Who are Scotland's Clan Chiefs?

[davidlpope]

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Read up on the recent history of Clans Macleod, Hay, and Fraser, for example.

[Mike S]

That's no longer the strict practice of succession. the Chief of Clan Elliott is female.

Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland is the chief of clan Sutherland as well.

[figheadair]

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

Tanistry - an early Irish law of succession by which the heir or successor of a chief or king is appointed during the lifetime of the reigning chief, is not necessarily his oldest son, is generally the worthiest and wisest of the male relatives of the chief, and is elected by the people from among the eligible candidates but because of resultant bloody wars and feuds between families declared illegal by a decision of the AngloIrish judges in the first year of James I (VI of Scotland). I don't know if the law also applied in Scotland but it's quite posible.

Add to the list of female chiefs Madam MacDougall of MacDougall.

[Lady Grey]

I'm a McKinnon descendant from Tobermory
Our clan chief is a woman
Madam Anne Gunhild Mackinnon of Mackinnon,

[tulloch]

Interesting. Thanks for posting that.

[Damion]

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Read up on the recent history of Clans Macleod, Hay, and Fraser, for example.

I did say traditional laws of succession, not post Highland Revival.

[Damion]

Tanistry - an early Irish law of succession by which the heir or successor of a chief or king is appointed during the lifetime of the reigning chief, is not necessarily his oldest son, is generally the worthiest and wisest of the male relatives of the chief, and is elected by the people from among the eligible candidates but because of resultant bloody wars and feuds between families declared illegal by a decision of the AngloIrish judges in the first year of James I (VI of Scotland). I don't know if the law also applied in Scotland but it's quite posible.

Tanistry was an early Gaelic law of succession that was either brought over by the early Scots or developed jointly after that. It was removed as a form of royal succession by James I of Scotland in the early 15th century but continued as the form for choosing clan chiefs though I don't know when they abandoned the system. Eligible candidates were males descended from the same grandfather as the current Chief and no other requisite such as land or even legitimacy was needed.

Some relevant information here from the point of the view of the Lord Lyon: https://www.cosca.scot/wp-content/up...Shennachie.pdf Second half of page 2.

[MacGumerait]

Tanistry - an early Irish law of succession by which the heir or successor of a chief or king is appointed during the lifetime of the reigning chief, is not necessarily his oldest son, is generally the worthiest and wisest of the male relatives of the chief

Well that dashes any chance I had at succession .

Joking aside , very interesting thread .

[MacRob]

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

Not so at all. The Chief of Clan Gunn has a son who has three daughters. Unless something changes, the eldest girl will be chief at some point.

A derbhfine is actually a meeting of leading members of the clan to decide on important questions, like who will be chief. Tanistry is more flexible than is usually believed.

[Damion]

Not so at all. The Chief of Clan Gunn has a son who has three daughters. Unless something changes, the eldest girl will be chief at some point.

A derbhfine is actually a meeting of leading members of the clan to decide on important questions, like who will be chief. Tanistry is more flexible than is usually believed.

The derbhfine today is a meeting of those with certain assets, typically land within Scotland but this monetary based definition is a modern one and not the original Gaelic/Celtic one which was more concerned with paternal lineage.
I accept how it's done today, but the difference between now and how it was done when the Chief could rally the clan to him renders the title a pleasant bit of fun, much like wearing a sword to a formal occasion.
Highland society was patriarchal despite the Irish and Picts having well known traditions of Women exercising power and even fighting in early times.
It comes through in surnames even. MacIain is the son of Ian but the female form Nic Iain doesn't mean daughter of Ian but daughter of the son of Ian, there is no direct link. The female takes the clan name of her father (Nic Iain) or her husband (bean mhic Iain) traditionally, again that obviously differs today.
The reason I find the whole thing interesting is that we have modern sensibilities or even outside legislation colliding with traditional practice while the people involved are attempting to preserve traditional culture and status but operating in a non-traditional way.