Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Encyclopedia
Clan Macdonald of Sleat, sometimes known as Clan Donald North and in Gaelic Clann Ùisdein ˈkʰl̪ˠan̪ˠ ˈuːʃtʲɛɲ, 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
. The clan is also known in Gaelic as Clann Ùisdein ("children of Ùisdein"), and its chief's Gaelic designation is Mac Ùisdein ("son of Ùisdean"), in reference to the clan's founder. Both the clan and its clan chief
are recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms
, who is the heraldic authority in Scotland
.
The Macdonalds of Sleat participated in several feuds with neighbouring clans, most notably the Macleods of Harris & Dunvegan
and the Macleans of Duart
. The clan also suffered from infighting in the early 16th century, as the leading members of the clan fought and murdered each other.
The clan seems to have grudgingly supported the Royalist cause in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
, and suffered grievously in military defeats against Parliamentarian
forces. The clan supported the Jacobite
cause in the 1715 rebellion, yet refused to come out for Bonnie Prince Charlie and his father a generation later in 1745. In the early 18th century, the clan's chief was involved in a plan to sell tenants into slavery in the American Colonies. By the late 18th century, the chiefs had alienated themselves from the common clansfolk, when they seated themselves in northern England and rarely visited the old clan lands. The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed the suffering of the common clansfolk, as many were cleared off their lands at the hands of their absentee landlord
s. Today members and descendants of the clan live all over the world.
and confirmations of charters granted by kings, and various bonds of manrent entered with other landlords and clan chiefs.
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— one of the largest Scottish clans. The eponymous ancestor of Clan Donald is Dòmhnall
, son of Raghnall
, son of Somhairle
. Traditional Clan Donald genealogies, created in the later Middle Ages
, give the clan a descent from various legendary Irish figures. Modern historians, however, distrust these traditional genealogies, and consider Somhairle, son of Gille Brighde to be earliest ancestor for whom there is secure historical evidence. Somhairle, himself, was a 12th century leader, styled "king of the isles" and "king of Argyll"; yet there is no reliable account for his rise to power.
The Macdonalds of Sleat descend from Dòmhnall's son, Aonghas Mór
; and then from his son, Aonghas Óg. Angus Óg's son, Eoin
, was the first Lord of the Isles
. Eoin I's first marriage was to Ami, heiress of Clann Ruaidhri (which was founded by Ruaidhri
, elder brother to Dòmhnall, founder of Clan Donald). Eoin I later divorced Ami and married Margaret, daughter of Robert II
. The children from Eoin I's first marriage were then passed over in the main succession of the chiefship of Clan Donald and later Macdonald lords of the isles, in favour of those from his second marriage. Eoin I was succeeded by his son, Dòmhnall of Islay
; who was in turn succeeded by his son, Alasdair of Islay
. The Macdonalds of Sleat descend from Ùisdean
, bastard son of Alasdair of Islay and the daughter of O'Beolan, Abbot
of Applecross
. From Ùisdean, the Macdonalds of Sleat are also known in Gaelic as Clann Ùisdein ("the children of Ùisdein").
The first record of Ùisdean occur in the traditional histories of the shenachie MacVurich and Hugh Macdonald. According to the Sleat shenachie, Ùisdean, along with several young gentlemen from the Western Isles went on a raiding expedition to Orkney. The tradition runs that the Western Islesmen were victorious in their conflict with the Northern Islesmen, and that the Earl of Orkney
was also slain. Ùisdean is then said to have ravaged Orkney, and carried off much loot. According to Angus and Archibald Macdonald, Ùisdean's expedition took place around 1460, when he did not appear to hold title to any of the lands his family who come to hold. In fact, in the year 1463, Eoin II, Lord of the Isles
granted Ùisdean's older brother, Celestine, the 28 merklands of Sleat
, in addition to extensive lands in west Ross
given to him in the previous year. In 1469, Ùisdean received from the Earl of Ross the 30 merklands of Skeirhough in South Uist
; the 12 merklands of Benbecula
, and the merkland of Gergryminis also in Benbecula; the 2 merklands of Scolpig, the 4 merklands of Tallowmartin, the 6 merklands of Orinsay, the half merkland of Wanlis, all in North Uist; and also the 28 merklands of Sleat. The earliest Clann Ùisdein seat connected with the barony of Sleat was Dunscaith Castle
, off the Sound of Sleat. Ùisdean played not a small part in securing the surrender of the Earl of Ross, for which he was promised by the king 20 pounds worth of land, in 1476. The lordship of the isles was forfeited in 1493, and Ùisdean obtained a royal confirmation for his lands granted to him by the Earl of Ross in 1469. Ùisdean died in 1498, and was buried at Sand, in North Uist.
During his life, Ùisdean had several wives and several known children by other women. Some of Ùisdean's sons would go on to play a large part in the history of the clan in the early 16th century. His eldest son, Eoin, would go on to succeed him. Other notable sons included: Dòmhnall Gallach, son of the daughter of a prominent member of Clan Gunn
(Caithness
is called Gallaibh in Gaelic). Another son was Dòmhnall Hearach, so-called from the fact his mother was a daughter of Macleod of Harris, and where he probably spent a portion of his early life; Aonghas Collach, so-called from the fact his mother was a daughter of Maclean of Coll
; Gilleasbaig Dubh was the son of a daughter of Torquil Macleod of the Lewes
; and Aonghas Dubh was the son of a daughter Maurice Vicar of South Uist.
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On the year of his succession, Eoin resigned the lands and superiorities to the king. In consequence, the lands of Kendess, Gergryminis, 21 merklands of Eigg, and 24 merklands of Arisaig were then granted to Ranald Bane Allanson of Clanranald (chief of the Macdonalds of Clanranald). In 1498, the king granted to Alasdair Crotach
(chief of Clan Macleod) two unicates of the barony of Trotternish
with the office of the bailiary of the whole lands thereof. Also the same year, the king granted Torquil Macleod of Lewis (chief of Clan Macleod of Lewis) the same bailiary of Trotternish which was granted to the chief of the Clan Macleod, and also the 4 merklands of Terunga of Duntulm
and 4 merklands of Airdmhiceolan. A and A Macdonald noted that during the minority of the Stewart kings in the 15 and 16th centuries many charters for the same lands were granted to several individuals. It is no wonder that in 1498 James IV
revoked all charters given during the period prior to his coming of age. In 1505, Eoin resigned the lands of Sleat and North Uist, including Dunscaith Castle, to Ranald Allanson of Island Begrim. On his death, the chiefship of the clan passed to Dòmhnall Gallach, second son of Ùisdean.
Because of the way in which his predecessor had granted away the clan lands, there is no contemporary record of Dòmhnall Gallach. The only record of Dòmhnall Gallach is from tradition. According to the Sleat shenachie, he was present at the Battle of Bloody Bay
in 1484, and there fought on the side of Aonghas Óg
against his father, Eoin, Lord of the Isles
. Even though Dòmhnall Gallach's legal right to much his father's lands was given away by his predecessor, he and his brothers managed to physically hold on to their lands in Skye and Uist. Notwithstanding Clanranald's charter, Dòmhnall Gallach had his seat at Dunscaith Castle. Dòmhnall Gallach did not reign long as chief as he was murdered in 1506, by his brother, Gilleasbaig Dubh. The brothers Gilleasbaig Dubh, Aonghas Dubh and Aonghas Collach also conspired together and murdered their other half-brother, Dòmhnall Hearach, on the Inch of Loch Scolpig. Not long after the murders, Ranald Bane of Moydart forced Gilleasbaig Dubh to flee Uist, whereupon he participated in piratical
career in the southern Hebrides for about 3 years. Gilleasbaig Dubh earned the favour of the Government by handing over similar pirates John Mor and Alister Bernich, of Clan Allister of Kintyre. After doing so he returned to the lands of Clann Ùisdein, assumed the leadership of the clan and took possession of the bailiary of Trotternish, all with the consent of the Government.
and Ami MacRauiri). Balranald happened to be away from home at the time, and that night Aonghas Collach attempted to rape
his wife (who was a Macdonald of Clanranald). After her escape to South Uist, she alerted her friends and family. The result was that a body of 60 men, led by Donald MacRanald, and large contingent of Sìol Ghorraidh men marched north and surprised Aonghas Collach at Kirkibost
. There 18 of Aonghas Collach's men were slain and he himself was taken prisoner. He was then sent to Macdonald of Clanranald, in South Uist, and tied up into a sack and cast into the sea. Another of Ùisdean's sons, Aonghas Dubh was also made prisoner by Macdonald of Clanranald, and was long held captive. One day he was permitted to run on the Strand of Askernish in South Uist, to see if he could run as well as he could prior to his incarceration. Aonghas Dubh then attempted flee his guards, however he was then wounded in the leg by an arrow. The wound was considered incurable and Aonghas Dubh was summarily put to death.
Soon after his return, Gilleasbaig Dubh's took revenge on Sìol Ghorraidh for their treatment of Aonghas Collach, and put many of them to death. The manner of Gilleasbaig Dubh's death is also recorded by the Sleat shenachie. This account tells how Dòmhnall Gruamach, son of Dòmhnall Gallach, and his half-brother Raghnall, son of Dòmhnall Hearach, went to North Uist to visit Gilleasbaig Dubh who had murdered their father. One day, the two half-brothers, Gilleasbaig Dubh, and their henchmen, went hunting south of Lochmaddy
. While the attendants were beating up the hill the three men sat waited for the game to appear. In time, Gilleasbaig Dubh eventually fell asleep and Raghnall killed his uncle. A and A Macdonald gave the date of Gilleasbaig Dubh's murder at probably about 1515–1520.
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Dòmhnall Gallach succeeded to the chiefship after the death of Gilleasbaig Dubh. In 1521, the chief rendered a bond of manrent to Sir John Campbell of Cawdor
. A and A Macdonald stated that this bond may have led the Sleat chief to follow Cawdor, in 1523, on the Duke of Albany
's campaign against England. The campaign did not go well for the two chiefs, as both Sleat and Cawdor's names are recorded on a remission for leaving the field of battle during the siege of Wark Castle. A and A Macdonald also stated that it was likely on their return from the borders that Cawdor and his followers (including Sleat) murdered Lachlann Cattanach Maclean of Duart
, in Edinburgh
. In 1524, Dòmhnall Gruamach entered into an alliance with the chief of Clan Mackintosh
; and later in 1527, he entered into bonds with Mackintosh, Munro, Rose of Kilravock
and Campbell of Cawdor. In 1528, Dòmhnall Gruamach received considerable support from his half-brother, Iain, son of Torquil, chief of Clan Macleod of Lewis. That year their combined forces were successful in driving out the Macleods of Harris & Dunvegan, and their vassals, from the barony of Trotternish. Dòmhnall Gruamach, in return, then aided Macleod of Lewis in obtaining effective possession of Lewis. Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan then appealed to the Privy Council
, and that year a summons was issued to the chiefs of Sleat and Lewis. As conflicts in the Hebrides increased over time, the Privy Council ordered the chieftains of the isles to appear before the king in 1530. The following year Sleat, Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan, and Mackinnon of Strathardill were frequently cited before Parliament but failed to appear. After 1530, Dòmhnall Gallach's chiefship seems to have been uneventful and peaceful, as there is no record of his name in state records until his death, in about 1537.
