Research Log - Robertson Clan (Duncan)

The Robertsons are known in Gaelic as clan Donnachaidh after Duncan, who led the clan at Bannockburn in 1314. The clan continued to be known as Duncan until around 1450, when hey adopted the name of Robert, one of their chiefs who captured two of the murderers of King James I and handed them over to justice.

The clan's early history is obscure, several accounts being given - one that they are descended from the MacDonalds, another that they descend from the old Earls of Atholl, and yet another that they belong to the Kindred of Columba and would thus descend from very early Irish kings. 

Duncan who led the clan at Bannockburn seems to be the earliest chief on record, and it is from his son Robert that the Robertsons of Struan descend. Their chiefly title of Struan-Robertson is derived from their Struan lands which were ereced into a free barony in 1451. The question of style was a matter of chiefly choice, and the Robertson chief could just as easily have elected to be called the MacDuncan or the MacRobert of MacRobert. 

William Struan was killed by the Earl of Atholl in 1530, and the Earl seized nearly half of the clan lands. The 11th laird died in 1636 leaving an infant to succeed him, and the child's uncle Donald became the captain of the clan during his infancy. He was a supporter of Charles I and followed Montrose in all his campaigns. He is said to have accounted personally for nineteen enemy dead at the Battle of Inverlochy. 

Alexander Robertson of Struan who was born in 1669 was one of the most remarkable Jacobites of all. He succeeded to the chiefship in 1688 and as a youngster of nineteen took his clan out in support of Viscount Dundee, James VII's general in Scotland. He was attainted for treason and had to go into exile, but Queen Anne pardoned him in 1703 and he came back to Scotland. In 1715 he joined the Earl of Mar when he raised the Jacobite standard. He was captured at Sheriffmuir but escaped, and was recaptured shortly afterwards and again escaped. Once again he went into exile in France.

Yet again he was pardoned, in 1731, and came home again, aged sixty-two - no doubt regarded as harmless by the Government in London.

When the Jacobite standard was raised again at Glenfinnan in 1745, old Struan was seventy-six. He was too old to lead the clan in the field, but he sent them out nevertheless. After the collapse of Jacobite hopes in 1746, the Government sensibly decided to turn a blind eye to his pro-Jacobite dealigns, and he was permitted to live out his life in peace, dying in 1749 aged eigthy.

There were not many Highland chiefs who could boast in 1745 that they had been serving the Stuarts ever since they fought with Bonnie Dundee in 1688! Struan proably merits a special prize for long service to the Stuart cause, and the clan battle-cry of 'Garg'n uair dhuis gear,' meaning 'Fierce when roused,' fitted him perfectly. 

Loch Tay

The clan's principal possessions were on Loch Tay and Loch Rannoch, and the chief's early seat was Dun Alister at one end of Loch Rannoch. There were branches of the clan further north in Inverness-shire. The clan Skene is believed to be descended from one of the early Struan-Robertson chiefs. 

Information taken from Charles MacKinnon's book The Scottish Highlanders, New York, NY: Barnes & Noble, 1984.