Clan Macgregor

"Rob Roy" MacGregor was born at Glengyle, on Loch Katarine. The mention of his name suggests clanship and heroic barbaric Scotland. Few of Scott's works have more readers than "Rob Roy," or can be more closely localized in character and scene than this fourth novel of the Waverley series, published in 1817. It is associated with the first attempt of the exiled Stuarts to regain their throne in 1715, as is "Waverley" with the second attempt in 1745. In "Rob Roy's country," the haunt of his "robber clan" is on Loch Lomond; the cave where his raids were planned, the prison where prisoners where suspended by ropes until their ransom was agreed upon; and twelve miles from Callendar, at Balquhidder village, is the grave of this last predatory Highland chieftain, celebrated by the poem of Wordsworth, "Rob Roy's Grave."

Before reading the story, or the poem, it would be well to read a history of this remarkable clan, whose vicissitudes the "Great Magician" perpetuates in his poem "MacGregor's Gathering." History tells that in 831, when Picts and Scots were contending for the mastery, there was a king of the Scots named Alpin. His son Kenneth conquered the Picts, and the crowns were then united. King Kenneth had a son named Gregor, who, according to Gaelic fashion, would be called Gregor MacKenneth MacAlpin, and from this Celtic king the MacGregors claimed descent. There is an old Gaelic saying that,

"Hills, waters, and MacAlpins are the three oldest things in Albion."

From the time of the invasion of Edward I., 1296 until 1774, the MacGregors were a doomed people. When the laws proscribing the MacGregors were repealed, eight hundred and twenty-six persons cast off assumed names, and were glad and proud to sign a petition calling upon a descendant of the ancient family to resume the honors of Chief of the Clan MacGregor.