The chiefship of the clan then passed to Dòmhnall Gallach's son, Dòmhnall Gorm.
Dòmhnall Gorm was killed at Eilean Donan
in 1539 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Dòmhnall Gormeson. As Dòmhnall Gormeson was only a child at the time of his father's death, the leadership of the clan went to his granduncle, Gilleasbaig Clèireach, son of Dòmhnall Gallach. According to the Sleat shenachie, the Privy Council made a strong attempt to apprehend the young chief during his minority. The traditional history has it that he was sent to the safety of Ruairidh Macleod of Lewis. Though afterwards, Gilleasbaig Cleireach took Dòmhnall Gormeson to England, where the young chief lived for several years. In 1554, with anarchy prevailing in the Highlands, the Queen Dowager took control of the Government and attempted to restore peace and order. Her lieutenants, Argyll
and Huntly
, were ordained by the Privy Council to passify the most unruly chiefs, among these was Dòmhnall Gormeson. Shortly afterwards, Dòmhnall Gormeson appears to have submitted to the Government, and for about 8 years obediently ceased to quarrel with his neighbouring chiefs. However, by 1562, he is recorded among others Macdonalds, as receiving a remission form Queen Mary for the destruction and slaughter committed in the Maclean lands of Mull, Tiree and Coll. A and A Macdonald were unsure of the nature of these raids, though proposed that they may have something to do with a quarrel of Clann Iain Mhòir and Maclean of Duart, regarding the Rinns of Islay
. In 1568 he joined Somhairle Buidhe MacDhòmhnaill
and his Irish campaigning. The next year he was feuding with the Mackenzies of Kintail. Dòmhnall Gormeson died in 1585, and was succeeded by his oldest son, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr.
Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr was still a minor at the time of his father's death. The young chief was placed under the guardianship of his granduncle, Seumas of Castle Camus. In 1575, Seumas of Castle Camus agreed to pay the dues owing in the lands of North Uist, Sleat, and Trotternish, which had been owed to the Bishop of the Isles
since the death of Dòmhnall Gormson. This document shows that Seumas of Castle Camus and Clann GhillEasbaig Chlèireach ("the children of Gilleasbaig Clèireach") had divided up the lands of the Macdonalds of Sleat. A and A Macdonald stated that Clann GhillEasbaig Chlèireach possessed themselves of Trotternish (with Dòmhnall, son of Gilleasbaig as bailie of the region); while Seumas of Castle Camus held the bailiary of Sleat. For the year 1580, there is evidence that the possessors of clan estates were behind in their payments to the Bishopric of the Isles and the Iona Abbey
— so much so that an Act of Council and Session was passed ordering a summons against Dòmhnall and Ùisdean, sons of Gilleasbaig Cleireach. The following year Seumas of Castle Camus and Clann GhillEasbaig Chlèireach were declared rebels, and forfeited for their failure to pay their dues, and their escheat
was granted to the Bishop of the Isles.
In 1585, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr and his retinue were sailing to visit Macdonald of Dunivaig & the Glens of Antrim, but were forced to take shelter in Jura
, which was then divided between Maclean of Duart and the chief of Clann Iain Mhòir. Unluckily for the Macdonalds of Sleat, they landed on Maclean of Duart's portion of the island. That night they were attacked by a large body of Macleans, at a place called Inbhir a' Chnuic, and tradition states that 60 of them were slain and that the chief had only escaped because he had fallen asleep upon his galley. This conflict was only the beginning of a bloody feud between the Macdonalds of Sleat and the Macleans of Duart. It is not certain exactly what conflicts transpired, though by September 1585, James VI had written to Ruairidh Mòr Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan, requesting him to assist Maclean of Duart against the Macdonalds who had done Maclean of Duart much injury and were threatening even more. By 1589, the feud had come to an end. The next year, the Sleat chief, and his brothers Gilleasbaig and Alasdair, his granduncle Seumas of Castle Camus, and Ùisdean, son of GillEasbaig Clèireach, received a remission for all crimes committed against the Macleans of Duart. On the power of this dispensation, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr, Sir Lachlann Mòr Maclean of Duart, and Angus Macdonald of Dunivaig and the Glens of Antrim, were all induced to go to Edinburgh
to consult the king. On their arrival they were apprehended and imprisoned, and the king and council imposed heavy fines as a condition of their release. Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr was to promise to give up £4,000 and to pledge his obedience to the Scottish Government, as well as the Irish Government of Elizabeth I
.
In the summer of 1594, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr and Ruairidh Mòr Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan each sailed for Ulster
at the head of 500 men each. They force was intended to support Aodh Rua Ó Domhnaill who was besieging
Enniskillen Castle
. Later in 1595 another expedition of Hebridians was made to support the Irish rebels against the forces of Elizabeth I. Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr raised a fighting force of 4,000 men and sailed to Ulster in a fleet of 50 galleys and 70 supply ships. The fleet was however blown off cource and was attacked off Rathlin Island
by 3 English frigate
s. 13 Macdonald galleys were sunk and another 12 or 13 were destroyed or captured off Copeland Island, at the entrance to Belfast Lough
.
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Not long after returning from Ireland, a feud seems to have arisen between Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr and the chief of Clan Macleod, Ruairidh Mòr. The Sleat chief had married the sister of the Macleod chief, and after some time sent her back to Macleod. Tradition has it that she was blind in an eye, and was mounted upon one-eyed horse, followed by a one-eyed dog, and accompanied by a one-eyed man. The Macleod chief was outraged and immediately had Trotternish ravaged. The Macdonalds of Sleat then retaliated by attacking Macleod possessions in Harris. This then led to Ruairidh Mòr leading a warband of 60 men on a raid in North Uist. The Macleod chief's relative, Mac Dhòmhnaill Ghlais ("the son of Dòmhnall the grey"), and 40 followers managed to possess themselves of the goods that the Uistfolk has hidden in Teampull na Trionaid
("trinity
church"), at Carinish
. However, the Macleods were attacked by a celebrated Clanranald warrior, named Dhòmhnall MacIain 'Ic Sheumais, in command of 15 men. The Macleods were outmanoeuvred by Dhòmhnall MacIain 'Ic Sheumais, and were slain almost to a man. Mac Dhòmhnaill Ghlais and a few of his followers fled for the island of Baleshare
, but were run-down by some Uistmen and killed on the spot which ever since been known as Oitir Mhic Dhòmhnaill Ghlais ("the strand of the son of Dòmhnall the grey").
The feud then became even more viscous, with both sides constantly raiding one another's territories, and the common clansfolk caught up in the middle of the warring were reduced to such an extent that they were even forced to eat dogs cats to sustain themselves. The Macdonalds of Sleat later made one final strike against the Macleods. At the time, Ruairidh Mòr was away seeking assistance from Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll
. Seizing upon the moment, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr, led an all out invasion of Minginish and Bracadle, in the north of Skye. The Macdonalds took much spoil in the form of cattle and drove them to Coire na Creiche, overlooking the Cuillin
hills. Here the Macleods mustered themselves, led by Alasdair, brother of the Macleod chief. The Battle of Coire Na Creiche lasted into the night and when the fighting subdued the Macleods were utterly defeated in what has since been the last clan battle to have ever have been fought on the Isle of Skye. By now, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr and Ruairidh Mòr's feud had escalated to such an extent that the Privy Council interfered, and ordered the two chiefs to disband their forces. The Macleod chief was ordered to surrender himself to the Earl of Argyll and the Sleat chief to George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
. Not long afterwards the two chieftains were reconciled with each other by mutual acquaintances. Through meetings and Eilean Donan
and Glasgow
, it was agreed that peace should be preserved. By the end of 1601, the bloody feud, between Ruairidh Mòr and Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr, had come to an end.
and Clan Maclean all of the relevant Macdonald chiefs were called to a meeting with Lord Ochiltree
who was the King's representative. Here they discussed the future Royal intentions for governing the Isles. The chiefs did not agree with the king and were all thrown into prison. Donald, the chief of the Macdonalds of Sleat, was incacerated in the Blackness Castle
. His release was granted when he at last submitted to the King. Donald died in 1616 and then Sir Donald Macleod, his nephew succeeded as the chief and became the first Baronet of Sleat.
. At the time the population of his estates was estimated to have been about 12,000, and in consequence he would have been a power to be reckoned with within the Highlands. According ot A and A Macdonald, it seems that the baronet had not been very enthusiastic for the royal cause. In the autumn
of 1644, when Alasdair MacColla
arrived on the west coast, with Irish auxiliaries supplied by the Marquess of Antrim, he offered command to Sleat, yet Sleat declined the offer. Following the battle at Inverlochly
, Montrose
marched northwards. Shortly before the Battle of Auldearn
, Montrose wrote to the Laird
of Grant, informing him that, among others, 400 of the baronet's men had joined him. It is unknown who led the Macdonald of Sleat contingent, or what part they played in the campaign. A and A Macdonald considered it probably that the Sleat men fought under the command of the baronet's brother, Donald Macdonald of Castleton. The Sleat men continued with the campaigning following the defeat at the Battle of Philiphaugh
. They took part in the siege of Inverness
. When the king surrendered to the Scottish Army at Newark, and ordered Montrose to disband his forces, the Sleat men returned home to Skye and Uist. The baronet then made terms with the Committee of Estates
, for himself and his principal followers who had taken part in the insurrection. The Duke of Hamilton
marched down to recover the king. The Hebridean men had mustered in large numbers and were a part of the force which was defeated at the Battle of Preston
in 1648. After the expedition had failed, the engagers were replaced in the Government by a new Committee of Estates, with Argyll at their head. In 1649, the baronet was cited to find caution for good behaviour. The baronet took no notice. In the summer of 1650, Charles II arrived in Scotland and was crowned at Scone. In expectation of Cromwell's advance, he appealed for support to his Highland supporters. The baronet was given a commission to levy a regiment on his estates in Uist and Skye-which was completed in January, 1651 and then marched to support the king. At the Battle of Worcester they formed a part of the Highland wing of the army. The Sleat men and the Macleods suffered severely in the battle, and only a remnant ever returned to their homes in the isles. After the defeat, the king fled to the continent, and the baronet made peace with Commonwealth of Scotland. Later the baronet refused to aid the Earl of Glencairn and others in 1653. He was hard pressed by his former allies, notablly Glengarry who was a noted loyalist. The 2nd baronet died in 1678 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Donald Macdonald, 3rd Baronet of Sleat.
appealed to the Highland chiefs for their support to James VII, Sleat was among the first to join at the head of 500 men. The 3rd baronet however became ill just as he reached Lochaber
, and the Sleat men were led by his son, Donald. At the Battle of Killiecrankie
, the Sleat battalion was posted on the extreme left wing and suffered severely during the ensuing conflict. Among the slain were five of the principal officers, all cadets of the Macdonalds of Sleat. With the collapse of the rebellion, after the Highland men had returned home, the Government made an effort to treat with the Macdonalds of Sleat. While the baronet's son, who had led the clan in battle during the rising, was willing to consent under certain terms, the baronet remained stubborn and refused to communicate William II's
emissaries. After a while the Government took steps to force the chief into obedience, and two frigate
s were send to Skye. After fruitless efforts at negotiating the frigates began shelling two of the chief's houses, burning them to the ground. Lowland troops then landed and fought with Sleat's men, though were forced back to their ships, suffering 20 dead. In time the he came to peace with the Government, though it is unknown the of the manner or the terms of the surrender. The Macdonalds of Sleat were at friendly terms with the garrison at Fort William
, yet were at odds with other Macdonalds. In 1694, the chief and Macdonald of Camuscross
made a complaint to the Supreme Council against, Alexander Macdonald, Younger of Glengarry; Aeneas Macdonald, his brother; and several others in Knoydart. Sleat and Camuscross claimed that the men had conceived "ane deadly hatred and evil will" against them, committing acts of violence against them and their possessions. The 3rd baronet died at Armadale in 1695 and was succeeded by his son, Donald Macdonald, 4th Baronet.
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The 4th baronet distinguished himself as leader of the clan in his father's lifetime. From the beginning of the 18th century to the eve of the Jacobite rebellion in 1715, he lived in Glasgow, and had no contact with his clan in the Hebrides. During this period, according to A and A Macdonald, it would appear that he was in close contact with the Jacobite factions. The 4th baronet was not present at the Jacobite gathering at Braemar
in September, when the standard was raised by the Earl of Mar
. He travelled to Skye to raise his followers, which have been estimated from 700–900 men. In around the beginning of October, the baronet at the head of his men, joined the Earl of Seaforth
at Brahan
, and together proceeded to Alness. They put to the flight the Earl of Sutherland
, with the Sutherland
and Reay
men, the Monros
, Rosses
and others. The baronet fell ill and returned to Skye, leaving command of the Sleat men to his brothers, James and William. When Government troops were sent to Skye the baronet then fled to North Uist. In April 1716, the baronet offered to surrender himself in term of the recently passed Act of Parliament
, pleading that he was not healthy enough to travel to Inverlochy
to surrender in person as the act required. However, when he failed to appear he was found guilty of high treason
, and his estates were accordingly forfeited (however his titled does not appear to have been forfeited). The Commissioners of Forfeited Estates then proceeded to survey the baronet's estates. The survey found that the clan lands were in very poor condition and the people were in extreme poverty. For example, the tenants of North Uist had lost 745 cows
, 573 horses
and 820 sheep by a plague. The sea, too, had overflowed in parts of the land and destroyed many houses. The Skye estates were in similar condition with the loss of 485 horses, 1,027 cows and 4,556 sheep. The 4th baronet died in 1718 and was succeeded by his only son, Donald.
Immediately following his father's death, the 5th baronet petitioned the Court of Session
to rule that his father had indeed obeyed the Act of Parliament, by submitting his written surrender to the Government. The Court of Session ruled in favour of the baronet, and that he had not been forfeited of his estates. The Forfeited Estates Commissioners however appealed to the House of Lords
, who subsequently ruled in favour of the appellants. The baronet died young, in 1720, and was succeeded by his uncle, James Macdonald of Oronsay
. The 6th baronet had served the clan at the Battle of Killiecrankie, and led the Sleat men at the Battle of Sheriffmuir
. Despite his support to the Jacobite cause, he supported George I
in 1719 during the Spanish invasion which ended at the Battle of Glen Shiel
. The 5th baronet outlived his nephew by only a few months, and died in 1720.
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During the forfeiture of the clan's estates, the children of Sir James petitioned Parliament, in which they were successful, to receive £10,000 out of the estate of the desceased Donald. At the same time, provisions were also made for the widow
and children of Donald. In 1723, Kenneth Mackenzie, an Edinburgh advocate
, purchased the three barones of Sleat, Trotternish and North Uist for £21,000. After deducting the provisions to the families of Donald and James, and the debts due to the wadsetters and others, the purchase price was nearly exhausted, and only £4,000 went to the public. In 1726. Kenneth Mackenzie and Sir Alexander Macdonald, 7th Baronet, the heir male, entered into a contract of sale
, whereby the whole estate which had belonged to Sir Donald was sold to Sir Alexander. In 1727, Sir Alexander received a Crown charter for his lands, erecting the whole into a barony — called the Barony of Macdonald
. In 1739, the 7th baronet was involved in an infamous case of the kidnapping
of men and women from the Hebrides, with the intent of selling them into slavery in North America
(see relevant section below). The 7th baronet was notable among the Macdonald chiefs to have refused to join the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. His voiced his reasoning to Macdonald of Clanranald, stating the such rising was inopportune, with the chance of any success remote. A and A Macdonald noted that he would have also been grateful to the reigning House of Hanover
, for the restoration of the clan's estates, which had been forfeited in the last rebellion. During the rebellion the 7th baronet raised two independent companies for the Government cause. The 7th baronet died in Bernera, in 1746, and was buried at Kilmore, in Sleat. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir James.
The 8th baronet suffered from ill health as a child and while still comparatively young he was injured in a hunting accident. He attempted to regain his health in a warmer climate, when he left the British Isles
for Italy
, in 1765. His health, however, finally failed him in 1766, when he died in Rome
, where he was buried. He was succeeded by his brother, Alexander, who was at the time, an officer in the Coldstream Guards
. A and A Macdonald described the 9th baronet as being of a completely different temperament
than that of his older brother. They described his tastes as "if note wholly English, at least entirely anti-Celtic". The 9th baronet raised the rents upon his estates, and evicted many of the poorer tenants from their holdings. During his chiefship, several tacksmen in Skye and Uist gave up their leases and emigrated. When Boswell
and Johnson
visited Skye in 1773, they encountered an emigrant ship, filled with tacksmen and their tenants, about to set sail. In 1776, the 9th baronet was made Lord Macdonald
in the Peerage of Ireland
. In 1777, he offered to raise a regiment on his estates, which the Government accepted. The regiment was named the 76th Regiment of Foot (Macdonald's Highlanders) and was 1,086 men strong; 750 of whom were from the baronet's lands on Skye and North Uist. The Macdonalds were well represented in the officers of the unit with men from the families of the Macdonalds of Glencoe, Morar, Boisdale and others. The regiment embarked for New York, in 1779, and served with distinction the American Revolutionary War
. It returned home, and was disbanded in 1784. In 1794, the baronet raised three volunteer companies in Skye and Uist, for the defence of the country and relief of the regular army. He married Elizabeth Diana, eldest daughter of Godfrey Bosville of Gunthwaite, (in the County of York, England). He died comparatively young, in 1795, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander Wentworth.
Alexander died in 1795 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander Wentworth Macdonald, 2nd Baron Macdonald
. The 2nd baron lived for the most of his life in England and abroad, and consequently associated little with the tenants on his Hebridean estates. In 1798, he received permission from George III to raise a regiment on these estates; however the islanders were unwilling to join, and very considerable pressure was brought to bear upon them before the full complement of men was finally recruited. He erected the mansion house at Armadale
, in Sleat, which was the principal seat of his family. The 2nd baron died unmarried in 1824 and was succeeded by his brother, Godfrey Bosville – Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald
. The 3rd baron was baptised as Godfrey Macdonald, and legally changed his name to Godfrey Bosville, in 1814. After succeeding his brother in 1824, he changed his name to Godfrey Bosville – Macdonald. The 3rd baron had served in the British Army prior to his succession and eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant-general, in 1830. He was also involved in a controversial dispute over the chiefship with Glengarry, which took place privately and publicly in the press. He died in 1832 and was succeeded by his second eldest son, Godfrey William Wentworth Bosville – Macdonald, 4th Baron Macdonald. Under the 4th baron, vast portions of the clan inheritance were sold off, including North Uist and Kilmuir in Trotternish which included Castle Duntulm. He died in 1863 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Somerled James Brudenell Bosville – Macdonald, 5th Baron Macdonald. The 5th baron died in 1874, aged 25, and was succeeded by his brother, Ronald Archibald Bosville – Macdonald, 6th Baron Macdonald. The 6th baron was succeeded by his grandson, Alexander Godfrey Bosville – Macdonald, 7th Baron Macdonald, who was in turn succeeded by his son, Godfrey James Macdonald, 8th Baron Macdonald. The 8th baron is the current chief of the name and arms of Macdonald and high chief of Clan Donald
.
. In consequence, the eldest son could not inherit the title Baron Macdonald
in the Peerage of Ireland
. However, since the baronetcy (Baronet of Sleat) was a Scottish title, it was later ruled in 1910, that the eldest son could succeed to that instead.
The 3rd baron had married an illegitimate daughter of William Henry, Duke of Gloucester
, in 1803; and the 3rd baron's eldest son, Alexander William Robert Macdonald, was born before that, in 1800. In 1832, Alexander William Robert Macdonald had his name legally changed to Alexander William Robert Bosville. Later in 1847, he inherited his father's Bosville estates in Yorkshire
, England. In consequence, he remained in Yorkshire and his younger brother, Godfrey William Wentworth Bosville – Macdonald, 4th Baron Macdonald, inherited the Scottish estates, titles, and chiefship. In 1910, Alexander Wentworth Macdonald Bosville, grandson of Alexander William Robert Bosville, obtained a decree from the Court of Session
, which declared that Alexander William Robert Bosville was the eldest lawful son of the 3rd baron, and was accordingly the rightful heir. He then changed his name to Alexander Wentworth Macdonald Bosville – Macdonald and was recognised as the 14th Baronet of Sleat, as such became the 22nd chief of Macdonald of Sleat. He died in 1933 and was succeeded by his son, Godfrey Middleton Bosville – Macdonald of Sleat; who was in turn succeeded by his son, Alexander Somerled Angus Bosville – Macdonald of Sleat; who was succeeded by Ian Godfrey Bosville Macdonald of Sleat, 17th Baronet — the current chief of the clan. The chiefly family has been seated at Thorpe Hall, Rudston, East Yorkshire since the 3rd baron's eldest son inherited the Bosville estates in the 18th century.
