Clan Donald
Encyclopedia
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clan
s. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms
; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat
, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
, and Clan MacAlister
. Notable branches without chiefs so-recognised are: the MacDonalds of Dunnyveg, MacDonalds of Lochalsh, the MacDonalds of Glencoe, and the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan. The MacDonnells of Antrim do not belong to the Scottish associations and have a chief officially recognised in Ireland.
(d. circa 1250), whose father Reginald or Ranald
was styled "King of the Isles" and "Lord of Argyll and Kintyre". Ranald's father, Somerled
was styled "King of the Hebrides", and was killed campaigning against Malcolm IV of Scotland
at the Battle of Renfrew
in 1164. Clan Donald shares a descent from Somerled with Clan MacDougall
, who trace their lineage from his elder son, Dugall mac Somhairle
. Their dynasties are together commonly referred to as the Clann Somhairle
. Furthermore they are descended maternally from both the House of Godred Crovan
and the Earls of Orkney, through Somerled's wife Ragnhildis Ólafsdóttir, daughter of Olaf I Godredsson, King of Mann and the Isles and Ingeborg Haakonsdottir daughter of Haakon Paulsson
, Earl of Orkney
. It remains uncertain if the Clann Somhairle are also descendants in some manner, through one or another of the above dynasts, of the House of Ivar, but this is commonly argued.
Gaelic tradition gave Somerled a Celtic descent in the male line, as the medieval Seanachie
s traced his lineage through a long line of ancestors back to the High Kings of Ireland, namely Colla Uais
and Conn of the Hundred Battles
. Thus Clan Donald claimed to be both Clann Cholla and Siol Chuinn (Children of Colla and Seed of Conn). Possibly the oldest piece of poetry attributed to the MacDonalds is a brosnachadh (an incitement to battle) which was said to have been written in 1411, on the day of the Battle of Harlaw
. The first lines of the poem begin "A Chlanna Cuinn cuimhnichibh / Cruas an àm na h-iorghaile," (Ye children of Conn remember hardihood in the time of battle). A later poem made to John of Islay
(1434–1503), last of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, proclaims "Ceannas Ghàidheal do Chlainn Cholla, còir fhògradh," (The Headship of the Gael to the family of Colla, it is right to proclaim it), giving MacDonald's genealogy back to Colla Uais.
However a recent DNA
study has shown that Somerled may have been of Norse
descent in his male line. By testing the Y-DNA of males bearing the surnames MacDonald, MacDougall, MacAlister, and their variants it was found that a substantial proportion of men tested shared the same Y-DNA and a direct paternal ancestor. This distinct Y-chromosome R1a1 haplotype
found in Scotland has been regarded as often showing Norse descent in the British Isles
. According to the Clan Donald USA DNA Project about 22% of tested participants have this signature, most importantly including the chiefs, but despite the sensational claims it remains unclear whether Somerled himself was of paternal Norse ancestry. A non-paternity event
remains a possible cause.
. However, this alliance broke when the Norwegians were defeated at the Battle of Largs
in 1263 by Scottish forces. Norway's King Haakon
was defeated and his fleet was wrecked by the skilled manoeuvres of King Alexander III of Scotland
and the Clan MacDougall
. Three years later, the Norwegians submitted their last islands to the Scottish crown. Aonghas Mòr
, the son of Dòmhnall, then made peace with King Alexander III of Scotland. The clan takes its name 'Donald' from Donald who was the grandson of King Somerled of the Isles
who lived until 1269.
in 1314. It was Donald's great grandson, Angus Og of Islay
who sheltered King Robert the Bruce
. Angus led a small band of Islesmen at the Battle of Bannockburn. In recognition of Clan Donalds support King Robert the Bruce proclaimed that Clan Donald would always occupy the honored position on the right wing of the Scottish army. Donald's son was the original 'Mac' which means 'son of'.
The title and territory of the Earl of Ross
had originally been held by the Chief of Clan Ross
. However Angas Og's grandson, Dòmhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles
married the first female heiress of the Earl of Ross. He later successfully claimed the position of Earl of Ross through marriage. This was secured by the Battle of Harlaw
on 24 July 1411 where most of the highland clans supported Donald in preventing the Duke of Albany
and his army of Scottish Lowlanders from claiming the position for himself. However by 1415 the Earldom of Ross was lost as Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany had seized Dingwall Castle and Easter Ross. Dòmhnall prepared for war and proclaimed himself "Lord of Ross". Although Albany appointed his own son John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan
as the new Earl of Ross. However, later the MacDonald chiefs would again become the Earls of Ross, firstly Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
and then his son John of Islay, Earl of Ross
who surrendered the earldom in 1476 to James Stewart, Duke of Ross
. Prior to the Battle of Harlaw in 1411 the Battle of Dingwall
took place where the powerful Clan Mackay
were defeated by Clan Donald. They later joined forces and fought at the Battle of Harlaw.
In 1429 the Battle of Lochaber took place. This conflict was between forces led by Alexander MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross
, 3rd Lord of the Isles
and the Royalist army of King James I of Scotland
. Two years later the Battle of Inverlochy (1431)
took place. While chief Alexander MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross was imprisoned by King James I, the Clan MacDonald were led by Donald Balloch, the nephew of Alexander. The MacDonalds were victorious in defeating the Earl of Mar
's army.
The Battle of Blar Na Pairce took place in 1477, it was fought between the Clan MacDonald and Clan Mackenzie.
The Battle of Bloody Bay
took place in 1480, it was fought between John MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross
, Lord of the Isles
and chief of Clan Donald (Eoin Mac Dòmhnuill) against his son Angus Og Macdonald
(Aonghas Òg ). John MacDonald of Islay, chief of Clan Donald was supported by men from the Clan MacLean
, Clan MacLeod
, and Clan MacNeil
. He was opposed by his son, Angus Og Macdonald, who was supported Allan Macruari, chief of the Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald
. and Dòmhnall Mac Aonghais (Donald Mac Angus) chief of the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet
, 1480, John MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross invaded Sutherland and fought against men of the Clan Sutherland
and Clan Murray
. The Battle of Drumchatt
was fought in 1497 where the Clan Munro
and Clan Mackenzie
together defeated the MacDonald of Lochalsh branch of Clan Donald.
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The position of Lord of the Isles which the MacDonald chief had held since the 13th century had been revoked in 1495. However the MacDonalds remained a powerful clan and retained much of their lands. At the end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th century the chief of Clan Donald, Domhnall Dubh
, rebelled against James IV of Scotland
, in an attempt to regain the Lordship of the Isles.
