MacDonald clan

the Clan MacDonald is one of largest the Scottish Clan . It has several branches:

Branches of the MacDonald clan with existing chiefs:

MacDonald which is the High Chief of the MacDonald Clan and was Seigneur of the Islands.
MacDonald off Sleat.
MacDonald off Ranald clan.
MacDonnell off Glengarry.
MacDonald off Keppoch.
MacDonell off Antrim, the chiefs of this branch held the title of count de Antrim.
MacAlister Clan.

Other branches of the MacDonald clan without existing chiefs:

MacDonald off Ardnamurchan or MacIain off Ardnamurchan.

MacDonald off Lochalsh which makes now left MacDonald Sleat off.

MacDonald off Glencoe.

MacDonald off Dunnyveg or MacDonnell off the Glens or Clan MacDonald South.

History of the Clan

Origin of the clan

Like the MacDougall clan, MacDonald traces their ascent with the king Somerled of the Islands killed as a combatant the king Malcolm IV of Scotland to the Bataille of Renfrew in 1164.

MacDougall go down from the surviving oldest son of Somerled; Dufgall. The third wire of Somerled, Rögnvaldr, (English Reginald) or Ranald, was the founder of the MacDonald clan.

The oldest son of Ranald, Domhnall or Donald (death in 1247), became chief of the principal MacDonald clan, whereas his/her young brother, Ruairi, became chief of the branch of the clan " MacDonald off Ranald" clan;.

The clan MacDonald or Donald is one of oldest, one of largest and probably most famous of all the clans Scot of the Highlands. The Celtic history of the clan goes up beyond the 6th century with the large clans of the country which is known nowadays under the name of Ireland.

Although having an Irish ascent, MacDonald have also a Swedish ascent and Norwegian. All these various ascents appeared together at the 12th century to train the Scottish clan MacDonald or Donald. A man known under the name of " Somerled MacGillebride MacGillamnam" was the founder of what was called the Domhnaill clan then at the 12th century. These ancient ancestors MacDonald are regarded as the chiefs of the old race of " Idiot " and the royal line of Dalriadic Scotland.

The genetics proved that the males of MacDougall, MacDonald and MacAlister share the same chromosome " primordially; Y". It is thought that this is the chromosome " Y" of Somerled.

Norvégienno-Scottish war

MacDonald always supported the Norway however this alliance broke when the Norwegians were overcome with the Bataille of Largs in 1263 by the Scottish forces. Haakon, the Norwegian king, was overcome and its fleet destroyed by the skilful operations of the king Alexandre III of Scotland and the MacDougall clan. Three years later, the Norwegians subjected their last islands to the Scottish crown. Angus Mor MacDonald (death in 1306), the son of Donald, then made peace with the king Alexandre III of Scotland.

Scottish wars of independence

At the 14th century during the Wars of independence of Scotland, MacDonald fought with Robert Bruce with the Bataille of Bannockburn in 1314. It was the back grandson of Donald, Angus Og (death in 1329) which was the 6th lord of the Islands which sheltered king Robert Bruce. Angus led a small band of islanders to the battle of Bannockburn. In recognition of the support of the MacDonald clan, the king proclaimed that the MacDonald clan will always occupy the position of honor on the right wing of the Scottish army.

The beginning of the lords of the Islands

the clan takes his name “Donald” of the first first name of the 1st lord of the Islands who was the grandson of king Somerled who lived until in 1247. The son of Donald was the original “Mac” which means “wire of”. It was the grandson of Donald, Angus Og 6th (death in 1329) Lord of the Islands.

In 1380, the MacLean clan, MacLeod and MacKinnon which had been combined all were overcome in the battle by Donald MacDonald (death in 1420), who defended his right as Seigneur of the Islands.

