Siege of Inverness (1715)

In November 1715 during the Jacobite rising the town of Inverness and Inverness Castle were being held by the Clan Mackenzie, led by Sir John Mackenzie of Coul who supported the rebel Jacobite cause. Sir Simon Fraser of Lovat, chief of Clan Fraser besieged them, supported by the Clan Rose and Clan Forbes.

The Clan MacDonald of Keppoch were also Jacobites and attempted to relieve their allies the Mackenzies, however their path was blocked by the Frasers.

The Frasers were to attack the town from the north while Forbes of Culloden and Rose of Kilravock were to attack from the south. Sir John Mackenzie, on learning of the imminent attack took up position in the Tolbooth, which was a strong building in the centre of the town. He was followed by men of the Clan Rose, most notably Arthur Rose, brother of the chief with a small party. Arthur Rose tried to force his way in but ended up being jammed in the doorway and was shot dead by one of the Mackenzies.

Some of the Roses managed to persuade the Mackenzies to surrender. Sir John Mackenzie and his men immediately escaped by boats from the pier of Inverness, leaving all their baggage behind them, in a hurry to avoid contact with the approaching Frasers.

The following day Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat marched into the town supported by 800 men from Clan Grant and 400 men from Clan Munro. Sir Robert Munro, 6th Baronet later took over as governor of the town from Fraser, and for some time the disarming of the rebels went on led by a Munro detachment under his younger brother, George Munro, 1st of Culcairn.

References

• Mackenzie, Alexander. History of the Frasers of Lovat, with genealogies of the principal families of the name: to which is added those of Dunballoch and Phopachy.
• Mackenzie, Alexander. History of the Munros of Fowlis. (1898).

See also

• Siege of Inverness