Robin Hood or Crook? The Epic Story of Rob Roy MacGregor (or Campbell)

A Robin Hood figure or a Highland gangster? This is the epic story of Rob Roy MacGregor, a life filled with cattle raiding, financial ruin, resurrection and great escapes. Yet for a man that had such a wild life, he managed to die peacefully in his bed in Balquader at the age of 63. Not bad for the time. His life was wild nonetheless. Although Rob Roy MacGregor is For large parts of his life, he couldn't actually use his own surname, instead having to use his mother's maiden name, Campbell. So this is also the story of Rob Roy Campbell. Known for his dark red hair, often signing his name Red Rob, the tales of this Highland outlaw have been exaggerated over the centuries, in the likes of Sir Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy, and in a beautiful poem written by William Wordsworth called Rob Roy's Grave. A famous man is Robin Hood, the English ballad singer's joy. In Scotland has a thief as good, an outlaw of as daring moot. She has her brave Rob Roy. Then clear the weeds from off his grave, and let us chant a passing stave, in honour of that hero brave. Today I've taken you to the beautiful head of Loch Catrin. Close by, there's a little village called Glenguile, which is the birthplace of Rob Roy MacGregor. He was born there in March 1671, to Donald MacGregor of Glenguile and Margaret Campbell. It is a stunning drive up to Loch Catrin, and there are numerous nods to Rob Roy MacGregor around this whole area. This is the beautiful Loch Ard, another stunning piece of Scotland. But back to the story. Donald MacGregor was the younger brother of the Chief of Clan MacGregor, so Rob Roy was born into a position of some status. At the age of 18, Rob Roy joined his father, another clansman in the failed Jacobite Rising of 1689, that aimed to restore the House of Stuart to the British throne. Donald was taken to jail where he was held on high treason charges for around two years, released just as his wife died. In 1701, Rob Roy acquired land on Loch Lomond side and at Balquedder, where he prospered as a cattle dealer. Like many other Scottish clan chiefs during the 17th and 18th centuries, MacGregor operated an extra-legal watch over the cattle herds of the lowland gentry, in return for protection money. Any cattle that were stolen from herds under his watch were either retrieved or paid in full. The sign at Loch Catron notes that the word blackmail derives from Rob Roy's activities, looking after black cattle in return for rent. The word blackmail, however, had been in use since the 16th century, before Rob Roy, with the original meaning connected to Scotland, as it meant a tribute anciently exacted on the border by plundering chiefs in exchange for immunity from pillage. Now this was a time in Scotland when cattle raiding and selling protection against theft was quite common, and Rob Roy had soon built up quite a successful protection racket for himself, charging farmers on average around 5% for him to protect their cattle against theft. He wanted more however, so in order to increase the size of his cattle herd, he borrowed money, and this is when things turned severe. Thanks to the disappearance of his chief herder entrusted with the money, Rob Roy defaulted on his loan. Some argue that Rob Roy simply took the money for himself. Either way, he was branded an outlaw, and his wife and family were evicted from their house at Inversnade, which was then burned down. After his principal creditor, James Graham, known as the first Duke of Montrose, seized his lands, MacGregor waged a private blood feud against the Duke, blaming him for his financial ruin, and going on to raid his cattle and rob his rents. The sign at Loch Catrin also notes that Rob Roy imprisoned the Factor of the Duke of Montrose in a dispute over tenants' land rents on the small island in Loch Catrin, known as Factor's Island. Despite his financial ruin, Rob Roy was rescued by the Earl of Bredalbane, who gave him land in Glendocker where, in 1713, he renewed his cattle raiding. He was soon leading the MacGregors during the Jacobite Rising of 1715, although it seems that both sides didn't fully trust Rob Roy's motives during the Rising. David Stevenson, an eminence professor of Scottish history at the University of St Andrews, wrote a book in 2006 that was very critical of Rob Roy. One critique from Stevenson is that during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, Rob Roy betrayed the Jacobite side to which he had professed loyalty to and sold secrets to the government. Yet Rob Roy was accused of high treason and government mercenaries burned his house during this time, raising the question as to how close or useful he was to the government. In 1716, John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, gave him land and protection at Glenshire, granting him permission to build a house in the glen in exchange for the surrender of his weapons. In July 1717, Rob Roy and the whole of the Clan MacGregor were specifically excluded from the of the Indemnity Act of 1717, which had the effect of pardoning all others who took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1715. The MacGregor Clan were once again made an example out of. Rob Roy went on to fight in the Battle of Glenshire during the 1719 Jacobite Rising. A Jacobite army composed of Highland levees and Spanish marines were defeated by British troops, reinforced by the Highland Independent Company. Rob Roy's raiding activities continued until he was captured by the Duke of Attal. He escaped, but was eventually forced to submit to General Wade in 1725. He was confined in Newgate Prison, London, and only narrowly escaped being deported to Barbados, where he was granted a royal pardon in 1727 and released. Although he was pleased not to be deported, I bet the weather was better in Barbados. Now in his fifties, Rob Roy seems to have settled down for the most part after he was released. He became a Roman Catholic, and judging by his writings, he was a well-educated man. He died peacefully in his own bed in Balpudder in 1734. But was Rob Roy a Robin Hood figure or a Highland gangster? Well, he was a product of his time. Cattle raiding was nothing new in Scotland, and he was born and lived during a highly volatile part of Scotland's history during the Jacobite rebellions. He certainly skirted and broke the law on numerous occasions, and engaged in racketeering gangster-style tactics at various points throughout his life. But that same law denied him his right to use his own surname. He had to use the name Campbell at various points. If you were a MacGregor in Scotland at that time, you were a second-class citizen. But what do you think? Was Rob Roy a hero, or was he simply a scumbag from a different era that was romanticised through different works of literature over the centuries? Please let me know in the comments below. But why was there such a war against Clan MacGregor? To find out, please click here. Thanks for watching, please subscribe and hit the bell. Obviously coming to Loch Catrin today was a couple hour drive, and there's various, various costs associated with this channel. So if you would like to support this work, all the links will be in the description below. Thanks again for watching, and I'll see you next time.