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Chronicle Group Blurb
This month we will be discussing medieval and early modern genealogies with special reference to origin stories. Although the material we will be focusing on will be post-Reformation, relating to the
Scottish nobility, the mechanics will apply to a whole range of times, places and institutions.
The search and explanation of origins is especially interesting, as every noble, king, kingdom, monastery, church, trade and so forth would have been keenly aware of their own foundation legend and their own pedigree and line of succession; from warriors being ennobled after some heroic and bloody deed on some ancient battlefield, to lofty saints converting the hairy heathen, performing miracles and founding churches and monasteries.
We will be asking what the purpose of all this was and will explore some of the mechanics involved, such as notions of upgrading or forgetting ancestors, as expressed in the attached article about the genealogies of the Campbell Earls of Argyll. Were genealogists committed to a search for historical truth, or motivated by rather more cynical concerns of self-aggrandisement and chasing literary fashions? What was the their purpose; were they designed to promote landed interests, prove status, were they simply harmless good fun or were they just ripping yarns?
Attached are two origin stories, both of the first half of the seventeenth century, although both clearly showcase much older elements.
Edited and Translated Genealogy of the Keith Earls Marischal from Ogston, W., Oratio
Funebris, in obitum maximi virorum Georgii, Marischalli Comitis (Edward Raban,
Aberdeen, 1623)
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...And so that this the truth of the matter may become known to you all, and not (listeners) that you may judge to be false, with faith by the will of God I will recall aloud from memory, that which I learned in person two years before from our most illustrious Earl concerning the ancient origin of the
Keiths, which he himself had chosen and produced and from the histories of the most educated men, of Tacitus, Munster, Fordon, Boece (how great learning, erudition and superiority of intelligence he posessed).
Emperor Augustus Caesar having attended the highest point of all things, with the affairs of home tranquil, no war or tempest at that time, except against the Germans, (If I may use the words of
Tacitus) intended to destroy the disgrace caused when the army of Quintilius Varus was lost, also motivated by greed of enlarging the empire. Descended from Claudius Drusus, who had risen by being the stepson of Augustus, a man with elevated and excellent mind, and tested in war, was placed in command for this employment by imperial decree, with eight legions upon the Rhine. And without delay he happily carried the matter, with battle he suppressed the Germans and he conquered for
Roman control. And, with trouble, after this victory, discord had arisen in the camps, because peace had softened the minds of the soldiers, and the generals strove to remove these recent issues, so they drove on with new war, having turned toward the entangled Chatti, a warlike and gallant people bordering upon the Germans. And since the Romans arrived there so unexpectedly, that they could not defend themselves, they tried in vain for conditions of peace, a certain number took refuge in
Germany, the remaining number abandoned their towns and villages and dispersed through the forests. The spread out Chatti were not suffered to migrate but chased away and scattered, abandoning ancestral homes, fleeing into Belgium or lower Germany.
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The Belgians either from fear or from hasty panic of the most famous people commanded them by threatening message to depart immediately from their borders. The Chatti, unequal to the Belgians,
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MKP 2014 and not being able to resist them, obeyed. Therefore, having prepared a fleet of ships and laden with supplies with all things for the journey from the country, they thence untied the broad sails to reach the sea, they surrendered themselves to halt in whatever place uncertain fate would carry them. At length after divers events and prolonged wandering by land and sea, fate spreading them out, one group reached the English shore, and landed on the estuary of the Thames; the other true group turned toward Scotland, and reached the northern limit of it first (from whence we get the name
Caithness, as it were, the headland of the Chattie) and there was chosen for home. One group was called the Eucline Chatti by Camden, the English historian; the other group, in order to distinguish them, were called the Maeliboean Chatti by our fellow countryman Fordun, that most faithful chronicler. The Scots frightened into panic by the recent arrival, proceeded to prepare in arms.
Against this the Chatti they arrayed two legions, and the Chatti assigned footsoldiers, arranged ranks and with one attack they confronted the foe, they struck, they killed, or made them fly towards a mountainous exile.
