These men were led by John MacDougall of Lorn , who was the cousin of John III Comyn , Lord of Badenoch , nephew of King John Balliol .

The murder Killing of Comyn in 1306 had set off Causation a bloody civil war for the throne of Scotland which King Robert had all but won at Bannockburn and was now attempting to finish Process_end by capturing Conquering their last remaining stronghold .

It saw vast areas of Buchan in northeast Scotland , then ruled Control by Clan Comyn , burned Damaging to the ground by Robert the Bruce and his brother Edward , immediately following their May 1308 success at the Battle of Barra .

After his defeat Conquering at Barra , John Comyn , Earl of Buchan fled Escaping to England .

The Comyns had ruled Control Buchan for nearly a century , from 1214 , when William Comyn inherited Change_of_leadership the title from his wife .

It took Conquering thirty years before John Comyn 's successor to the Earldom , Henry Beaumont , made an appearance in the area .

His son John refused Agree_or_refuse_to_act the Earldom , ending Process_end the Comyn lineage and the first creation , Mormaers of Buchan .

Robert Bruce had been crowned Change_of_leadership King of Scots after being involved Cause_to_be_included in the murder Killing of John `` the Red '' Comyn , a leading rival , and one of the most powerful men in Scotland , the previous year 1306 .