15th century

Title of count de Ross

The title and territory of the count de Ross in the beginning had been held by the chief of the Ross clan. However the grandson of Angus Og, Domhnall de Islay, lord of the Islands, married the first female heiress of the count de Ross. Later, he claimed the position of count de Ross which he inherits by the marriage. This was fixed by the Bataille of Harlaw, the July 24th 1411 where the majority of the clans of Highlands supported Donald by preventing the duke of Albany and its army of Scottish Lowlanders to seize the title. However in 1415, the title of count de Ross was lost when Murdoch Stewart, the duke of Albany seizes the castle of Dingwall and easter Ross. Domhnall prepared with the war and proclaimed " Ross" lord;. Although Albany named his/her son John Stewart, 2nd count de Buchan like the new Count de Ross. However, later the Chiefs of MacDonald still will become the Counts de Ross, initially Alexander de Islay, Count de Ross and then his son John de Islay, Count de Ross who yields the title of Count de Ross in 1476 to James Stewart, Duc of Ross.

Conflicts between clans

In 1411, before the battle of Harlaw, the MacDonald Clan beat the MacKay Clan with the battle of Dingwell. MacKay then subjected to MacDonald ot joined their force and fought in Harlaw.

the Battle of Split Allegiances in 1429, between the forces was carried out by Alexander de Islay, Count de Ross, 3rd Lord of the Islands, who was under the terms of his complaint under Count de Ross and the Royaliste army of King Jacques Ier of Scotland. It is known as that Donald Dubh, XI Chefdu Clan Cameron, rose in support of the Lord of the Islands, and that the men of the Cameron Clan joined a " large force" (recorded that being 10.000 men) by devastating the town of Inverness and the surrounding grounds of the crown. On return of their army to Lochaber they were intercepted by the King James I with his large army. Donald Dubh Cameron, being opposed to his souverrain, led his men to given up the Lord of the Islands and joined the forces of the King. It is said that also the MacKintosh Clan made in the same way and the army of the Lord of the Islands was beaten and continue for peace, with Alexnder submitted to the King and being enmprisonné afterwards.

While the Chief Alexander de Islay, Count de Ross was imprisoned by King Jacques Ier, the MacDonald Clan was carried out by Donald Balloch, the nephew of Alexander to the battle of Inverlochy (1431), where MacDonald were victorious and overcame the army of the Count de Mar.

the battle of Blar-Na-Pairc in 1477, the Lord of the Islands had resigned under Count to the hand of the King. After this the MacDonald Islanders continuously molestés with incursions into the territory of the MacKenzie Clan. A MacDonald cousin called Gillespick MacDonald invaded the grounds of the MacKenzie Clan with a great hostility. MacKenzie assembled their army and met the Insulaires invaders with the river of Conon, with approximately 2 Miles of Brayle, where followed there a marked and cruel skirmish. The MacKenzie Clan fought so hard the enemy, that at the end Gillespick MacDonald exceeded of number was reversed and more the share of its massacred men or were noyésdans the river of Conon.

the battle of Bloody Bay in 1480, When William Dubh MacLeod, Chef of the MacLeod Clan was killed (or imprisoned) by supporting John de Islay, Count de Ross, Chef of the MacDonald Clan against her son Angus Og MacDonald the flag was also known as to be deployed with the battle of Bloody Bay. According to the chronicles of MacDonald, William MacLeod was imprisoned by Angus Og MacDonald and Allan Moidertach but was so much and severely wounded that he died on his way of return to the Castle of Dunvegan. He is said by Seanachie de Sleat that Ronald Bain, wire of Allan Seigneur of Moidart, seized the office of MacLeod but an Irishman prevented it from being directed far by pushing the blade of an oar below the severe post of the office between him and the rudder. Already having been mentioned the flag was kept by a dozen warriors and one after the other they were massacred. There is a separate account of the one of them, Murchadh Breac which was run up against by a lance and was broken down on the platform of the office but continued to hold the flag upwards by sticking its post in the open hole of its body until it was reduced of its load by a comrade. William Dubh MacLeod was prisoner. After the battle of Bloody Bay these MacDonald plundered the Island of Skye in revenge for MacLeod supporting John MacDonald de Islay against his son Angus Og MacDonald. William Dubh must be prisonné then as his/her son Alasdair MacLeod was not yet Chef of the Clan when it resisted MacDonald making rage and sévetement was rolled up between the shoulders by an axe of battle of laquel he recovered forever. From there it uneven and had then become its name Alasdair Crotach MacLeod.

the Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet in 1480, John de Islay, Count de Ross and Seigneur of the Islands, accompanied by approximately five or six hundred men by his Clan, came in Sutherland and camped beside the Castle of Skibo, on what Neil Murray of the Clan Murray (wire or grandson of Angus Murray, massacred in Druimnacoub) was sent by John, Count de Sutherland, to resist to them, if they harmed to the inhabitants. Neil Murray, believer whom MacDonald was going to devastate the grounds, attacked them close to Skibo and killed one their chiefs of clan, Donald Dow MacDonald, with fifty other men. MacDonald, with the remainder of its company, escaped in its own grounds. A little later then another company of MacDonald came in Strathfleet in Sutherland and damaged this part of the country of revenge on died on their chief on clan. However Robert Sutherland (John, the brother of the Count de Sutherland), gathered an army of Clan Sutherland and attacked them on sands of Strathfleet. After a marked and cruel skirmish, the men of MacDonald were overcome.

In 1495 the Seigniory of the Islands had been withdrawn from MacDonald by the crown. The anarchy and violence swept in Highlands in like the clan Campbell, the Gordon clan and others which tore off strips of land of MacDonald for themselves. In 1495 King Jacques IV of Scotland gathered an army with Glasgow. Then the May 18th 1497, several of the Chiefs of Clan of the Highlands made him their tenders, including the chief of the MacKenzie Clan and the Munro Clan. Shortly after Alexander MacDonald de Lochalsh and its clan rebelled against the King. He invaded the grounds feriles of Rossshire where he was overcome in the battle and leads far by Munro and MacKenzie to a place called Drumchatt. He is escaped in the South among the Islands but was caught on the Island of Oronsay, Hébrides interior by MacIian de Ardnamurchan and put at dead

16th century

End of the Lords of the Islands

the position of the Lord of the Islands which the chief of the MacDonald Clan had held since the 13th century was withdrawn in 1495. However MacDonald remained powerful Clan and kept many of their grounds until much violence burst in the middle of the 16th century.

Conflicts between clans

In 1513, during the Anglo-Scottish War, the son of Alexander MacDonald de Lochalsh leads the Clan MacDonald de Lochalsh against the English army to the Bataille of Flodden Field. On its return, it invaded the grounds of the Urquhart Clan.
In 1544, the MacDonald Clan of the Ranald Clan fought against the Fraser Clan with the battle of Shirts on the shores of the Loch Lochy. The legend says that only five Frasers and eight MacDonald survived.
the battle of Spoiling Dyke in 1578, MacDonald de Uist barred the doors of the church Trumpan or Kilconan in the east of the shores of Ardmore Bay. They have then put fire at the church filled of faithful. Nobody has some escaped alive, except a girl who was mortally wounded, arrived has to give alarm. While hearing the news, the chief of the MacLeod Clan and his men left for Ardmore Bay where a battle took place. MacDonald all were almost killed. The corpses of MacDonald were drags then buried in a dam of grass and the pointed out incident as “battles of the which is corrupted dam” (“ Battle off the Spoiling Dyke”). The atrocity by MacDonald was for revenge on MacLeod for their atrocity for the massacre on MacDonald in cave on the island of Eigg a few years rather. It was still a revenge on eye for eye between the two keeping clans resentment.