The Battle of Flodden Field
took place in 1513, during the Anglo-Scottish Wars
the son of Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh led the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
against the English army. On his return he attempted to take control of the government-held Urquhart Castle
.
The Battle of the Shirts
, 1544, The Clan Macdonald of Clanranald fought against the Clan Fraser
on the shores of Loch Lochy
. Legend has it that only five Frasers and eight MacDonalds survived.
The Battle of the Spoiling Dyke
, 1578 MacDonalds of Uist fought against the Clan MacLeod
. The Battle of the Western Isles
, 1586, Fought on the Isle of Jura, between the Clan MacDonald of Sleat
and the Clan Maclean
. The Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart, 1598, Fought between the Clan Donald and Clan Maclean
on the Isle of Islay.
defeated the Clan MacLeod
on the slopes of the Cuillin
hills. The Battle of Morar
was fought in 1602 between the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry and the Clan Mackenzie.
In 1642 on Rathlin Island
, during the Irish Rebellion
, Covenanter
soldiers of the Clan Campbell
who formed Argyll's Foot were encouraged by their commanding officer Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck
to kill the local Catholic MacDonalds. This they did with ruthless efficiency throwing scores of MacDonald women over cliffs to their deaths on rocks below. The number of victims of this massacre has been put as low as 100 and as high as 3,000.
Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms of 1644-47, was in large part a clan war between the MacDonalds and Clan Campbell. The MacDonalds sided with the Royalists in the English Civil War
and the Irish Confederate Catholics
in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
. The Campbells sided with the Scottish Covenanters. A MacDonald clansman, Alasdair Mac Colla raised an Irish force in 1644 and landed in Scotland, with the aim of linking up with the Scottish Royalists and taking back the lands that Clan Donald had lost to the Campbells. After a year of campaigning around Scotland, in which Mac Colla's men ravaged the Campbell lands, the two sides met at the Battle of Inverlochy (1645)
. This battle was between the Scottish Argyll government forces of Clan Campbell
led by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
and the Royalist forces of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
mainly made up of Irish O'Kanes, O'Neills, Ulster Irish, Clan MacDonald, Clan MacLean
and other MacDonalds. Through cunning tactics the Royalist force of 1500 MacDonalds, Irish and MacLeans defeated the Argyll Campbell force of 3000. In 1645 during the Civil War, Kinlochaline Castle
of the Clan MacInnes
was attacked and burned by MacDonalds serving under James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose.
The Battle of Mulroy
took place in 1668, The Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
and Clan Cameron
defeat the Clan Mackintosh
and Clan Mackenzie
The Massacre of Glencoe
took place in 1692, 38 unarmed MacDonalds from the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe
were murdered in the Massacre of Glencoe when an initiative to suppress Jacobitism
was entangled in the long running feud between Clan MacDonald and Clan Campbell
. The slaughter of the host MacDonalds at the hands of their Campbell guests was a major affront to Scottish Law and Highland tradition.
. Made up amongst others, men of Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
and the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, whose chief was killed at the Battle of Sheriffmuir
.
The majority of Clan Donald fought on the side of the Jacobites during the 1745-1746 uprisings with three regiments from Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry
, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
and the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe
fighting at the Battle of Prestonpans
, Battle of Falkirk (1746)
and the Battle of Culloden
. A number of MacDonalds were killed at Culloden although many of them left the field after seeing the slaughter of other clans who charged the government lines before them.
Although the Clan MacDonald of Sleat
branch fought for the Jacobites in the 1715 rebellion they actually formed two battalions in support of the British government during the 1745 rebellion and as a result the Sleat possessions remained intact.
of Macdonald of Macdonald to Alexander Godfrey Macdonald, 7th Lord Macdonald
, making him the first High Chief of Clan Donald. After his death in 1970, he was succeeded by his son Godfrey James Macdonald of Macdonald, 8th Lord Macdonald, who is the current high chief of Clan Donald.
The following is a list of some of the early chiefs of Clan Donald.
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
s. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms
Lord Lyon King of Arms
The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, the oldest...
; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat
Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan Macdonald of Sleat, sometimes known as Clan Donald North and in Gaelic Clann Ùisdein , is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald — one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Sleat is Ùisdean, 6th great-grandson of Somhairle, a 12th century Rì Innse Gall...
, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan Ranald of Lochaber, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The MacDonalds of Keppoch are descended from Alistair Carrach Macdonald who was a younger son of Good John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald and his second...
, and Clan MacAlister
Clan MacAlister
Clan MacAlister is a Scottish Clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The clan is the earliest branch to have split off from Clan Donald, claiming descent from Alasdair Mòr, son of Domhnall founder of Clan Donald. From Alasdair Mòr the clans takes its surname MacAlister; this surname is an Anglicisation...
. Notable branches without chiefs so-recognised are: the MacDonalds of Dunnyveg, MacDonalds of Lochalsh, the MacDonalds of Glencoe, and the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan. The MacDonnells of Antrim do not belong to the Scottish associations and have a chief officially recognised in Ireland.
Origins
The Norse-Gaelic Clan Donald traces its descent from Dòmhnall Mac RaghnuillDomhnall mac Raghnaill
Domhnall mac Raghnaill was a Hebridean noble in the late 12th- and early 13th-century. He is the eponymous progenitor of Clan Donald . For this reason some traditions accumulated around him in the Later Middle Ages and Early Modern period...
(d. circa 1250), whose father Reginald or Ranald
Raghnall mac Somhairle
Ragnall mac Somairle, or Ragnall son of Somairle, was a late 12th century and possibly early 13th century magnate, seated on the western seaboard of Scotland. He was likely a younger son of Somairle mac Gilla Brigte, Lord of Argyll and his wife, Ragnhildr, daughter of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of...
was styled "King of the Isles" and "Lord of Argyll and Kintyre". Ranald's father, Somerled
Somerled
Somerled was a military and political leader of the Scottish Isles in the 12th century who was known in Gaelic as rí Innse Gall . His father was Gillebride...
was styled "King of the Hebrides", and was killed campaigning against Malcolm IV of Scotland
Malcolm IV of Scotland
Malcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Earl Henry and Ada de Warenne...
at the Battle of Renfrew
Battle of Renfrew
The Battle of Renfrew in 1164 was a significant engagement near Renfrew, Scotland. The army of King Malcolm IV of Scotland led by Walter fitz Alan was attacked by forces led by Somerled mac Gillebride , including the Celtic King of Mann and the Isles, King of Argyll, Cinn Tìre and Lorne...
in 1164. Clan Donald shares a descent from Somerled with Clan MacDougall
Clan MacDougall
Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan consisting of the descendants of Dubgall mac Somairle, son of Somerled, who ruled Lorne and the Isle of Mull in Argyll in the 13th century...
