This song, in vernacular Scots, tells the story of the Battle of Harlaw, fought in 1411. An army from the west coast of Scotland, under the command of Donald (or Domhnall), the Lord of the Isles, invaded the Earldom of Ross and advanced toward Aberdeen on the east coast. Donald's forces were met near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire by a smaller force assembled by Alexander Stewart, the Earl of Mar, who was loyal to the king of Scotland.
The battle was a smaller affair than described in the song, but ended in a tactical victory for the Earl of Mar, and the retreat of Donald's army. Donald (Macdonald in the song) was not killed, and the leaders named on the 'Lowland' side -- Sir James Ross, Sir John Graeme, Forbes -- were probably not present at the battle and may not even have existed.
Dunideer -- Dunnideer Castle in Aberdeenshire
"fifty thoosan Hieland men" -- Donald's forces probably actually numbered only around 10,000 men; the Earl of Mar may have had just a third or half that number, but the core of the Lowland army was much better equipped, with knights wearing full plate armor against the lightly-armed and -armored Highlanders.
Sir James the Rose -- Sir James Ross
John the Graeme -- John Graeme or Graham
Macdonald -- Donald (Domhnall) the Lord of the Isles, a baron whose power base lay mainly in the islands off the west coast of Scotland. Donald claimed to be the rightful ruler of the Earldom of Ross in north-western Scotland, and his incursion into mainland Scotland was intended to secure his claim.
Skye -- a large island off the coast of Scotland
heilan men -- the 'Highland men' were from the Western Isles off the west coast of Scotland. The 'Lowland men' who opposed them were the Earl of Mar's soldiers, mostly from the east and south of Scotland.
merry men -- the phrase 'merry men' (most familiar from the phrase "Robin Hood and his merry men") doesn't mean that those described were particularly cheerful. 'Merry men' were the closest companions and most trusted soldiers of a lord or leader, often blood relatives or their best-equipped and most loyal knights. Depending on the context, 'companions', 'supporters', 'retinue' or 'followers' might all be good translations. 'Merry men' would normally refer to the core of a lord's army, but it could possibly be extended to describe all the soldiers fighting under his banner.
"turn wir horse's heid" -- a poetic way of saying to turn around, i.e. to retreat
"the brave Macdonald fell" -- Donald was not killed or, so far as is known, even injured in the battle
"pitlarichie" -- panic, confusion, chaos; possibly an invented word
"but fifty-three gaed hame" -- Donald's forces probably numbered about 10,000, of whom around 900 died in the battle. Around 600 of the Earl of Mar's smaller force were killed, but neither side was nearly wiped out, as the song suggests. Losses do seem to have been particularly heavy among the elites, however: Donald's seconds-in-command were both killed, and many knights on the Lowland side died. If you were to count only the nobility and the elite knights, then perhaps the numbers given in the ballad are more accurate.
This song, in vernacular Scots, tells the story of the Battle of Harlaw, fought in 1411. An army from the west coast of Scotland, under the command of Donald (or Domhnall), the Lord of the Isles, invaded the Earldom of Ross and advanced toward Aberdeen on the east coast. Donald's forces were met near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire by a smaller force assembled by Alexander Stewart, the Earl of Mar, who was loyal to the king of Scotland.
The battle was a smaller affair than described in the song, but ended in a tactical victory for the Earl of Mar, and the retreat of Donald's army. Donald (Macdonald in the song) was not killed, and the leaders named on the 'Lowland' side -- Sir James Ross, Sir John Graeme, Forbes -- were probably not present at the battle and may not even have existed.
Dunideer -- Dunnideer Castle in Aberdeenshire
"fifty thoosan Hieland men" -- Donald's forces probably actually numbered only around 10,000 men; the Earl of Mar may have had just a third or half that number, but the core of the Lowland army was much better equipped, with knights wearing full plate armor against the lightly-armed and -armored Highlanders.
Sir James the Rose -- Sir James Ross
John the Graeme -- John Graeme or Graham
Macdonald -- Donald (Domhnall) the Lord of the Isles, a baron whose power base lay mainly in the islands off the west coast of Scotland. Donald claimed to be the rightful ruler of the Earldom of Ross in north-western Scotland, and his incursion into mainland Scotland was intended to secure his claim.
Skye -- a large island off the coast of Scotland
heilan men -- the 'Highland men' were from the Western Isles off the west coast of Scotland. The 'Lowland men' who opposed them were the Earl of Mar's soldiers, mostly from the east and south of Scotland.
merry men -- the phrase 'merry men' (most familiar from the phrase "Robin Hood and his merry men") doesn't mean that those described were particularly cheerful. 'Merry men' were the closest companions and most trusted soldiers of a lord or leader, often blood relatives or their best-equipped and most loyal knights. Depending on the context, 'companions', 'supporters', 'retinue' or 'followers' might all be good translations. 'Merry men' would normally refer to the core of a lord's army, but it could possibly be extended to describe all the soldiers fighting under his banner.
"turn wir horse's heid" -- a poetic way of saying to turn around, i.e. to retreat
"the brave Macdonald fell" -- Donald was not killed or, so far as is known, even injured in the battle
"pitlarichie" -- panic, confusion, chaos; possibly an invented word
"but fifty-three gaed hame" -- Donald's forces probably numbered about 10,000, of whom around 900 died in the battle. Around 600 of the Earl of Mar's smaller force were killed, but neither side was nearly wiped out, as the song suggests. Losses do seem to have been particularly heavy among the elites, however: Donald's seconds-in-command were both killed, and many knights on the Lowland side died. If you were to count only the nobility and the elite knights, then perhaps the numbers given in the ballad are more accurate.