Dan Snow's History Hit
Scottish Clans
Aug 14, 2023
Professor Murray Pittock, Scotland's leading cultural historian, joins Dan Snow to discuss the history of Scottish clans. They explore the origins and military significance of clans, the decline of the system, and its modern-day revival. They also compare Scottish and English societies and discuss the aftermath of the failed Jacobite uprising. The podcast delves into the traditions, highland games, tartans, and the role of clan chiefs in Scottish clans.
26:24
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Quick takeaways
- The clan system in Scotland is a Victorian invention and does not represent a separate ethnocultural division of the country.
- Clan chiefs in Scotland had significant powers and influence, extending throughout the country and aligning themselves with political factions.
Deep dives
The Clan System and Its Existence in Scotland
The podcast explores the question of whether the clan system in Scotland really exists. Historians argue that the Victorian era created the perception of a clan system, but in reality, there is no separate ethnocultural organization dividing Scotland into clans. The clan system was a Victorian invention, describing certain groups in Scottish society, usually land-owning families, with varying levels of kinship associations. Scotland's social organization is not fundamentally different from some other European societies, although it has a feudal land-holding system combined with traditional regional kinship structures.
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