, who trace their lineage from his elder son, Dugall mac Somhairle
Dubgall mac Somairle
Dubgall mac Somairle was a 12th century Scottish nobleman...
. Their dynasties are together commonly referred to as the Clann Somhairle
Clann Somhairle
Clann Somhairle refers to those Scottish and Irish dynasties descending from the famous Norse-Gaelic leader Somerled, King of Mann and the Isles. Primarily they are the Clan Donald, formerly known as the Lord of the Isles, and the mainland Clan MacDougall, and all their numerous branches...
. Furthermore they are descended maternally from both the House of Godred Crovan
Godred Crovan
Godred Crovan was a Norse-Gael ruler of Dublin, and King of Mann and the Isles in the second half of the 11th century. Godred's epithet Crovan may mean "white hand" . In Manx folklore he is known as King Orry.-Ancestry and early life:...
and the Earls of Orkney, through Somerled's wife Ragnhildis Ólafsdóttir, daughter of Olaf I Godredsson, King of Mann and the Isles and Ingeborg Haakonsdottir daughter of Haakon Paulsson
Haakon Paulsson
Haakon Paulsson was a Norwegian Jarl and jointly ruled the Earldom of Orkney together with his cousin Magnus Erlendsson....
, Earl of Orkney
Earl of Orkney
The Earl of Orkney was originally a Norse jarl ruling Orkney, Shetland and parts of Caithness and Sutherland. The Earls were periodically subject to the kings of Norway for the Northern Isles, and later also to the kings of Alba for those parts of their territory in mainland Scotland . The Earl's...
. It remains uncertain if the Clann Somhairle are also descendants in some manner, through one or another of the above dynasts, of the House of Ivar, but this is commonly argued.
Gaelic tradition gave Somerled a Celtic descent in the male line, as the medieval Seanachie
Seanachie
A seanchaí is a traditional Irish storyteller/historian. A commonly encountered English spelling of the Irish word is shanachie.The word seanchaí, which was spelled seanchaidhe before the Irish-language spelling reform of 1948, means a bearer of "old lore"...
s traced his lineage through a long line of ancestors back to the High Kings of Ireland, namely Colla Uais
Colla Uais
Colla Uais , son of Eochaid Doimlén, son of Cairbre Lifechair, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His given name was Cairell...
and Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn Cétchathach , son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland, and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Ireland in the early middle ages, and...
. Thus Clan Donald claimed to be both Clann Cholla and Siol Chuinn (Children of Colla and Seed of Conn). Possibly the oldest piece of poetry attributed to the MacDonalds is a brosnachadh (an incitement to battle) which was said to have been written in 1411, on the day of the Battle of Harlaw
Battle of Harlaw
The Battle of Harlaw was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland against those from the west coast....
. The first lines of the poem begin "A Chlanna Cuinn cuimhnichibh / Cruas an àm na h-iorghaile," (Ye children of Conn remember hardihood in the time of battle). A later poem made to John of Islay
John of Islay, Earl of Ross
John of Islay was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He was Earl of Ross and last Lord of the Isles as well as being Mac Domhnaill, chief of Clan Donald....
(1434–1503), last of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, proclaims "Ceannas Ghàidheal do Chlainn Cholla, còir fhògradh," (The Headship of the Gael to the family of Colla, it is right to proclaim it), giving MacDonald's genealogy back to Colla Uais.
However a recent DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
study has shown that Somerled may have been of Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
descent in his male line. By testing the Y-DNA of males bearing the surnames MacDonald, MacDougall, MacAlister, and their variants it was found that a substantial proportion of men tested shared the same Y-DNA and a direct paternal ancestor. This distinct Y-chromosome R1a1 haplotype
Haplogroup R1a (Y-DNA)
Haplogroup R1a is the phylogenetic name of a major clade of Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroups. In other words, it is a way of grouping a significant part of all modern men according to a shared male-line ancestor. It is common in many parts of Eurasia and is frequently discussed in human...
found in Scotland has been regarded as often showing Norse descent in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. According to the Clan Donald USA DNA Project about 22% of tested participants have this signature, most importantly including the chiefs, but despite the sensational claims it remains unclear whether Somerled himself was of paternal Norse ancestry. A non-paternity event
Non-paternity event
Non-paternity event is a term in genetic genealogy and clinical genetics to describe the case where the biological father of a child is someone other than who it is presumed to be. The presumption may be either on the part of the presumed father or by the physician...
remains a possible cause.
Scottish-Norwegian War
The MacDonalds had always supported NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. However, this alliance broke when the Norwegians were defeated at the Battle of Largs
Battle of Largs
The Battle of Largs was an engagement fought between the armies of Norway and Scotland near the present-day town of Largs in North Ayrshire on the Firth of Clyde in Scotland on 2 October 1263. It was the most important military engagement of the Scottish-Norwegian War. The Norwegian forces were...
in 1263 by Scottish forces. Norway's King Haakon
Haakon
Haakon is an older spelling of the modern Norwegian form of the Old Norwegian masculine first name Hákon meaning "High Son" from há and konr...
was defeated and his fleet was wrecked by the skilled manoeuvres of King Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
and the Clan MacDougall
Clan MacDougall
Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan consisting of the descendants of Dubgall mac Somairle, son of Somerled, who ruled Lorne and the Isle of Mull in Argyll in the 13th century...
. Three years later, the Norwegians submitted their last islands to the Scottish crown. Aonghas Mòr
Aonghas Mór
Aonghas Mór , also known as Aonghas a Íle and Aonghas mac Domhnaill , was the son of Domhnall mac Raghnaill, eponymous progenitor of Clan Donald.Aonghas Mór has been called "the first MacDonald" by one historian, namely...
, the son of Dòmhnall, then made peace with King Alexander III of Scotland. The clan takes its name 'Donald' from Donald who was the grandson of King Somerled of the Isles
Somerled
Somerled was a military and political leader of the Scottish Isles in the 12th century who was known in Gaelic as rí Innse Gall . His father was Gillebride...
who lived until 1269.
