Clan Shaw

Mac Ghille Sheathanaich

Motto

Fide et fortitudine (By fidelity and fortitude)

War cry

"Na Bean Ris A Chat" (Touch not the cat)

Profile

Region

Highland

District

Strathspey

Plant badge

Red whortleberry

Pipe music

The Rothiemurchus Rant, The Shaws March

Chief

John Shaw of Tordarroch

Historic seat

Doune of Rothiemurchus

Septs of Clan Shaw

Adamson, Adamsone, Ademson, Ademsoun, Ademsoune, Aesone, Aison, Aissone, Aissoun, Aissoune, Asson, Assone, Aue, Ave, Ay, Aye, Ayesone, Ayson, Aysone, Aysoun, Ayssoun, Eason, Easone, Easson, Esson, Ison, Isone, MacAy, Saythe, Scaith, Scayth, Schau, Schaw, Schawe, Scheoch, Scheok, Schiach, Schioch, Schioche, Seah, Seath, Seith, Seth, Sha, Shau, Shawe, Shay, Sheach, Sheath, Sheehan, Sheoch, Shiach, Siache, Sith, Sithach, Sithech, Sithig, Skaith, Sythach, Sythag, Sythock, Tordarroch

Allied clans
Chattan Confederation Clan Mackintosh

Rival clans
Clan Comyn Clan Cameron

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Clan Shaw is a Highland Scottish clan and is a member of the Chattan Confederation.

The progenitor of the Clan Shaw is believed to be one Shaw MacDuff who was a younger son of Duncan, the Thane or Earl of Fife, who was a descendant of Kenneth MacAlpin. Shaw MacDuff was made keeper of Inverness Castle, which was a strategic royal castle, by Malcolm IV of Scotland. His heirs were known as the Mhic anToiseach when means the sons of the Thane and they supported the royal government, consolidating their power around Inverness. Shaw's grandson was Shaw Macwilliam, who in 1263 acquired lands at Rothiemurchus. His son was Farquhard who due to problems with their powerful neighbors the Clan Comyn, made an alliance with the Clan Donald by marrying Mora, daughter of Aonghas Mór, Lord of Islay. Farquhard's son was Angus Mackintosh, 6th chief of Clan Mackintosh who married Eva, daughter of the chief of Clan Chattan (Chattan Confederation). Eva's second son John-Angus, was the first chief of Clan Shaw.

The feud with the Clan Comyn brought the Chattan Confederation support from Robert the Bruce and they fought for him at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. They also took part in the Scottish invasions of England in 1318 and 1319.

The second chief of Clan Shaw was Shaw Macghillechrist Mhic Iain who was a great grandson of Angus Mackintosh and Eva. He was known as Sgorfhiachlach which means bucktooth and was raised with his cousins at Moy, seat of the Mackintoshes. It seems certain that he was present at the Battle of Invernahavon against the Clan Cameron in 1370. In 1391 Shaw was elected as Captain of Clan Chattan for a raid on Angus under Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan who was known as the "Wolf of Badenoch". In 1396 Shaw was appointed to lead the Clan Chattan at the Battle of the North Inch, a trial by combat against the Clan Cameron, which took place in front of an audience that included Robert III of Scotland and the Dauphin of France.

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Wikipedia