In 1739, the 1st baron was involved in the infamous kidnapping
of men and women from Skye and Harris, with the intention of transporting them to the American Colonies and selling them into slavery
. Other prominent men involved were Norman Macleod of Dunvegan (chief of Clan MacLeod
), Donald Macleod of Berneray and his son Norman Macleod. During the night, Macleod of Berneray's son, Norman, arrived at Skye with a ship which has ever since been known as Soitheach nan Daoine ("the ship of the people"). He then proceeded to force on board men, women, and children, from all levels of society. As the ship sailed towards North America with its human cargo
, it was driven by a storm onto the northern coast of Ireland and wrecked. The passengers were however rescued, and most of them settled on the lands of the Earl of Antrim
, though a few, after great difficulties managed to return to their homes in the Hebrides.
The 4th baron and chief of the Macdonalds of Sleat, resided over one of the more notable forced eviction
s of Highlanders during the era of the Highland Clearances
. Those that drew particular controversy were the forced evictions of the small community of Sollas, in North Uist, in 1849 and 1850. During the 1849 evictions rioting broke out in which the Uist women played a prominent role. During the 1830s, tenants were cleared from his estates on Skye; and during the years 1838 and 1843, 1,300 people were removed from their homes in North Uist, to be replaced by sheep. Several of the Sollas rioters were arrested and eventually found guilty, yet the jury
made the following written comments afterwards:
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...
and a branch of Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. 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...
— one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Sleat is Ùisdean, 6th great-grandson of Somhairle
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...
, a 12th century Rì Innse Gall
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...
. The clan is also known in Gaelic as Clann Ùisdein ("children of Ùisdein"), and its chief's Gaelic designation is Mac Ùisdein ("son of Ùisdean"), in reference to the clan's founder. Both the clan and its clan chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
are 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...
, who is the heraldic authority in Scotland
Scottish heraldry
Heraldry in Scotland, while broadly similar to that practised in England and elsewhere in western Europe, has its own distinctive features. Its heraldic executive is separate from that of the rest of the United Kingdom.-Executive:...
.
The Macdonalds of Sleat participated in several feuds with neighbouring clans, most notably the Macleods of Harris & Dunvegan
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 the Macleans of Duart
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 clan also suffered from infighting in the early 16th century, as the leading members of the clan fought and murdered each other.
The clan seems to have grudgingly supported the Royalist cause 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...
, and suffered grievously in military defeats against Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
forces. The clan supported the Jacobite
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...
cause in the 1715 rebellion, yet refused to come out for Bonnie Prince Charlie and his father a generation later in 1745. In the early 18th century, the clan's chief was involved in a plan to sell tenants into slavery in the American Colonies. By the late 18th century, the chiefs had alienated themselves from the common clansfolk, when they seated themselves in northern England and rarely visited the old clan lands. The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed the suffering of the common clansfolk, as many were cleared off their lands at the hands of their absentee landlord
Absentee landlord
Absentee landlord is an economic term for a person who owns and rents out a profit-earning property, but does not live within the property's local economic region. This practice is problematic for that region because absentee landlords drain local wealth into their home country, particularly that...
s. Today members and descendants of the clan live all over the world.
Sources
Much of the history of the Macdonalds of Sleat comes from traditional family histories, and it is often difficult, if not impossible, to tell fact from fiction. The clan histories relevant to the Macdonalds of Sleat were composed by the shenachies (historians or story tellers) MacVuirich — the Clanranald shenachie; and Hugh Macdonald — the Sleat shenachie. Contemporary records that shed light upon the early history of the clan include chartersRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
and confirmations of charters granted by kings, and various bonds of manrent entered with other landlords and clan chiefs.
History of the Macdonalds of Sleat
Origins
The Macdonalds of Sleat are a branch of Clan DonaldClan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. 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...
— one of the largest Scottish clans. The eponymous ancestor of Clan Donald is Dòmhnall
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...
, son of Raghnall
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...
, son of Somhairle
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...
. Traditional Clan Donald genealogies, created in the later Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
, give the clan a descent from various legendary Irish figures. Modern historians, however, distrust these traditional genealogies, and consider Somhairle, son of Gille Brighde to be earliest ancestor for whom there is secure historical evidence. Somhairle, himself, was a 12th century leader, styled "king of the isles" and "king of Argyll"; yet there is no reliable account for his rise to power.
The Macdonalds of Sleat descend from Dòmhnall's son, 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...
; and then from his son, Aonghas Óg. Angus Óg's son, Eoin
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...
, was the first 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...
. Eoin I's first marriage was to Ami, heiress of Clann Ruaidhri (which was founded by Ruaidhri
Ruaidhri mac Raghnaill
Ruaidhri mac Raghnaill was a 13th-century Scottish magnate. The son of Raghnall, son of Somerled, he appears to have spent his career fighting, in both Ireland and in Scotland...
, elder brother to Dòmhnall, founder of Clan Donald). Eoin I later divorced Ami and married Margaret, daughter of Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
. The children from Eoin I's first marriage were then passed over in the main succession of the chiefship of Clan Donald and later Macdonald lords of the isles, in favour of those from his second marriage. Eoin I was succeeded by his son, Dòmhnall of Islay
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...
; who was in turn succeeded by his son, Alasdair of Islay
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...
. The Macdonalds of Sleat descend from Ùisdean
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...
, bastard son of Alasdair of Islay and the daughter of O'Beolan, Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Applecross
Applecross
The Applecross peninsula is a peninsula in Wester Ross, Highland, on the west coast of Scotland. The name Applecross is at least 1300 years old and is not used locally to refer to the 19th century village with the pub and post office, lying on the small Applecross Bay, facing the Inner Sound, on...
. From Ùisdean, the Macdonalds of Sleat are also known in Gaelic as Clann Ùisdein ("the children of Ùisdein").
15th century
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...
was also slain. Ùisdean is then said to have ravaged Orkney, and carried off much loot. According to Angus and Archibald Macdonald, Ùisdean's expedition took place around 1460, when he did not appear to hold title to any of the lands his family who come to hold. In fact, in the year 1463, Eoin II, Lord of the Isles
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....
granted Ùisdean's older brother, Celestine, the 28 merklands of Sleat
Sleat
Sleat is a peninsula on the island of Skye in the Highland council area of Scotland, known as "the garden of Skye". It is the home of the clan MacDonald of Sleat...
, in addition to extensive lands in west Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
given to him in the previous year. In 1469, Ùisdean received from the Earl of Ross the 30 merklands of Skeirhough in South Uist
South Uist
South Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
; the 12 merklands of Benbecula
Benbecula
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western...
, and the merkland of Gergryminis also in Benbecula; the 2 merklands of Scolpig, the 4 merklands of Tallowmartin, the 6 merklands of Orinsay, the half merkland of Wanlis, all in North Uist; and also the 28 merklands of Sleat. The earliest Clann Ùisdein seat connected with the barony of Sleat was Dunscaith Castle
Dunscaith Castle
Dunscaith 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...
, off the Sound of Sleat. Ùisdean played not a small part in securing the surrender of the Earl of Ross, for which he was promised by the king 20 pounds worth of land, in 1476. The lordship of the isles was forfeited in 1493, and Ùisdean obtained a royal confirmation for his lands granted to him by the Earl of Ross in 1469. Ùisdean died in 1498, and was buried at Sand, in North Uist.
During his life, Ùisdean had several wives and several known children by other women. Some of Ùisdean's sons would go on to play a large part in the history of the clan in the early 16th century. His eldest son, Eoin, would go on to succeed him. Other notable sons included: Dòmhnall Gallach, son of the daughter of a prominent member of Clan Gunn
Clan Gunn
Clan Gunn is a Scottish clan associated with northeastern Scotland, including Caithness and Sutherland as well as the Orkney Islands.The clan's origins stretch over the sea to Norway, and the Clan Gunn themselves claim descent from the legendary viking Sweyn Asleifsson, the progenitor of the clan,...
(Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
is called Gallaibh in Gaelic). Another son was Dòmhnall Hearach, so-called from the fact his mother was a daughter of Macleod of Harris, and where he probably spent a portion of his early life; Aonghas Collach, so-called from the fact his mother was a daughter of Maclean of Coll
Coll
Coll is a small island, west of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Coll is known for its sandy beaches, which rise to form large sand dunes, for its corncrakes, and for Breachacha Castle.-Geography and geology:...
; Gilleasbaig Dubh was the son of a daughter of Torquil Macleod of the Lewes
Lewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
; and Aonghas Dubh was the son of a daughter Maurice Vicar of South Uist.
Early 16th century
Alasdair Crotach MacLeod
Alasdair Crotach MacLeod is considered to be the eighth chief of Scottish Clan MacLeod. He was the son of the seventh chief William Dubh and succeeded his father in 1480, following William Dubh's death at the Battle of Bloody Bay. He was the first MacLeod chief not to be buried on the island of...
(chief of Clan Macleod) two unicates of the barony of Trotternish
Trotternish
Trotternish or Tròndairnis is the northernmost peninsula of the Isle of Skye, in Scotland.One of its more well-known features is the Trotternish landslip, a massive landslide that runs almost the full length of the peninsula, some...
with the office of the bailiary of the whole lands thereof. Also the same year, the king granted Torquil Macleod of Lewis (chief of Clan Macleod of Lewis) the same bailiary of Trotternish which was granted to the chief of the Clan Macleod, and also the 4 merklands of Terunga of Duntulm
Duntulm
Duntulm is a township on the most northerly point of the Trotternish peninsula of the Isle Of Skye made up of Shulista , south Duntulm and Ghlumaig....
and 4 merklands of Airdmhiceolan. A and A Macdonald noted that during the minority of the Stewart kings in the 15 and 16th centuries many charters for the same lands were granted to several individuals. It is no wonder that in 1498 James IV
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...
revoked all charters given during the period prior to his coming of age. In 1505, Eoin resigned the lands of Sleat and North Uist, including Dunscaith Castle, to Ranald Allanson of Island Begrim. On his death, the chiefship of the clan passed to Dòmhnall Gallach, second son of Ùisdean.
Because of the way in which his predecessor had granted away the clan lands, there is no contemporary record of Dòmhnall Gallach. The only record of Dòmhnall Gallach is from tradition. According to the Sleat shenachie, he was present at 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...
in 1484, and there fought on the side of Aonghas Óg
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...
against his father, Eoin, Lord of the Isles
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....
. Even though Dòmhnall Gallach's legal right to much his father's lands was given away by his predecessor, he and his brothers managed to physically hold on to their lands in Skye and Uist. Notwithstanding Clanranald's charter, Dòmhnall Gallach had his seat at Dunscaith Castle. Dòmhnall Gallach did not reign long as chief as he was murdered in 1506, by his brother, Gilleasbaig Dubh. The brothers Gilleasbaig Dubh, Aonghas Dubh and Aonghas Collach also conspired together and murdered their other half-brother, Dòmhnall Hearach, on the Inch of Loch Scolpig. Not long after the murders, Ranald Bane of Moydart forced Gilleasbaig Dubh to flee Uist, whereupon he participated in piratical
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
career in the southern Hebrides for about 3 years. Gilleasbaig Dubh earned the favour of the Government by handing over similar pirates John Mor and Alister Bernich, of Clan Allister of Kintyre. After doing so he returned to the lands of Clann Ùisdein, assumed the leadership of the clan and took possession of the bailiary of Trotternish, all with the consent of the Government.
Clann Ùisdein chaos
During the time of Gilleasbaig Dubh's piratical career, the traditional history of Clann Ùisdein is a tale of violence and lawlessness. According the Sleat shenachie, Aonghas Collach travelled to North Uist with a number of his followers and spent the night the home of Dòmhnall of Balranald (who was a member of Sìol Ghorraidh: descendants of Gorraidh, youngest son of EoinJohn 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...
and Ami MacRauiri). Balranald happened to be away from home at the time, and that night Aonghas Collach attempted to rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
his wife (who was a Macdonald of Clanranald). After her escape to South Uist, she alerted her friends and family. The result was that a body of 60 men, led by Donald MacRanald, and large contingent of Sìol Ghorraidh men marched north and surprised Aonghas Collach at Kirkibost
Kirkibost
Kirkibost is a low-lying island west of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:Kirkibost, along with neighbouring Baleshare, is covered by a machair system of coastal plains covered with shell sand, part covered by grass, with some sand dunes, fens and peat. Together with...
. There 18 of Aonghas Collach's men were slain and he himself was taken prisoner. He was then sent to Macdonald of Clanranald, in South Uist, and tied up into a sack and cast into the sea. Another of Ùisdean's sons, Aonghas Dubh was also made prisoner by Macdonald of Clanranald, and was long held captive. One day he was permitted to run on the Strand of Askernish in South Uist, to see if he could run as well as he could prior to his incarceration. Aonghas Dubh then attempted flee his guards, however he was then wounded in the leg by an arrow. The wound was considered incurable and Aonghas Dubh was summarily put to death.
Soon after his return, Gilleasbaig Dubh's took revenge on Sìol Ghorraidh for their treatment of Aonghas Collach, and put many of them to death. The manner of Gilleasbaig Dubh's death is also recorded by the Sleat shenachie. This account tells how Dòmhnall Gruamach, son of Dòmhnall Gallach, and his half-brother Raghnall, son of Dòmhnall Hearach, went to North Uist to visit Gilleasbaig Dubh who had murdered their father. One day, the two half-brothers, Gilleasbaig Dubh, and their henchmen, went hunting south of Lochmaddy
Lochmaddy
Lochmaddy is the administrative centre of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland...
. While the attendants were beating up the hill the three men sat waited for the game to appear. In time, Gilleasbaig Dubh eventually fell asleep and Raghnall killed his uncle. A and A Macdonald gave the date of Gilleasbaig Dubh's murder at probably about 1515–1520.
Mid to late 16th century
Clan Campbell of Cawdor
Clan Campbell of Cawdor is a highland Scottish clan. While the clan is recognised by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, the clan does not have a clan chief recognised by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs...
. A and A Macdonald stated that this bond may have led the Sleat chief to follow Cawdor, in 1523, on 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....
's campaign against England. The campaign did not go well for the two chiefs, as both Sleat and Cawdor's names are recorded on a remission for leaving the field of battle during the siege of Wark Castle. A and A Macdonald also stated that it was likely on their return from the borders that Cawdor and his followers (including Sleat) murdered Lachlann Cattanach Maclean of Duart
Lachlan Cattanach Maclean
Lachlan Catanach Maclean was the 11th Clan Chief of Clan MacLean from 1515 until his murder in 1523.-Biography:...
, in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. In 1524, Dòmhnall Gruamach entered into an alliance with the chief of 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 later in 1527, he entered into bonds with Mackintosh, Munro, Rose of Kilravock
Clan Rose
Clan Rose is a Highland Scottish clan. Their chief's motto is "Constant and True" and their chief'sfamily castle is Kilravock Castle, built in 1460...
and Campbell of Cawdor. In 1528, Dòmhnall Gruamach received considerable support from his half-brother, Iain, son of Torquil, chief of Clan Macleod of Lewis. That year their combined forces were successful in driving out the Macleods of Harris & Dunvegan, and their vassals, from the barony of Trotternish. Dòmhnall Gruamach, in return, then aided Macleod of Lewis in obtaining effective possession of Lewis. Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan then appealed to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
, and that year a summons was issued to the chiefs of Sleat and Lewis. As conflicts in the Hebrides increased over time, the Privy Council ordered the chieftains of the isles to appear before the king in 1530. The following year Sleat, Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan, and Mackinnon of Strathardill were frequently cited before Parliament but failed to appear. After 1530, Dòmhnall Gallach's chiefship seems to have been uneventful and peaceful, as there is no record of his name in state records until his death, in about 1537.
The chiefship of the clan then passed to Dòmhnall Gallach's son, Dòmhnall Gorm.
Dòmhnall Gorm was killed at Eilean Donan
Eilean Donan
Eilean Donan is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of Scotland. It is connected to the mainland by a footbridge and lies about half a mile from the village of Dornie. Eilean Donan is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617...
in 1539 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Dòmhnall Gormeson. As Dòmhnall Gormeson was only a child at the time of his father's death, the leadership of the clan went to his granduncle, Gilleasbaig Clèireach, son of Dòmhnall Gallach. According to the Sleat shenachie, the Privy Council made a strong attempt to apprehend the young chief during his minority. The traditional history has it that he was sent to the safety of Ruairidh Macleod of Lewis. Though afterwards, Gilleasbaig Cleireach took Dòmhnall Gormeson to England, where the young chief lived for several years. In 1554, with anarchy prevailing in the Highlands, the Queen Dowager took control of the Government and attempted to restore peace and order. Her lieutenants, Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll
Gillespie Roy Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll was a Scottish nobleman and politician.-Biography:He was the eldest son of Colin Campbell, 3rd Earl of Argyll and Jean Gordon, daughter of Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly...
and Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the son of John Gordon, Lord Gordon, and Margaret Stewart, daughter of James IV. George Gordon inherited his earldom and estates in 1524 at age 10...
, were ordained by the Privy Council to passify the most unruly chiefs, among these was Dòmhnall Gormeson. Shortly afterwards, Dòmhnall Gormeson appears to have submitted to the Government, and for about 8 years obediently ceased to quarrel with his neighbouring chiefs. However, by 1562, he is recorded among others Macdonalds, as receiving a remission form Queen Mary for the destruction and slaughter committed in the Maclean lands of Mull, Tiree and Coll. A and A Macdonald were unsure of the nature of these raids, though proposed that they may have something to do with a quarrel of Clann Iain Mhòir and Maclean of Duart, regarding the Rinns of Islay
Rinns of Islay
The Rinns of Islay is an area on the west of the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland....
. In 1568 he joined Somhairle Buidhe MacDhòmhnaill
Sorley Boy MacDonnell
Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill , Scoto-Irish prince or flaith and chief, was the son of Alexander MacDonnell, lord of Islay and Kintyre , and Catherine, daughter of the Lord of Ardnamurchan...
and his Irish campaigning. The next year he was feuding with the Mackenzies of Kintail. Dòmhnall Gormeson died in 1585, and was succeeded by his oldest son, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr.
Late 16th century
Bishop of the Isles
The Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Sodor, one of Scotland's thirteen medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompasing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as an ecclesiastical unity to the careers of Olaf, King of the Isles,...
since the death of Dòmhnall Gormson. This document shows that Seumas of Castle Camus and Clann GhillEasbaig Chlèireach ("the children of Gilleasbaig Clèireach") had divided up the lands of the Macdonalds of Sleat. A and A Macdonald stated that Clann GhillEasbaig Chlèireach possessed themselves of Trotternish (with Dòmhnall, son of Gilleasbaig as bailie of the region); while Seumas of Castle Camus held the bailiary of Sleat. For the year 1580, there is evidence that the possessors of clan estates were behind in their payments to the Bishopric of the Isles and the Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey is located on the Isle of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland. It is one of the oldest and most important religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland and marks the foundation of a monastic...
— so much so that an Act of Council and Session was passed ordering a summons against Dòmhnall and Ùisdean, sons of Gilleasbaig Cleireach. The following year Seumas of Castle Camus and Clann GhillEasbaig Chlèireach were declared rebels, and forfeited for their failure to pay their dues, and their escheat
Escheat
Escheat is a common law doctrine which transfers the property of a person who dies without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in limbo without recognised ownership...
was granted to the Bishop of the Isles.
In 1585, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr and his retinue were sailing to visit Macdonald of Dunivaig & the Glens of Antrim, but were forced to take shelter in Jura
Jura, Scotland
Jura 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...
, which was then divided between Maclean of Duart and the chief of Clann Iain Mhòir. Unluckily for the Macdonalds of Sleat, they landed on Maclean of Duart's portion of the island. That night they were attacked by a large body of Macleans, at a place called Inbhir a' Chnuic, and tradition states that 60 of them were slain and that the chief had only escaped because he had fallen asleep upon his galley. This conflict was only the beginning of a bloody feud between the Macdonalds of Sleat and the Macleans of Duart. It is not certain exactly what conflicts transpired, though by September 1585, James VI had written to Ruairidh Mòr Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan, requesting him to assist Maclean of Duart against the Macdonalds who had done Maclean of Duart much injury and were threatening even more. By 1589, the feud had come to an end. The next year, the Sleat chief, and his brothers Gilleasbaig and Alasdair, his granduncle Seumas of Castle Camus, and Ùisdean, son of GillEasbaig Clèireach, received a remission for all crimes committed against the Macleans of Duart. On the power of this dispensation, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr, Sir Lachlann Mòr Maclean of Duart, and Angus Macdonald of Dunivaig and the Glens of Antrim, were all induced to go to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
to consult the king. On their arrival they were apprehended and imprisoned, and the king and council imposed heavy fines as a condition of their release. Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr was to promise to give up £4,000 and to pledge his obedience to the Scottish Government, as well as the Irish Government of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
In the summer of 1594, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr and Ruairidh Mòr Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan each sailed for Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
at the head of 500 men each. They force was intended to support Aodh Rua Ó Domhnaill who was besieging
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
Enniskillen Castle
Enniskillen Castle
Enniskillen Castle is situated in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It was originally built in the 16th century and now houses the Fermanagh County Museum and the regimental museum of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.-History:...
. Later in 1595 another expedition of Hebridians was made to support the Irish rebels against the forces of Elizabeth I. Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr raised a fighting force of 4,000 men and sailed to Ulster in a fleet of 50 galleys and 70 supply ships. The fleet was however blown off cource and was attacked off 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...
by 3 English frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s. 13 Macdonald galleys were sunk and another 12 or 13 were destroyed or captured off Copeland Island, at the entrance to Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough is a large, natural intertidal sea lough at the mouth of the River Lagan on the east coast of Northern Ireland. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays...
.
Bitter feuding with Macleod of Harris & Dunvegan
Teampull na Trionaid
Teampull na Trionaid is a ruined 13th century church and seminary at Carinish, North Uist, Scotland. Amie mac Ruari is said to have rebuilt the church in the 14th century after her divorce from John of Islay, Lord of the Isles...
("trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
church"), at Carinish
Carinish
Carinish , in North Uist, in the Western Isles of Scotland, is known for the Carinish Stone Circle and the Trinity Temple.-Carinish Stone Circle:Carinish Stone Circle is not in a good condition - it has a main road running almost through the middle of it...
. However, the Macleods were attacked by a celebrated Clanranald warrior, named Dhòmhnall MacIain 'Ic Sheumais, in command of 15 men. The Macleods were outmanoeuvred by Dhòmhnall MacIain 'Ic Sheumais, and were slain almost to a man. Mac Dhòmhnaill Ghlais and a few of his followers fled for the island of Baleshare
Baleshare
Baleshare is a flat tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.Baleshare lies to the south-west of North Uist. Its economics and community were boosted by the building of a causeway in 1962. The 350m causeway was built by William Tawse Ltd. The island is extremely flat by Hebridean standards,...
, but were run-down by some Uistmen and killed on the spot which ever since been known as Oitir Mhic Dhòmhnaill Ghlais ("the strand of the son of Dòmhnall the grey").
The feud then became even more viscous, with both sides constantly raiding one another's territories, and the common clansfolk caught up in the middle of the warring were reduced to such an extent that they were even forced to eat dogs cats to sustain themselves. The Macdonalds of Sleat later made one final strike against the Macleods. At the time, Ruairidh Mòr was away seeking assistance from Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll , also called "Gillesbuig Grumach", was a Scottish politician and military leader.-Biography:...
. Seizing upon the moment, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr, led an all out invasion of Minginish and Bracadle, in the north of Skye. The Macdonalds took much spoil in the form of cattle and drove them to Coire na Creiche, overlooking 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. Here the Macleods mustered themselves, led by Alasdair, brother of the Macleod chief. The Battle of Coire Na Creiche lasted into the night and when the fighting subdued the Macleods were utterly defeated in what has since been the last clan battle to have ever have been fought on the Isle of Skye. By now, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr and Ruairidh Mòr's feud had escalated to such an extent that the Privy Council interfered, and ordered the two chiefs to disband their forces. The Macleod chief was ordered to surrender himself to the Earl of Argyll and the Sleat chief to George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly
George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly was a Scottish nobleman who took a leading role in the political and military life of Scotland in the late 16th century and around the time of the Union of the Crowns.-Biography:...
. Not long afterwards the two chieftains were reconciled with each other by mutual acquaintances. Through meetings and Eilean Donan
Eilean Donan
Eilean Donan is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of Scotland. It is connected to the mainland by a footbridge and lies about half a mile from the village of Dornie. Eilean Donan is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, it was agreed that peace should be preserved. By the end of 1601, the bloody feud, between Ruairidh Mòr and Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr, had come to an end.
Early 17th century
In 1608 after a century of feuding which included battles against the Clan MackenzieClan 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...
and Clan Maclean all of the relevant Macdonald chiefs were called to a meeting with Lord Ochiltree
Lord Ochiltree
Lord Ochiltree of Lord Stuart of Ochiltree was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. In 1542 Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Avondale exchanged the lordship of Avondale with Sir James Hamilton for the lordship of Ochiltrie and by Act of Parliament was ordained to be styled Lord Stuart of Ochiltrie...
who was the King's representative. Here they discussed the future Royal intentions for governing the Isles. The chiefs did not agree with the king and were all thrown into prison. Donald, the chief of the Macdonalds of Sleat, was incacerated in the Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle is a 15th century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s. At this time, Blackness was the main port serving the Royal Burgh of...
. His release was granted when he at last submitted to the King. Donald died in 1616 and then Sir Donald Macleod, his nephew succeeded as the chief and became the first Baronet of Sleat.
Mid-17th century: civil war
Sir James Macdonald, 2nd Baronet of Sleat, had just succeeded his father, in 1644, when civil war broke out in the British IslesWars 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...
. At the time the population of his estates was estimated to have been about 12,000, and in consequence he would have been a power to be reckoned with within the Highlands. According ot A and A Macdonald, it seems that the baronet had not been very enthusiastic for the royal cause. In the autumn
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
of 1644, when Alasdair MacColla
Alasdair MacColla
Alasdair Mac Colla was a Scottish soldier. His full name in Scottish Gaelic was Alasdair Mac Colla Chiotaich Mac Domhnuill . He is sometimes mistakenly referred to in English as "Collkitto", a nickname that properly belongs to his father. He fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, most notably...
arrived on the west coast, with Irish auxiliaries supplied by the Marquess of Antrim, he offered command to Sleat, yet Sleat declined the offer. Following the battle at Inverlochly
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....
, 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...
marched northwards. Shortly before the Battle of Auldearn
Battle of Auldearn
The Battle of Auldearn was an engagement of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It took place on 9 May 1645, in and around the village of Auldearn in Nairn. It resulted in a victory for the royalists led by the Earl of Montrose and Alasdair MacColla over a Covenanter army under the command of Sir John...
, Montrose wrote to the Laird
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
of Grant, informing him that, among others, 400 of the baronet's men had joined him. It is unknown who led the Macdonald of Sleat contingent, or what part they played in the campaign. A and A Macdonald considered it probably that the Sleat men fought under the command of the baronet's brother, Donald Macdonald of Castleton. The Sleat men continued with the campaigning following the defeat at the Battle of Philiphaugh
Battle of Philiphaugh
The Battle of Philiphaugh was fought on 13 September 1645 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. The Royalist army of the Marquess of Montrose was destroyed by the Covenanter army of Sir David Leslie, restoring the power of the Committee of Estates.-Prelude:When...
. They took part in the siege of Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. When the king surrendered to the Scottish Army at Newark, and ordered Montrose to disband his forces, the Sleat men returned home to Skye and Uist. The baronet then made terms with the Committee of Estates
Committee of Estates
The Committee of Estates governed Scotland during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms when the Parliament of Scotland was not sitting. It was dominated by Covenanters of which the most influential faction was that of the Earl of Argyll....
, for himself and his principal followers who had taken part in the insurrection. The Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...
marched down to recover the king. The Hebridean men had mustered in large numbers and were a part of the force which was defeated at the Battle of Preston
Battle of Preston (1648)
The Battle of Preston , fought largely at Walton-le-Dale near Preston in Lancashire, resulted in a victory by the troops of Oliver Cromwell over the Royalists and Scots commanded by the Duke of Hamilton...
in 1648. After the expedition had failed, the engagers were replaced in the Government by a new Committee of Estates, with Argyll at their head. In 1649, the baronet was cited to find caution for good behaviour. The baronet took no notice. In the summer of 1650, Charles II arrived in Scotland and was crowned at Scone. In expectation of Cromwell's advance, he appealed for support to his Highland supporters. The baronet was given a commission to levy a regiment on his estates in Uist and Skye-which was completed in January, 1651 and then marched to support the king. At the Battle of Worcester they formed a part of the Highland wing of the army. The Sleat men and the Macleods suffered severely in the battle, and only a remnant ever returned to their homes in the isles. After the defeat, the king fled to the continent, and the baronet made peace with Commonwealth of Scotland. Later the baronet refused to aid the Earl of Glencairn and others in 1653. He was hard pressed by his former allies, notablly Glengarry who was a noted loyalist. The 2nd baronet died in 1678 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Donald Macdonald, 3rd Baronet of Sleat.
Late 17th century
In the decade following the death of James there is little record of the Macdonalds of Sleat. The chief, the 3rd baronet, was in ill health and seems to have lived a quiet life. In 1685, Argyll and others landed in the Western Isles and the Privy Council ordered Sir Donald to raise 300 men, and have them in Lochness in June. The insurrection however came to an abrupt end when Argyll was exectuted, and the Sleat men returned home before the end of June without seeing battle. When DundeeJohn Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee
John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee , known as the 7th Laird of Claverhouse until raised to the viscounty in 1688, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, a Tory and an Episcopalian...
appealed to the Highland chiefs for their support to James VII, Sleat was among the first to join at the head of 500 men. The 3rd baronet however became ill just as he reached Lochaber
Lochaber
District 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...
, and the Sleat men were led by his son, Donald. At the Battle of Killiecrankie
Battle of Killiecrankie
-References:*Reid, Stuart, The Battle of Kiellliecrankkie -External links:* *...
, the Sleat battalion was posted on the extreme left wing and suffered severely during the ensuing conflict. Among the slain were five of the principal officers, all cadets of the Macdonalds of Sleat. With the collapse of the rebellion, after the Highland men had returned home, the Government made an effort to treat with the Macdonalds of Sleat. While the baronet's son, who had led the clan in battle during the rising, was willing to consent under certain terms, the baronet remained stubborn and refused to communicate William II's
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
emissaries. After a while the Government took steps to force the chief into obedience, and two frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s were send to Skye. After fruitless efforts at negotiating the frigates began shelling two of the chief's houses, burning them to the ground. Lowland troops then landed and fought with Sleat's men, though were forced back to their ships, suffering 20 dead. In time the he came to peace with the Government, though it is unknown the of the manner or the terms of the surrender. The Macdonalds of Sleat were at friendly terms with the garrison at Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
, yet were at odds with other Macdonalds. In 1694, the chief and Macdonald of Camuscross
Camuscross
Camuscross is a small crofting township on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.Camuscross is situated on Camus Croise bay, on the west shore of the Sound of Sleat, in the Highland Council area. It lies close to the village of Isleornsay and the island of Ornsay....
made a complaint to the Supreme Council against, Alexander Macdonald, Younger of Glengarry; Aeneas Macdonald, his brother; and several others in Knoydart. Sleat and Camuscross claimed that the men had conceived "ane deadly hatred and evil will" against them, committing acts of violence against them and their possessions. The 3rd baronet died at Armadale in 1695 and was succeeded by his son, Donald Macdonald, 4th Baronet.
18th century
Braemar
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an altitude of ....
in September, when the standard was raised by 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...
. He travelled to Skye to raise his followers, which have been estimated from 700–900 men. In around the beginning of October, the baronet at the head of his men, joined the Earl of Seaforth
Earl of Seaforth
Earl of Seaforth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland and Peerage of Great Britain. It was held by the family of Mackenzie from 1623 to 1716, and again from 1771 to 1781....
at Brahan
Brahan Castle
Brahan Castle was situated south-west of Dingwall, in Easter Ross, Scotland. The castle belonged to the Earls of Seaforth, chiefs of the Clan Mackenzie, who dominated the area.-History:...
, and together proceeded to Alness. They put to the flight the Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia. The Earl of Sutherland is also the Chief of Clan Sutherland...
, with the Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
and Reay
Reay
Reay is a village which has grown around Sandside Bay on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. It is within the historic Parish of Reay and the historic county of Caithness....
men, the Monros
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...
, Rosses
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...
and others. The baronet fell ill and returned to Skye, leaving command of the Sleat men to his brothers, James and William. When Government troops were sent to Skye the baronet then fled to North Uist. In April 1716, the baronet offered to surrender himself in term of the recently passed Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, pleading that he was not healthy enough to travel to Inverlochy
Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle is a ruined, 13th-century castle near Fort William, Scotland. The site of two battles, the castle remains largely unchanged since its construction. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland.-History:...
to surrender in person as the act required. However, when he failed to appear he was found guilty of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
, and his estates were accordingly forfeited (however his titled does not appear to have been forfeited). The Commissioners of Forfeited Estates then proceeded to survey the baronet's estates. The survey found that the clan lands were in very poor condition and the people were in extreme poverty. For example, the tenants of North Uist had lost 745 cows
Highland cattle
Highland cattle or kyloe are a Scottish breed of beef cattle with long horns and long wavy coats which are coloured black, brindled, red, yellow or dun....
, 573 horses
Highland Pony
The Highland Pony is a native Scottish pony, and is one of the largest of the mountain and moorland pony breeds of the British Isles. Its pedigree dates back to the 1880s...
and 820 sheep by a plague. The sea, too, had overflowed in parts of the land and destroyed many houses. The Skye estates were in similar condition with the loss of 485 horses, 1,027 cows and 4,556 sheep. The 4th baronet died in 1718 and was succeeded by his only son, Donald.
Immediately following his father's death, the 5th baronet petitioned the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
to rule that his father had indeed obeyed the Act of Parliament, by submitting his written surrender to the Government. The Court of Session ruled in favour of the baronet, and that he had not been forfeited of his estates. The Forfeited Estates Commissioners however appealed to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, who subsequently ruled in favour of the appellants. The baronet died young, in 1720, and was succeeded by his uncle, James Macdonald of Oronsay
Oronsay
This is a list of islands called Oronsay , which provides an index for islands in Scotland with this and similar names. It is one of the more common names for Scottish islands. The names come from Örfirisey which translates from Old Norse as "tidal" or "ebb island"...
. The 6th baronet had served the clan at the Battle of Killiecrankie, and led the Sleat men 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...
. Despite his support to the Jacobite cause, he supported George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
in 1719 during the Spanish invasion which ended at the Battle of Glen Shiel
Battle of Glen Shiel
The Battle of Glen Shiel was a battle in Glen Shiel, in the West Highlands of Scotland on 10 June 1719, between British government troops and an alliance of Jacobites and Spaniards, resulting in a victory for the government forces. It was the last close engagement of British and foreign troops on...
. The 5th baronet outlived his nephew by only a few months, and died in 1720.
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
and children of Donald. In 1723, Kenneth Mackenzie, an Edinburgh advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
, purchased the three barones of Sleat, Trotternish and North Uist for £21,000. After deducting the provisions to the families of Donald and James, and the debts due to the wadsetters and others, the purchase price was nearly exhausted, and only £4,000 went to the public. In 1726. Kenneth Mackenzie and Sir Alexander Macdonald, 7th Baronet, the heir male, entered into a contract of sale
Contract of sale
A contract of sale is a legal contract an exchange of goods, services or property to be exchanged from seller to buyer for an agreed upon value in money paid or the promise to pay same...
, whereby the whole estate which had belonged to Sir Donald was sold to Sir Alexander. In 1727, Sir Alexander received a Crown charter for his lands, erecting the whole into a barony — called the Barony of Macdonald
Baron Macdonald
Baron Macdonald, of Slate in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Sir Alexander Macdonald, 9th Baronet, of Sleat. The Macdonald family descends from Uisdean Macdonald , also known as Hugh Macdonald, illegitimate son of Alexander Macdonald, Earl of...
. In 1739, the 7th baronet was involved in an infamous case of the kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
of men and women from the Hebrides, with the intent of selling them into slavery in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(see relevant section below). The 7th baronet was notable among the Macdonald chiefs to have refused to join the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. His voiced his reasoning to Macdonald of Clanranald, stating the such rising was inopportune, with the chance of any success remote. A and A Macdonald noted that he would have also been grateful to the reigning House of Hanover
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, for the restoration of the clan's estates, which had been forfeited in the last rebellion. During the rebellion the 7th baronet raised two independent companies for the Government cause. The 7th baronet died in Bernera, in 1746, and was buried at Kilmore, in Sleat. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir James.
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...
for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in 1765. His health, however, finally failed him in 1766, when he died in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he was buried. He was succeeded by his brother, Alexander, who was at the time, an officer in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
. A and A Macdonald described the 9th baronet as being of a completely different temperament
Temperament
In psychology, temperament refers to those aspects of an individual's personality, such as introversion or extroversion, that are often regarded as innate rather than learned...
than that of his older brother. They described his tastes as "if note wholly English, at least entirely anti-Celtic". The 9th baronet raised the rents upon his estates, and evicted many of the poorer tenants from their holdings. During his chiefship, several tacksmen in Skye and Uist gave up their leases and emigrated. When Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
and Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
visited Skye in 1773, they encountered an emigrant ship, filled with tacksmen and their tenants, about to set sail. In 1776, the 9th baronet was made Lord Macdonald
Baron Macdonald
Baron Macdonald, of Slate in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Sir Alexander Macdonald, 9th Baronet, of Sleat. The Macdonald family descends from Uisdean Macdonald , also known as Hugh Macdonald, illegitimate son of Alexander Macdonald, Earl of...
in the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
. In 1777, he offered to raise a regiment on his estates, which the Government accepted. The regiment was named the 76th Regiment of Foot (Macdonald's Highlanders) and was 1,086 men strong; 750 of whom were from the baronet's lands on Skye and North Uist. The Macdonalds were well represented in the officers of the unit with men from the families of the Macdonalds of Glencoe, Morar, Boisdale and others. The regiment embarked for New York, in 1779, and served with distinction the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. It returned home, and was disbanded in 1784. In 1794, the baronet raised three volunteer companies in Skye and Uist, for the defence of the country and relief of the regular army. He married Elizabeth Diana, eldest daughter of Godfrey Bosville of Gunthwaite, (in the County of York, England). He died comparatively young, in 1795, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander Wentworth.
19th century to present
Alexander Macdonald, 2nd Baron Macdonald
Alexander Wentworth Macdonald, 2nd Baron Macdonald was a Scottish peer and Member of Parliament.Macdonald was the eldest son of Alexander Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald, and his wife Elizabeth Diana . He succeeded his father in the barony in 1795 but as this was an Irish peerage it did not entitle...
. The 2nd baron lived for the most of his life in England and abroad, and consequently associated little with the tenants on his Hebridean estates. In 1798, he received permission from George III to raise a regiment on these estates; however the islanders were unwilling to join, and very considerable pressure was brought to bear upon them before the full complement of men was finally recruited. He erected the mansion house at Armadale
Armadale, Isle of Skye
Armadale is a village near the southern end of the Sleat Peninsula, on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Like most of Sleat, but unlike most of Skye, the area is fairly fertile, and though there are hills, most do not reach a great height...
, in Sleat, which was the principal seat of his family. The 2nd baron died unmarried in 1824 and was succeeded by his brother, Godfrey Bosville – Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald
Godfrey Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald of Slate
Lt.-General Sir Godfrey Bosville Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald of Slate was the second son of Alexander Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald and Elizabeth Diana Bosville...
. The 3rd baron was baptised as Godfrey Macdonald, and legally changed his name to Godfrey Bosville, in 1814. After succeeding his brother in 1824, he changed his name to Godfrey Bosville – Macdonald. The 3rd baron had served in the British Army prior to his succession and eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant-general, in 1830. He was also involved in a controversial dispute over the chiefship with Glengarry, which took place privately and publicly in the press. He died in 1832 and was succeeded by his second eldest son, Godfrey William Wentworth Bosville – Macdonald, 4th Baron Macdonald. Under the 4th baron, vast portions of the clan inheritance were sold off, including North Uist and Kilmuir in Trotternish which included Castle Duntulm. He died in 1863 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Somerled James Brudenell Bosville – Macdonald, 5th Baron Macdonald. The 5th baron died in 1874, aged 25, and was succeeded by his brother, Ronald Archibald Bosville – Macdonald, 6th Baron Macdonald. The 6th baron was succeeded by his grandson, Alexander Godfrey Bosville – Macdonald, 7th Baron Macdonald, who was in turn succeeded by his son, Godfrey James Macdonald, 8th Baron Macdonald. The 8th baron is the current chief of the name and arms of Macdonald and high chief of Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. 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...
.
Illegitimacy and inheritance: modern chiefship
The current chiefs of Clan Donald and Clan Macdonald of Sleat both descend from the 3rd baron (Macdonald of Macdonald from his second son; Macdonald of Sleat from his eldest son). This reason for this is because the 3rd baron's eldest son, Alexander William Robert Macdonald, was considered to be illegitimate under English LawEnglish law
English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countries and the United States except Louisiana...
. In consequence, the eldest son could not inherit the title Baron Macdonald
Baron Macdonald
Baron Macdonald, of Slate in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Sir Alexander Macdonald, 9th Baronet, of Sleat. The Macdonald family descends from Uisdean Macdonald , also known as Hugh Macdonald, illegitimate son of Alexander Macdonald, Earl of...
in the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
. However, since the baronetcy (Baronet of Sleat) was a Scottish title, it was later ruled in 1910, that the eldest son could succeed to that instead.
Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George II and a younger brother of George III.-Early life:...
, in 1803; and the 3rd baron's eldest son, Alexander William Robert Macdonald, was born before that, in 1800. In 1832, Alexander William Robert Macdonald had his name legally changed to Alexander William Robert Bosville. Later in 1847, he inherited his father's Bosville estates in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England. In consequence, he remained in Yorkshire and his younger brother, Godfrey William Wentworth Bosville – Macdonald, 4th Baron Macdonald, inherited the Scottish estates, titles, and chiefship. In 1910, Alexander Wentworth Macdonald Bosville, grandson of Alexander William Robert Bosville, obtained a decree from the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
, which declared that Alexander William Robert Bosville was the eldest lawful son of the 3rd baron, and was accordingly the rightful heir. He then changed his name to Alexander Wentworth Macdonald Bosville – Macdonald and was recognised as the 14th Baronet of Sleat, as such became the 22nd chief of Macdonald of Sleat. He died in 1933 and was succeeded by his son, Godfrey Middleton Bosville – Macdonald of Sleat; who was in turn succeeded by his son, Alexander Somerled Angus Bosville – Macdonald of Sleat; who was succeeded by Ian Godfrey Bosville Macdonald of Sleat, 17th Baronet — the current chief of the clan. The chiefly family has been seated at Thorpe Hall, Rudston, East Yorkshire since the 3rd baron's eldest son inherited the Bosville estates in the 18th century.
Forced emigration and slavery of clansfolk
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
of men and women from Skye and Harris, with the intention of transporting them to the American Colonies and selling them into slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. Other prominent men involved were Norman Macleod of Dunvegan (chief of 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...
), Donald Macleod of Berneray and his son Norman Macleod. During the night, Macleod of Berneray's son, Norman, arrived at Skye with a ship which has ever since been known as Soitheach nan Daoine ("the ship of the people"). He then proceeded to force on board men, women, and children, from all levels of society. As the ship sailed towards North America with its human cargo
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
, it was driven by a storm onto the northern coast of Ireland and wrecked. The passengers were however rescued, and most of them settled on the lands of the Earl of Antrim
Earl of Antrim
Earl of Antrim is a title that has been created twice, both times in the Peerage of Ireland and both times for members of the MacDonnell family, originally of Scottish origins. This family descends from Sorley Boy MacDonnell, who established the family in County Antrim...
, though a few, after great difficulties managed to return to their homes in the Hebrides.
The 4th baron and chief of the Macdonalds of Sleat, resided over one of the more notable forced eviction
Eviction
How you doing???? Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, eviction may also be known as unlawful detainer, summary possession, summary dispossess, forcible detainer, ejectment, and repossession, among other terms...
s of Highlanders during the era of the Highland Clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
. Those that drew particular controversy were the forced evictions of the small community of Sollas, in North Uist, in 1849 and 1850. During the 1849 evictions rioting broke out in which the Uist women played a prominent role. During the 1830s, tenants were cleared from his estates on Skye; and during the years 1838 and 1843, 1,300 people were removed from their homes in North Uist, to be replaced by sheep. Several of the Sollas rioters were arrested and eventually found guilty, yet the jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
made the following written comments afterwards:
Clan profile
- Clan chief: The current chiefScottish clan chiefThe Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
of the clan is Sir Ian Godfrey Bosville Macdonald of Sleat, 17th Baronet of SleatMacdonald BaronetsThere have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Macdonald family, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. One creation is extant as of 2009....
. He is the 25th chief of Clan Macdonald of Sleat. The chief's Gaelic designation is Mac Ùisdein ("son of Ùisdean"), which relates to his descent from Ùisdean of Sleat. The chief's sloinneadh (or pedigreePedigree chartA pedigree chart is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance or phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one generation to the next, most commonly humans, show dogs, and race horses....
) is: Shir Iain Gorraidh mac Alasdair Somhairle mhic Gorraidh 'ic Alasdair Uilleam 'ic Gorraidh 'ic Alasdair Uilleam 'ic GorraidhGodfrey Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald of SlateLt.-General Sir Godfrey Bosville Macdonald, 3rd Baron Macdonald of Slate was the second son of Alexander Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald and Elizabeth Diana Bosville...
'ic AlasdairAlexander Macdonald, 2nd Baron MacdonaldAlexander Wentworth Macdonald, 2nd Baron Macdonald was a Scottish peer and Member of Parliament.Macdonald was the eldest son of Alexander Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald, and his wife Elizabeth Diana . He succeeded his father in the barony in 1795 but as this was an Irish peerage it did not entitle...
'ic AlasdairAlexander Macdonald, 1st Baron MacdonaldAlexander Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald , was a Scottish peer.Macdonald was the younger son of Sir Alexander Macdonald, 7th Baronet, and his wife Lady Margaret . He was educated at Eton and served with the Grenadier Guards. Macdonald was also a Deputy Lieutenant of Inverness-shire and a...
'ic Seumais 'ic Dòmhnaill Breac 'ic Seumais Mhor 'ic Dòmhnaill Gorm Òg 'ic GillEasbaig Clèirich 'ic Dòmhnaill 'ic Dòmhnaill Gorm 'ic Dòmhnaill Gruamach 'ic Dòmhnaill Gallach 'ic ÙisdeanHugh of SleatHugh 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...
'ic AlasdairAlexander of Islay, Earl of RossAlexander 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...
'ic DòmhnaillDomhnall of Islay, Lord of the IslesDonald, 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...
'ic EoinJohn of Islay, Lord of the IslesJohn 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...
'ic Aonghais Òg 'ic Aonghais MhòrAonghas MórAonghas 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...
'ic DòmhnaillDomhnall mac RaghnaillDomhnall 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...
'ic RaghnaillRaghnall mac SomhairleRagnall 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...
'ic SomhairleSomerledSomerled 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...
. - Chiefly arms: The current chief's coat of armsCoat of armsA coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is blazoned: Quarterly first, argentArgentIn heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
a lionLion (heraldry)The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises bravery, valour, strength, and royalty, since traditionally, it is regarded as the king of beasts.-Attitudes:...
rampant gulesGulesIn heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
armed and langued azureAzureIn heraldry, azure is the tincture with the colour blue, and belongs to the class of tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of horizontal lines or else marked with either az. or b. as an abbreviation....
; second, Or a hand in armour fessways proper holding a cross crosslet fitchée gules; third, OrOr (heraldry)In heraldry, Or is the tincture of gold and, together with argent , belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a field of evenly spaced dots...
a lymphadLymphadthumb|200pxA Lymphad or galley is a charge used primarily in Scottish heraldry. It is a single masted ship propelled by oars. In addition to the mast and oars, the Lymphad has three flags and a basket. The word comes from the Scottish Gaelic long fhada, meaning a long ship or birlinn...
sails furledFurl (sailing)Furling refers to stowing or dousing a boat's sail by flaking , packing , roller furling or just lowering it onto the deck. Nowadays, it is becoming more common to use the term "furling" to refer to reefing a sail that is part of a roller furling system....
and oars in action sableSable (heraldry)In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
flagged gules; fourth, vertVertThe colour green is commonly found in modern flags and coat of arms, and to a lesser extent also in the classical heraldry of the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period....
a salmonSalmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
naiant in fess proper. CrestCrest (heraldry)A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
: A dexter forearm in armour fessways proper the hand proper holding a cross crosslet fitchée gules. Motto: Per mare per terras. SupportersSupportersIn heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. These figures may be real or imaginary animals, human figures, and in rare cases plants or inanimate objects...
: Two leopardsLeopard (heraldry)The leopard or lion passant guardant is a frequently used charge in heraldry. It mostly appears in groups of three, which are positioned over each another.-Heraldic and zoological leopards:...
proper collared Or. The chief's heraldic standard consists of: The arms of Macdonald of Sleat in the hoist and of two tracts argent and gules, upon which is depicted the crest in the first and second compartments, and two sprigs of common heather in the third compartment, along with the motto "per mare per terras" in letters gules upon two transverse bands argent. The coat of arms was matriculated at the Court of the Lord LyonCourt of the Lord LyonThe Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing court of law which regulates heraldry in Scotland. Like the College of Arms in England it maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of...
in 2000. The chief's motto (per mare per terras) translates from LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
as "by sea and land". The chief's sloganSlogan (heraldry)A slogan is used in Scottish heraldry as a heraldic motto or a secondary motto. It usually appears above the crest on a coat of arms, though sometimes it appears as a secondary motto beneath the shield...
is carna, which is the name of a small island (CàrnaCàrnaCàrna is an island in Loch Sunart, an arm of the sea, close to the Ardnamurchan peninsula, on the west coast of Scotland.-Geography:Càrna lies across the mouth of Loch Teacuis, forming two narrow kyles which provide some of the trickiest rock-dodging for yachtsmen anywhere on the west coast...
) on Loch SunartLoch SunartLoch Sunart is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland. Loch Sunart runs west from the sea, bounded to the north by the Sunart district of Ardnamurchan and to the south by the Morvern district. An inlet from Loch Sunart, Loch Teacuis, runs south-easterly into Morvern.At it is the longest sea...
. Càrna was where Donald Balloch rallied the clan in 1431 before the Battle of InverlochyBattle 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...
, and also where Donald Dubh lead his last insurrection in 1545. - Clan member's crest badge: The crest badgeScottish crest badgeA Scottish crest badge is a heraldic badge worn to show allegiance to an individual or membership in a specific Scottish clan. Crest badges are commonly called clan crests, but this is a misnomer; there is no such thing as a collective clan crest, just as there is no such thing as a clan coat of...
suitable for members of the clan contains the chief's heraldic crest and motto. The crest is: A hand in armour fessFessIn heraldry, a fess or fesse is a charge on a coat of arms that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the centre of the shield. Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by a fess or other ordinary, ranging from one-fifth to one-third...
wise holding a cross crosslet fitchée gules. The motto is: per mare per terras. - Clan badge: The clan badge or plant badgeClan badgeA clan badge, sometimes called a plant badge, is a badge or emblem, usually a sprig of a specific plant, that is used to identify a member of a particular Scottish clan. They are usually worn in a bonnet behind the Scottish crest badge, or attached at the shoulder of a lady's tartan sash...
attributed to the clan is common heath. This plant is attributed to the other Macdonald clans and some other associated clans such as Clan MacIntyreClan MacintyreClan MacIntyre is a Scottish clan. The name MacIntyre , means "son of the carpenter." Although no documented history of the clan exists, it is most commonly said to descend from Maurice Mac Neil a nephew of Somerled, the great 12th century leader of the Scottish Gaels...
and the Macqueens of Skye. - Origin of the surname: There are many variations of the surnameSurnameA surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
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"...
. The surname is an AnglicisationAnglicisationAnglicisation, or anglicization , is the process of converting verbal or written elements of any other language into a form that is more comprehensible to an English speaker, or, more generally, of altering something such that it becomes English in form or character.The term most often refers to...
of the Gaelic Mac Dhomhnuill, which is the patronymicPatronymicA patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
form of Domhnall. This Gaelic personal namePersonal nameA personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
is composed of the elements domno "world" and val "might", "rule". According to Alex WoolfAlex WoolfAlex Woolf is a medieval historian based at the University of St Andrews. He specialises in the history of the British Isles and Scandinavia in the Early Middle Ages, especially in relation to the peoples of Wales and Scotland. He is author of volume two in the New Edinburgh History of Scotland,...
, the Gaelic personal name is probably a borrowing from the British Dyfnwal. - Pipe music: There are several pipe tunes specifically associated with the clan. Two pipe tunes were composed by Ewen Macdonald, for Sir James Macdonald, 8th Baronet. These were Cumha na Coise and Sir James Macdonald of the Isle's Salute.
See also
- Baron MacdonaldBaron MacdonaldBaron Macdonald, of Slate in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Sir Alexander Macdonald, 9th Baronet, of Sleat. The Macdonald family descends from Uisdean Macdonald , also known as Hugh Macdonald, illegitimate son of Alexander Macdonald, Earl of...
, and Macdonald BaronetsMacdonald BaronetsThere have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Macdonald family, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. One creation is extant as of 2009....
, the Barons Macdonald, and Macdonald Baronets (of Sleat, and of East Sheen). - Clan DonaldClan DonaldClan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. 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...
, of which the Macdonalds of Sleat are a branch. - 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"...
, things named Macdonald on Wikipedia.