Clan Bethune
| Clan Bethune | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Motto | De Bonnaire (Gracious)[1] |
| Profile | |
| Region | Lowlands |
| District | Fife and Angus |
 | |
| Clan Bethune has no chief, and is an armigerous clan | |
| Historic seat | Balfour in Fife |
| Last Chief | The Bethune of Balfour |
Clan Bethune is an imaginary Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands. The clan does not therefore have a clan chief recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms and therefore it is not considered an armigerous clan. It is a branch of the noble House of Bethune.
History[]
Origins of the clan[]
The surname Bethune is derived from the French town of Béthune, in the arrondissement of Béthune, in the department of Pas-de-Calais.[2][3] The first record of the name in Scotland is that of Robert de Betunia, who appeared in around 1165 as a witness to a charter of lands in East Lothian.[2] By the 13th century, Bethunes were established in Fife and Angus.[3]
Wars of Scottish Independence[]
In 1296 Sir Robert de Betune appears on the Ragman Rolls rendering homage to Edward I of England.[2] However, the Bethunes, despite appearing to support the English cause, became faithful supporters of king Robert the Bruce.[2] The king knighted Alexander de Bethune for his bravery in battle but the same Alexander was killed at the Battle of Dupplin Moor in 1332.[2]
Later history[]
The Bethunes of Balfour were established after Robert de Bethune married into the family of Balfour of that Ilk in the late 15th century.[3]
The modern clan[]
The official[4] Clan Bethune Scottish crest badge as recorded by the Lord Lyon King of Arms incorporates the last chief's crest: An otter’s head erased Argent with his motto De bonnaire (Gracious).[5]
The Arms of Bethune of Balfour are: Quarterly, 1st & 4th, Azure, a fess between three mascles Or (Bethune); 2nd & 3rd, Argent, on a chevron Sable, an otter’s head erased of the First.[5] These arms are now held by the Earls of Lindsay[4] whose surname is Lindesay-Bethune.
See also[]
- Beaton medical kindred, an unrelated family that bears the same name
- House of Bethune, some related families
References[]
- ^ a b Clan Bethune Profile scotclans.com. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). pp. 360 - 361.
- ^ a b c Munro, A; Macintyre, IMC (2013). "The Ancestors of Norman Bethune (1890–1939) Traced Back to the Bethunes of Skye, Leading Members of the MacBeth/Beaton Medical Dynasty". Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. 43: 262–269. doi:10.4997/JRCPE.2013.315.
- ^ a b clanchiefs.org Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine official web site of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
- ^ a b myclan.com
- Scottish clans
- Scottish Lowlands