Wars of Scottish Independence
The MacDonalds fought with Robert the Bruce at the Battle of BannockburnBattle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
in 1314. It was Donald's great grandson, Angus Og of Islay
Angus Og of Islay
Aonghas Óg MacDomhnaill was the son of Aonghas Mór MacDomhnaill. As Lord of Islay and chief of Clan Donald, he was a Hebridean nobleman who participated in the Wars of Scottish Independence.-Biography:...
who sheltered King Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
. Angus led a small band of Islesmen at the Battle of Bannockburn. In recognition of Clan Donalds support King Robert the Bruce proclaimed that Clan Donald would always occupy the honored position on the right wing of the Scottish army. Donald's son was the original 'Mac' which means 'son of'.
15th century
Earldom of RossThe title and territory of the Earl of Ross
Earl of Ross
The Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
had originally been held by the Chief of Clan Ross
Clan Ross
Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earls of Ross.-Origins:Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan first named as such by King Malcolm IV of Scotland in 1160...
. However Angas Og's grandson, Dòmhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles
Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles
Donald, or properly, Dómhnall Íle , was the son and successor of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald. The Lordship of the Isles was based in and around the Scottish west-coast island of Islay, but under Domhnall's father had come to include many of the other islands off the...
married the first female heiress of the Earl of Ross. He later successfully claimed the position of Earl of Ross through marriage. This was secured by the Battle of Harlaw
Battle of Harlaw
The Battle of Harlaw was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland against those from the west coast....
on 24 July 1411 where most of the highland clans supported Donald in preventing the Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
and his army of Scottish Lowlanders from claiming the position for himself. However by 1415 the Earldom of Ross was lost as Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany had seized Dingwall Castle and Easter Ross. Dòmhnall prepared for war and proclaimed himself "Lord of Ross". Although Albany appointed his own son John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan
John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan
John Stewart, Earl of Buchan was a Scottish nobleman and soldier who fought alongside Scotland's French allies during the Hundred Years War. In 1419 he was sent to France by his father the Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland, with an army of 6,000 men...
as the new Earl of Ross. However, later the MacDonald chiefs would again become the Earls of Ross, firstly Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald was a medieval Scottish nobleman, who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles and rose to the rank of Earl of Ross...
and then his son John of Islay, Earl of Ross
John of Islay, Earl of Ross
John of Islay was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He was Earl of Ross and last Lord of the Isles as well as being Mac Domhnaill, chief of Clan Donald....
who surrendered the earldom in 1476 to James Stewart, Duke of Ross
James Stewart, Duke of Ross
James Stewart, Duke of Ross was the son of King James III of Scotland and Margaret of Denmark.-Titles and Offices:He was made Marquess of Ormond at his baptism...
. Prior to the Battle of Harlaw in 1411 the Battle of Dingwall
Battle of Dingwall
The Battle of Dingwall was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1411, in Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Mackay against the Clan Donald.-Sir Robert Gordon:...
took place where the powerful Clan Mackay
Clan MacKay
Clan Mackay is an ancient and once powerful Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old kingdom of Moray. They were a powerful force in politics beginning in the 14th century, supporting Robert the Bruce. In the centuries that followed they were...
were defeated by Clan Donald. They later joined forces and fought at the Battle of Harlaw.
In 1429 the Battle of Lochaber took place. This conflict was between forces led by Alexander MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald was a medieval Scottish nobleman, who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles and rose to the rank of Earl of Ross...
, 3rd Lord of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
and the Royalist army of King James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. Two years later the Battle of Inverlochy (1431)
Battle of Inverlochy (1431)
The Battle of Inverlochy was fought after Alexander of Islay , Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, had been imprisoned by King James I...
took place. While chief Alexander MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross was imprisoned by King James I, the Clan MacDonald were led by Donald Balloch, the nephew of Alexander. The MacDonalds were victorious in defeating the Earl of Mar
Earl of Mar
The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
's army.
The Battle of Blar Na Pairce took place in 1477, it was fought between the Clan MacDonald and Clan Mackenzie.
The Battle of Bloody Bay
Battle of Bloody Bay
The Battle of Bloody Bay, or Blàr Bàgh na Fala in Scottish Gaelic, was a naval battle fought near Tobermory, Scotland. It was fought on the coast of Mull two miles north of Tobermory, between John of Islay, Earl of Ross, the Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald; and his son, Angus Og Macdonald...
took place in 1480, it was fought between John MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross
John of Islay, Earl of Ross
John of Islay was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He was Earl of Ross and last Lord of the Isles as well as being Mac Domhnaill, chief of Clan Donald....
, Lord of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
and chief of Clan Donald (Eoin Mac Dòmhnuill) against his son Angus Og Macdonald
Aonghas Óg
Aonghas Óg was a Scottish nobleman who was the last independent Lord of the Isles.-Biography:He was the bastard son of John of Islay, Earl of Ross . Aonghas became a rebel against both his father and against the Scottish crown...
(Aonghas Òg ). John MacDonald of Islay, chief of Clan Donald was supported by men from the Clan MacLean
Clan MacLean
Clan Maclean is a Highland Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in many clan skirmishes with...
, Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
, and Clan MacNeil
Clan MacNeil
Clan MacNeil, also known in Scotland as Clan Niall, is a highland Scottish clan, particularly associated with the Outer Hebridean island of Barra. The early history of Clan MacNeil is obscure, however despite this the clan claims to descend from the legendary Niall of the nine hostages...
. He was opposed by his son, Angus Og Macdonald, who was supported Allan Macruari, chief of the Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald
Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald
Clan Macdonald of Clanranald is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Clanranald is Reginald, 4th great-grandson of Somerled. The Macdonalds of Clanranald descend from Reginald's elder son Allan and the MacDonells of...
. and Dòmhnall Mac Aonghais (Donald Mac Angus) chief of the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan Ranald of Lochaber, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The MacDonalds of Keppoch are descended from Alistair Carrach Macdonald who was a younger son of Good John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald and his second...
The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet
Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet
The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet was prompted by Clan Donald's invasion of the area around Dornoch in northern Scotland in 1480. Two attacks were repulsed by the local clans of Clan Sutherland and Clan Murray.-Background:...
, 1480, John MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross invaded Sutherland and fought against men of the Clan Sutherland
Clan Sutherland
Clan Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is located in the region of Sutherland in northern highlands of Scotland and was one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The clan seat is at Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland...
and Clan Murray
Clan Murray
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The Murrays were a great and powerful clan whose lands and cadet houses were scattered throughout Scotland.- Origins of the Clan :...
