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Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald or Clan McDonald ( ), is a Highland
Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Scottish Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared heritage and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure r ...
and one of the largest Scottish clans. Historically the chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of
Lord of the Isles Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( or ; ) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was ...
until 1493 and two of those chiefs also held the title of
Earl of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland, as well as chief of Clan Ross. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made ...
until 1476. The
Lord Lyon King of Arms The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officer of State, Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scotland, Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry i ...
, 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 The Court of the Lord Lyon, or Lyon Court, is a standing court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All ...
, recognises under Scottish law the ''High Chief 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 MacDonald of Keppoch Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan MacDonell of Keppoch or Clan Ranald of Lochaber ( ), is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The progenitor of the clan is Alistair Carrach MacDonald, 4th great-grandson of the war ...
,
Clan MacDonald of Glencoe The MacDonalds of Glencoe, also known as Clann Iain Abrach (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clann Iain Abrach''), is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of the larger Clan Donald. Named after Glen Coe, the MacDonalds (or MacIains as they were more speci ...
,
Clan MacDonell of Glengarry Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, also known as Clan Ranald of Knoydart & Glengarry () is a Highland Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from River Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch ...
, and
Clan MacAlister Clan MacAlister is a Scottish Clan. The clan is the earliest branch to have split off from Clan Donald, claiming descent from Alasdair Mòr, son of Domhnall founder of Clan Donald. From Alasdair Mòr the clans takes its surname ''MacAlister''; t ...
. There are also notable historic branches of Clan Donald without chiefs so-recognised, these are: the
Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, also known as Clan Donald South, ''Clan Iain Mor, Clan MacDonald of Islay and Kintyre, MacDonalds of the Glens (Antrim)'' and sometimes referred to as ''MacDonnells'', is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. T ...
,
Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh The Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh was a Scottish family and a branch of the larger Clan Donald. History The MacDonald of Lochalsh branch was founded by Celestine MacDonald (d.1476). Celestine MacDonald was the eldest son of Alexander of Islay, Earl ...
, and the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan. The
MacDonnells of Antrim The MacDonnells of Antrim (Gaelic: ''Mac Domhnaill''), also known as the MacDonnells of the Glens, are a branch in Ireland of the Scottish-based Clan Donald. Initially part of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg (Clan Donald South), the MacDonnells of Ant ...
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.