And with victory acquired, the Northern Chatti spread far and wide, and inhabited the southern maritime lands, which indeed, built the strongest Castle, with rampart and walls for protection to repel enemy attacks, which, even now, for this triumphant monument the name was dedicated by its chosen people, that is to say, Chattinburgh, now Edinburgh, meaning the town of the Chatti, Inchkeith, meaning the island of the Chatti; Keithlais, meaning the vale of the Chatti; and many other names still in our presence. Meanwhile the Scots kept the mountains, and they did not attempt anything against the Chatti, until renewed from superior strong warriors, they waited so that they might encounter the favourable opportunity to carry the matter, which indeed they did not seize after many opportunities, and with force and arms they eventually drove the Chatti to the borders of their homelands, and again to mountainous exile.
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Afterwards with settled minds in parlay the weapons were restrained in peace on both sides, and great mountainous estates were granted to the Chatti by the copious leniency of the Scots (and ever since most of which is called in the popular name, and agreed to be held by CLAN CHATTAN) in perpetuity.
Therefore, with the matters of the country arranged, our Scotland was settled many years in total serenity, and the domestic stability was not tested or disturbed, nor daily life insulted by foreigners.
But fickle fate, accustomed to be rolled backwards, did not allow uninterrupted peace. Behold it is scattered by the rumours in the crowd that dreadful wars were threatened, and then the rumour was uttered that a strong host of Danes had crossed the sea to this place, and our country pondered most miserable destruction. With which tidings Malcolm, at that time King of the Scots, with the roused nobles of the kingdom, decided in council, that in order that they may strengthen the forces and arms against the enemy, with chosen help from all directions with grace they decided to ask the Chatti's envoy for assistance; who brought to place powerful auxiliaries of mighty armed strength. By this time the Danes had entered the estuary of the River Tay, as those who lived nearby ran, spreading in panic, no one holding back, as they disembarked their soldiers on the shore of Angus. When the King learned of their arrival, he came before the stories of their punishments, and at first attacked the scattered foragers, and compelled them to flee back to the remaining army, indeed with less carnage because the encampment of the Danes was not far away. When the approach was noticed on each side, without delay the battle lines arranged, near equal in souls, and Malcolm attacked with force, near the village of Barry, until, with a favouring divine will, victory resulted for the Scots, steadfastly fighting on behalf of hearth and home. But Camus, commander of the Danish army, with a small group of noble kin, ignorant of the location, watched for the distant mountains (reckoning the road to be open there in
Moray) he strove to flee: however; he barely progressed two thousand steps, the Scots following, and, surrounded by the Chatti, he, with all there, perished.
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The defeated Camus gives the names to the area, and in that very spot, for everlasting memory of the event, an obelisk was erected.
Truly the principle striker of Camus, the young illustrious and noble ROBERT KEITH, or rather
CHATTUS in the restrained German expression of the name, had struck with enormous courage against the forces of the Danes, who were beaten back. For such great merit, land in Lothian and other locations were bestowed in the kingdom and the office of royal Master of Feasts, usually designated Marischal, were entrusted by the kindness of King Malcolm, the origin and beginning of the greatly distinguished Keith family for all time. And many descendants sprout from this Robert, as like shoot and branch, from very humble and armoured military service, to the most famous men in war and peace, the very same office of Marischal was legitimised in succession, with this for seven hundred years now, who at no time of treason or betrayal, either blemished the forefathers with any minor offence, or to our own age, noted themselves with popularity, which having been earned for the
Scottish Kingdom, widely recognised all the way to the work of our man, whom will be decided with certainty, or considered indifferently, in the histories of our country. I leave unsaid the famous leader of the same name, ROBERT KEITH, who having lost his father ROBERT 1 and a number of kindred in the contest of the Duplin, assumed arms, actively avenged their destruction, he alone subdued the City of Perth, he began by besieging the enemy and overthrew the city walls, in the YEAR of CHRIST, 1332.
I pass over the brave hero, WILLIAM KEITH, who destroyed an enemy army and having captured the commander, he was celebrated by King DAVID II, in the year 1337. I pass by WILLIAM KEITH, the eldest son of the Earl of MARISCHAL, of the same family and title but different and more unhappy story, who bravely fought for the fatherland, but was captured by the enemy, in the year 1557.