. The Battle of Drumchatt
Battle of Drumchatt
The Battle of Drumchatt was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1497. The Clan Mackenzie and the Clan Munro defeated the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh at Drumchatt or "the Cat's Back", a ridge to the southeast of Strathpeffer.- Background :...
was fought in 1497 where the Clan Munro
Clan Munro
-Origins:The main traditional origin of the clan is that the Munros came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th century and that they fought as mercenary soldiers under the Earl of Ross who defeated Viking invaders in Rosshire...
and Clan Mackenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
together defeated the MacDonald of Lochalsh branch of Clan Donald.
16th century
Domhnall Dubh
Domhnall Dubh was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of Aonghas Óg, chief of Clan Donald , and claimant to the Lordship of the Isles, which had been held by his grandfather John of Islay, Earl of Ross ....
, rebelled against James IV of Scotland
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
, in an attempt to regain the Lordship of the Isles.
The Battle of Flodden Field
Battle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
took place in 1513, during the Anglo-Scottish Wars
Anglo-Scottish Wars
The Anglo-Scottish Wars were a series of wars fought between England and Scotland during the sixteenth century.After the Wars of Scottish Independence, England and Scotland had fought several times during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In most cases, one country had attempted to...
the son of Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh led the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
-History:The MacDonald of Lochalsh branch was founded by Celestine MacDonald . Celestine MacDonald was the second son of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, 3rd Lord of the Isles and 8th chief of Clan Donald...
against the English army. On his return he attempted to take control of the government-held Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle sits beside Loch Ness in Scotland along the A82 road, between Fort William and Inverness. It is close to the village of Drumnadrochit. Though extensively ruined, it was in its day one of the largest strongholds of medieval Scotland, and remains an impressive structure, splendidly...
.
The Battle of the Shirts
Battle of the Shirts
The Battle of the Shirts was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1544 in the Great Glen, at the northern end of Loch Lochy. The Clan Donald and their allies the Clan Cameron fought the Clan Fraser and men from Clan Grant....
, 1544, The Clan Macdonald of Clanranald fought against the Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser is a Scottish clan of French origin. The Clan has been strongly associated with Inverness and the surrounding area since the Clan's founder gained lands there in the 13th century. Since its founding, the Clan has dominated local politics and been active in every major military conflict...
on the shores of Loch Lochy
Loch Lochy
Loch Lochy is a large freshwater loch in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. With a mean depth of , it is the third deepest loch of Scotland.-Geography:...
. Legend has it that only five Frasers and eight MacDonalds survived.
The Battle of the Spoiling Dyke
Battle of the Spoiling Dyke
The Battle of the Spoiling Dyke was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1578, fought in the Scottish Highlands, between the MacDonalds of Uist and the Clan MacLeod.The MacDonalds of Uist barred the doors of Trumpan Church, or Kilconan Church as it was once known, east...
, 1578 MacDonalds of Uist fought against the Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
. The Battle of the Western Isles
Battle of the Western Isles
The Battle of the Western Isles was a Scottish clan battle, fought in 1586 on the Isle of Jura, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan MacDonald of Sleat and the Clan MacLean....
, 1586, Fought on the Isle of Jura, between the Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan Macdonald of Sleat, sometimes known as Clan Donald North and in Gaelic Clann Ùisdein , is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald — one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Sleat is Ùisdean, 6th great-grandson of Somhairle, a 12th century Rì Innse Gall...
and the Clan Maclean
Clan MacLean
Clan Maclean is a Highland Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in many clan skirmishes with...
. The Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart, 1598, Fought between the Clan Donald and Clan Maclean
Clan MacLean
Clan Maclean is a Highland Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in many clan skirmishes with...
on the Isle of Islay.
17th Century and the Civil War
The Battle of Coire Na Creiche, 1601, Clan MacDonald of SleatClan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan Macdonald of Sleat, sometimes known as Clan Donald North and in Gaelic Clann Ùisdein , is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald — one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Sleat is Ùisdean, 6th great-grandson of Somhairle, a 12th century Rì Innse Gall...
defeated the Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
on the slopes of the Cuillin
Cuillin
This article is about the Cuillin of Skye. See Rùm for the Cuillin of Rùm.The Cuillin are a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The true Cuillin are also known as the Black Cuillin to distinguish them from the Red Hills across Glen Sligachan...
hills. The Battle of Morar
Battle of Morar
The Battle of Morar was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1602, in Morar, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan MacDonald of Glengarry against the Clan Mackenzie who were supported by the Clan Ross....
was fought in 1602 between the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry and the Clan Mackenzie.
In 1642 on Rathlin Island
Rathlin Island
Rathlin Island is an island off the coast of County Antrim, and is the northernmost point of Northern Ireland. Rathlin is the only inhabited offshore island in Northern Ireland, with a rising population of now just over 100 people, and is the most northerly inhabited island off the Irish coast...
, during the Irish Rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
, Covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
soldiers of the Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Highland clans, their lands were in Argyll and the chief of the clan became the Earl and later Duke of Argyll.-Origins:...
who formed Argyll's Foot were encouraged by their commanding officer Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck
Sir Duncan Campbell, 2nd Baronet
Sir Duncan Campbell was the second son of Sir Dougald and Mary Campbell, and succeeded him. He served in Parliament for Argyllshire from 1628 to 1643.On 2 February, he led Argyll’s troops at Inverlochy where he was taken prisoner and murdered....
to kill the local Catholic MacDonalds. This they did with ruthless efficiency throwing scores of MacDonald women over cliffs to their deaths on rocks below. The number of victims of this massacre has been put as low as 100 and as high as 3,000.
Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms of 1644-47, was in large part a clan war between the MacDonalds and Clan Campbell. The MacDonalds sided with the Royalists in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and the Irish Confederate Catholics
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
. The Campbells sided with the Scottish Covenanters. A MacDonald clansman, Alasdair Mac Colla raised an Irish force in 1644 and landed in Scotland, with the aim of linking up with the Scottish Royalists and taking back the lands that Clan Donald had lost to the Campbells. After a year of campaigning around Scotland, in which Mac Colla's men ravaged the Campbell lands, the two sides met at the Battle of Inverlochy (1645)
Battle of Inverlochy (1645)
The Battle of Inverlochy was a battle of the Scottish Civil War in which Montrose routed the pursuing forces of the Marquess of Argyll....
