The dark, bonnetless lad
This post is a follow up to Donald Cameron, the "gille maol dhu", c. 1598. I recommend reading that post first.
In 1530, Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, the 13th Chief of Clan Cameron, constructed a mighty stronghold for the Clan in Lochabar, at a bend in Loch Lochy. He would call it Tor Castle. This stronghold was the seat of Clan Cameron for the next 130 years.
The 16th Chief, Allan Cameron of Lochiel, resided at Tor Castle in the late 1500s with his valet, Donald "gille maol dhu" Cameron (1). Without having much information about Donald's relationship to the Lochiel, we can nevertheless still make some assumptions based on Donald's rank and nickname.
During the late Middle Ages, aristocratic households commonly consisted of immediate and extended family members, as well as retainers, dependents, and paid servants. Noble families were also frequently required to defend their lands, so an aspect of military readiness and fortified strongholds were important to the prolonged safety of the family. Tor Castle represented the ideal home for the 16th century aristocratic gentleman.
Within the household, a social hierarchy was formed based on the status and position of the servants. The lowest ranking members of the house would be those men and women who were hired from nearby settlements to perform routine domestic tasks. Of higher rank would be the men who served a general military function, garrisoning the stronghold against attack. The highest level positions in the household, especially those attending directly on the Lord and Lady, would be filled by men and women of noble birth, often relatives of the Lord or his clients. Young noblemen often started as pages and rose through the ranks to become grooms and then valets before they started their young adult life as knights or in pursuit of other noble endeavors. The Chamberlain and Master of the Wardrobe cared for the family's living quarters and clothing. The Marshal and the Steward, who were in charge of the military and the household respectively, were the top ranking servants of the stronghold. Pictured below is a Lord out for a hunt, with his valet commanding the hunting dog.
As a valet in the Lochiel's household, particularly a servant who shared the Lord's last name, we may presume that Donald Cameron had some rank in society and was likely a relative of the Lochiel. He was not Allan's son, but I feel it is very likely that he was the Lochiel's nephew or close cousin. He was probably placed in the Lochiel's household at a young age, as a page, and rose to the rank of valet by gaining the Lochiel's "confidence" (1).
When Donald arrives in the Black Isles, and marries the housekeeper of Redcastle, this seems to further reinforce where he falls in the social rank. Housekeepers were likely not noble ladies, but they were in charge of a significant portion of the staff, including the kitchen servants, chambermaids, and cleaning staff.
I am not altogether convinced of the description of Donald at Tor Castle as a "bonnetless" and "shoeless" lad, who had only the "clan tartan" to wear. Firstly, the clan tartan as we know it today was not invented until the 18th century. Donald may have worn a checked tunic, but he would not have been wearing a clan tartan. I also doubt that the Lochiel would have kept a noble servant shoeless. Secondly, I feel the author was interpreting "gille maol dhu" more literally than he should have.
John Maclean translates the Gaelic phrase "gille maol dhu" to mean "the bonnetless lad", but that is not a complete translation. "Dhu/Dubh" means "dark", and it is a nickname that Donald shared with other kinsmen. Donald Dubh, the 11th Cameron of Lochiel, was known as "the dark chief". The word "gille" can mean "lad", but it also can mean "servant". "Maol" can mean "bald" or "bonnetless".
Tantalizingly, I have found an early 20th century Gaelic Society that claims that tales of the "dark bonnetless lad" are very common in Scottish folklore, but I have been unable to find additional information. I have discovered that the "ghillie dhu" is a kind of forest creature, like a fairy or brownie, and more folklore surrounding this is available. This is a topic I am still researching, and hope to provide a more thorough post on later. I do not believe that Maclean's interpretation of Donald as a shoeless, hatless, barely dressed servant is accurate given the research I have done so far into his rank and nickname.
Next look for Donald Cameron of the Black Isle.
1. Donald Cameron, the "gille maol dhu", c. 1598 also “Historical and Traditional Sketches of Highland Families and of the Highlands” by John Maclean, published in Dingwall in 1848.