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I am silent about many notable men born from the family, very famous with glory of the bourn issue and striving to equal that ancestral virtue: indeed I am not able to count them all save for a few
(although the virtue of every one is deserving to be assembled in the light) from this greatest stage, in whom the appearance of time honoured glory may be seen, and who all may be able to be called forth for the equal prize of excellence. And can anyone therefore deny that this family is more experienced, if the noble birth that is founded in antiquity is the noblest of all? If it may stand out in brilliance and virtue of greatness, to be the most renowned of all whom at some time were ever produced by
SCOTLAND?
National Archives of Scotland GD124/5/13/1
Extract of the Genealogy of the Earls of Mar the origin story- note that the transcription was made in
a hurry, but it at least gives a flavour of the original.
1.
Recto
[First line dameaged]
Mowat off L loff... in Norway and... Sir...
Rossenkrantz Baron of Rosendale the Chancellar off Norway where it still rema ... untill brought down to the Chancellors Bibliothick in Denmark out of which book this pedigree is copied with many more genealogies of Scotland and England who formally are progenerat of the Danes and Norwegians two ancient and honourable natiouns.
1.
Verso
A drawn family tree of the Earls of Mar. Includes a beautiful coat of arms.
1 Elsewhere referred to as his grandfather.
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2.
Recto
Some historian writeres & genealogists says that Odin had a son called Bato who was King of Saxsen anno christi 260, whose son should have been Vecta, who was not Odins own, bot his sons son who succeeded to his father Bato as King of Sexsen anno 350, to whom succeeded his son Whitgessell king of Saxsen who lived anno 400, his espouse was Cleatilda, daughter to Gondibald King of Burgendy by whom he begate Hengist, Horsus, Soda and Mogen of whom we will fader speak.
Hengest son of Whitgessell to him was born Hengisterholt in Saxon language, Wagrien or Wagerland, and with his broyder Prince Tislungus and their good brother Greim, accompanied Fergus son of
Grutus son of Ethoduus who after his brother Eugenius the 1 th was the 39 th King of Scotland and slain by the Romans and Picts anno 370 and all the Scots banished with him. Ethodus with his young son
Ertus fled unto Agmund King of Denmark who received and entertained them kindly. Ertus matched there with Rocha daughter to Olaff King of Denmark who was King Ogumunds sister whose father was
Widrich Werlandey a great nobleman of Skoone who formally had been regent of Denmark.
This Fergus son of Ertus and Rorka, a prince of much valour, who growing in years and his father and grandfather both deceased out of ane innate hatred against the Romans, joined with the Ffrenches in the war thay made upon the Gauls that were subject to the Romans; that expedition not succeeding he followed Allarick King of the Goths and was with him at the sack of Rome. Allarick dying, he served under Atholip his successor and by the fortunat exploits he had purchased the reputatone of a great captain. Who farder wish to know of this Kings actions may search the Chronicles.
Bot in anno 404 after he had married Guida daughter to the King of Denmark bot Dapsom was son of
Carrans King of Britain second son of Athirco King of Scotland and this man was generall of ane arme of Denmark and was married upon Moga, Hengists sister, who was mother to King Fergus wife by which alliance they were all great haters to the Romans. A great number of Danes and Norwegian nobility and gentry followed and imployed themselves in the kings service and afterwards were richly gifted with lands and benefices by him, of which nobility and gentry did defende these surnames as
Hendersons, Andersons, Greirsons, Neitsons, Donaldsons, Davidsons, Williamsons, Hutchingsons,
Dickesons, Robertsons, Lansons, Thomsons and after a natural son of the kings born in Denmark defended the Fergussons, Item the Patersons, Simpsons, Pearsons, Johnsons and more such like
2.
Verso for the danes used no other surnames in these times. the king was asisted lyke ways by the Picts and
Irisss and after he was landed in the Firth of Murray from thence marching directly to Argyle where he was crowned upon his marble chair as had been all his predecessors. Hengist remianed in the King’s service till he in the 16 th year of his reign was slain in a battle by the Romans and afterward the King being assisted by Eugenius the second king of Scotland with an arme of 4000 men by which he conquest in Briten Kent and was taking anno 456. Some anthir says he was king in Walis and reigned
43 yeirs. Some say he dyed in Kent, bot some says he was imprisoned by Aurelius Ambrosius and beheaded in Comysborrough. His spouse was Marta sister of King Fergus there children were
Hatwather, Orka, Pacentius and Ersha as further shall be remembered.
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