Battle of Alltan - Beath The Battle of Alltan - Beath also known as the Battle of Ailtan - Beath was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1542 in the village of Knockarthur ( or Knockartel ) , in Sutherland , in the Scottish Highlands . It was fought between men of the Clan Mackay and Clan Sutherland . Accounts of the events and circumstances surrounding the battle vary in accounts from different historians . Accounts of the Battle . Sir Robert Gordon . An account of the battle written by the historian Sir Robert Gordon ( 1580 – 1656 ) states that there was peace between the Mackays and Sutherlands from the death of John Mackay in 1529 until the year 1542 when chief " Donald Mackay came with a company of men to the village of Knockartel , burnt the same , and took a prey of goods from Strathbrory " . He goes on to say that the goods were soon recovered and that soon afterwards Donald Mackay again invaded Sutherland and marched as far as Skibo Castle and encamped there . Sir Robert Gordon goes onto say that in that year : " The Gordon Earls of Huntly and Gordon Earls of Sutherland both coming north into Sutherland , they did summon the Sinclair , Earl of Caithness and Donald Mackay to compear before them at Helmsdale , to answer for their intromission with the bishop ' s rents , and for the wrongs which they had done , and caused to be done upon the bishop ' s lands . The Earl of Caithness compeared at the time and place appointed , and yielded himself to their mercy . So , having made a final agreement with them at Helmsdale , he returned again into Caithness . Donald Mackay was also at this time brought to the Earls of Huntly and Sutherland , who ( upon Mackay ' s submission ) pardoned him what was past ; yet he was at their command imprisoned in the castle of Foulis " . Conflicts of the Clans . An account of the Battle of Alltan - Beath was written in the book " Conflicts of the Clans " published by the Foulis Press in 1764 , written from a manuscript from the time of King James VI of Scotland ( 1566 – 1625 ) : This account also states that Mackay was " apprehended " and imprisoned : " Donald Mackay of Strathnaver , having succeeded his brother , John , taketh the occasion upon the death of Adam , Earl of Sutherland ( who left his grandchild , John , young to succeed him ) to molest and invade the inhabitants of Sutherland . He came , the year of God 1542 , with a company of men to the village of Knockartoll , burnt the same , and took a great prey of goods out of Strathbrora . Sir Hugh Kennedy of Griffen Mains dwelt then in Sutherland , having married John , Earl of Sutherland ' s mother , after the death of his father , Alexander , Master of Sutherland . Sir Hugh Kennedy being advertised of Mackay ' s coming into Sutherland , he advises with Hutcheon Murray of Abirscors , and with Gilbert Gordon of Garty , what was best to be done . They resolve to fight the enemy ; and so having gathered a company of men , they overtook Mackay , unawares , beside a place called Ailtan - Beath , where they invaded him suddenly ; having passed his spies unseen . After a little skirmish the Strathnaver men fled , the booty was rescued , and John MacIan - MacAngus , one of their chieftains , was slain , with divers of the Strathnaver men . Donald Mackay , nevertheless , played the part of a good soldier ; for in his flight he killed , with his own hand , one William Sutherland , who most eagerly pursued him in the chase . The inhabitants of Sutherland and Strathnaver ( in regard of Earl John ' s minority ) did thus continually vex one another , until this Donald Mackay was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Fowlis , in Ross , by commandment of the Queen Regent and the Governor , where he continued a good while in captivity . Aftermath . Although accounts of the battle and how Donald Mackay was captured vary , all historians agree that he was imprisoned in Foulis Castle , seat of the Munros of Foulis , chiefs of the Clan Munro . 17th - century historian Sir Robert Gordon writes of Mackays imprisonment at Foulis : " where he continued a good while in captivity ; from whence he escaped by means of Donald MacK - ean - voyr , ( Mackay ) a Strathnaver man , who advised him to flee away " 19th - century historian Alexander Mackenzie wrote in his book the " History of the Munros of Fowlis " ( 1898 ) : " In this year 1542 , a feud broke out between Donald Mackay , Chief of the Clan Mackay , and John Gordon , 15th Earl of Sutherland , during which Mackay committed several depredations . He was ultimately apprehended , and by order of the Gordon Earl of Huntly , Lieutenant of the North , was imprisoned in Fowlis Castle , where he was kept for a considerable time in captivity . He however managed to make his escape through the connivance of one Donald Mackay , a Strathnaver man ; and it seems highly probable that Baron Robert Munro of Fowlis was cognisant of the plan adopted to effect the liberation of his prisoner , as the Mackays and Munros were for generations on very friendly terms .