The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. VI] O F S C O T L A N D 85
and more level part of the country north of the Tay, and had
colonised these districts with a Norwegian race. The Saxon
conquest under Edgar, for such it was in its effects, now confined
them altogether to the mountainous districts of the country,
and peopled the remainder of the Lowlands with Saxons and
Normans. The tvv^o Teutonic races who were now placed
contiguous to each other, and together occupied the whole of
the Lowlands, gradually amalgamated and formed that Gothic
race which now occupies that portion of the country, while
the Gael were confined within those limits to which they have
ever since been restricted.
During the whole of Edgar's reign, the Highlanders do not
appear to have made any attempt to disturb him in the possession
of the crown ; but in the beginning of that of his
successor, Alexander I., the district of Moray
had so far
recovered from the blow which Malcolm Kenmore's conquest
of the north had inflicted upon it, as to enable them to offer
considerable opposition to the government.
In this the Highlanders appear to have been instigated by
Ladman, a son of Donald Bane, who probably desired to revenge
his father's death, and attempted to seize the person of the king,
by a sudden and unexpected attack upon him while at his palace
of Invergourie.
Alexander, however, succeeded in escaping from their
clutches, and with equal promptitude and boldness he summoned
as many of his vassals as were within reach, attacked
the Highlanders, unprepared for this prompt retaliation, and
pursued them across the Spey into Moray, where he laid waste
and devastated the country.
" Fra that day hys legys all
Oysid hym Alsandyr the Fers to call."
And so effectually did he succeed in crushing the inhabitants
of Moray, that they were compelled to put to death Ladman,
the son of Donald Bane, who had instigated them to the
attempt in which they were ^
unsuccessful. During the
remainder of the reign of Alexander, and the whole of that
* Annals of Ulster, under 1116. Winton and Fordun.