View source for Clan Kennedy

{{Short description|Lowland Scottish clan}}{{about|the Scottish clan|the Irish clan|Kennedy Clan|the American political clan|Kennedy family|other uses|Kennedy (disambiguation)}}
{{Lead too short|date=December 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox clan
|image badge =Clan member crest badge - Clan Kennedy.svg
|clan name =Clan Kennedy
|chiefs crest =A dolphin naiant proper
|chiefs motto =Avise la fin (Consider the end)
|chiefs slogan =
|district =[[Ayrshire]]
|gaelic names =''MacUalraig'' (Surname), ''Ceannaideach'' (Surname), ''Ceannaideach'' (Singular), ''Clann 'icUalraig'' (Collective)
|image arms = Kennedy, Marquess of Ailsa Coat of arms.svg
|plant badge =[[oak]]
|animal =
|pipe music =
|chiefs name =The Most Hon. David Kennedy
|chiefs title =The 9th [[Marquess of Ailsa]]
|chiefs gaelic title=
|seat =Cassillis House
|historic seat =[[Dunure Castle]]<br>[[Culzean Castle]]
|septs =Cassels,<ref name="KennedySocietyofNorthAmericaSepts">[http://www.kennedysociety.org/septs.htm Kennedy Society of North America, Septs]</ref> Cassillis,<ref name="KennedySocietyofNorthAmericaSepts"/> Cassell,<ref name="KennedySocietyofNorthAmericaSepts"/> MacOurlick,<ref name="KennedySocietyofNorthAmericaSepts"/> MacUlric,<ref name="KennedySocietyofNorthAmericaSepts"/> MacUlrick,<ref name="KennedySocietyofNorthAmericaSepts"/> Ulric<ref name="KennedySocietyofNorthAmericaSepts"/>
|branches = [[Marquess of Ailsa|Kennedy of Cassillis]] (chiefs)<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/><br>Kennedys of Kermuck<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/><br>Kennedys of Moray<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/><br>Kennedys of Bargany.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>
|Allied clans = [[Clan Bruce]]
|Rival clans = [[Clan Forbes]]
}}
'''Clan Kennedy''' is a [[Scottish clan]] of the [[Scottish Lowlands]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy">Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The [[Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs]]). Published in 1994. Pages 182 - 183.</ref>

==History==
===Origins of the clan===

The [[Votadini]] were a tribe in Lothian and their chief, [[Cunedda]], was sent by the [[Romano-British|British]] leader, [[Vortigern]], to establish settlements in order to resist [[Picts|Picto-Scottish]] sea raids in the south west of [[Scotland]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> These settlements spread down the west coast as far as [[Wales]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> Cunedda is rendered as ''Cinneidgh'' in the [[Celts|Celtic]] language, meaning ''ugly'' or ''grim-headed''.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The name became associated with the district of [[Carrick, Scotland]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

During the early part of the reign of [[William the Lion]], Gilbert Mac Kenedi witnessed a charter to [[Melrose Abbey]] granting lands in Carrick.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> During the reign of [[Alexander II of Scotland]] Gillespie Kennedy is named in charters as the senechal of Carrick.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

===Wars of Scottish Independence===

Kennedys supported [[Robert the Bruce]] during the [[Wars of Scottish Independence]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> Kennedys inherited the Earldom of Carrick from the line of Sir John Kennedy of Dunure's wife, Mary de Carrick, who descended from Sir Gilbert De Carrick.<ref>Records of the family of Cassels and connexions pg 4 https://digital.nls.uk/histories-of-scottish-families/archive/95363491#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=17&xywh=-2076%2C-682%2C7151%2C3616 </ref>  In 1372, [[Robert II of Scotland]] rewarded John Kennedy of Dunure as chief of his name and baillie of Carrick.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

===15th and 16th centuries===
 
[[Image:Ulric (R. R. McIan).jpg|200px|thumb|"Ulric". A [[Victorian era]], [[romanticism|romanticised]] depiction of a member of the clan by [[R. R. McIan]], from ''The Clans of the Scottish Highlands'', published in 1845. Carrick was in the Scottish Lowlands]]
In about 1457 John's direct descendant, Gillbert, was created [[Marquess of Ailsa|Lord Kennedy]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> He was also a regent to the infant [[James III of Scotland]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> [[James Kennedy (bishop)|James Kennedy]], brother of the first Lord Kennedy, was one of Scotland's best loved bishops.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> James served briefly as [[Lord Chancellor of Scotland|High Chancellor of Scotland]] and was also [[Bishop of Dunkeld]], and also later Archbishop of [[St Andrews]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> In 1450 he founded [[St Salvator's College, St Andrews|St Salvator's College]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

