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Duncan de Atholl of Glenerochie, Earl of Atholl[1]

Male Abt 1310 - 1355  (~ 45 years)


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  • Name Duncan de Atholl of Glenerochie 
    Suffix Earl of Atholl 
    Nickname 1st Chief of Clan DONNACHAIDH 
    Born Abt 1310  Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 1355  Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • {geni:about_me} Duncan de ATHOLIA first wife was the daughter of Malcolm, 5th Earl of Lennox.

      He was married 2nd to Agnes MOOR, daughter of Ewen de ENSALIS & Mrs Ensalis nee MOOR or MEER

      Duncan's Gaelic name was 'Donnachaid Reamhar'.

      The Clan's first recognized Chief was Donnachadh Reamhair, or "Stout Duncan", who led the clan and supported Bruce during the wars of Scottish independence which culminated in Bruce's famous victory at Bannockburn on June 24, 1314 over Edward II's army.
      The most precious clan relic, the celebrated rock crystal charm stone of the clan, the "Clach na Brataich" or "ensign stone", was unearthed when the chief's standard pole was pulled from the ground while on the march to Bannockburn. It has been carried by all chiefs since then when leading the clan to battle.
      Stout Duncan had four sons. The three younger sons: Patrick, Thomas and Gibbon, were outlawed by King Robert III for their part in leading the daring "Raid of Angus" in 1392 which garnered 3,000 head of fat Angus cattle, laid waste the district of Angus and resulted in the death of the Sheriff of Angus and a host of his followers who had pursued the clan back to Atholl.
      --------------------
      The Chiefs of Clan Donnachaidh are numbered from this Duncan the Stout (stout in battle rather than in belly), although there is now strong theory that the Clan originator would have been his paternal great-grandfather, Duncan, son of Malcolm, 2nd Celtic Earl of Atholl.

      Had a charters for the lands of Discher and Toyer from Duncan, Earl of Fife, in around 1343 and the lands of Appin of Dull from John, Bishop of Dunkeld, in December 1355 and in both of which he is styled as son of Andrew de Atholia. He held lands in Rannoch from his first wife, and succeeded to the lands of Glenerochie (Glen Errochty) and was an adherent of King Robert I (The Bruce), with whom he fought at the battle of Bannockburn in June of 1314. His son Robert (perhaps called after Bruce) inherited land from his own mother and his estate ran from the edge of the Grampians to the gates of Perth.
    • http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=9246&id=I10016

      Name: Duncan de Atholia Sex: M Birth: ABT 1290 Note:
      Note: Duncan de Atholia, 5th of Glenerochee, the 1st Chief of the Clan Donnachaidh, which took its name from him. He was a supporter of King Robert II and was taken prisoner by the English with his son, Robert, while serving under King David II, at the battle of Durham, Oct. 17, 1346. He is said to have married a daughter of Malcolm, 5th Earl of Lennox, who brought Rannoch as her tocher.
      From "A Genealogy of the Robertson Family" by Edna Augusta Robertson Vacher, Washington DC 1942, found in Library of Congress and also in DAR Library, Washington, DC:

      From A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, Enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank But Uninvested with Heritable Honours, by John Burke, Esq, in Four Volumes, London: Henry Colburn, Publisher, 1977. Found at University of California - Davis, Shields Library. Duncan de Atholia obtained various charters to his different possessions, in all of which he is styled "Duncanus filius Andreoe de Atholia", and from him the clan takes its name of Clandonnochie, or Children of Duncan. He was succeeded by his son, Robert de Atholia.

      A History of the Highlands and of the Highland Clans, by James Browne, Esq, Vol. IV, A Fullarton & Co. 100 Brunswick Street, Glasgow, 1838. Found at Shields Library, University of California, Davis, page 462: Duncan, surnamed the Fat, married a daughter of a certain Callum Rua, or Malcolm the Red-haired, who, being styled Leamnach, is supposed to have been connected with the earls of Lennox;. and by the lady he acquired a considerable addition to his lands, including the southern divisiion of the glen or district of Rannoch. From Duncan the Fat, who appeares to have possessed extensive territoires in the wild and mountainous parts of Athole, the clan derived their distinctive appelation; and the same corpulent personage is the hero of many traditionary stories which still survive in the memory of the people. He was succeeded by his son, Robert de Atholia, who, having married a daughter of Sir John Sterling of Gleaesk, obtained by her part of her father's property, which, however, his daughter Jean afterwards carried into the family of Menzies of Fothergill.

      From"The Scottish Highlanders" by Charles MacKinnon of Dunakin, 1984, Barnes & Noble, New York, page 228-9: The Robertsons are known in Gaelic as clan Donnachaidh after Duncan, who led the clan at Bannockburn in 1314. ". . . 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. "

      Duncan was the 1st Chief of Clan DONNACHAIDH
      and fought with the BRUCE, King Robert I at Bannockburn
    • From http://www.stirnet.com/HTML/genie/british/qr/robertson01.htm#link1 at
      Stirnet Genealogy
      Families Database
      http://www.stirnet.com/HTML/genie/genfam.htm
      This has a huge amount of information on hundreds (and rapidly increasing), mostly landed, families in 3 categories listed below. It is more "user friendly" than most in that it shows many generations on one page.
      I - Ancient & Mythical
      II - Continental Families - Medieval & Renaissance
      III - British Families - Medieval, Renaissance & Modern
      (Note they also say "We will soon be offering CDs of the database for sale at a modest price.")
      Sources at http://www.stirnet.com/HTML/genie/gensourc.htm

      "Duncan de Atholl, 5th of Glenerochie, 1st Chief (a 1346)
      Duncan is generally accepted as the first Chief of the Clan Donnachaidh which took its name from him. In the early 15th century when (for the first time) many families chose lasting family names, the head of the family was Robert (4th Chief) and members of the senior family in the Clan took Robertson as their family name. In support of their chief, many of their kinsmen took that name also although others preferred names such as Duncanson or MacDonachie.
      m. dau of Malcolm, 5th Earl of Lennox
      1. Robert de Atholl, 6th of Glenerochie
      m1. dau of Sir John de Striveling of Glenesk
      A. Jean de Atholl
      m. Alexander Menzies of Fotheringill
      m2. heiress of Fordill
      B. Duncan de Atholl, 7th of Glenerochie

      m2. heiress of Glentilt
      2. Patrick de Atholl of Lude (a 1358, d after 1392)

      A. Donald de Atholl of Lude (a 02.1447
      3. Thomas de Atholl of Strathloch
      A. Matilda
      m. Alexander 'Ruadh' de Atholl of Strathloch (a 1451) just above
      4. Gibbon de Atholl (a 1392) "
    Person ID I6000000009988575069  Ancestors of Donald Ross
    Last Modified 28 Sep 2017 

    Father Andrew de Atholl, 4th of Glenerochie 
    Family ID F6000000065467345119  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Helen Forrester, Countess of Lennox,   b. Abt 1294, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Robert mac Donnachadh de Atholl of Glenerochie,   b. 1330, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1392, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 62 years)
    Last Modified 14 Mar 2021 
    Family ID F6000000002188811156  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart