The Rules and Exceptions Thereunto.

[Rob Wright]

I just mentioned those that I was aware of cousin

Went to my favorite used book store saturday and got volume five of the

THE HISTORY of SCOTLAND by JH Burton, published 1875.

I look forward to seeing how the family is portrayed since the volume covers from the regency of Queen Mary through the reign of James VI

Rob

[bubba]

I think if you really looked most any clan has connections to just about every other clan

[Cawdorian]

Many of the clans made alliances with other clans for protection. The Clan Chiefs arranged many marriages for their children with the children of other Clan Chiefs in order to secure peace, obtain land, castles or titles.

An early Campbell Chief and MacDonald, Lord of the Isles made an alliance and arranged marriages very early in the history of their clans, as a result of that marriage most of the Campbells are also descendants of MacDonald, Lord of the Isles.

The Bruce's and the Stewart's used arranged marriages to consolidate their power, the Campbells married into the Stewart line to consolidate power, obtain land and titles. Many of these marriages were arranged for the children at the time of their birth or at a very early age.

The history of Scotland is very interesting reading, in many cases it is like a novel with many plots and sub plots. Another very good history of Scotland is "Scotland, The Story of a Nation" by Magnus Magnusson, this is a huge book of about 700 pages, but is very readable and entertaining.

Jim

[highlander_Daz]

Some say that you need to know where you came from in order to get where your going and some say that if you keep looking back sooner or later you walk into a lamppost.

The past is the past, it is VERY important we honour our ancesters and their traditions however its 2005 and we need to bring the Kilt kicking and screraming ito the 21st century, to me this means looking at traditional "Highland dress" like the prince charlie and the argyll and preserving these for formal/semiformal but whats wrong with a bit of a goth look with the big boots and stuff, its still a kilt.

As for Tartans its nice to have a connection, I am lucky enough to be able to wear Cameron, Chattan, MacPherson, and Davidson due to Family connections, Gordon Highlanders due to my G grandfather and Black watch due to My Uncle. I could also wear Irish national due to my Irish Grandfather and goodness knows how many regional. but I choose "flower of Scotland" and "Gordon" becasue I like the colours and the Gordon reflects my G Grandfathers military service and my support for the Scots Regiments.

I would say to anyone without a specific connection to a clan or Scots surname that a Military Tartan is a great choice to support the Scots regiments under threat, Im always more concious of my conduct when wearing my Gordon Highlanders that, whilst I was never a member of this great regiment wearing thir colours is an immense responsibility, I hate it at weddings when people are "mooning" and behaving drunkenly whilst wearing for example "Black Watch" or some other military Tartan, which brings me to my point: The Kilt is a unique garment in that it has meaning, heritage and history, choose your Tartan, learn about it, respect it, and wear it with pride, If someone takes the p%ss then that says more about them than it does about you. if your ever lucky enough to visit the argyll and Sutherland regimental museum at Stirling castle then you will see the type of men who wore the kilt in the heat of battle, men we can only ever aspire to.

[Bob C]

Just a little note, not all clans are highland, sorry, it's a little point but those of us who come from the Great Lowland families are just as much part of Scottish heritage as the highlands.

Rob

Hear, hear! Take THAT, ye hillbillies! :-D

Another very good history of Scotland is "Scotland, The Story of a Nation" by Magnus Magnusson, this is a huge book of about 700 pages, but is very readable and entertaining.

Jim

I just bought that. I'm looking forward to reading it.

[macwilkin]

Hear, hear! Take THAT, ye hillbillies!

Except that the "hillbillies" were actually Lowlanders who later became the Ulster-Scots, Bob! ;)

Cheers,

Todd

[Dreadbelly]

Except that the "hillbillies" were actually Lowlanders who lat er became the Ulster-Scots, Bob! ;)

Cheers,

Todd

Oh noes, here comes all the old hatreds and the bloodshed that goes with them.

[macwilkin]

Oh noes, here comes all the old hatreds and the bloodshed that goes with them.

No, not that at all...just pointing out the irony. Hence, the smilie with the wink! ;)

T.

[Bob C]

Except that the "hillbillies" were actually Lowlanders who later became the Ulster-Scots, Bob! ;)

Cheers,

Todd

Indeed. My own family were lowlanders who became Ulster Scots. Instead of Appalachia, though, they emigrated to Canada before finding their way here.

[bubba]

My families came in through New England. One was from the Isles the other Lowlanders. And y'all wonder why I'm crazy.