|
Date |
Year |
Event |
Description |
|
|
562 |
St. Columba in Scotland |
|
|
|
795 |
Vikings first appeared Western Seas |
|
|
|
800 |
Vikings invade Channel coast |
|
|
|
832 |
Battle of Athelstaneford, East Lothian |
Angus mac Fergus, King of the Picts, defeats the army of Athelstane, King of Northumbria and the Saltire, the future flag of Scotland, is seen in the clouds. |
|
|
871/2 |
Harald Harfagri becomes sole king of Norway |
Makes an expedition against the western Vikings, who have est- ablished their Viking station in Orkney, drives them from their haunts and subdues Shetland, Orkney, the Hebrides and Man. |
|
|
|
Rognvald, Earl of Moeri |
Given Orkney and Shetland as an Earldom |
|
|
875 |
Dungaldus, Earl of Caithness |
|
|
|
|
Sigurd, brother of Rognvald, now Earl of Orkney |
Invades northern mainland of Scotland and seizes control of Caithness and Sutherland called Cat or Cait then Cataness till end of Norse rule in C13. |
|
4 November |
884 |
Saint Clair |
English hermit martyred in Normandy |
|
|
890 |
Rognvald dies |
|
|
|
c 900 |
Einar, son of Rognvald |
Builds Castle at Knock Einar now Kniockinnon in Caithness |
|
|
911 |
Hrolf (Rollo) also son of Rognvald |
Conquers Normandy, signs peace treaty with King Charles the Simple of France at St. Clair sur Epte and marries his daughter Gisela-no children |
|
|
912 |
Rollo |
Baptised at Rouen |
|
|
c.935 |
Northern Britain |
Becomes Scotland or Scotia having been formerly called Caledonia, Pictavia or Alban |
|
|
1002 |
Marriage of Emma to King Aethelred II of England |
Emma was the daughter of Duke Richard I of Normandy. |
|
|
1014 |
Thorfinn, son of Sigurd Earl of Orkney |
Made Earl of Caithness and Sutherland by Malcolm II, King of Scots, his maternal grandfather |
|
|
1017 |
Marriage of Queen Emma to King Knut of Norway, Denmark & England |
following Knut's invasion and marriage the grandsons, one of whom was 'Edward the Exile', of King Aethelred II escaped to Sweden, then 12 years later to Kiev. |
|
|
c 1028 |
William 'The Seemly' Sinclair |
Born at St. Lo, Normandy son of Walderne, Lord St. Clair |
|
|
1047 |
Battle of Val-es-Dunes |
St.Clairs v. William the Bastard Hamo and Waldrene St. Clair killed. |
|
|
1052 |
Edward the Confessor, son of Emma. |
Crowned King. |
|
|
1057 |
William 'The Seemly' Sinclair |
Returns from Hungary with Atheling Edward 'The Exile'and his daughter Margaret twelve years later married Malcolm Canmore King of Scotland |
|
|
1064 |
Thorfinn dies |
Succeeded by his sons Paul and Erlend. His widow, Ingibiorg marries Malcolm Canmore |
|
|
1066 |
Battle of Stamford Bridge, near York |
King Harald Sigurdson (Hardradi) fell. His son Olaf and Earls Paul and Erlend, who were also in the battle receive peace from the conqueror and are free to return north. |
|
14 October |
1066 |
Battle of Hastings |
9 St.Clairs receive battle honours |
|
|
1093 |
Queen Margaret dies |
Later canonised as 'an out- standing example of a true mother and a queen'. Her feast day is 16 November |
|
|
1096-1099 |
First Crusade |
Henry "the Holy" Sinclair takes part. Jerusalem captured. |
|
|
1118 |
Knights Templars founded |
At site of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem |
|
|
1129 |
Macwilliam designated Earl of Caithness |
|
|
|
1147-1149 |
Second Crusade |
|
|
|
1152 |
Earl Rognvald of Caithness and Orkney |
Makes pilgrimage to Jerusalem |
|
|
1189-1192 |
Third Crusade |
Fails to retake Jerusalem but agreement gained for free visitation of Holy places. |
|
|
1196 |
Harald, Earl of Caithness and Orkney |
Rebels against King William the Lion |
|
|
1201 |
Harald |
Storms castle of John, Bishop of Caithness whose tongue is cut out as 'he was an informer' |
|
|
1202 |
King William the Lion |
Marches to Caithness in revenge for John's death. Harald buys peace for 2000 merks |
|
|
1202-1204 |
Fourth Crusade |
Constantinople taken and held for fifty years |
|
|
1222 |
John, Earl of Caithness |
