Part 4: Cawdor Castle
After waking up in a fog the sun rose into what seemed to be an opulent kind of brilliance and after a brief walk down by the rigs, we headed towards Cawdor Castle. Cawdor Castle is known by those in the area as “Macbeth” castle…or if you’re superstitious “The Scottish” castle. (This, I am sure, gets confusing) The reason it is called Macbeth castle is this is where the –Historical- Macbeth Mac Bethad mac Findlaích had ruled Scotland from 1040-1057 AD and unlike the Macbeth of the Bard’s retelling, this Macbeth was actually a pretty decent king, who had won his crown after his predecessor Donnchad mac Crínáin or Duncan I (who was a young man, and not an old, wise, paternal figure) was killed by his own men near Elgin after attempting to invade Macbeth's land. As for Lady Macbeth, her real name being Gruoch Boite, there is no historical evidence of her being a heinous cow.
Architecturally the castle was an intriguing introduction to the Scottish vernacular, there was that lingering sense of the utilitarian that had been attempted to be softened over time by adding a 17th century addition, a few hedged labyrinths, foxglove, topiaries and obviously, a nine-hole golf course. One of the more interesting aspects of the castle was down near the dungeons, which had allegedly been the foundation where a holly tree still stands. The holly tree, according to legend, had been a sign sent by God as to where the Thanes of Cawdor were tobuild their headquarters. However now the tree branches have been siphoned off and could be mistaken for any kind of tree, personally I think the Holly is just there for Christian symbolism and it really could have been any kind of tree.
The most noticeable thing about this castle was the lack of windows. Some Architects would say that it’s a huge problem not to have expansive windows (I’m looking at you Palladio) and that by doing so, you fight against nature and your relationship with it. My response in this case is: It gets really cold here and they didn’t have double pane glass in the 9th century. Give them a break. Glass is a luxury and one that Thanes, could not afford in a war-torn and clan-run culture, Brocade yes, Glass, no. Tapestries a must, I mean what else would you hide behind to hear someone’s asides and monologues?
I almost have to argue that the lack of windows makes the light ever-so-much-more precious than it would be otherwise. There is almost a poetic exoticism to the light as it shafts down through a balistraria, as if it may be the last light you ever see.
Part 5: Culloden Battle Field
Ahh, the Jacobites, is there nothing you can succeed at? It’s like every time you get your neck ruff just right, some Hanoverian comes out on nowhere and ruins everything. First you’re all like, “Let’s grant non-anglicans religious freedom” and then they’re all like “ pfft…eff that. Let’s have a Glorious Revolution and force you to flee to France instead”. Then, just as you think everything is going to be all right. BAM! Battle of Culloden.
Basically the Battle of Culloden was Scotland’s Gettysburg, it didn’t end the war, but after that it was pretty clear how this war was going to end. Also like Gettysburg, it’s a battle that still brings up pangs in the national gut of Scotland. In the end it panned out well for the Hanoverians, not so much for the Jacobites, and more importantly, the native clans of Scotland. The clans, who up until this point had kept their traditional dress and customs, were more than happy to jump the bandwagon for “Bonnie Prince Charlie” (who, if the Jacobites had won, would have granted them civil, cultural and religious liberties the kind of which they had not seen in centuries). However when it proved that the Bonnie Prince, (or “The Young Pretender” as he was known on the Hanoverian side) was not the great savior that had been praised, but rather a spoiled brat who had wanted more power and skived off to Rome after this great defeat, the clans paid dearly for it.
So why did the Jacobites lose? They had financial support from France, a pretty passionate group of followers as well as political influence in many metropolitan areas, such as Edinburgh. So what happened? Well I think we can grope the simplest answer from this painting.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/The_Battle_of_Culloden.jpg
Never bring a knife to a gun fight.
After the battle the English forces ransacked the villages to smoke out whoever had fought against them most of them being either killed, banished, shipped off to the Americas, or in the case of the French, made prisoners of war, the wounded Scotsmen were forcibly denied treatment for their wounds and many died from infection as a result. The French had it the luckiest, they would be given back in troop exchange, for the rest of the Jacobites, this was treason and therefore the British could do whatever they wanted to them.
The most painful result of this war was the banning of their heritage, after the battle of Culloden clans and tribes were dispersed, no kilts or plaid were to be worn and under penalty of death one would be forced to pledge allegiance to the Hanoverian crown. This subjugation would continue until 10 years ago when the Scottish parliament was established in Edinburgh.
Then we had a picnic outside the visitor center.
For more thoughts on the Scottish Parliament building and a really bad pun:
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