. This battle was between the Scottish Argyll government forces of Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Highland clans, their lands were in Argyll and the chief of the clan became the Earl and later Duke of Argyll.-Origins:...
led by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, 8th Earl of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell, was the de facto head of government in Scotland during most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, also known as the British Civil War...
and the Royalist forces of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
mainly made up of Irish O'Kanes, O'Neills, Ulster Irish, Clan MacDonald, Clan MacLean
Clan MacLean
Clan Maclean is a Highland Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in many clan skirmishes with...
and other MacDonalds. Through cunning tactics the Royalist force of 1500 MacDonalds, Irish and MacLeans defeated the Argyll Campbell force of 3000. In 1645 during the Civil War, Kinlochaline Castle
Kinlochaline Castle
Kinlochaline Castle is a 12th century Scottish fortress on the Ardtornish estate in Morvern in the Highland council area. It is also known as Caisteal an Ime because a Lady of Clan MacInnes, Dubh Chal , is said to have paid the builder with butter equal to the volume of the...
of the Clan MacInnes
Clan MacInnes
Clan MacInnes is a Scottish clan from the highlands. As there is currently no clan chief, it is currently regarded as an Armigerous clan.-Origins of the name:...
was attacked and burned by MacDonalds serving under James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose.
The Battle of Mulroy
Battle of Mulroy
The Battle of Maol Ruadh was fought in August 1688 in the Lochaber district of Scotland between the Chattan Confederation led by the Clan Mackintosh against the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch and the Clan Cameron...
took place in 1668, The Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan Ranald of Lochaber, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The MacDonalds of Keppoch are descended from Alistair Carrach Macdonald who was a younger son of Good John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald and his second...
and Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as...
defeat the Clan Mackintosh
Clan MacKintosh
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
and Clan Mackenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
The Massacre of Glencoe
Massacre of Glencoe
Early in the morning of 13 February 1692, in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution and the Jacobite uprising of 1689 led by John Graham of Claverhouse, an infamous massacre took place in Glen Coe, in the Highlands of Scotland. This incident is referred to as the Massacre of Glencoe, or in...
took place in 1692, 38 unarmed MacDonalds from the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe
Clan MacDonald of Glencoe
The MacDonalds of Glencoe also known as Clann Iain Abrach are a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The founder of the MacDonalds of Glencoe was Iain Fraoch MacDonald The MacDonalds of Glencoe also known as Clann Iain Abrach are a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The founder of the MacDonalds of Glencoe...
were murdered in the Massacre of Glencoe when an initiative to suppress Jacobitism
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
was entangled in the long running feud between Clan MacDonald and Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Highland clans, their lands were in Argyll and the chief of the clan became the Earl and later Duke of Argyll.-Origins:...
. The slaughter of the host MacDonalds at the hands of their Campbell guests was a major affront to Scottish Law and Highland tradition.
18th century
During the Jacobite risings of 1715 the MacDonalds supported the Jacobite cause of the House of StuartHouse of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. Made up amongst others, men of Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan Ranald of Lochaber, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The MacDonalds of Keppoch are descended from Alistair Carrach Macdonald who was a younger son of Good John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald and his second...
and the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, whose chief was killed at the Battle of Sheriffmuir
Battle of Sheriffmuir
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...
.
The majority of Clan Donald fought on the side of the Jacobites during the 1745-1746 uprisings with three regiments from Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry
Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry
Clan MacDonell of Glengarry is a branch of Clan Donald taking its name from Glen Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles north of Fort William...
, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan Ranald of Lochaber, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The MacDonalds of Keppoch are descended from Alistair Carrach Macdonald who was a younger son of Good John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald and his second...
and the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe
Clan MacDonald of Glencoe
The MacDonalds of Glencoe also known as Clann Iain Abrach are a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The founder of the MacDonalds of Glencoe was Iain Fraoch MacDonald The MacDonalds of Glencoe also known as Clann Iain Abrach are a branch of Clan Donald.-History:The founder of the MacDonalds of Glencoe...
fighting at the Battle of Prestonpans
Battle of Prestonpans
The Battle of Prestonpans was the first significant conflict in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The battle took place at 4 am on 21 September 1745. The Jacobite army loyal to James Francis Edward Stuart and led by his son Charles Edward Stuart defeated the government army loyal to the Hanoverian...
, Battle of Falkirk (1746)
Battle of Falkirk (1746)
During the Second Jacobite Rising, the Battle of Falkirk Muir was the last noteworthy Jacobite success.-Background:...
and the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
. A number of MacDonalds were killed at Culloden although many of them left the field after seeing the slaughter of other clans who charged the government lines before them.
Although the Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan Macdonald of Sleat, sometimes known as Clan Donald North and in Gaelic Clann Ùisdein , is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald — one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Sleat is Ùisdean, 6th great-grandson of Somhairle, a 12th century Rì Innse Gall...
branch fought for the Jacobites in the 1715 rebellion they actually formed two battalions in support of the British government during the 1745 rebellion and as a result the Sleat possessions remained intact.
Chiefship
In 1947, the Lord Lyon King of Arms granted the undifferenced armsUndifferenced arms
Undifferenced arms are coats of arms which have no marks distinguishing the bearer by birth order or family position. In the Scottish and English heraldic traditions, these plain coats of arms are legal property transmitted from father to eldest male heir, and are used only by one person at any...
of Macdonald of Macdonald to Alexander Godfrey Macdonald, 7th Lord Macdonald
Alexander Macdonald, 7th Baron Macdonald
Alexander Godfrey Macdonald, 7th Baron Macdonald, MBE was a grandson of the 6th Baron Macdonald.Born Alexander Godrey Bosville-Macdonald, he changed his surname to Macdonald on becoming Chief of the Name and Arms of Macdonald...
, making him the first High Chief of Clan Donald. After his death in 1970, he was succeeded by his son Godfrey James Macdonald of Macdonald, 8th Lord Macdonald, who is the current high chief of Clan Donald.
