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The Clan Leslie claim
descent from Bartholf, a Hungarian who obtained the Barony of Lesly in the 12th century,
and it was his son Malcolm who was the first to take the name from the lands. Sir Andrew
Leslie was one of the signatories of the Declaration
of Arbroath in 1320, a letter to the Pope asserting Scottish independance. His second
son married the daughter and heiress of the Earl of Ross and hence in his wife's right
became Earl . On his death in 1402 the right of earldom was fought by his brother-in-law,
Donald of the Isles at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411. (Additional information on the Battle
of Harlaw - Clan MacLean, Clan
MacBean, Clan MacQueen, Clan
Shaw, Clan Cameron, and other clan. Listen to the
music of "Battle of Harlaw"). The
Leslies lost the title but the sixth Leslie Chief, Sir Andrew, was created Earl of Rothes
by James II and the family have held the title up to the present day. William, 3rd Earl of
Rothes was killed at Flodden and his son, George, was one of the chief conspirators in the
assassination of Cardinal Beaton (Bethune). Andrew, 4th Earl who succeeded his father in
1588 was intimately concerned with the affairs of Mary
Queen of Scots fighting on her side at Langside. George Leslie of Balgonie served with
great distinction under Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden in the Thirty Years War. He
returned to Scotland to command the Covenantors and captured Edinburgh Castle, as a
reward, and to conciliate the Scots, Charles I created him Earl of Leven in 1641. The
Leslies of Balquhain were the most distinguished branch and were involved in a long feud
with the Forbes. The most notable of their family was John Leslie, Bishop of Ross who
wrote, in the Scottish vernacular, "A History of Scotland" for Mary Queen of
Scots, of whom he was a loyal supporter. He was also involved in the Ridolfi plot, for
which he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Additional
information can be found on the Clan Leslie Society history page. |
