Clan Chattan is one of the oldest Highland clans; however its history is quite complex and almost has to be told in two separate parts, as you cannot discuss the Clan Chattan history without also discussing the history of the Clan MacKintosh.Clan Chattan means the clan of the cats. The Clan Chattan is believed to have descended from Gillichattan Mor, who was "Servant of St. Chattan" and had the galley coat-of-arms. Clan Chattan was founded in Lochaber at the close of the thirteenth century. The Clan consisted of various families or septs, bearing diverse names, who had banded themselves together under one chief for mutual protection.Eva was descended from Gillichattan Mor and her father was Gilpatric, or Dougal Dall, sixth in line from Gillichattan Mor. In 1291 Eva married Angus Mackintosh, sixth chief Mackintosh.In 1291 the Chattan chief gave to Angus Mackintosh, with his daughter Eva, the chiefship of Clan Chattan and the lands of Glenloy and Loch Arkaig. The chieftanship of Clan Chattan was regarded as a hereditary honor, and the son-in-law became Chief in right of his wife, just as the husband of a Scottish countess became earl in her right.On the death of Dougal, Angus Mackintosh succeeded to the lands and chiefship of Clan Chattan, with the approval of the entire clan, and lived at Torcastle. Angus was the seventh Chief of Clan Chattan and sixth Chief of Mackintosh.Clan Mackintosh's earliest authentic ancestry is traced to Shaw MacDuff, son of the third Earl of Fife, who was of the Royal Family. MacDuff took the name of Mackintosh "Mac-an-Toisich" which means son of the Chief or Thane. In 1163 he came to the north to suppress a rebellion. As a reward for his services, he was made keeper of the Royal Castle of Inverness. Shaw Mackintosh, the first Chief of the Clan, died in 1179.Captain Farquharson of Invercauld writes: "Greetings to the Clan Chattan Association from Clan Farquharson and many congratulations on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. We are bound by ancestral ties of kinship and members all of a large and diverse family long since scattered throughout the wide world. No longer are we driven to join forces as of yore by the necessity of seeking common protection against our enemies. Instead we now come together with the outstretched hand of friendship, conscious of our heritage, and with determination to carry forward our proud Banners toward a better future. If our Clan Chattan motto should seem to others to boast an overweening feline fury, may it ever be seen none the less to stand in defence of those traditions and qualities of character most worthy of our past.Myspace Layouts
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