Hugh Kennedy of Ardstinchar was a Scots mercenary who fought at the [[Siege of Orléans]] for [[Joan of Arc]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> As a result, Joan figures on the arms of Kennedy of Bargany.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

In 1509, Sir David Kennedy, the third Lord Kennedy was created [[Marquess of Ailsa|Earl of Cassillis]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> He was killed at the [[Battle of Flodden]] in 1513.<ref>{{cite book |last=Guthrie |first=William |author-link=William Guthrie (historian) |year=1767 |title=A General History of Scotland |url=https://archive.org/details/ageneralhistory14guthgoog/page/n6/mode/2up |volume=4 |location=[[Paternoster Row]], London |publisher=A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts |pages=[https://archive.org/details/ageneralhistory14guthgoog/page/n366/mode/2up 371]-372 |access-date=May 7, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The second Earl of Cassillis was murdered in 1527.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> Gillbert Kennedy, the third Earl, was one of four Scottish commissioners who were poisoned on their return from the marriage of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]] to the [[Dauphin of France]] in 1558.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The third Earl had inherited his title at the age of twelve and one of his first acts was to sign the death warrant of [[Patrick Hamilton (martyr)|Patrick Hamilton]], the first Scottish Protestant martyr.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

The Moray Kennedys were a branch of the clan who travelled north with the sister of the third Lord Kennedy, [[Janet Kennedy]] who had a son by [[James IV of Scotland]], as part of the possession of the [[Earl of Moray|earldom of Moray]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The Moray Kennedys became a [[sept]] of the [[Clan Cameron]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

===17th century and Civil War===

In 1601 the Kennedy Earls of Cassillis were involved in a feud against their relations, the Kennedy [[Gilbert Kennedy of Bargany and Ardstinchar|Lairds of Bargany]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Fergusson">Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The [[Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs]]). Published in 1994. Pages 136 - 137.</ref> The Earls of Cassillis were supported by the [[Clan Fergusson]] and the Laird of Bargany was killed.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Fergusson"/>

From 1649 to 1651, [[John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis|John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassillis]] was Lord Justice General of Scotland and a zealous Protestant.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> He and his son, the seventh Earl, were both firm supporters of Parliament during the [[Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms|Civil War]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The Justice General also sat in [[Oliver Cromwell]]'s House of Lords.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The Kennedys suffered for their beliefs but their estates remained largely intact.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

The Kennedy of Kermuck branch of the clan were hereditary constables of [[Aberdeen]] from at least 1413.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The Kennedys of Kermuck were outlawed when in 1652 the father and son of the family mortally wounded John Forbes of Watertown.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

===18th and 19th centuries===

When the Eighth Earl of Cassillis died there was a court dispute lasting three years to determine the succession.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> The titles and estates of the Kennedys were claimed by William Douglas, afterwards duke of Queensberry, a great grandson in the female line of the 7th earl and also by Sir Thomas Kennedy, Bart., of Culzean, a descendant of the 3rd earl, i.e. by the heir general and the heir male. In January 1762, the House of Lords found in favour of Thomas.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/><ref name=eb11>{{EB1911|wstitle=Kennedy}}</ref> On 30 November 1775, Thomas died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother David, who commissioned [[Robert Adam]] to build [[Culzean Castle]], and died unmarried on 18 December 1792.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/><ref name=eb11 />

With David, the baronetcy became extinct. The earldom of Cassillis now passed to a cousin, [[Archibald Kennedy, 11th Earl of Cassilis|Archibald Kennedy]], a captain in the royal navy, whose father, Archibald Kennedy (died 1763), had migrated to America in 1722 and had become collector of customs in New York. His son, the [[Archibald Kennedy, 11th Earl of Cassilis|11th earl]], had estates in [[New Jersey]] and married an American heiress; in 1765 he was said to own more houses in New York than any one else. He died in London on 30 December 1794, and was succeeded by his son [[Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa|Archibald]] (1770–1846), who was created Baron Ailsa in 1806 and marquess of Ailsa in 1831. His great-grandson [[Archibald Kennedy, 3rd Marquess of Ailsa|Archibald]] (born 1847) became 3rd marquess.<ref name=eb11 />
[[File:William Holmes Sullivan - Capture of the Eagle 1898.gif|thumb|The 1st Dragoons at the [[Battle of Waterloo]] in 1815 Capture of the Eagle ]]

