Red Harlaw, 1411 ⚔️ Scotland’s Largest EVER Clan Battle

The Battle of Harlaw, fought on July 24, 1411, was one of Scotland's largest and bloodiest Clan battles. This fierce clash between Highlanders, led by Donald of Islay and Lowlanders, commanded by the Earl of Mar, Alexander Stewart, centered on a dispute over the Earldom of Ross. Despite their numerical superiority, Donald's 10,000-strong force faced stiff resistance from Mar's 2,000 better armoured men. The battle's intensity and high casualties earned it the name "Red Harlaw." The after effects of this battle would accelerate the already deepening cultural divide between the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland.
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0:00 - Introduction
2:03 - Political Landscape of Scotland prior to the Battle
3:34 - The Earldom of Ross
4:38 - Donald of Islay attacks The Earldom of Ross
5:34 - The Battle of Dingwall, 1411
6:20 - The Highlanders March Eastwards
7:30 - Nobles meeting at Kildrummy Castle, 1410
9:03 - The Earl of Mar Assembles an Army
10:49 - The Earl of Mar Advances to Attack Donald
12:05 - Donald Prepares His Army To Charge
12:59 - The Battle Begins
17:11 - The Battle Breaks Off For The Day
17:45 - Alexander of Drum & Red Hector MacLean Duel
18:45 - Casualty Estimates of Both Armies
19:30 - Preparing to Fight The Next Day
21:10 - Who Won The Battle?
23:16 - High Number of Nobility Casualties in The Lowland Army
23:53 - Final Thoughts
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[Veracity-jk]

I think with clan Donald's rowing across the seas from the isles and then the ransacking of Dingwall and Inverness gaining all that booty and marching over 60 miles to the battle of Harlaw fighting all day and marching 60 miles back with most of their army intact and walking back to their ships for over 120 miles, then rowing back over the sea, I think one could call that a successful raid and battle.
I think all your videos are amazing and informative and I like your calm, clear, and engaging delivery with no gimmicks, well done.
Keep it real.

[stephenpotts]

I don’t know if you are aware, but a sword from this battle survives in the Guildhall in Aberdeen. Each of the Guilds in Aberdeen supplied trained men for the Earl of Mar’s army. There are notes and letters showing that in 1793 Donald Cameron of Lochiel asked the Wrights and Coopers Guild if he could have the sword of his ancestors returned to him. They agreed and in return he gifted them a modern sword and set of dirks. At some point the original sword from the Battle at Harlan was returned to the Guild. Both swords and dirks, along with the supporting letters are displayed together in the Guildhall.

[Brae]

Wow, I am an Inverurie local and amazed this has came up in my suggestions. I know much of the history around my town and happy to see some of it represented in your video. Great vid about my local culture and history. Brilliant backdrop too having Bennachie in the background, another interesting fact about the area is that the "hill" known as Bennachie is also one of the most agreed upon or believed location by historians for the battle of Mons Graupius. Some other notable battles are the battle of Inverurie (Barra) 1304 starring Robert the Bruce and the second battle of Inverurie 1745. Pretty important and significant events in Scottish history for such a small and almost unheard of town. I hope people find some of this additions just as interesting.

[daledavidson]

Hey bud, Amazing history, enjoyed it greatly. Old Hickory, TN 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[marbethnix]

Totally loving your videos, growing up in scotland we get a very narrow history at school, there is so much more to our story 😊

[robertthebruce-geniusofban]

I get a real sense of place walking the ground there Nico!!!

[billwinship]

Great video, I bet both sides were glad not to continue fighting on day two so in that context they were all winners and very lucky to walk away!

[reyesmarina]

Amazing history and informative, great vlog Son in law .

[brucepaul]

Thank you, very interesting discussion. I would appreciate to see you do something on trials by combat in Scotland such as the battle of champions between Gunn and Kieth or the North Inch between Chattan and Cameron. Keep them coming.

[Wee_Langside]

The Battle of Altimarlach 13 July 1680, near Wick,  Caithness, Scotland. Campbells of Glenorchy and Sinclairs of Caithness was the last verse clan battle.

[GermanaMirza]

About who won: The ones probably thought "we gave them a good beating, now let us stop before our losses start to get really grave", while the others thought: "We were saved! We did not get destroyed". So indeed both sides "won". It was important to them to be able to hold their head high. And maybe the loss of two important captains brought to the Donalds´s minds, that this was dead serious, not just being brave and looking fierce. They started to grieve.

[alalder]

Interesting! There's a folk song about Harlaw, modern I think, and by the Corries 1979'ish. I don't think the song is historically accurate but its fun and evocative.

[RMedich]

Interesting getting the local history. Cheers. We have so much but don’t know a lot about it. Used to cycle past the monument years ago, will stop next time.

[GermanaMirza]

Yes, I can imagine, that they got exhausted! I have seen "real" full contact fighting contests conducted with authentic armour and weapons - yes, they do get exhausted quite quickly, get red in the face, start panting, close in on each other´s shields and kind of hang on each other, can barely lift their arms any and are more or less helpless in that state of Great story, great video, again! 👍👍
😃

[kern]

In battles such as these there are no winners only survivors no doubt donald of islay felt grief after losing dearly trusted friends and for the men of the earl of mar being traumatised as they thought they were marching into battle only to be slaughtered like cattle may they rest in peace.

[mouthforwar]

What's interesting to me as a Leslie, is that after so many Leslies died at Harlaw, apparently there were Leslies later arrested with Donald's son John. John's mother was a Leslie, but there was also some conflict between the Leslies and the authorities of the area due to a feud with the Forbeses, which took place a few years after Harlaw. I wonder if that feud caused some Leslies to hedge their bets with the MacDonalds instead

[darrenmichie]

Thanks for this never knew much about this, heard of it in the past but never knew the history of it, a question was the Earl of Marr the same as the later Marr?, I live in Alloa and we have an Earl of Marr (Alloa Tower is is his building)maybe a connection? Great video Thank you.

[swankiey]

MATE, they had the best armour in Europe but failed to mitigate some kind of water holder. The ancient man had a pigs bladder with the ability to hold water. Really annoying, people with expensive armour that don't have a canteen of any form. Good vibes and information on all other accounts 😅

[normanclarke]

I live right next to there I never knew, 👍

[adamjmacrae]

There is local legend of hosies well near the mithers tap has a connection to reed harlaw, look it up it’s an interesting story