Does not stop the burning of Adam, Bishop of Caithness to death in Halkirk |
|
|
1231 |
John |
Murdered in his own house by his own servants. |
|
|
1245 |
Gilbert of Moray, Bishop of Caithness |
Saint, Social Worker and one of most outstanding men in the unreformed Church in Scotland dies. |
|
|
1263 |
Battle of Largs |
Scots defeat Vikings with William St. Clair commanding a wing of King Alexander III's army |
|
|
1289 |
John, Earl of Caithness |
Involved in proposal of marriage between King Edward I and Princess Margaret, the Maiden of Norway and Queen of Scotland |
|
|
1290 |
Margaret, Maiden of Norway |
Drowns of Orkney coast on her way to Scotland |
|
10 February |
1292 |
John, Earl of Caithness |
Refused to sit in Parliament under Balliol |
|
|
1296-99 |
Sir William Sinclair of Rosslyn |
Opposed King Edward I's invasion of Scotland. Died a prisoner probably in Tower of London |
|
|
1296 |
John, Earl of Caithness |
Swore loyalty to King Edward |
|
|
1303 |
Battle of Rosslyn |
Scots including Sinclair, Wallace and Comyn defeat English |
|
13 October |
1307 |
Knights Templars attacked |
by Philip the Fair of France on charges of heresy. Fleet escapes from La Rochelle to Scotland and Portugal |
|
23 June |
1314 |
Battle of Bannockburn |
Bruce defeats Edward I of England. Henry Sinclair and his brother the Bishop of Dunkeld there. |
|
24 June |
1314 |
after Bannockburn |
Henry Sinclair with Bruce when he declares Scotland independent |
|
September |
1319 |
Magnus V, Earl of Caithness and Orkney |
Receives letter from the Pope urging 'unity and peace' |
|
|
1320 |
Declaration of Arbroath |
The reply to the Pope's letter Signed by Sir Henry Sinclair of Rosslyn and Magnus V, Earl of Caithness and Orkney |
|
|
1321 |
Henry St. Clair |
Ballivus in Caithness for King Robert the Bruce |
|
|
1329 |
Peace of Northampton |
Scottish Independence recognised |
|
25 August |
1330 |
Battle of Teba, Andalusia, Spain |
Scottish Independence recognised |
|
12 July |
1346 |
Edward III of England invades Normandy |
Six English Sinclair generals with him. |
|
|
c 1350 |
King David II |
Decreed "ane common and equal weicht, quhilk is called the weicht of Caithness (pondus Cathaniae) in buying and selling, sall be keeped and used by all men within this realm of Scotland" |
|
|
c 1358 |
Lithuanian Crusade |
William Sinclair, Baron of Rosslyn and father of Prince Henry Sinclair dies in Lithuania crusading with the Teutonic Knights |
|
|
1364 |
Thomas St Clair |
Ballivus in Orkney for the King of Norway |
|
13 August |
1379 |
Henry made Jarl (Prince or Earl) of Orkney |
by King Haakon VI of Norway |
|
|
1398 |
Prince Henry's voyage |
sails to New world. |
|
2 June |
1398 |
Chadebucto Bay, Nova Scotia |
Henry lands and calls it Trin harbour |
|
|
1399 |
Henry in Massachusetts and Rhode Island |
|
|
|
1400 |
Prince Henry killed in Orkney |
Succeeded by his son Henry 2nd Earl of Orkney |
|
|
|
Henry 2nd Earl of Orkney |
Guardian to Prince James, the future King James I of Scots |
|
1 February |
1420 |
Henry dies. |
William 3rd Earl of Orkney succeeds |
|
|
1446 |
Rosslyn Chapel (Collegiate Chapel of St Mathew) founded |
by William Sinclair, Prince of Orkney |
|
|
1449 |
William |
Senior of four candidates for the vacant Norwegian crown. Blocked by Hansa league as they wanted someone more amenable |
|
|
1449 |
William created Lord Sinclair |
|
|
|
1454-59 |
William |
High Chancellor of Scotland |
|
28 August |
1455 |
William also created Earl of Caithness |
Under Scottish law |
|
|
1470 |
William forced to resign Earldom of Orkney |
Orkney transferred to Scottish crown as part of the dowry on marriage of James III to Margaret of Denmark |
|
|
1471-73 |
William |
Ambassador to England |
|
|
1476 |
William 1st Earl |
Surrenders his Caithness title. Succeeded by his son William 2nd Earl. Another son Oliver is left the Roslin Estates |
|
|
1484 |
William |
Dies and is buried at Rosslyn |
|
|
1496 |
Jan de Grot (John of Groats) |
Commissioned by James IV to operate a ferry service to Orkney |
