The mystery of Robert the Bruce, Ardchattan Priory and Knights Templar

Dunstaffnage Castle by Oban and the fight at Cruachan. King Robert the Bruce and a small force defeat his enemies the McDougalls, for ever.

Ardchattan Priory near Oban, and the Parliament of Robert the Bruce held around 1308 to cement his dominance of the area. The Knights Templar probably forge a link with the Bruce at Ardchattan Priory

With probable help from the Knights Templar and the McDonalds, Bruce wins the final great battle for Independence of Scotland at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 becomes Scotland’s hero

Background. After the Vikings left Scotland’s West Coast

The great West Coast Lord, Somerled, part-Viking part-Scot set up the powerful McDougall clan in the 12th century. Their stronghold was Dunstaffnage castle. They buried their Chiefs at Ardchattan Priory, by Loch Etive, built in Somerleds time 1230 on Loch Etive. The ruined Priory is beautiful to visit even to-day.

Bruce and Comyn. The knife fight in a Church

In 1306 a fight between two rivals for the Scottish throne, ended in the death of John Comyn, in the Church at Dumfries. He was stabbed by Robert the Bruce, a descendant of Norman knights, who was thereby excommunicated by the Pope for the deed. The Mc Dougall’s were cousins to the Comyn family and became deadly enemies of the Bruce. Inverlochy Castle on the outskirts of Fort William was a Comyn Castle. This ruin can still be explored.

Bruce crowned as King

Despite his disputed claim to the throne, Bruce was quickly crowned King of Scotland, and immediately went on the run as a fugitive from Edward 1st of England. As an expert guerrilla fighter with small forces he fought his way back to his lands, particularly after King Edward 1 died. His implacable foes remained the McDougalls.

The Battle of Cruachan, at Brander Pass

Argyll was won by The Bruce when his small force met the McDougalls on the slopes of Ben Cruachan, at the Pass of Brander, Loch Awe where the Hydro plant is to-day. His ruse was to send a small troop with his brother up the hill to hide out and then fall upon the McDougalls in the rear driving them into the River Awe. The surviving Clansmen fell back to their Dunstaffnage Castle which was lost to Bruce the next year.

The Parliament at Ardchattan Priory

The Bruce now dominated Argyll and the West of Scotland. He held a “Parliament” at Ardchatten Priory. It is doubtful that it was a full parliament – the great Scottish nobles would not willingly travel to the West Coast. Bruce spoke Gaelic and they didn’t. But it is likely that he forged his important West Coast alliances here with the Knights Templar, with the Clans of the West – even with some of the defeated McDougalls. He granted the lands of “Durror and Glenco” to the grandson of Somerled, Angus Og, his friend and ally. Five years later this led to his magnificent success at the Battle of Bannockburn, the Battle for Scotland’s freedom.

It was the last time a Scots parliament was held in Gaelic. You can visit the beautiful Ardchattan Priory to-day and its gardens, on the North side of Loch Etive. These connections have not previously been made.