Clan Mackintosh

Clan Mackintosh
Mac-an-tòisich
Crest: A cat-a-mountain salient guardant Proper
Motto	Touch Not The Cat Bot A Glove ("Touch not the cat without a glove") & Loch Moigh - Rallying Cry
War cry	Loch Moigh
Profile
Region	Highland
District	Inverness
Plant badge	Red whortleberry, bearberry, or boxwood
Chief
John Mackintosh of Mackintosh
(An t-Ailpeanach)
Seat	Moy Hall
Historic seat	Moy Castle on Loch Moy
Septs of Clan Mackintosh Adamson, Ayson, Aysons, Clark, Clarke, Clarkson, Clerk, Crerar, Dallas, Elder, Esson, Glen, Glennie, Gollan, Hardie, Hardy, Heggie, MacAndrew, MacAy, MacCardney, MacClerich, MacChlery, MacConchy, Macglashan, Machardie, Machardy, Machay, Mackeggie, MacKillican, MacLerie, MacNiven, MacRitchie, Niven, Noble, Ritchie, Tarril, Tosh, Toshach
Clan branches Mackintosh of Mackintosh (chiefs) Mackintosh of Borlum (senior cadets)
Allied clans Chattan Confederation Clan Mackenzie Clan Macpherson Clan Campbell
Rival clans Clan Cameron Clan Comyn Clan Gordon Clan Munro

Clan Mackintosh (Clann Mhic an Tòisich) is a Scottish clan from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The chiefs of the Clan Mackintosh are also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation, a historic confederation of clans.

The Scottish Gaelic word toisiche means leader and can also be translated as chief. The seanachies of the Clan Mackintosh claim that the first chief of the clan was Shaw, second son of Duncan MacDuff, Earl of Fife of the royal house of Dál Riata. In 1160 Shaw MacDuff accompanied Malcolm IV of Scotland on an expedition to suppress a rebellion in Morayshire. In about 1163 he was also made constable of Inverness Castle and was granted land in the Findhorn valley. The heart land of the clan was the lands of Petty which was also the burial place of the chiefs. In 1179 Shaw MacDuff was succeeded by his son who was also called Shaw and was confirmed in his patrimony by William the Lion.

In 1263, during the Scottish–Norwegian War, Ferquhar Mackintosh, the fifth chief led his clan at the Battle of Largs against the army of Haakon IV of Norway. However he was killed in a duel in 1265 leaving his infant son, Angus, as heir.

Angus Mackintosh was brought up in the court of his uncle, Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles, chief of Clan Donald. In 1291 a splendid match was arranged for Angus when he married Eva, the only daughter of Dougal Dal, chief of the Clan Chattan, which brought Angus the lands of Glenloy and Loch Arkaig. Angus and Eva lived on the lands of the Clan Chattan at Tor Castle but they later withdrew to Rothiemurchus. After this the Clan Chattan developed into the Chattan Confederation, a confederation of independent Scottish clans that was led by the Mackintosh chiefs. However their leadership was unsuccessfully challenged over the centuries by the Clan Macpherson who were part of the confederation. From this point onwards Clan Mackintosh and Chattan history is inextricably entwined.