|
|
1499 |
William |
Also created 1st Lord Sinclair |
|
|
1505 |
William, 2nd Earl of Caithness |
Known to have sat in Parliament |
|
9 September |
1513 |
Battle of Flodden |
William helped lead the right wing ot he Scottish army that beat the English left wing. Unlike some he returned to help the rest of the Scots and was killed. Loss of 600 Sinclairs including George Sinclair of Keiss, Henry 3rd Lord Sinclair, The Bishop of Caithness as well as King James IV of Scotland. William was succeeded by son John 3rd Earl |
|
|
1529 |
Battle of Somersdale |
John Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Caithness dies in battle with 500 between Sinclairs of Caithness and Sinclairs of Orkney led by James Sinclair. Succeeded by his son George 4th Earl |
|
24 November |
1542 |
Battle of Solway Moss |
Scots, commanded by Oliver Sinclair beaten by the English |
|
|
1542 |
George, 4th Earl of Caithness |
First sat as a Peer in Parliament |
|
|
1560 |
John Knox (mother was a Sinclair) |
founds Presbyterian Church in Scotland |
|
12 April |
1567 |
George, 4th Earl of Caithness |
Foreman of the Jury at the trial that acquitted James, Earl of Bothwell for the murder of Lord Darnley and who then married Mary Queen of Scots. |
|
26 February |
1571 |
Rosslyn Chapel |
seized in the Reformation |
|
9 September |
1582 |
George, 4th Earl of Caithness |
dies in Edinburgh. Buried at Rosslyn. Succeeded by his grandson George, 5th Earl |
|
17 August |
1592 |
Altars of Rosslyn Chapel ordered to be destroyed |
Oliver St.Clair summoned to appear before the General Assembly and threatened with excommunication |
|
31 August |
1592 |
Altars at Rosslyn Chapel destroyed |
'The altars of Roslene were haille demolishit' George Ramsay Chapel ceased to be used as a house of prayer and fell into disrepair |
|
|
1612 |
Battle of Kringen, Otta, Norway |
George Sinclair and all but 18 out of 300 or so men killed in an ambush. |
|
|
1614 |
George 5th Earl of Caithness |
Supresses rebellion in Orkney |
|
2 January |
1631 |
George 5th Earl of Caithness |
Created Baronet of Nova Scotia |
|
18 June |
1636 |
John Sinclair of Longformacus |
Created Baronet of Naova Scotia |
|
|
1638 |
Baptist Church founded |
The first Baptist Church in Scotland was at Keiss in Caithness |
|
February |
1642 |
George 5th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by George 6th Earl of Caithness, his great grandson |
|
30 January |
1649 |
King Charles I |
executed |
|
3 September |
1651 |
John 9th Lord Sinclair |
Captured by Cromwell at Battle of Worcester fighting for King Charles II. Imprisoned at Windsor until 1660 |
|
15 July |
1657 |
George 6th Earl of Caithness |
Present when Oliver Cromwell was proclaimed Chief Magistrate of the three nations. |
|
|
1653-9 |
Oliver Cromwell |
stationed troops in Caithness including ''70 foot and 15 horse" at Girnigoe |
|
|
1674 |
Patrick Sinclair |
First Sinclair in West Indies |
|
May |
1676 |
George 6th Earl of Caithness dies |
At Thurso Castle. Title held by Cambell of Glenorchy |
|
13 July |
1680 |
Battle of Altimarlach |
George Sinclair of Keiss loses last clan battle in Scotland to l Campbell of Glenorchy |
|
|
1680 |
Robert Sinclair |
First to settle in USA in New York |
|
15 July |
1681 |
George Sinclair |
Declared 7th Earl of Caithness by the Privy Council. A cousin of George 6th Earl |
|
11 December |
1688 |
Rosslyn Chapel |
Damaged by a mob for being too Popish and idolatrous |
|
|
1689 |
Henry 10th Lord Sinclair |
Only Peer to oppose the settling of the Crown on William and Mary |
|
|
1698 |
George 7th Earl dies |
Succeeded by John 8th Earl his cousin. |
|
25 July |
1704 |
John 8th Earl of Caithness |
Sits in Parliament |
|
12 October |
1704 |
James Sinclair of Dunbeath |
Created Baronet of Nova Scotia |
|
|
1705 |
John 8th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by his son Alexander 9th Earl of Caithness |
|
|
1707/1708 |
Union of Parliaments |