the battle of the Isles Western in 1586, Donald Gorme chief of the Clan MacDonald de Sleat voyagait Îles of Skye to visit his/her cousin, Angus MacDonald de Kintyre. It unloaded with its company on the Île of the Jura, which partly belongs to the Clan MacLean and also partly in Angus MacDonald de Kintyre. By chance it unloaded in the part of the island belonging to MacLean. Two outlaw, MacDonald Herrach and Hutcheon Madgillespick, which had fallen with Donald Gorme MacDonald, also arrived with a company of men. Understanding that Donald Gorme de Sleat was there, they secretly left at night with some cattle which belonged to MacLean. They were then withdrawn by the sea, having raised a tumult against Donald Gorme while making accept MacLean that this was done by the men of Donald Gorme MacDonald, who, while being at a place called Inver-strike-bhric, were suddenly invaded, ignoramus, under the silence of the night nor suspectant or expecting such an interest by Sir Lauchlan MacLean and the MacLean Clan in entirety. MacLean killed more than 60 people of the Clan MacDonald, this night there. Donlad Gorme MacDonald is escaped in a boat which extended in the port. Angus MacDonald de Kintyre, hearing of the accident and falling outside between his/her brother-in-law, MacLean (his sister to which it is married) and his cousin, Donald Gorme MacDonald, travelled in Skye to visit Donald Gorme MacDonald and to see by which means it could work on a reconciliation between him and MacLean for the abbatage of the men of Donald Gorme MacDonald in Inverknock-bhric. After much of discussion, the two sides were brought, by the King, to make peace.

the battle of the Islands of Isla in 1598, Sir Lauchlan MacLean extended the complaint of the whole Island of Isla. However, it was always the old heritage of the MacDonald Clan, in this time under Sir James MacDonald. Sir Lauchlan MacLean, really the uncle of James MacDonald, has rassemblétoutes his forces and invaded the Island of Isla. James being reasonable offered half of the island for MacLean but only at the time of the life time of his uncle. However Lauchlan MacLean refused any offer of peace to amoins that its nephew gives him the whole island. A cruel battle take place. The men of James MacDonald were largely lower of number but were well involved. MacDonald reprocessed in order to fight with the sun on their backs. MacDonald were victorious thereafter and MacLean overcome. Sir Lauchlan MacLean and approximately 280 of its men were killed, the remainder left to their boats. James MacDonald was seriously wounded after having been drawn top and having touched by an arrow; he was found, after, among 30 dead MacDonald. This brought the end of an enmity between MacDonald and MacLean. However after the King, not liking MacDonald, most of the grounds gave the Campbell Clan, later outcome with another enmity.

17th century & civil wars

the battle of Siol Tormoit in 1601, Donald Gorm of the Clan MacDonald de Sleat married the sister of Sir Rory MacLeod of Harris. For reasons Donald Gorm MacDonald did not love its wife. Sir Rory MacLeod sent a message to Donald Gorm MacDonald, asking for the return of his/her sister to him. Donald Gorm did not only refuse to obey his request, but also divorced it, to marry, in the place, the girl of Kenneth MacKenzie, Laird de Kintail. Sir Rory MacLeod took this dishonor so strongly that it gathered immediately its men and invaded part of the grounds of Donald Gorm MacDonald in the Islands of Skye, whose Sir Rory MacLeod claimed to be its grounds now. Donald Gorm MacDonald then gathered his forces and invaded the grounds of the MacLeod Clan of Harris, which it stripped and damaged, carrying their store and bastial, and killing some of the inhabitants to them. Rory MacLeod and its men travelled in Siol Tormoit, Île of Uist (appartennt with Donald Gorm MacDonald), sent his/her cousin, Donald Glas MacLeod, with 40 man to strip the island, and took many goods which was preserved in a church. John Macian-MacJames (a relative of Donald Gorm MacDonald), accompanied by 20 other, met Donald Glas MacLeod. After a marked skirmish, they killed Donald Glas MacLeod and more the share of its men, saving the goods. Sir Rory, seeing the bad success of its men, was withdrawn at his place. The two sides continued has to fly and cut down. At the end, Donald Gorm MacDonald gathered all his forces in 1601 and invaded the grounds of Sir Rory MacLeod, the condusants in a war. Sir Rory MacLeod was then àArgyll seeking of the assistance of the Count d' Argyll against the MacDonald Clan. Alexander MacLeod (the brother of Sir Rory MacLeod) solved is had to fight Donald Gorm MacDonald, even if his/her brother were absent. the battle lasted major the part of the day, both disputing for the victory with great stubbornness. The MacDonald Clan, at the end, overcame his enemies, fascinating Alexander MacLeod. The two sides made peace later, and Alexander MacLeod was released.

See too

the Massacre of Glencoe

Random links: