Battle of Alltachuilain

Dunrobin Castle was besieged by both sides prior to the battle

Date	1518 or 1519
Location	Alltachuilain, parish of Loth, county of Sutherland, Scotland
Result	Victory for forces of Elizabeth de Moravia (Elizabeth Sutherland) and Adam Gordon

Belligerents

Clan Sutherland
Clan Gordon (loyal to Elizabeth Sutherland and Adam Gordon)

Clan Sutherland (loyal to Alexander Sutherland)

Commanders and leaders

Alexander Leslie of Kinninuvy
John Moray of Aberscors

Alexander Sutherland, 1st of Killipheder

Strength

Unknown

Casualties and losses

Unknown

All either slain or chased

The Battle of Alltachuilain (or Ald-Quhillin) was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1518 or 1519 in the parish of Loth, county of Sutherland, Scotland. It was fought between factions of the Clan Sutherland in a dispute over the Earldom of Sutherland.

John de Moravia, 9th Earl of Sutherland (also known as John Sutherland), chief of Clan Sutherland died in 1514 leaving no heir. He was succeeded by his younger sister Elizabeth de Moravia, 10th Countess of Sutherland. Elizabeth married Adam Gordon who was a younger son of George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly, chief of the powerful Clan Gordon. Elizabeth and Adam Gordon’s son, Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland, would become the legal heir to the Earldom of Sutherland, however this was disputed by others. Firstly, John Mackay of Strathnaver, chief of the Clan Mackay rose up in opposition to the Gordons who had taken power in Sutherland. Mackay fought against the forces of Elizabeth de Moravia and Adam Gordon at the Battle of Torran Dubh in 1517 where Mackay was defeated. The Sutherland force had been led by Elizabeth’s younger half-brother Alexander Sutherland, who she had persuaded to resist Mackay. However, shortly afterwards Alexander Sutherland married a sister of John Mackay, and according to one account Mackay tampered with Alexander Sutherland to renew his claim to the Earldom. Alexander Sutherland then claimed the Earldom of Sutherland for himself as the rightful heir.

According to the Gordon account, Adam Gordon offered Alexander Sutherland reasonable terms and conditions which he refused. The clans and tribes of Sutherland then broke into factions and Alexander Sutherland had won great favour amongst them, having both the support of the Earl of Caithness and John Mackay, whose sister he had recently married. While Adam Gordon was in Strathbogie (now known as Huntly, home of his family the Gordons of Huntly) Alexander Sutherland, with a great company of men, laid siege to Dunrobin Castle the principal seat of the Earls and Countesses of Sutherland, which he eventually succeeded in taking before Adam Gordon had returned.

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Wikipedia