Scotland's Parliament suspended. The Earl of Caithness against Union. He was the last surviving peer of the Scottish Parliament. |
|
|
1715 |
Battle of Sheriffmuir |
David Sinclair of Brabsterdorran fights for Jacobite cause. |
|
|
1736 |
Rosslyn Chapel |
Sir James Sinclair glazed the windows for the first time, relaid the floor with flagstones and repaired the roof |
|
16 April |
1746 |
Battle of Culloden |
Prince Charles Edward defeated. Sir James Sinclair of Rosslyn, a Major General and Colonel of The Royal Scots on Hanovarian side. About 500 Caithness Sinclairs were about to join the Jacobite cause, but The Earl of Caithness supported the Hanovarians |
|
|
1747 |
Heritable Jurisdiction Act |
Highland landowners must accept English Jurisdiction or forfeit their lands |
|
|
1747 |
Act of Proscription |
Banned the wearing of tartan, the teaching of Gaelic, the playing of bagpipes and the gatherings of Highlanders. |
|
|
1759 |
Lt. A. Sinclair |
Carried the Colours for General Wolfe at the Battle of the Heights of Abraham. Eventually became a Major General. |
|
9 December |
1765 |
Alexander 9th Earl of Caithness dies |
Disputed succession |
|
|
1772 |
William Sinclair created 10th Earl of Caithness |
A cousin of 9th Earl |
|
|
1777 |
Battle of Charlestown, Virginia, USA |
John Sinclair, son and heir of William, a Major in 76th Foot wounded in the groin by a musket ball when reconnoitring with Sir Henry Clinton |
|
29 November |
1779 |
William 10th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by his son John 11th Earl of Caithness. |
|
14 February |
1786 |
John Sinclair of Ulbster |
Created Baronet of Great Britain |
|
8 April |
1789 |
John 11th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succession again disputed |
|
|
1790 |
Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster, Bt |
Compiled the 'Statistical Account of Scotland' |
|
4 November |
1791 |
Battle at Wabash River (now Fort Recovery, Ohio, USA) |
Gen St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territories defeated by the largest Indian confederation ever assembled. |
|
|
1793 |
Sir James Sinclair of Mey becomes 12th Earl of Caithness |
Cousin of the 11th Earl |
|
|
1794-1823 |
James 12th Earl of Caithness |
Lord Lieutenant of Caithness |
|
|
1793 |
Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster, Bt |
First President of the Board of Agriculture |
|
|
1794 |
Caithness and Rothesay Fencibles formed |
By Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster, Bt |
|
21 April |
1801 |
Alexander Wedderburn |
Created 1st Earl of Rosslyn |
|
|
1807-18 |
James 12th Earl of Caithness |
Representative Peer of Scotland |
|
|
1811-23 |
James 12th Earl of Caithness |
Postmaster General of Scotland |
|
16 July |
1823 |
James 12th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by his son Alexander 13th Earl |
|
|
1823-55 |
Alexander 13th Earl of Caithness |
Lord Lieutenant of Caithness |
|
|
1834-35 |
Sir James St.Clair-Erskine, 2nd Earl of Rosslyn |
Lord President of the Council |
|
|
1848 |
Andrew Sinclair |
First Sinclair in New Zealand |
|
|
1852 |
James 3rd Earl of Rosslyn |
Under Secretary of War |
|
13 September |
1852 |
John Sinclair |
First Sinclair in Australia |
|
24 December |
1855 |
Alexander 13th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by his son James 14th Earl, a Fellow of the Royal Society and an inventor |
|
|
1856-81 |
James 14th Earl of Caithness |
Lord Lieutenant of Caithness and Vice Admiral of Caithness |
|
|
1856-58 |
James 14th Earl of Caithness |
A Lord in Waiting to the Queen |
|
|
1858-68 |
James 14th Earl of Caithness |
Representative Peer of Scotland |
|
|
1861 |
Rosslyn Chapel |
Restored by James, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn. Sunday services begin again. |
|
22 April |
1862 |
Rosslyn Chapel |
Rededicated by Bishop of Edinburgh |
|
|
1862 |
Wick |
Largest herring port in the world with 1122 boats |
|
28 March |
1881 |
James 14th Earl of Caithness dies |
