Hay
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The History of the clanThe Hays descend from William de la Haye, Butler of Scotland, who was a cadet of the seigneurs de la Haye Hue in Normandy who came to Scotland c. 1160. He married a Celtic heiress and c. 1178 received the Barony of Errol. He was a cup-bearer to Malcolm IV and it is thought that he was descended from powerful Norman Princes who followed William the Conqueror to England in 1066. The origin of the name is from the French “La Haye,” which is a place-name in Normandy meaning the stockade. Sir Gilbert 5th of Errol was a faithful adherent to King Robert the Bruce being one of his comrades-in-arms and as a result was rewarded the lands of Slains in Aberdeenshire and was created Lord High Hereditary Constable of Scotland in 1314. This duty, still active and held by the present day chief, maintains that he ensures the safety of the Royal family and that he be the sword bearer at coronations. William the 4th Earl fell at Flodden with 87 Hays. The Hays did not support the Reformation and with other Catholic nobles including the Gordons and the Red Douglases attempted to negotiate with Philip II of Spain trying to bring about some sort of alliance. Charles, 13th Earl, voted against the Union and helped to organise the 1708 Jacobite attempt, and received the Order of the Thistle from James VIII. He was succeeded by his sister Mary the 14th Countess raised her men for Prince Charles in 1745. Slains Castle, the now ruined seat of the Earls of Errol, is situated on a cliff on the Aberdeenshire coast. Diana, the present Countess of Errol, is the 32nd chief. In 1950 she founded the Clan Hay society. Married to the Scottish herald, Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk Bt, their son is the present 33rd chief and Hereditary Lord High Constable. |
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