Lieutenant General Sir Clark Kennedy served through the entire [[Peninsular War]] and in 1815 he commanded the centre squadron of the [[1st The Royal Dragoons|Royal Dragoons]] at the [[Battle of Waterloo]].<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> At Waterloo he personally captured the eagle and colours of the 105th Regiment of French Infantry.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/> Sir Clark was from the Kennedy of Moray branch of the clan.<ref name="Clan.Encyclopedia.Kennedy"/>

=== 20th century ===
The lawyer, historian, author and campaigner for the righting of legal injustice, [[Ludovic Kennedy]] was a notable member of the Kennedy clan. In his collected writings, he recalls the story of his forebear, [[Archibald Kennedy, 11th Earl of Cassilis|Captain Archibald Kennedy]], returning from New York at the end of the 18th century to [[Culzean Castle]] to assume the earldom of Cassillis <ref>{{Cite book|last=Kennedy|first=Ludovic|title=Truth to tell : the collected writings of Ludovic Kennedy.|date=1991|publisher=Bantam Press|isbn=0-593-02324-2|location=London|oclc=26929211}}</ref>

==Castles==
[[File:Cassillis House - geograph.org.uk - 296160.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Cassillis House, Scottish Lowlands. Seat of the Chiefs of Clan Kennedy. Photo by Mary and Angus Hogg]]
* [[Cassillis House]], near [[Maybole]]. Seat of the chiefs.
* [[Culzean Castle]] was a former seat of the chiefs.
* [[Dunure Castle]] in [[South Ayrshire]] was the original stronghold of the chiefs.
* [[Dalquharran Castle]] in [[South Ayrshire]] once owned by the Kennedys of Kirkhill and Dunure; now a ruin
* [[Cruggleton Castle]], [[Sorbie]], [[Wigtownshire]]
* [[Dunduff Castle]]
* [[Greenan Castle]] in [[Ayr]]
* [[Maybole Castle]]
* [[Kinmuck Castle]]
* [[Ellon Castle#Old Castle|Old Ellon Castle]]

==Base of Scottish family tree==

Here is the base of the family tree: <!-- Wikipedia [[WP:ISNOT#DIR]] a genealogical database! -->

* John Kennedy of Dunure and Cassillis M Heiress of the Carrick Earls
** Sir Gilbert
*** James M Princess Mary (2nd daughter of [[Robert III of Scotland|Robert III]])
**** Gilbert (became Lord Kennedy in about 1457)
*** .x James Kennedy (He served as High Chancellor of Scotland and was Bishop of [[Dunkeld]], and later [[Archbishop]] of [[St Andrews]]. At St Andrews he founded St. Salvator's College in 1450 and is one of the founders of the [[St Andrew's University|University of St Andrews]])
***** Hugh Kennedy of Ardstinchar (part of the Great Army of Scotland during the [[Hundred Years' War]] and fought at the [[Battle of Baugé]], and with [[Joan of Arc]] at the [[Siege of Orléans]])
****** Sir David (Third lord of Kennedy, created Earl of Cassillis in 1509)

===Scottish chief===
* The Most Hon. David Thomas Kennedy, 9th [[Marquess of Ailsa]], who is also [[Earl of Cassillis]], [[Lord Kennedy]], [[Baron Ailsa]] and [[Chief of the Name and Arms]] of Kennedy, of Ailsa.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110112091128/http://www.burkespeerage.com/familyhomepage.aspx?FID=0&FN=AILSA burkespeerage.com]</ref>
* Arms: Scottish: Argent, a chevron Gules between three cross crosslets fichée Sable, all within a double tressure flory counterflory Gules.

{{Marquesses of Ailsa family tree}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.kennedysociety.org/ Kennedy Society of North America]
* [http://www.kennedydna.com/kennedy_one_name_study.htm The Kennedy Surname One-Name Study]
* [https://heraldry-online.org.uk/kennedy/kennedy-arms.htm Kennedy Heraldry]
{{Carrick}}
{{Scottish clans}}

[[Category:Clan Kennedy| ]]
[[Category:Scottish clans|Kennedy]]
[[Category:Scottish Lowlands]]