Nicholas Sutherland, 1st of Duffus was a Scottish noble who was seated at Duffus Castle, near Elgin, Moray, Scotland in the 14th and 15th centuries.
Nicholas Sutherland was the second son of Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland, chief of Clan Sutherland. Nicholas married Mary, daughter of Reginald le Chen (died 1345) and in doing so brought the estate of Duffus back to the family of de Moravia, from whom Nicholas was a lineal descendant, and at that time the Earls of Sutherland had not yet given up the surname de Moravia. [3] William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland confirmed to Nicholas Sutherland, his brother, a charter for the barony of Torboll dated 13 September 1360 and this was subsequently also confirmed by charter from David II of Scotland to Nicholas dated 17 October 1362. [4] Nicholas Sutherland of Duffus is recorded as having murdered Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver and his son Donald Mackay, 5th of Strathnaver, chiefs of Clan Mackay, while they slept at Dingwall Castle, after they had met there to settle a dispute with the Sutherlands peacefully in 1370. [5] Nicolas Sutherland was named as Lord of the Castle of Duffus in 1408. [4] [6]
Nicholas Sutherland married Mary, daughter of Reginald le Chen (died 1345). [3] They had the following two sons:
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is also the chief of Clan Sutherland.
Clan Mackay is an ancient and once-powerful Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Kingdom of Moray.
Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland, however in the early 16th century this title passed through marriage to a younger son of the chief of Clan Gordon. The current chief is Alistair Sutherland who holds the title Earl of Sutherland.
Duffus Castle, near Elgin, Moray, Scotland, was a motte-and-bailey castle and was in use from c. 1140 to 1705. During its occupation it underwent many alterations. The most fundamental was the destruction of the original wooden structure and its replacement with one of stone. At the time of its establishment, it was one of the most secure fortifications in Scotland. At the death of the 2nd Lord Duffus in 1705, the castle had become totally unsuitable as a dwelling and so was abandoned.
The title Lord Duffus was created by Charles II in the Peerage of Scotland on 8 December 1650 for Alexander Sutherland. He was a descendant of the 4th Earl of Sutherland, who fell in battle in 1333. The title is now extinct, although there may be male-line Sutherlands descended from earlier lairds of Duffus.
Kenneth de Moravia was the 4th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
William de Moravia was the 5th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. William, 5th Earl of Sutherland was a loyal supporter of David II of Scotland in the wars against England.
Robert Sutherland, was the 6th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
John Sutherland, was the 7th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
John Sutherland, was the 8th Earl of Sutherland and chief of the Clan Sutherland, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland (1525–1567) was a Scottish magnate. John Gordon supported the chief of his family, his cousin the Earl of Huntly against the Earl of Moray. After Huntly's defeat at Corrichie, he went into exile, and shortly after his return to Scotland he was murdered by a kinswoman.
The Murrays of Aberscross were a minor noble Scottish family who were seated at Aberscross Castle, in the county of Sutherland, Scotland. The Murrays in Sutherland are recorded specifically as a clan in two acts of the Scottish Parliament of the 16th century.
Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver was the chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. He was murdered along with his eldest son Donald at Dingwall Castle during a feud with the Earl of Sutherland, chief of the Clan Sutherland.
John Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, was the eleventh chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Donald Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, was the eleventh chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Sir Reginald le Chen or Cheyne (c.1235–1312) was a 13th-14th century Scottish noble. He was a sheriff of Nairn, sheriff of Inverness and Baron of Inverugie.
Alexander Sutherland, 3rd of Duffus was a Scottish member of the nobility and a cadet of the Clan Sutherland.
William Sutherland, 5th of Duffus was a member of the Scottish nobility and a cadet of the Clan Sutherland.
William Sutherland, 7th of Duffus was a Scottish member of the nobility and a cadet of the Clan Sutherland.
Alexander Sutherland, 8th of Duffus was a member of the Scottish nobility and a cadet of the Clan Sutherland.