The Campbells arrived in Argyll as part of a royal expedition in c.1220. They settled on Lochaweside where they were placed in charge of the King's lands in the area.

The Chief of Clan Campbell takes his Gaelic title of 'MacCailein Mor' from Colin Mor Campbell - 'Colin the Great' who was killled in 1296, and was succeeded by his son Sir Neil Campbell, companion and brother-in-law of King Robert the Bruce.

From Bruce's time, the family headquarters had been the great castle at Innischonnell on Loch Awe, and remained so until the 1400's when Sir Duncan Campbell (great grandson of Sir Colin) moved to to Inveraray.  He was created Lord Campbell and thereafter a steady string of titles were awarded to the family.  His grandson was created Earl of Argyll in 1457.

Archibald, the 2nd Earl was killed at Flodden in 1513 and was the first of the family to be granted the appointment of Master of the Royal Household in Scotland, a priveledge still held by the Duke today. The 5th Duke was another military hero commanding a force of his own people which exceeded in strength the existing armies of France and England; he was power of international importance and only fell in defeat when in command of the army of Mary Queen of Scots in 1568.

The 8th Earl was thrown in the tower and subsequently executed for taking the side of Oliver Cromwell over Charles 2nd and the fortunes of the House of Argyll were down until the Glorious Revolution in 1688.

The 10th Earl was granted the Dukedom in 1701 due to the regiment he raised for the crown, known as the Earl of Argyle's Regiment of Foot. This was the unit tasked with carrying out the notorious Massacre of Glencoe, an episode inaccurately classed as an act of clan vengeance by the Campbells.

The 2nd Duke was a famous soldier who commanded the Government Army at the Battle of Sheriffmuir which ended the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715 and was one of the first two officers in the British Army to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshall.  He was created the Duke of Greenwich but the title lapsed without a direct male heir. His successor was his brother who became the 3rd Duke of Argyll, another distinguished soldier who subsequently became Lord Justice General of Scotland.

The 4th and 5th Dukes were both renown soldiers and the far seeing efforts of the 5th Duke were almost destroyed by the 6th, a charming but dissolute playboy who left a string of debts and illegitimate children.  His brother, the 7th Duke fought hard to avoid disaster and the family fortunes were, to an extent, restored by the time of the 8th Duke, who was a successful politician, a Cabinet Minister and Renaissance Man.

It was the 8th Duke's son and heir who married Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Louise, thereafter serving as Govener General of Canada before succeeding as 9th Duke.  They had no children and the title went to a nephew, Niall, 10th Duke, a scholarly recluse. He never married and the title passed to his cousin.

The 11th Duke, Ian, was a gallant officer taken prisoner with most of the Highland Division in France in 1940.  He was married 4 times, with the infamous Margaret Argyll as his third wife. 

His son, also Ian, succeeded him and became the 12th Duke, the present Duke's late father. The 12th Duke laboured hard to restore the Argyll name and became the Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute as well as meticulously carrying out the traditional duties of the Clan Chief of the Campbells.  His passion for the family and clan meant that he worked tirelessly following the terrible castle fire in the early 1970's to restore the castle to the high standard it is in today.

The present Duke, Torquhil Ian, inherited the title on the death of his father in 2001.  He combines his duties as Duke, Clan Chief and Landowner with a consultant role with Pernod Ricard, promoting Scotch Whiskies including Chivas Regal and Glenlivet. He captained Scotland to victory in 2004 and 2005 in the World Elephant Polo Championships.