Battle of Torran Dubh The Battle of Torran Dubh also known as the Battle of Torran - dow was a Scottish clan battle that was fought between the Clan Mackay and Clan Sutherland , and their allies . The battle was fought in 1517 in Strathfleet in the Scottish Highlands . Background . John de Moravia , 9th Earl of Sutherland ( John Sutherland ) , chief of the Clan Sutherland died in 1514 . He was succeeded by his sister , Elizabeth de Moravia , 10th Countess of Sutherland . Elizabeth de Moravia would go on to marry Adam Gordon , the second son of George Gordon , 2nd Earl of Huntly , chief of the powerful Clan Gordon in 1517 . Adam and Elizabeth ' s son Alexander Gordon would become the heir to the Earldom of Sutherland and chieftainship of the Clan Sutherland . The Battle of Torran Dubh took place because John Mackay , chief of Clan Mackay and later the brother in law of Alexander Sutherland ( Elizabeth ' s younger half - brother ) was against the Gordon family taking over as Earls of Sutherland . Alexander Sutherland led the Clan Sutherland against the Clan Mackay at the battle . However according to historian Sir Robert Gordon , Elizabeth de Moravia " persuaded " her younger half - brother , Alexander Sutherland to resist Mackay , as this battle took place before Alexander had married Mackay ' s sister . The battle . According to the historian Sir Robert Gordon ( 1580 – 1656 ) the during the " Battle of Torran - dow " in Strathfleet , Great slaughter was made of the Mackays but few on the Sutherlands side were killed . An account of the battle 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 . " Adam Gordon , first of that surname , Earl of Sutherland having married Elizabeth Sutherland , heiress of that country , took journey to Edinburgh , the year of God 1517 , to dispatch some affairs there , which did concern the settling of his estate , leaving the commandment of the country , in his absence , to Alexander Sutherland ( base brother to his wife Elizabeth ) and to John Murray of Abirscors ; which John Mackay of Strathnaver , understanding ( having now appeased his civil discords at home , by the death of his uncle Neil ) this occasion , in the very change of surnames in Sutherland , to try if he could gain anything by spoiling that country ; and thereupon assembling together all the forces of Strathnaver , Assynt and Eddrachillis , with all such as he could purchase out of the west and north - west isles of Scotland , invades the country of Sutherland with all hostility , burning and spoiling all before him . " " The inhabitants of Sutherland do speedily convene together with all the parts of the country ; and so , under the conduct of Alexander Sutherland , John Murray , and William Mackames , they rencounter with John Mackay and his company at a place called Torran Dubh , beside Rogart , in Strathfleet , where there ensued a fierce and cruel conflict . " " The Sutherland men chased John Mackay ' s vanguard , and made them retire to himself where he stood in battle array , then did he select and chose a number of the ablest men in all his host , and , with these , he himself returned again to the conflict , leaving his brother Donald to conduct the rest , and to support him as necessity should require ; whereupon they do begin a more cruel fight than before , well fought on either side . " " In the end , after long resistance , the Sutherland men obtained the victory ; few of these that came to renew the fight escaped , but only John Mackay himself , and that very hardly . Neil MacIan MacAngus of Assynt was there slain , with divers of his men . There were 216 of the Strathnaver men left dead in the field , besides those that died in the chase . There were slain of Sutherland men 38 . Not long thereafter John Mackay sent William and Donald , two brethren , with a company of men , to invade John Murray , with whom they met at a place called Loch - Sallachie , in Sutherland . After a sharp skirmish , both the chieftains of the Strathnaver men were slain , with divers of their men , and the rest put to flight ; neither was the victory pleasing to John Murray , for he lost there his brother , called John Roy - Murray . " Aftermath . In the aftermarth of the Battle of Torran Dubh other people rose up against the Gordon family holding the Earldom of Sutherland . Elizabeth de Moravia ' s younger half - brother Alexander Sutherland married a sister of John Mackay . Alexander Sutherland then claimed the Earldom of Sutherland for himself and seized Dunrobin Castle , seat of the Earl of Sutherland . Adam Gordon with his family were then forced to flee to Strathbogie ( home of the Gordons of Huntly ) until he was reinforced by his father ' s and elder brother ' s forces from the Clan Gordon . In 1518 the Battle of Alltachuilain took place where Alexander Sutherland was killed by forces loyal to his sister Elizabeth and her husband Adam Gordon . In 1522 Alexander Gordon , the Master of Sutherland overthrew John Mackay of Strathnaver at Lairg , and forced him to submit himself to the Earl of Sutherland ; unto whom John Mackay gave a bond of manrent and service . After Alexander Sutherland ' s death the Sutherland Laird of Duffus who descended from Kenneth de Moravia , 4th Earl of Sutherland would claim the Earldom of Sutherland . However William Sutherland , 5th Laird of Duffus was killed by Andrew Stewart , Bishop of Caithness in 1529 . Adam Gordon and Elizabeth de Moravia ' s eldest son , Alexander Gordon , Master of Sutherland died in 1530 , five years before his mother . His son John Gordon succeeded as the 11th Earl of Sutherland .