Buried at Chapel Royal, Holyrood. Succeeded by his son George 15th Earl,who was a lieutenant-colonel of the Caithness Artillery Volunteers |
|
16 November |
1881 |
Rosslyn Chapel |
Apse added by Francis 4th Earl of Rosslyn with organ loft above |
|
|
1881-89 |
George 15th Earl of Caithness |
Lord Lieutenant of Caithness |
|
|
1889 |
George 15th Earl of Caithness dies |
Left the family estates out of the family. Succeeded by his cousin James 16th Earl. |
|
20 January |
1891 |
James 16th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by his son John 17th Earl |
|
11th December |
1906 |
Captain John Sinclair of Lyth MP |
created Secretary [of State] for Scotland, Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland and Privy Counsellor in Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's Liberal Government |
|
15th February |
1909 |
Captain John Sinclair of Lyth MP |
Created 1st Baron Pentland |
|
|
1914 |
John 17th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by cousin Norman 18th Earl. |
|
|
1918-29 |
Norman 18th Earl of Caithness |
Representative Peer of Scotland |
|
4 April |
1929 |
Francis, Lord Loughborough (heir to the Earl of Rosslyn) dies |
Succeeded as heir by the Hon Anthony St Clair Erskine |
|
|
1931-32 |
Sir Archibald Sinclair of Ulbster, (4th) Bt |
Secretary of State for Scotland |
|
|
1935-45 |
Sir Archibald Sinclair of Ulbster Bt |
Leader of the Liberal Party |
|
10 August |
1939 |
James St Clair Erskine, 5th Earl of Rosslyn dies |
Succeeded by Anthony, 6th Earl |
|
|
1940-45 |
Sir Archibald Sinclair of Ulbster Bt |
Secretary of State for Air in War Cabinet |
|
25 March |
1947 |
Norman 18th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by his nephew Roderick 19th Earl |
|
28 February |
1948 |
Aubrey St Clair-Ford |
Inherits Baronetcy of Great Britain created on 22 February 1793 |
|
|
1950-58 |
Roderick 19th Earl of Caithness |
Representative Peer of Scotland |
|
10 April |
1952 |
Sir Archibald Sinclair of Ulbster Bt |
Created 1st Viscount Thurso of Ulbster |
|
|
1955-65 |
Roderick 19th Earl of Caithness |
HM The Queen's Resident Factor, Balmoral Estates |
|
|
1957 |
16th Lord Sinclair dies |
Succeeded by his son Murray 17th Baron |
|
22 January |
1957 |
Robert John Sinclair |
Created 1st Baron Sinclair of Cleeve |
|
|
1958-65 |
Roderick 19th Earl of Caithness |
Having been a Brigadier in the Gordon Highlanders was made Brigade Colonel of the Regiment |
|
|
1963-65 |
Roderick 19th Earl of Caithness |
Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire |
|
May |
1965 |
Roderick 19th Earl of Caithness dies |
Succeeded by his son Malcolm 20th Earl |
|
|
1970 |
Susan Cunliffe Lister (Nee Sinclair) |
Created Baroness Masham of Ilton (Life Peer) |
|
|
1977 |
Anthony St Clair Erskine, 6th Earl of Rosslyn dies |
Succeded by his son, Peter 7th Earl |
|
|
1983 |
Clive Sinclair, electronic engineer and inventor |
Knighted. |
|
|
1984-1994 |
Malcolm, 20th Earl of Caithness |
Minister of State in Department of Transport, Department of the Environment, Home Office and the Foreign Office. Paymaster General in HM Treasury. |
|
|
1985 |
2nd Baron Sinclair of Cleeve dies |
Succeeded by his son John 3rd Baron |
|
|
1990 |
Malcolm, 20th Earl of Caithness |
Created a Privy Counsellor |
|
|
1995 |
Robin 2nd Viscount Thurso of Ulbster dies |
Succeeded by his son John, 3rd Viscount |
|
|
1997 |
Veronica Linklater (grand-daughter of 1st Viscount Thurso) |
Created Baroness Linklater of Butterstone (Life Peer) |
|
March |
1999 |
Clan Sinclair Trust |
founded as Sinclair and Girnigoe Castles Trust |
|
5 November |
1999 |
Malcolm 20th Earl of Caithness and Peter 7th Earl of Rosslyn |
Elected Representative Hereditary Peers in House of Lords reform. John 3rd Viscount Thurso does not stand in election |
|
1. Januar |
2000 |
Britain Travel Peter Storm |
Der Clan Sinclair beginnt, seine Herrschaft über das Land durch die vielen Lairds of Glencairn, Camster und John O'Groats zu verlieren. |