The following is a list of some of the early chiefs of Clan Donald.
| Name | Died | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dòmhnall Dubh | 1545 | Rebelled against the king of Scotland but made an alliance with the king of England. |
| Aonghas Òg Aonghas Óg Aonghas Óg was a Scottish nobleman who was the last independent Lord of the Isles.-Biography:He was the bastard son of John of Islay, Earl of Ross . Aonghas became a rebel against both his father and against the Scottish crown... |
1490 | 'Bastard' son of John of Islay. Last MacDonald Lord of the Isles. |
| John of Islay, Earl of Ross John of Islay, Earl of Ross John of Islay was a late medieval Scottish magnate. He was Earl of Ross and last Lord of the Isles as well as being Mac Domhnaill, chief of Clan Donald.... |
1503 | Fought at the Battle of Bloody Bay against his son. |
| Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald was a medieval Scottish nobleman, who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles and rose to the rank of Earl of Ross... |
1449 | His second son was Celestine of Lochalsh, 1st of the Macdonald of Lochalsh branch and third son was Hugh of Sleat Hugh of Sleat Hugh of Sleat was an illegitimate son of Alexander MacDonald, 10th Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles. Hugh was known as Ùisdean in Gaelic. Hugh was a member of the Highland and Island Clan Donald... , 1st of the Macdonalds of Sleat branch. |
| Dòmhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles Donald, or properly, Dómhnall Íle , was the son and successor of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald. The Lordship of the Isles was based in and around the Scottish west-coast island of Islay, but under Domhnall's father had come to include many of the other islands off the... |
1422/3 | Fought at the Battle of Harlaw. |
| John of Islay, Lord of the Isles John of Islay, Lord of the Isles John of Islay was the Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald. In 1336, he styled himself Dominus Insularum, "Lord of the Isles"; because this is the first ever recorded instance of the title in use, modern historians count John as the first of the later medieval Lords of the Isles, although... |
1380 | His second son was John Mòr, 1st of the MacDonells of Antrim branch and third son was Alastair Carroch of Keppoch, 1st of the Macdonald of Keppoch branch. |
| Aonghas Òg of Islay Angus Og of Islay Aonghas Óg MacDomhnaill was the son of Aonghas Mór MacDomhnaill. As Lord of Islay and chief of Clan Donald, he was a Hebridean nobleman who participated in the Wars of Scottish Independence.-Biography:... |
1329/16 | Fought at the Battle of Bannockburn. His second son was Ian Fraoch of Glencoe, 1st of the Macdonald of Glencoe branch. |
| Aonghas Mór Aonghas Mór Aonghas Mór , also known as Aonghas a Íle and Aonghas mac Domhnaill , was the son of Domhnall mac Raghnaill, eponymous progenitor of Clan Donald.Aonghas Mór has been called "the first MacDonald" by one historian, namely... (Angus Mor MacDonald) |
1292 | His second son was Alastair Og (deposed) and third son was John Sprangach of Ardnamurchan, 1st of the Macdonalds of Ardnamurchan branch. |
| Dòmhnall Mac Raghnuill Domhnall mac Raghnaill Domhnall mac Raghnaill was a Hebridean noble in the late 12th- and early 13th-century. He is the eponymous progenitor of Clan Donald . For this reason some traditions accumulated around him in the Later Middle Ages and Early Modern period... (Donald) |
1250 | From whom the Clan Donald takes its name. |
| Raghnall Mac Somhairle Raghnall mac Somhairle Ragnall mac Somairle, or Ragnall son of Somairle, was a late 12th century and possibly early 13th century magnate, seated on the western seaboard of Scotland. He was likely a younger son of Somairle mac Gilla Brigte, Lord of Argyll and his wife, Ragnhildr, daughter of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of... (Ranald) |
1207 | His second son was Ruairidh, 1st of Clanranald. |
| Somerled Somerled Somerled was a military and political leader of the Scottish Isles in the 12th century who was known in Gaelic as rí Innse Gall . His father was Gillebride... |
1164 | Killed at the Battle of Renfrew. |
Clan Donald castles
- Finlaggan CastleFinlaggan CastleFinlaggan Castle , also known as Eilean Mor Castle is a ruined fortified house located on the isle of Eilean Mór on Loch Finlaggan, Islay, Scotland. It was once a residence and stronghold of Lord of the Isles and Clan Macdonald....
was located on an island, on Loch Finlaggan, on the Isle of Islay. It was the seat of the chief of Clan Donald, Lord of the IslesLord of the IslesThe designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
. http://www.finlaggan.com/ - Armadale CastleArmadale CastleArmadale Castle is a ruined country house in Armadale, Isle of Skye, former home of the MacDonalds. A mansion house was first built here around 1790. In 1815 a Scottish baronial style mock-castle, intended for show rather than defense, designed by James Gillespie Graham, was built next to the house...
on the Isle of Skye was built in 1825 and today houses a MacDonald Clan centre which is open to the public. - Knock Castle (Isle of Skye) is a ruined Macdonald castle located on the Isle of Skye.
- Duntulm CastleDuntulm CastleDuntulm Castle stands ruined on the north coast of Trotternish, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, near the hamlet of Duntulm. During the 17th century it was the seat of the chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Sleat.- History :...
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the Isle of Skye. - Aros CastleAros CastleAros Castle, also known as Dounarwyse Castle, is a ruined 13th century castle near Salenn on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. The castle overlooks the Sound of Mull....
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the Isle of MullIsle of MullThe Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
. - Claig CastleClaig CastleClaig Castle was a stronghold of the Clan Donald or MacDonald in the south of Scotland.-History:The castle was once a massive fort described as a sea fortress, which allowed the Macdonald Lord of the Isles to dominate and control the sea traffic north and south through the Hebrides for more than...
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the Isle of JuraJura, ScotlandJura is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, situated adjacent and to the north-east of Islay. Part of the island is designated as a National Scenic Area. Until the twentieth century Jura was dominated - and most of it was eventually owned - by the Campbell clan of Inveraray Castle on Loch...
. - Kildonan CastleKildonan CastleKildonan Castle stands in the small village of Kildonan on the southern coast of the Isle of Arran in Scotland.It was built in the 13th century by the MacDonalds, the Lords of the Isles....
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the Isle of ArranIsle of ArranArran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
. - Ardtornish CastleArdtornish CastleArdtornish Castle is situated in the grounds of the Ardtornish estate in Morvern, on the west coast of Scotland. It stands at the seaward end of a promontory which extends in a southerly direction into the Sound of Mull, approximately a mile south-east of the village of Lochaline, Highland...
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the peninsula MorvernMorvernMorvern is a peninsula in south west Lochaber, on the west coast of Scotland. The name is derived from the Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne . The highest point is the summit of the Corbett Creach Bheinn which reaches in elevation....
