Ownership and Annexation
Precept of Sasine from Duncan Campbell of Lochlaw to his Son, Colin Campbell (XS5 MS A001 MS4)
Royal charter of James I confirming a land grant from Duncan Campbell of Loch Awe to Colin Campbell. (XS1 MS 001 Doc - 15-1)
Confirmation of Lands granted by Duncan Campbell of Lochaw to Colin Campbell, His Son (XS1 MS A001 Doc 15-2)
Precept of Sasine in name of Dugald Campbell of Achym, issued at the command of Lord Duncan Campbell to Colin Campbell, his son (XS5 MS 001 Doc 15-3)
The Campbells of Loch Awe and Glenorchy
Medieval land charters can also be used to reveal political strife, alliances, and assurance during times of high tension at court or in cases of disputed succession. This appears to have been the case in 1432 when Duncan Campbell wanted to ensure that his son’s claim to Glenorchy in the western Highlands would remain undisputed. This was important to document as King James I had previously seized Campbell lands and executed many of their allies for their relation to the Albany Stewarts, a powerful family prosecuted for treason against the king. Questions over succession after the death of Duncan’s heir made it particularly important to establish Colin’s claim to these lands to ensure a peaceful transition of power.
Regions of Loch Awe and Glen Orchy in Argyll
Several charters in our collection all relate to this grant of the property of Glenorchy, which encompassed various lands located in the county of Argyll and along the Banks of Loch Awe in the western Highlands, as well as various pennylands and insular lands. Charter 15-1, dated the 4th of November 1432, is a royal charter issued by King James I as a confirmation of Duncan Campbell’s grant of the lands of Glenorchy, to his young son Colin Campbell and his male heirs. The king had annexed these lands from the McGregor clan and presented them to the Campbells of Loch Awe. This charter therefore, shows us that the McGregor clan had fallen out of favour with the King and that the Campbells had fallen into favour. This grant also allowed Colin and his heirs to act as lords over the given lands while confirming the king’s monetary and authoritative power over the region. Manuscripts MS-4,15-2, and 15-3, further confirm the transfer of lands from Duncan Campbell to his son Colin Campbell to lessen disputes regarding land ownership and the peaceful succession of power within Clan Campbell. These charters established Colin as the first lord of Glenorchy, making him the second most powerful individual in the clan. By the end of the fifteenth century, the Glenorchy line had emerged as the strongest branch of the Campbell family.