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Issue 8 - The great romantic hero

History & Heritage

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Scotland Magazine Issue 8

Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 8 on 17/5/2003.

 

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The great romantic hero

JAMES IRVINE-ROBERTSON EXAMINES THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF A TRULY REMARKABLE SCOT: JAMES GRAHAM, MARQUIS OF MONTROSE

The great romantic hero (Issue 8)
Ileave my soul to God, my service to my prince, my goodwill to my friends, my love and charity to you all.” These were the last words of James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, from the scaffold in Edinburgh in 1650. Handsome, honourable, a poet, philosopher, charismatic leader and a natural genius at warfare, in one year he won six battles for Charles I, destroying army after army that was set against him.

The hushed mob was marking the passing of a glittering cavalier, seen as an enemy by these Lowlanders, but recognised as a man of chivalry who abided by his principles.

But Montrose was more. In an age of small minds, fanaticism and self-interest, his career was motivated by idealism. Anticipating the great political reformers by more than a century, his writings identified the need for the supremacy of the law because that led to stability, tolerance and freedom. Initially he believed this was best achieved through the Kirk and the Covenant, but, when that turned to tyranny, through the monarchy. Once he determined upon this goal, he ignored personal considerations and employed all his talents to achieve it.

Succeeding his father in 1626 at the age of 14, he spent three years on the continent to complete his education. He returned in 1634 with the reputation of being amongst the most accomplished gentlemen of his age. Knowing that duty awaited him, he went to London to offer his services to Charles I. But the Marquis of Hamilton, the king’s chief Scottish advisor, was jealous of the young man’s brilliance, and persuaded his master to rebuff him.

In Scotland a crisis was brewing. Charles was tired of the aggressive independence of the Kirk, and sought to impose bishops and a new Anglican prayer book. In 1638, Montrose joined the leadership of those against the move, and signed the National Covenant of Scotland, which pledged to resist. He was given command of the covenanting army, crushing opposition forces round Aberdeen before a peace treaty was signed.

But, by then, the country had fallen under the control of the scheming and self-serving Marquis of Argyll, Chief of Clan Campbell. Increasingly disillusioned by his regime, Montrose was summoned with other covenanting leaders to Berwick to meet the king, who used his considerable charm to persuade the young general that his ultimate loyalty lay with his monarch.

But Argyll knew the danger of his charismatic rival, and neutralised him by jailing him in Edinburgh Castle for five months on a trumped-up charge of treason. He was released in March 1642, and had a few months of peace with his wife and family before the start of the English Civil War. When Argyll brought out Scotland in support of the English parliament, and against the king, Montrose slipped south to join the royalist cause.

In 1644, the king gave Montrose the task of leading royalist forces in Scotland. But there were none. He came north with two companions to the edge of the Highlands. Then he received news. From northern Ireland, an army of Macdonalds had landed in the west of Scotland to harry the Campbells, their longstanding enemies, in the name of the king. Hotly pursued by Argyll, they were moving south. Near Blair Castle, an army of Athollmen mustered to defend their territory from the approaching marauders. Montrose was only 20 miles away, and he hurried north to find the two forces preparing for battle. He persuaded them to unite under his leadership for the king. At some 2,500 men, this was an army of
wolves, but their enemies did not realise it.

In September they clashed with 7,000 Covenanters at Tippermuir near Perth. Montrose charged and his enemy fled, leaving some 2,000 dead. Over the succeeding months, the royalist army was invincible, the speed of its movements and its discipline leaving Argyll’s forces countering shadows. Perhaps its most famous victory was at the end of January 1645. Camped near what is now Fort Augustus in a bitter winter, Montrose learned that he was trapped between Argyll, behind him at Inverlochy with a battle-hardened army of 3,000 men – the cream of Clan Campbell and Lowland Covenanters – and a force to the north led by Lord Seaforth.

On 31st January, Montrose succeeded in one of the most daring and dangerous manoeuvres in military history. In biting cold and thick snow, he led his men into the mountains south-east of the Great Glen in an epic march over the hills into Glen Roy, across Glen Spean and up into the Ben Nevis range. Thirty-six hours later, on the evening of 1st February, they were in Glen Nevis, overlooking Inverlochy and their ignorant enemy from the south. At first light on 2nd February, the royalists attacked. Argyll was safely in his galley on Loch Linnhe, but his men fled. In the battle and the pursuit, 1,500 men, including 40 Campbell barons, were slain. Montrose lost eight men and only 200 were wounded. From then on, he was to be considered the greatest and bestloved of all who led the Highlanders in war.

Montrose won another three battles, each time annihilating his opponents. The last was on 15th August 1645 at Kilsyth near Glasgow where 5,000 Covenanters died with the usual negligible price paid by the royalists. Then he was surprised and defeated at Philiphaugh by hugely superior forces. A guerrilla campaign continued until Charles surrendered and Montrose went into exile. He returned in 1650 after the king’s execution, but was betrayed into the hands of his enemies and hanged.

Argyll stationed himself at a window in the High Street in Edinburgh and watched his great enemy go past to the scaffold. The hushed crowd
gave a great sob when the trapdoor sprang. Eleven years later, after the death of Cromwell and the restoration of the monarchy, it was
Argyll’s turn to be carried through the streets to the gallows. This time the mob cheered.