. - Dunaverty CastleDunaverty CastleDunaverty Castle is located at Southend at the southern end of the Kintyre peninsula in western Scotland. The site was once a fort belonging to the Clan Donald . Little remains of the castle, although the site is protected as a scheduled monument....
is a ruined MacDonald castle, off the coast of KintyreKintyreKintyre is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The region stretches approximately 30 miles , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south, to East Loch Tarbert in the north...
, known as Blood Rock because of the incident known as the Dunaverty Massacre.
MacDonald clan branch castles
- Castle TioramCastle TioramCastle Tioram is a ruined castle that sits on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It is located west of Acharacle, approximately 80 kilometres from Fort William...
, Loch Moidart, LochaberLochaberDistrict of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
was the seat of the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald. - Borve Castle, BenbeculaBorve Castle, BenbeculaBorve Castle, also known as Castle Wearie, and Caisteal Bhuirgh in Scottish Gaelic, is a ruined 14th century tower house, located at the south-west of the island of Benbecula, in the Western Isles of Scotland. MacGibbon and Ross attributed the building of the tower to Amie mac Ruari, wife of John...
was another castle of the MacDonalds of Clanranald. - Ormiclate Castle was another castle of the Macdonalds of Clanranald.
- Invergarry CastleInvergarry CastleInvergarry Castle in the Scottish Highlands was the seat of the Chiefs of the Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry, a powerful branch of the Clan Donald....
, built on the Raven's Rock was the seat of the Clan MacDonnell of GlengarryClan MacDonnell of GlengarryClan MacDonell of Glengarry is a branch of Clan Donald taking its name from Glen Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles north of Fort William...
. - Strome CastleStrome CastleStrome Castle is a ruined castle on the shore of Loch Carron in Stromemore, 3.5 miles south-west of the village of Lochcarron, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands.Originally built by the Macdonald Earls of Ross...
on the shore of Loch CarronLoch CarronLoch Carron is a sea loch on the west coast of Ross and Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands. It is the point at which the River Carron enters the North Atlantic Ocean....
was an earlier castle of the MacDonnells of Glengarry. - Dunluce CastleDunluce CastleDunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim , and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland...
in IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
was the seat of the Clan MacDonnell of AntrimClan MacDonnell of AntrimThe MacDonnells of Antrim, also known as the MacDonnells of the Glens, are a branch in Ireland of the primarily Scotland-based Clan Donald...
, Earls of Antrim. - Glenarm CastleGlenarm CastleGlenarm Castle, Glenarm, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is the ancestral home of the Earls of Antrim.There has been a castle at Glenarm since the 13th century, and it is at the heart of one of Northern Ireland’s oldest estates....
in IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
was another castle of the MacDonnells of Antrim. - Dunyvaig CastleDunyvaig CastleDunyvaig Castle, is located on the south side of Islay, on the shore of Lagavulin Bay, from Port Ellen. The castle was once a naval base of the Lord of the Isles, chiefs of Clan Donald. It was held by the chiefs of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg....
on the Isle of Islay was the seat of the Clan MacDonald of DunnyvegClan MacDonald of DunnyvegClan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, also known as Clan Donald South, Clan Iain Vor, Clan MacDonald of Islay and Kintyre, MacDonalds of the Glens and sometimes referred to as MacDonnells, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald...
. - Dunscaith CastleDunscaith CastleDunscaith Castle also known as Dun Sgathaich Castle, Dun Scaich, and Tokavaig, is a ruined castle on the coast of the Isle of Skye, in the north-west of Scotland. It is located in the Parish of Sleat, in the Highland council area, and in the former county of Inverness-shire, at .-History:The castle...
on the Isle of Skye was the seat of the Clan MacDonald of SleatClan MacDonald of SleatClan Macdonald of Sleat, sometimes known as Clan Donald North and in Gaelic Clann Ùisdein , is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald — one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Sleat is Ùisdean, 6th great-grandson of Somhairle, a 12th century Rì Innse Gall...
. - Mingarry CastleMingarry CastleMingarry Castle is a castle situated a mile south-east of the small village of Kilchoan in Lochaber, Scotland. Nestled on ridge of rock overlooking the sea, it was considered a strategically important site in terms of communication with overseas areas and as an entranceway to the Sound of Mull...
in KilchoanKilchoanKilchoan is a village on the Scottish peninsula of Ardnamurchan, in Lochaber, Highland. It is the most westerly village on Great Britain, although several tiny hamlets lie further west on the peninsula .Kilchoan has a population of about 150.-History:Donaldson equates 'Buarblaig' Kilchoan (Cille...
, Lochaber was the seat of the Clan MacDonald of ArdnamurchanClan MacDonald of ArdnamurchanThe MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan also known as MacIain of Ardnamurchan are a branch of Clan Donald.-Origins of the Clan:The founder of the Macdonalds of Ardnamurchan was Iain Sprangach MacDonald , the third son of Angus Mor MacDonald , 4th chief of the Clan Donald.Iain Sprangach MacDonald was also...
. - Largie Castle, RhunahaorineLargie Castle, Rhunahaorine-History:The castle was built by Clan MacDonald of Largie.After the battle of Rhunahaorine Moss, the castle was razed by the forces of General David Leslie in 1647....
was the seat of the Clan MacDonald of LargieClan MacDonald of LargieClan MacDonald of Largie, also known as Clan Ranald Bane, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The founder of the MacDonalds of Largie is Ranald Bane MacDonald, a son of Iain Mhoir Tanistear Mic Dhòmhnaill and Margery Byset .-History:Ranald Bane was granted lands in Kintyre around...
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See also
- Lord of the IslesLord of the IslesThe designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
- Gaelic nobility of Ireland
- Keppoch murdersKeppoch murdersThe Keppoch Murders is the name given to the murder of Alexander MacDonald, 12th of Keppoch and his brother Ranald, who were murdered in September 1663 by rival claimants to the chieftainship.The seven killers were hunted down, killed and decapitated...
- MacdonaldMacdonaldMacDonald, Macdonald, and McDonald are Anglicised forms of the Scottish Gaelic name MacDhòmhnaill. It is a patronym where Mac means "son" and Dhòmhnaill means "of Dòmhnall". The personal name Dòmhnall is composed of the elements domno "world" and val "might", "rule"...
(surname article) - Clandonald, AlbertaClandonald, AlbertaClandonald is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within the County of Vermilion River. It is located approximately north of Highway 16 and northwest of Lloydminster.- References :...
, Canada