The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

86 THE HIGHLANDERS [part i
of David I., the Highlanders acquiesced in their occupation
of the throne, being now, even according to the Celtic law,
the legitimate heirs of Malcolm Kenmore ; but on the death
of David I., the two laws of succession were again opposed
to each other, for, according to the feudal law,
tionsin
favour of
thedescen-
Malcolm, David s grandson, was
• •
i i 1 t t i i i
the throne, while the Highlanders
the true heir of
• i -
i
recognised in that
dants of , ,
"^ "^
Duncan,
eldest son
of Malcolm
Kenmore.
character William, termed the Boy of Egremont, the
^ o
_ _
soii of William F"itz Duncan, and grandson °
of
Duncan, who was Malcolm Kenmore's eldest son.
The Boy of Egremont was supported in his claim by no less
than seven earls, of whom the principal were the earls of
and on the return of Malcolm
Stratherne, Ross, and Orkney ;
IV. from France, where he had followed the king of England,
they attacked him in the citadel of Perth.
Notwithstanding the powerful support which the Boy of
Egremont had, this attempt was doomed to be as unsuccessful
as all the others made by his family. Malcolm appears to
have acted with a promptitude worthy of his predecessor,
Alexander the Fierce, and
" Rycht marilyly
Soone skalyd all that cumpany
And tuk and slue."
The claim of the descendants of William Fitz Duncan upon
the throne was now taken up by Donald Bane,
A.D. 1100.
.
, ,
^
who asserted himself to be his son, and as usual
he obtained the support of the northern chiefs. For seven
years he held out the earldoms of Moray and Ross against
W'illiam the Lion, plundering the rest of the country far and
wide ; and it was only in consequence of his being accidentally
met by the ro}'al troops, when accompanied by few
of his followers, and slain, that the king succeeded
in suppressing the insurrection. The attempt was resumed
A.D. 1211.
twent\'-four vears afterwards by his son Guthred,
.
, 1
r
who kept possession of the north of Scotland for
some time, and baffled ever}^ attempt on the part of the king
to take him, until he was treacherously betrayed into the hands
of the liarl of Buchan, and beheaded. Another attempt was