Clan Sweeney supporters of the powerful MacDougall Lords of Lorne who supported John Balliol as patriots, as long as John was king of Scotland. After the murder of John Comyn, the nephew of Balliol, by Bruce in 1306, the First War of Scottish Independence became at one and the same time a civil war. The Balliol and Comyn parties taking the side of the English in opposition to Bruce, crowned Robert I of Scotland on 25 March 1306. This was an era of constantly shifting alliances, and in 1301 John MacSween was in alliance with Aonghus Óg Mac Domhnaill, Lord of Islay
Thomas de Lundin of Echt (and its revenues) to "God, St. Mary, St Michael and all Saints and to the Abbot and Convent of Scona" at some time between 1214 and 1227. Echt is not far from Birse. "Scona" is Scone, where the Kings of Scots were crowned at that time, so it was arguably the most prestigious abbey in Scotland, which would confirm that Thomas had influential connections. Walter of Lundin, was granted the barony of Benvie (near Dundee) by King David I (1124–53). Alan Durward, whose lands of Fichlie were forfeited by King Edward of England in 1306-7 because of his