Timline of Scottish History
History of Clan Brodie
Clan Brodie is a Scottish Clan which dates at least as far back as Robert the Bruce; If, not Time Immorial.
Origins of the clan
The Clan Name is thought to a conglomeration of the Gaelic word 'brothaig', which means a ditch (dyke), and the Norman Name of De Brothie.
'Brothaig' could be significant in pre-historical terms. It could pertain to the Ancient Stone Circles. The root name of BRO is found throughout Europe
There is the suggestion that the family has Pictish Origins through descent from the Royal Family who carried the Pictish Name 'Brude'.
There is also the suggestion that the Family has a Direct Relationship to the Great Pictish King MacBeth.
A charter of confirmation for the Brodie lands came from Robert the Bruce and declared that Michael Brodie of Brodie held the rights of thanage over Brodie by right of succession from his paternal pictish ancestors, including his father Malcolm of Brodie.
Thoughts of antiquity are reinforced by the extensive archaeological evidence of Pictish settlements around Brodie . For instance, there is a finely carved Pictish symbol stone that stands close to the castle. This is a remnant of an old aristocratic order whose pinnacle was MacBeth: close to Brodie castle lies 'the blasted heath' on which MacBeth is reputed to have met the three witches.
Who Were the Picts?
14th Century and Earlier
King Brude, King of the Northern Picts, is said to have had his fortress around the Brodie Land in the 6th century.
In the 12th Century, Malcolm Brodie is given a Charter to the Brodie Land.
It is said that The Thane of Brodie signs the "ragman's roll" in 1296
It is said that in 1297 Brodies answered the call to arms by Andrew de Moray to assist in the rebellion led by William Wallace.
15th and 16th Century Clan Conflicts
The Clan Brodie are believed to have assisted the Clan MacKenzie when they defeated the Clan MacDonald of Gillespick at the Battle of Blar na Pairc in 1466.
The Clan Brodie are also believed to have assisted the Clan Munro and Clan MacKenzie when they defeated the rebel Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh in 1497.
Thomas Brodie, 11th Thane of Brodie, died at the Battle of Pinkie in 1547.
In 1550 Chief Alexander Brodie and 100 others were denounced as rebels for attacking the Clan Cumming of Altyre.
17th Century and Civil War
During the Civil Wars of the 17th century Alexander Brodie of Brodie was responsible for the destruction of Elgin Cathedral in 1640.
In 1643 Alexander Brodie of Brodie became a Member of Parliment for Moray and an Elder of the Forres Presbytety to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
In 1645 Brodie Castle was burnt down by Lewis Gordon 3rd Earl of Huntly and Chief of Clan Gordon. This was part of the Covenanting conflict during the Civil War, as a result there are few surviving documents and little is known about the Clan Brodie.
Alexander Brodie was one of the six commissioners that were sent to The Hague to negotiate with Charles Stuart. They were there to persuade Charles II to sign the National Covenant and resume the Scottish Crown. On his return to Parliment he was made a Lord of Session (a senior justice).
Alexander Brodie's diplomatic career also included a summons by Cromwell to London in 1651 to consider a Scottish union with England. He resisted attempts to appoint him to judicial office, though Cromwell's death in 1658 forced the issue for him, and he was appointed Justice of the Peace. The consequence was royal disfavour following the Restoration, Charles II finding it hard to forgive men who had tried to force their Presbyerian beliefs upon him as the price of their allegiance. The Good Laird Brodie died May 5th, 1680.
18th Century and Civil War
While it is inferred that there were Clan Brodie Members on both sides of the 1715, 1719 and 1745-46 Jacobite conflicts, The Lairds of Brodie did not support the Stuarts or the Jacobites.
In 1720 Alexander Brodie became 19th Laird Brodie of Brodie. That same year he became Member of Parliment for Elgin.
In 1724 General George Wade (British Army) reports the Clan Brodie to be "well affected" to His Majesty's Government.
Alexander Brodie was appointed Lord Lyon, King of Arms in 1727.
In 1736 David Brodie of Muiresk became a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. He was Promoted to 'Master and Commander" in 1740.
During the Rising of 1745 The Brodie is reported to have spent time on board the Royal Navy Sloop Vulture patrolling the Moray Firth.
After the Battle of Culloden, Alexander spoke in Parliment to oppose the ban on wearing of the Kilt.
Alexander died in 1754.
His wife, Mary Sleigh, can be credited with starting the flax industry in Scotland.
19th Century
Alexander O. Brodie
John Alexander Brodie
20th Century
Team Captain Brodie leads Oxford to Victory over Cambridge WATCH
William Brodie
James Brodie
The Clan Chief
Alexander Tristan Duff Brodie of Brodie, Thane of Dyke
Brodie Chieftain Lineage
Hereditary Chief Alexander's Crest.
Clan Area
County Brodie, circa 1783
Clan Castle
The seat of the Clan Brodie was The Brodie Castle
Clan Profile
Motto: Unite!
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Modern Hunting  | |
Ancient Hunting .jpg "Brodie Ancient Hunting Tartan") | |
Of that Ilk  | |
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Present day
A rare pontifical discovered in Brodie Castle (by Helen Brodie) in 1970 and now housed in the British Museum, indicates the family's existence from at least 1000 A.D.
There are still Brodies present to this day in Scotland, England (lower Scotland), Europe, Canada, United States, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, Polynisia, and many other Countries. Clan Brodie is a World-Wide presence.
Cadet families
Cadet families include the Brodies of Boxford, The Brodie of Caithness, The Brodies of Lethen, The Brodies of Milton, The Brodies of Muiresk, The Brodies of Idvies in Angus, and The Brodies of Eastbourne in Sussex. Sir Benjamin Brodie, Surgeon to the Royal Family, was made a Baronet in 1834. There are other distinguished branches of this family; including Your's as a Brodie.
Clan septs
Brodie
Brody
Brodey
Bryde
Brydie
Brodie Websites
Brodie Family .com History Archives
In Sydney Brodie Family .us
Brodie Family .net
More to Come!
Brodies of Note
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