Article
Erskine
Gaelic: Arascain
Badge: A right hand holding a dagger
French Motto: Je pense plus (I think more)
In the 13th century the first record of that name was Henry Erskine who was the owner of the Barony of Erskine. During the Wars of Scottish Independence the Clan Erskine was supporters of King Robert the Bruce.
In 1435 Alexander Stewart, the Earl of Mar died and Sir Robert Erskine claimed the title. This also made him the Chief of Clan Mar. The King withdrew the Earldom in 1457 stating that it could only belong to a Royal Stuart. Ten years later Sir Robert was created the first Lord Erskine. During the Anglo-Scottish Wars the 4th Lord Erskine led the Clan Erskine at the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513 where he was killed. Mary Queen of Scots had been in the care of the 5th Lord Erskine and when he died she made John Erskine the 6th Lord Erskine the Earl of Mar.
In the Jacobite rebellion the chief of Clan Erskine, John Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar raised an army of over ten thousand men for the Jacobite cause. This force was not used to its potential during the Battle of Sheriffmuir on 13 November 1715 where it was defeated. The Earl of Mar then fled Scotland to France, whereupon he betrayed his Jacobite associates. He lost his line of the Earldom of Mar and it was not restored until 1824.
The tartan was recorded in Sobieski brothers' Vestiarium Scoticum 1842 in Red and Green but the same design is used in various colours such as Black and white, Burgundy and White, etc.
Choose from one of the Erskine tartans listed below:
