Highlanders: A History of the Highland Clans

by Fitzroy Maclean

On July 23, 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie landed on the Isle of Eriskay with seven men and proceeded to capture Scotland. Over the following months, he almost succeeded in wrestling the British crown from Hanoverian cousins. Clansmen and family members fought each other in the last battles to take place on British soil. These battles culminated in the tragedy of Culloden.

Fitzroy Maclean recounts the extraordinary and romantic history of the Highland clans from their earliest Celtic origins to Robert the Bruce; from the wars of independence, including Bannockburn and Flodden, to the Jacobite Risings of the eighteenth century and the nineteenth-century Clearances; from Mary, Queen of Scots to the modern day. Highlanders sheds light on the motivation and character of the clans and brings to vivid life their highly dramatic stories. Never before has there been such a wide and well-balanced view of Highland history.

Genres: History, Scotland, Nonfiction, Historical, European History

276 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Major General Fitzroy Hew Royle Maclean, Bt, KT, CBE.

Graduate of Eton and subsequently King's College, University of Cambridge. Joined the Diplomatic Service in 1932. Posted to Paris from 1933-1937 and then the British Embassy to Moscow from 1937-1941.

Veteran of WWII. In 1941, he chose to enlist as a private in the Cameron Highlanders, but was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant the same year. He was one of the earliest members of the elite SAS. By the end of the war, had risen to the rank of Brigadier. Maclean wrote several books, including Eastern Approaches, in which he recounted three extraordinary series of adventures: traveling, often incognito, in Soviet Central Asia; fighting in the Western Desert Campaign (1941-1943), where he specialized in commando raids (with the Special Air Service Regiment) behind enemy lines; and living rough with Josip Broz Tito and his Yugoslav Partisans. It has been widely speculated that Ian Fleming used Maclean as one of his inspirations for James Bond.

Unionist Party (Scotland) member of Parliament (MP) from 1941-1974.

Awarded a baronetcy, becoming 1st Baronet, Maclean of Strachur and Glensluain. Invested a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT). Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Recipient of the Croix de Guerre (France), the Order of Kutuzov (Soviet Union), the Order of the Partisan Star (Yugoslavia), and, posthumously, the Order of Prince Branimir (Croatia).

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a fantastic story: the history of the highlands has many unique characters and interesting events. Unfortunately, this book suffers from some of the worst writing I've ever tried to plow through. Trying to figure out a logical story out of the jumping around between times and clans and dates and obscure familial and political connections, I can only conclude that it would be easier to do primary source research myself than to try to understand Highland history by reading this book. This writer is obviously very knowledgable on his topic, but probably could have benefitted from hiring a ghost writer.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you have Scottish ancestry? As well as being a history of the clans, it is also a genealogical study as well. If you like your history full of the names of historical figures, you will like this book.

[Sharice George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Went to Scotland in late October. Book was great to put extra context to many of the places I visited.

Would have enjoyed more about the current clans and events.

[joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

An overdeveloped writing style mixed with poor format made it hard to follow and difficult to find the actual facts. The pictures were amazing, though. DNF

[Kathy Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Y

[Ken Sampson · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3 Apr 1998] An interesting and informative read.

[Dellastarr]

Prepping for my Scotland trip!!

[Stephanie C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting! Highlanders: A History of the Scottish Clans helped me put some of my Scottish history knowledge in context.

I liked the pictures but I wish they had been more integrated with the text.

I'm one of those people who doesn't really read the front cover until after I'm done reading the book, but half-way through I noticed that the Maclean clan kept cropping up. They're not the Campbells or the MacDonalds, so I thought it odd, until I saw that the author is a MacLean!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overwhelming and hard to follow. Probably would have been better for someone who already has a pretty good grasp of Scottish history.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting and informative.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

a beautiful coffee table book. many photos, illustrations, drawings...And a very brief history of Scotland, primarily northern Scotland.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A history very well written many illustrations and pictures of artifacts good read