|
a.
|
Note: After the Roman Legions had left, the British Kingdoms of Southern Scotland fought to maintain themselves against the Picts and the Scots to the north, and against the expansionist English of Northumbria to their south. In their welsh language the earliest surviving Scottish poem was composed, telling of the defeat of the gododdin Heroes by the English; and this poem contains by far the earliest reference to the British resistance leader Arthur. When the old British kingdoms of Gododdin, Strathclyde, and rheged had vanished, the traditions of the men of the north were preserved in Wales - the only part of the once predominately British Isles in which their Language remains to this day.
The story of Artbur traveled south until he was given a new setting as far south as Tintagel in welsh speaking Cornwall. Meanwhile Arthur's seat commemorated him in the lands of the jGododdin, while to the north of Strathclyde the Mac Arthurs were tracing their descent in the 13th century from the legendary hero. It was a Mac Arthur (Atair in Gaelic) who at this time married the heiress of Duncan Mac duibne of Loch Awe. This was before the nickname Cambuel gave rise to the surname Campbell who are also called the Clanh ua Duibne. Mac Arthur may therefore be regarded as an earlier name of the same race.
The Clan is claimed to be the head branch of the Campbell clan and long disputed the chieftainship with the long disupted Argyll branch. It was a clan of considerable consequence until James I returned from his long captivity in England in the 15th century, and fell like a thunderbolt on the magnates of his realm.
The Mac Arthurs supported King Robert the Bruce in the struggle for the independence of Scotland, and were rewarded with grants of extensive lands in Argyll, including those of the Mac Dougalls who opposed the king. The chief was appointed captain of the castle of Dunstaffage. The clan remained powerful until the year 1427, when John was chief. His followers numbered 1000 men. He was summoned to Inverness and lost his head by order of James I. There after the power of the clan declined and it was the surname of Campbell which flourished in this region beyond the ancient capital of Strathclyde on Dumbarton rock.
The Mac Arthurs were hereditary pipers to the Mac Donalds of the isles, and one of them composed many pieces for the bagpipe which were very popular. Archibald Mc Arthur, a native of the Isle of Mull, was a celebrated piper.
The Mac Arthurs of Strathur remained as the principal family of the clan and it was a member of this family John Mac Arthur (1767-1834) who became "The Father of New South Wales". He was the founder of two great Australian industries of wool and wine. His name has been carried to even greater renown in the United States, where it was brought in about 1840 by an emigrant from the formaer lands of Strathclyde, in which Glascow now lies. His son Arthur Mac Arthur entered the army, a career that was followed by his son General Douglas Mac Arthur (1880-1964).
Duncan Mc Arthur (1772-1839) was one of the pioneers to settle in Ohio, was a general during the war of 1812, and became governer of the state of Ohio in 1830, a position he held for two years.
There is an old proverb which used to be spoken in olden times. It says"
"there is nothing older, unless the hills, Mac Arthur, and the Devil"
|
