Who are Scotland's Clan Chiefs?

[Damion]

Both their mother and their father were clan chiefs in their own right.

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

[Nathan]

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

That's no longer the strict practice of succession. the Chief of Clan Elliott is female.

[Mike S]

That's no longer the strict practice of succession. the Chief of Clan Elliott is female.

Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland is the chief of clan Sutherland as well.

[davidlpope]

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Read up on the recent history of Clans Macleod, Hay, and Fraser, for example.

[Damion]

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Read up on the recent history of Clans Macleod, Hay, and Fraser, for example.

I did say traditional laws of succession, not post Highland Revival.

[figheadair]

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

Tanistry - an early Irish law of succession by which the heir or successor of a chief or king is appointed during the lifetime of the reigning chief, is not necessarily his oldest son, is generally the worthiest and wisest of the male relatives of the chief, and is elected by the people from among the eligible candidates but because of resultant bloody wars and feuds between families declared illegal by a decision of the AngloIrish judges in the first year of James I (VI of Scotland). I don't know if the law also applied in Scotland but it's quite posible.

Add to the list of female chiefs Madam MacDougall of MacDougall.

[Lady Grey]

I'm a McKinnon descendant from Tobermory
Our clan chief is a woman
Madam Anne Gunhild Mackinnon of Mackinnon,

[Damion]

Tanistry - an early Irish law of succession by which the heir or successor of a chief or king is appointed during the lifetime of the reigning chief, is not necessarily his oldest son, is generally the worthiest and wisest of the male relatives of the chief, and is elected by the people from among the eligible candidates but because of resultant bloody wars and feuds between families declared illegal by a decision of the AngloIrish judges in the first year of James I (VI of Scotland). I don't know if the law also applied in Scotland but it's quite posible.

Tanistry was an early Gaelic law of succession that was either brought over by the early Scots or developed jointly after that. It was removed as a form of royal succession by James I of Scotland in the early 15th century but continued as the form for choosing clan chiefs though I don't know when they abandoned the system. Eligible candidates were males descended from the same grandfather as the current Chief and no other requisite such as land or even legitimacy was needed.

Some relevant information here from the point of the view of the Lord Lyon: https://www.cosca.scot/wp-content/up...Shennachie.pdf Second half of page 2.

[MacGumerait]

Tanistry - an early Irish law of succession by which the heir or successor of a chief or king is appointed during the lifetime of the reigning chief, is not necessarily his oldest son, is generally the worthiest and wisest of the male relatives of the chief

Well that dashes any chance I had at succession .

Joking aside , very interesting thread .

[MacRob]

Women cannot be clan chiefs under traditional clan law I thought. If no suitable male heir is available then the chief is meant to be chosen from within a male kingroup, the derbfine. It's the principle of tanistry which is how the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland selected their leaders. The reasoning in part is that clan names are taken from a supposed male ancestor, they can't be conferred from the female line though I suppose adoption is a possibility.

Not so at all. The Chief of Clan Gunn has a son who has three daughters. Unless something changes, the eldest girl will be chief at some point.

A derbhfine is actually a meeting of leading members of the clan to decide on important questions, like who will be chief. Tanistry is more flexible than is usually believed.