The Battle of Tuiteam Tarbhach, c. 1406: All But One
At a glance
| Date | c. 1406 (uncertain) |
| War | Mackay vs MacLeod of Lewis |
| Where | By the Oykel, on the Sutherland–Ross march |
| Winner | Clan Mackay |
| Loser | MacLeod of Lewis |
| Source | clan tradition only |
Background
By tradition the quarrel began over the mistreatment of a MacLeod woman, widow of a Mackay chief, by her brother-in-law the Tutor of Mackay. The MacLeods of Lewis raided Strathnaver in reprisal.
The battle
Returning laden with plunder, the MacLeod raiders were intercepted by the Mackays crossing a burn near the head of the Kyle of Sutherland. What began as an attempt to recover the cattle became a “long, furious, cruel” fight — a decisive Mackay victory.
Honesty note: this is known essentially only from Sir Robert Gordon and the Conflicts of the Clans. The tradition that the entire raiding party was killed except one man, who reached Lewis and then died of his wounds, is a classic clan-history trope — not a casualty count. The date, the cause and the numbers are all traditional. The place-name and burn are real; the engagement is not independently documented.
The site today
Cairns are said to have marked the field once, later robbed for dyke-building; no monument is confirmed today. Not on the HES Inventory.
The clans & people involved
- Clan Mackay — Angus Mackay, victorious.
- MacLeod of Lewis — the raiding party, destroyed by tradition.
Sources
- Battle of Tuiteam Tarbhach — Wikipedia; Sir Robert Gordon; Conflicts of the Clans.
📝 Kevin’s note: a photo of the Oykel near the Tutim Burn — add from our own visit.
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