68-780: Macalister , MacAlister , MacAllister and their variants are forms of a Gaelic surname which means 'son of Alisdair'. The name originated in Scotland and belonged to a branch of the Clan Donald ; they became an independent clan in 1493. From about the thirteenth century, MacAlisters were settling in the Glens of Northern Ireland , and they became numerous there. It can refer to the following people: A family of Argentine footballers: Clan Donald Clan Donald , also known as Clan MacDonald or Clan Mc Donald ( Scottish Gaelic : Clann Dòmhnaill; Mac Dòmhnaill [ˈkʰl̪ˠãũn̪ˠ ˈt̪õː.ɪʎ] ),
136-569: A different ballad which apparently shares the same tune, but he is sceptical of its antiquity. Sir Walter Scott mentions Harlaw in his 1816 novel The Antiquary , particularly in Elspeth's ballad in Chapter 40. Tradition has it that Mar founded Chapel of Garioch after the battle, to celebrate masses for the souls of the fallen. In 1911, Aberdeen Town Council erected the Harlaw Monument, located to
204-470: A force numbering between 1,000 and 2,000 men; with significant numbers of knights . As an example, one Sir Gilbert de Greenlaw died at Harlaw and his tombstone at Kinkell Church gives an idea of how Mar's knights were equipped. Sir Gilbert carried a hand and a half sword and wore an open-faced bascinet helmet with a mail -reinforced arming doublet beneath plate armour . Mar's men also carried spears , maces , and battle axes . Tradition has it that
272-654: A hindrance than help to the Government as they were made up of officers and men who were in entire sympathy with the Jacobite Prince Charles Edward Stuart . In 1947, the Lord Lyon King of Arms granted the undifferenced arms of Macdonald to Alexander Godfrey Macdonald, 7th Lord Macdonald , making him the first High Chief of Clan Donald. After his death in 1970, he was succeeded by his son Godfrey James Macdonald of Macdonald, 8th Lord Macdonald , who
340-606: A series of tit-for-tat responses, exacerbated by long-standing animosities; in 1642 on Rathlin Island , soldiers from a predominantly Clan Campbell -recruited unit led by Sir Duncan Campbell threw scores of MacDonnell women over the cliffs to their deaths on rocks below. Scotland initially stayed neutral in the First English Civil War but became involved in 1643; the shifting alliances only make sense if one understands that in Scotland, both Royalists and Covenanters agreed
408-617: A strategic town on the Inverness-Aberdeen road, and on the morning of 24 July marched northwest to meet Donald. According to the Scotichronicon , the two armies joined battle on the eve of the feast of St James – 24 July 1411. The same source and many others put Donald's army at 10,000 Islanders, Highland clans with marriage bloodlines as well as men of Ross, They were armed with swords, bows and axes , short knives , and round targe shields. Tradition has it that they faced
476-662: A threat to the central authority. The MacDonnells of Antrim in Northern Ireland were a sept of Clan Donald. MacDonnell migration to the Glens and Rathlin Island increased in the early 16th century after the clan had rejected overtures from an increasingly powerful James IV , King of Scotland. Loss of the Lordship of the Isles fractured Highland society and the MacDonalds in particular, who were left holding lands on either side of
544-665: Is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. The Lord Lyon King of Arms , the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon , recognises under Scottish law the High Chief of Clan Donald . Historically the chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of
612-743: Is the current high chief of Clan Donald. In 1972, the Macdonald estates were sold off to pay death duties. Lord Macdonald lives at Kinloch Lodge on Skye with his wife, the food writer Claire Macdonald (m. 1969). The following is a list of some of the early chiefs of Clan Donald. Over the centuries MacDonald castles have included: Battle of Harlaw Conflict between Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross and James I of Scotland Conflict between Aonghas Óg and James III of Scotland Conflict between John of Islay, Earl of Ross and James IV of Scotland Rebellion of Domhnall Dubh The Battle of Harlaw ( Scottish Gaelic : Cath Gairbheach )
680-810: The Battle of Culloden in April 1746, as did the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch whose chief, Alexander MacDonald of Keppoch, was killed. The Clan MacDonald of Sleat branch had fought for the Jacobites in the 1715 rebellion, however they actually formed two battalions ( Independent Highland Companies ) in support of the British Government during the 1745 rebellion and as a result the Sleat possessions remained intact. However, according to A and A MacDonald these two companies were more of
748-578: The Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet took place where John of Islay invaded Sutherland but was defeated by the Clan Sutherland who were led by Robert Sutherland, brother of John Sutherland, 7th Earl of Sutherland . In 1475, James III of Scotland forfeited the MacDonald Earldom of Ross and although the MacDonald Lordship of the Isles was not forfeited until 1493, in many ways 1475 marked
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#1732890907493816-565: The Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg , Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh , and the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan . The MacDonnells of Antrim are a cadet branch of the MacDonalds of Dunnyveg but do not belong to the Scottish associations and have a chief officially recognised in Ireland. The Norse-Gaelic Clan Donald traces its descent from Dòmhnall Mac Raghnuill (d. circa 1250), whose father Reginald or Ranald
884-471: The Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were murdered when an initiative to suppress Jacobitism was entangled in the long-running feud and MacIain who was the chief of the MacDonalds of Glencoe, was late in signing an oath of allegiance to William III of England . The event served as part of the inspiration for "The Red Wedding" as featured in books and TV series Game of Thrones . During the Jacobite rising of 1715
952-578: The Clan Mackintosh and the confederation of Clan Chattan , on the left. Donald, Lord of the Isles commanded the centre of the army himself, backed by the MacLeods of Harris and MacLeods of Lewis , and his younger brother, John Mór Tanister , commanded the reserve, backed by the Mackenzies and Camerons . At first, the clansmen launched themselves at Scrymgeour's men, but failed to make much impression on
1020-639: The Clann Somhairle . Furthermore, they are descended maternally from both the House of Godred Crovan and the Earls of Orkney , through Somerled's wife Ragnhildis Ólafsdóttir , daughter of Olaf I Godredsson , King of Mann and the Isles and Ingeborg Haakonsdottir , daughter of Haakon Paulsson , Earl of Orkney . It remains uncertain if the Clann Somhairle are also descendants in some manner, through one or another of
1088-634: The Earl of Buchan on 12 June 1415, after which she appears to have entered a nunnery . Buchan was killed at the Battle of Verneuil in 1424. In 1424, when James I returned to Scotland from his imprisonment in England, he had all of Albany's heirs, the Albany Stewarts, executed. Mariota claimed the earldom of Ross and the Lordship of the Isles once more, and James I awarded it to her in 1424. The title remained with
1156-609: The Earl of Ross had originally been held by the Chief of Clan Ross but had passed through an heiress to the Leslie or Lesley family in the early 15th century. However, Angus Og's grandson, Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles married Mariota, Countess of Ross (Margaret Lesley) who was the heiress of the Leslie Earls of Ross and he later claimed the position of Earl of Ross through this marriage. In 1411, Donald secured Dingwall Castle which
1224-558: The Garioch , which belonged to Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar . Finally the Islesmen and their Highlander allies came to Bennachie , the last hill of the Grampians before the coastal plain between Inverurie and Aberdeen . Donald was now within 20 miles (32 km) of Aberdeen burgh . On 23 July 1411, he set up camp just north of Inverurie, on high ground 2 km northwest of the bridge over
1292-482: The institution of monarchy was divinely ordered but disagreed on the nature and extent of Royal authority versus that of the church. This makes it hard to categorise clans as wholly 'Royalist,' 'Catholic' or later 'Jacobite.' In 1644, Alasdair Mac Colla landed in Scotland with 1500 Irish troops to link up with the Scottish Royalists; Alasdair was from Clan Donald of Dunnyveg , which historically held lands in
1360-658: The Annals of the Old Abbey of Inis-Macreen and mentions the "great victory" of the Macdonald of Scotland in 1411. Many of those who died were buried at Kinkell Church south of Inverurie. The heirs of the slain Scots were exempt from death duties in the same way as heirs of those who died fighting the English. Suspecting that Donald had merely fallen back to rest and reinforce his troops, Albany collected an army and marched on Dingwall, seizing
1428-659: The Battle of Harlaw,. Although he inflicted a decisive victory, he did not go on to Aberdeen but took his army back to the Western Highlands . In the aftermath, Albany tried to take control of Ross but was unsuccessful. and By 1415 the Earldom of Ross was with Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany . Donald prepared for war and proclaimed himself "Lord of Ross". However, the Duke of Albany appointed his own son John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan as
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#17328909074931496-440: The Clan MacDonald of Keppoch and the MacDonalds of Glencoe fought as Jacobites at the Battle of Prestonpans on 21 September 1745. The Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, along with the Clan MacDonald of Glengarry, and Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, fought as Jacobites at the Battle of Falkirk Muir on 17 January 1746 The Clan MacDonald of Glencoe, Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, and Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, fought as Jacobites at
1564-498: The Clan Mackay from " Strathnaver ". Their leader Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver was captured and his brother Rory-Gald was killed along with "the greater part of his men"; Donald then captured and garrisoned Dingwall Castle . He imprisoned Mackay in a castle on the west coast and after the battle made peace with him, giving Angus his sister, Elizabeth, in marriage. Donald assembled his army at Inverness , and summoned all
1632-495: The Crown's hard men in the north and west: Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (chief of Clan Gordon ), Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll (chief of Clan Campbell ) and John MacIain of Ardnamurchan . The various branches of the Clan Donald began accepting charters from the Crown in recognition of their separate holdings. This was part of a royal policy that successfully kept the Clan Donald divided, and in doing so they were less of
1700-607: The Irish Sea, rather than a unified block of territory. Their attempts to re-establish control destabilised Western Scotland for generations; the charge of "slaughter under trust", later applied after the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692 was introduced in 1587 to reduce the endemic feuding that resulted. Opponents now had to use the Crown to settle disputes and it applied to murder committed in 'cold-blood' i.e. once articles of surrender had been agreed or hospitality accepted. The first recorded use
1768-620: The Isles taking control of much of Dál Riata in 1156. The Gaels of Alba acquired Brythonic elements from the conquest of the Kingdom of Strathclyde in the 11th century and increasingly absorbed Norman-French and Anglo-Saxon culture, influences which also spread to the Pictish areas of the northeast. The lands of Fortriu became part of the Province of Moray , which was conquered by Alba in 1130 and fragmented into territories that were semi-independent of
1836-553: The Isles until 1493 and two of those chiefs also held the title of Earl of Ross until 1476. Queen Mary of Denmark is member of Clan Donald. There are also numerous branches to the Clan Donald and 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 , Clan MacDonald of Glencoe , and Clan MacAlister . There are also notable historic branches of Clan Donald without chiefs so-recognised, these are:
1904-590: The MacDonald Lords of the Isles , proclaims "Ceannas Ghàidheal do Chlainn Cholla, còir fhògradh," ( The Headship of the Gael to the family of Colla, it is right to proclaim it ), giving MacDonald's genealogy back to Colla Uais. However, a recent DNA study has shown that Somerled was of Norse descent in his male line. By testing the Y-DNA of males bearing the surnames MacDonald, MacDougall, MacAlister, and their variants it
1972-693: The MacDonald Lords of the Isles were the only magnate forces in Scotland capable of inflicting defeats on the Crown at this time. The Battle of Inverlochy in 1431 is one example of this and the Battle of Lagabraad in Ross in 1480 is another. James I finally conceded to Alexander's rule in the Isles and Ross. Thus, the MacDonald chiefs would succeed as the Earls of Ross: firstly Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross , son of Donald of Islay and Mariota, Countess of Ross, succeeded to
2040-614: The MacDonalds supported the Jacobite cause of the House of Stuart . Men of Clan MacDonald of Keppoch , and the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald fought at the Battle of Sheriffmuir on 13 November 1715 where chief Allan MacDonald of Clanranald was killed. The Clan MacDonald of Glencoe also fought at Sherriffmuir. During the Jacobite rising of 1745 the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry along with
2108-503: The River Urie. The Earl of Mar, who had made a pact with Albany to lead an army for him, had plenty of warning of their advance, and had assembled a force from among the gentry of Buchan , Angus and the Mearns ( Kincardineshire ). The Irvings , Maules , Moray , Straitons , Lesleys , Stirlings and Lovels were led by their respective clan chiefs . Mar gathered his troops at Inverurie,
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2176-574: The Stewarts control of the earldom. However, in 1392 the Pope annulled the marriage and Ross was returned to Euphemia as Countess of Ross. The Wolf of Badenoch had long been living with his mistress Mairead inghean Eachainn with whom he had a number of children, including Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar . Euphemia died in 1394 and her son Alexander Leslie inherited the title. Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany had taken effective control of mainland Scotland towards
2244-563: The above dynasts, of the House of Ivar , but this is commonly argued. Tradition gave Somerled a Gaelic descent in the male line, as the medieval seanchaidhean (Gaelic historians) traced his lineage through a long line of ancestors back to the High Kings of Ireland , namely Colla Uais and Conn of the Hundred Battles . Thus Clan Donald claimed to be both Clann Cholla and Siol Chuinn ( Children of Colla and Seed of Conn ). Possibly
2312-588: The armoured column and many were slain. However, every wave that was repulsed, was replaced by fresh men. Mar led his knights into the main body of Donald's army and became cut off. They brought down the knights' warhorses and then used their dirks to finish off the riders. By nightfall, the ballads claim that 600 of Mar's men were dead, including Ogilvie and his son, Scrymgeour, Sir Robert Maule, Sir Thomas Morrow (Murray) , William Abernethy, Alexander Straiton of Lauriston, James Lovel, Alexander Stirling, and Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum ; according to Maclean history
2380-410: The army into three, with the knights as a cavalry reserve (some say they led the battle) and the infantry arranged in schiltrons , close-packed arrays of spearmen. There is no mention of significant numbers of archers. The Islanders and their Highlander allies were arranged in the traditional cuneiform or wedge shape, with Hector MacLean commanding the right wing and Callum Beg Macintosh , chief of
2448-592: The battle is found in the Irish Annals of Connacht , where under the year 1411, it is stated, "Mac Domnaill of Scotland won a great victory over the Galls of Scotland". The 2011 article by Iain G. MacDonald, "Donald of the Isles and the Earldom of Ross: West-Highland Perspectives on the Battle of Harlaw", also cites sources recording the victory. During the Early Middle Ages , the territory of what later became Scotland
2516-522: The black armour in the entrance hall of Aberdeen Town House belonged to Robert Davidson, Provost of Aberdeen , who died in the battle along with most of the city's burgesses . On spotting the Islesmen and their Highlander allies, Mar organised his force into battle array, with the main army behind a small advance guard of men-at-arms under Sir James Scrymgeour (Constable of Dundee, the hereditary standard-bearer of Scotland ) and Sir Alexander Ogilvie of Auchterhouse ( Sheriff of Angus ). He probably split
2584-522: The capture by the English of Robert III's heir James and Robert's death soon afterwards in April 1406, Albany was confirmed as regent; Albany continued to govern Scotland until his death in September 1420. Meanwhile, Donald (Domhnall), Lord of the Isles claimed the earldom of Ross through his marriage to Euphemia's aunt, Mariota, the oldest living female descendant of Uilleam. He also signed an alliance with Henry IV of England on 16 September 1405, which
2652-523: The castle and regaining control of Ross. In mid-1412 he followed up with a three-pronged attack on Donald's possessions, forcing Donald to surrender his claim on Ross, become a vassal of the Scottish crown and give up hostages against his future good behaviour. The treaty was signed at Polgilbe/Polgillip ( Loch Gilp ), an inlet of Loch Fyne in Argyll . After Harlaw, the Earl of Mar "ruled with acceptance nearly all
2720-502: The earldom as confirmed by a charter dated September 1437, following the assassination of James I of Scotland in February of the same year. Secondly, Alexander's son John of Islay, Earl of Ross who surrendered the earldom in 1475 to the King. According to 17th century historian Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet who himself was a younger son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland, in 1455
2788-439: The earldom ostensibly as guardian of his granddaughter Euphemia Leslie , but in truth, though Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles had the superior claim, Albany wanted Ross for his younger son, John. Donald, Lord of the Isles, had married Euphemia's aunt Mariota . Donald therefore invaded Ross with the intention of seizing the earldom by force and preventing Albany from taking all of Scotland. The nearest contemporary record of
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2856-507: The end of the lordship as a potent force. Following this is what the Books of Clanranald describe as a "great struggle for power among the Gael". Various leaders, such as Aonghas Óg who was the fourth illegitimate son of the Lord of the Isles, along with his son, Domhnall Dubh , and also Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh and John Mor MacDonald of Dunyvaig were seeking to restore the MacDonald hegemony in
2924-510: The end of the reign of his father Robert II ; his power increased during the reign (1390–1406) of his ineffective elder brother Robert III . Albany's daughter Isabel Stewart married Alexander Leslie before 1398 and their only child was a sickly daughter, also called Euphemia. According to the Calendar of Fearn, Leslie died on 8 May 1402, whilst his daughter was still a minor. Albany claimed wardship of Euphemia, and planned to take over Ross. After
2992-453: The entirety of the earldom, titles and lands would fall to "the elder daughter always" without division. Uilleam died in 1372 without a male heir, and the title passed to his daughter Euphemia . By her first husband Sir Walter Leslie , Euphemia had two children – Alexander Leslie and Mariota (anglicised as Margaret or Mary). After Walter's death, Euphemia married Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan (the "Wolf of Badenoch") in 1382, giving
3060-476: The family for much of the 15th century. Donald's son Alexander succeeded to the title upon Mariota's death in 1429. He attempted an invasion of Ross in 1429 which led to his defeat and capture by Mar at the Battle of Lochaber . In turn Mar suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Donald's nephew Donald Balloch , at the Battle of Inverlochy . The resulting power vacuum allowed Alexander to occupy Inverness and perhaps consider himself Earl of Ross by 1437;
3128-563: The fighting men in Boyne and Enzie (northern Banffshire between the Rivers Deveron and Spey ) to join his army. He then swept through Moray meeting little or no resistance. He then turned south-east, following roughly the route of the modern A96 road although the main road ran north of the River Urie, not south as it does today. Donald's men committed "great excesses" in Strathbogie and
3196-399: The king in Edinburgh . There was a long history of conflicts between the Moray gentry and the clans of the West Coast, but some historians present Harlaw as a clash between the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands , or between Celt and Teuton. John Hill Burton (1809–1881) claimed that in Lowland Scotland Harlaw "was felt as a more memorable deliverance even than that of Bannockburn. What it
3264-405: The king of Scots became their new overlord, as confirmed in the Treaty of Perth . Aongus Mor's son was Aonghus Óg of Islay who supported Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. In recognition of Clan Donald's support King Robert the Bruce proclaimed that Clan Donald would always occupy the honoured position on the right wing of the Scottish army. The title and territory of
3332-429: The latter duelled with Hector Maclean until both were dead. Many families lost every male in their house; Lesley of Balquhain died with six of his sons. Donald lost 900 men, a much smaller proportion of his total force (he still had 9100 men on the field), but including one of his commanders (Hector Maclean). In the history of the Mackintoshes, chiefs of the Chattan Federation, it is recorded that Mackintosh mourned
3400-411: The loss of so many of his friends and people, especially of Clan Vean ( Clan MacBean ). By contrast, a MacDonald Seanchaí stated that just "two or three gentlemen of the name Munroe " were killed in the battle and that they were part of the Lord of the Isles' host. The same 17th century manuscript states that the " son of Macquarry of Ulva " and "two gentlemen of the name Cameron" were also killed on
3468-514: The new Earl of Ross. In 1429 the Battle of Lochaber took place where forces led by Donald's son, Alexander of Islay, 3rd Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, fought against the royalist army of James I of Scotland . Two years later the Battle of Inverlochy (1431) took place; While chief Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles was imprisoned by King James I, the Clan MacDonald were led by his nephew, Donald Balloch MacDonald , who defeated Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar 's royal army. The armies of
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#17328909074933536-447: The north of the country beyond the Mounth" according to the Scotichronicon . He entered into an "uneasy alliance" with his uncle Albany, but the ruin of Albany's heirs left Mar in control of the north. It was proposed on 3 June 1415 that Euphemia should marry Thomas Dunbar, 3rd (6th) Earl of Moray but the papal commission would not have arrived before she surrendered her land and titles (possibly under compulsion ) to Albany's son
3604-452: The north of the town of Inverurie, to the memory of Provost Robert Davidson and the burgesses of Aberdeen who died in the battle. Designed by William Kelly and located to the south of Harlaw House, the granite monument is hexagonal and 40 feet (12.2 m) tall. There were once several cairns in the area that were traditionally associated with the battle, but little remains of them now – Drum's Cairn, Provost Davidson's Cairn, Donald's Tomb and
3672-404: The oldest piece of poetry attributed to the MacDonalds is a brosnachadh (an incitement to battle) which was said to have been written in 1411, on the day of the Battle of Harlaw . The first lines of the poem begin "A Chlanna Cuinn cuimhnichibh / Cruas an àm na h-iorghaile," ( Ye children of Conn remember hardihood in the time of battle ). A later poem made to John of Islay (1434–1503), last of
3740-420: The other Gaelic. Rait mentions Buchanan's view that it was a raid for plunder. The Earldom of Ross was a vast territory reaching from Skye to Ross and Inverness-shire , with superiority over the outlying lands of Nairn and Aberdeenshire . In 1370 Uilleam (William), Earl of Ross received a charter from King David II , confirming his right to the title and directing that in the absence of male heirs,
3808-485: The side of Donald, Lord of the Isles. Wounded and too feeble to retreat, Mar and his surviving men camped on the battlefield, expecting combat to resume in the morning. At dawn they found that Donald had withdrawn during the night, going first to Ross and then back to the Isles. Donald clearly had the victory but decided not to press further. The McKean Historical Notes relating to the MacIain MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan, compiled by Fred G. McKean, 1906, at p. 38, refers to
3876-424: The title was officially confirmed by the new regent, the Earl of Douglas , after the death of James I that year. The battle is remembered as "one of the hardest fought that ever took place on Scottish soil"; the fighting was so fierce that the battle went down in history as "Red (Reid) Harlaw". The battle is commemorated in a march, The Battle of Harlaw , and in ballads such as Child ballad 163. Maidment has
3944-456: The west. The Battle of Bloody Bay took place in 1480 where John MacDonald of Islay, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald was defeated by his son Aonghas Óg. Aonghas Óg's son Domhnall Dubh rebelled against James IV of Scotland and made an alliance with Henry VIII of England in an attempt to regain the Lordship of the Isles and although various attempts were made to restore the lordship, by 1545 all had failed. The ultimate victors were
4012-481: The western Scottish islands and North-East Ireland. They joined up with Montrose and played a leading role in the 1644-1645 campaign; this was highly successful, with victory at the Battle of Inverlochy leaving Montrose in effective control of Scotland. Inverlochy and the entire Montrose campaign is often presented as a clan battle between Campbells and MacDonalds; while there is certainly some truth in this, many others were involved. Its persistence in Gaelic folklore
4080-457: Was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire . It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland and those from the west coast. The battle was part of a series of battles fought to resolve competing claims to the Earldom of Ross , a large region of northern Scotland. Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany , Regent of Scotland, had taken control of
4148-415: Was divided between the Gaelic kingdoms of Dál Riata on the western seaboard and Alba in the south-east, and Pictish kingdoms in the northeast of which Fortriu was the most important. Besides these there were the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Bernicia , later part of Northumbria , and the Brythonic Kingdom of Cumbria . Viking influence increased in the west, with the Norse-Gaels that became Lords of
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#17328909074934216-442: Was found that a substantial proportion of men tested shared the same Y-DNA and a direct paternal ancestor. This distinct Y-chromosome R1a1 haplotype found in Scotland has been regarded as often showing Norse descent in the Britain and Ireland. In 1263 Alexander III of Scotland defeated Haakon IV of Norway at the Battle of Largs . The Clan Donald chief, Aonghas Mor and his clan had technically been vassals of Haakon and so
4284-452: Was partly driven by deliberate policy, since Montrose used it as a means of recruiting. Ultimately the campaign ended in failure and division since Mac Colla's objective was to regain territories in the Western Highlands, Montrose's to move south and aid Charles. The two split; Mac Colla's ravaging of Campbell lands was still remembered with deep bitterness 300 years later. The Massacre of Glencoe took place in 1692, 38 unarmed MacDonalds from
4352-399: Was renewed on 8 May 1408. According to Skene , Euphemia became a nun before the battle. It took Donald time to ready his assault, but in 1411 he assembled his forces at Ardtornish Castle on the Sound of Mull and invaded Ross. He met no opposition until "a severe conflict" at Dingwall , seat of the Earls of Ross, where, at the Battle of Dingwall , he fought a large body of men of
4420-414: Was styled "King of the Isles" and "Lord of Argyll and Kintyre". Ranald's father, Somerled was styled "King of the Hebrides", and was killed campaigning against Malcolm IV of Scotland at the Battle of Renfrew in 1164. Clan Donald shares a descent from Somerled with Clan MacDougall , who traces their lineage from his elder son, Dugall mac Somhairle . Their dynasties are together commonly referred to as
4488-451: Was the 1588 prosecution of Lachlan Maclean, whose objections to his new stepfather, John MacDonald, resulted in the murder of 18 members of the MacDonald wedding party. The 1638–1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms caused huge dislocation and damage throughout the British Isles; in 1641, the Scottish Covenanter government sent an expeditionary force that joined the vicious and bloody Irish Rebellion . All sides committed atrocities, leading to
4556-422: Was the principal seat of the Earldom of Ross, after he had defeated the powerful Clan Mackay who were supporters of the Stewart confederacy at the Battle of Dingwall . This in turn resulted in the Battle of Harlaw on 24 July 1411, fought between Donald of Islay's forces and those of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany , led by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar. It is believed there were 10,000 men in Donald's army at
4624-451: Was to be subject to England the country knew and disliked; to be subdued by their savage enemies of the mountains opened to them sources of terror of unknown character and extent". However Sir Robert Rait (1874–1936) detected no racial antipathy in the two contemporary accounts of the Scotichronicon and the Book of Pluscarden, and viewed Harlaw not as a conflict between races, but between two groups of Scots of which one spoke Scots and
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