many others, including the Earls of Moray and Huntly. One famous feud with the Comyns was to have ended in a feast of reconciliation but the Comyns made plans to destroy the MacKintosh clan once and for all. They were betrayed by a family member, however, and were slaughtered by MacKintosh clansmen, led by their chief Malcolm MacKintosh.

The MacKintosh clansmen took part in the Jacobite rising of 1715, following which many were transported to the Americas. The clan remained loyal to the Stewarts in 1745 and the wife of the absent chief, Lady Anne MacKintosh, raised a force of 400 men to join Bonnie Prince Charlie. She received the prince at Moy Hall. During his visit, a force of government troops attempted to capture him, but were fooled by Lady Anne into believing they had walked into the midst of the entire Jacobite army. This incident became known as the “Rout of Moy”, with Lady Anne MacKintosh earning the nickname of “Colonel Anne”.

Moy Hall is still the seat of the MacKintosh chiefs and still holds the bed slept in by Bonnie Prince Charlie.