History


Origins

The Norse-Gaelic Clan Donald traces its descent from Dòmhnall Mac Raghnuill (d. circa 1250), whose father Reginald or Ranald was styled "King of the Isles" and "Lord of Argyll and Kintyre".Moncreiffe, pp. 127–131. Ranald's father,
Somerled Somerled (died 1164), known in Middle Irish as Somairle, Somhairle, and Somhairlidh, and in Old Norse as Sumarliði , was a mid-12th-century Norse-Gaelic lord who, through marital alliance and military conquest, rose in prominence to create the ...
was styled "King of the Hebrides", and was killed campaigning against
Malcolm IV of Scotland Malcolm IV (; ), nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" (between 23 April and 24 May 1141 – 9 December 1165) was King of Scotland from 1153 until his death. He was the eldest son of Henry, Earl of Huntingdon and Northumbria (died 1152) and Ada de War ...
at the
Battle of Renfrew The Battle of Renfrew was fought between the Kingdom of the Isles and the Kingdom of Scotland in 1164, near Renfrew, Scotland. The men of the Isles, accompanied by forces from the Kingdom of Dublin, were commanded by Somerled (Sumarliði / ...
in 1164. Clan Donald shares a descent from Somerled with
Clan MacDougall Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan, historically based in and around Argyll. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in Scotland, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as ...
, who traces their lineage from his elder son, Dugall mac Somhairle. Their dynasties are together commonly referred to as the
Clann Somhairle Clann Somhairle, sometimes anglicised as Clan Sorley, refers to those Scottish and Irish dynasties descending from the famous Norse-Gaelic leader Somerled, King of Mann and the Isles, son of Gillabrigte (†1164), and ancestor of Clann Do ...
. Furthermore, they are descended maternally from both the House of
Godred Crovan Godred Crovan (died 1095), known in Gaelic as Gofraid Crobán, Gofraid Meránach, and Gofraid Méránach, was a Norse-Gaelic ruler of the kingdoms of Kingdom of Dublin, Dublin and the Kingdom of the Isles, Isles. Although his precise parentage h ...
and the
Earls of Orkney Earl of Orkney, historically Jarl of Orkney, is a title of nobility encompassing the archipelagoes of Orkney and Shetland, which comprise the Northern Isles of Scotland. Originally founded by Norse invaders, the status of the rulers of the N ...
, through Somerled's wife Ragnhildis Ólafsdóttir, daughter of
Olaf I Godredsson Olaf or Olav (, , or British ; ) is a Dutch, Polish, Scandinavian and German given name. It is presumably of Proto-Norse origin, reconstructed as ''*Anu-laibaz'', from ''anu'' "ancestor, grand-father" and ''laibaz'' "heirloom, descendant". Old Eng ...
,
King of Mann and the Isles The Kingdom of the Isles, also known as Sodor, was a Norse–Gaelic kingdom comprising the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and the islands of the Clyde from the 9th to the 13th centuries. The islands were known in Old Norse as the , or "Southern I ...
and Ingeborg Haakonsdottir, daughter of
Haakon Paulsson Haakon Paulsson (Old Norse: ''Hákon Pálsson''; died 1123) was a Norwegian ''jarl'' who ruled the earldom of Orkney together with his cousin Magnus Erlendsson from 1105 to 1123. Their lives and times are recounted in the ''Orkneyinga saga'', ...
,
Earl of Orkney Earl of Orkney, historically Jarl of Orkney, is a title of nobility encompassing the archipelagoes of Orkney and Shetland, which comprise the Northern Isles of Scotland. Originally Scandinavian Scotland, founded by Norse invaders, the status ...
. It remains uncertain if the Clann Somhairle are also descendants in some manner, through one or another of the above dynasts, of the House of Ivar, but this is commonly argued. Tradition gave Somerled a Gaelic descent in the male line,MacDonald, Donald J. ''Clan Donald''. as the medieval seanchaidhean (Gaelic historians) traced his lineage through a long line of ancestors back to the
High Kings of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
, namely
Colla Uais The Three Collas (Modern Irish: ''Trí Cholla'') were, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, the fourth-century sons of Eochaid Doimlén, son of Cairbre Lifechair. Their names were: Cairell Colla Uais; Muiredach Colla Fo Chrà ...
and
Conn of the Hundred Battles Conn Cétchathach (), or Conn of the Hundred Battles, son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a legendary High King of Ireland who is claimed to be the ancestor of the Connachta, and through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, w ...
.Gregory, p. 10. Thus Clan Donald claimed to be both ''Clann Cholla'' and ''Siol Chuinn'' (''Children of Colla'' and ''Seed of Conn''). Possibly the oldest piece of poetry attributed to the MacDonalds is a ''brosnachadh'' (an incitement to battle) which was said to have been written in 1411, on the day of the
Battle of Harlaw The Battle of Harlaw () was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland and those from the wes ...
. 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'').The Macdonald Bardic Poetry Part 1 by Professor W. J. Watson
Retrieved on 9 October 2007
A later poem made to
John of Islay John of Islay (or John MacDonald) ( or ) (died 1386) was the lord of the Isles (1336–1386) and chief of Clan Donald. In 1336, he styled himself ''Dominus Insularum'' ('Lord of the Isles'), although this was not the first ever recorded instan ...
(1434–1503), last of the MacDonald
Lords of the Isles Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( or ; ) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was ...
, 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 2005
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
study has shown that Somerled was of Norse descent in his male line. By testing the
Y-DNA The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes in therian mammals and other organisms. Along with the X chromosome, it is part of the XY sex-determination system, in which the Y is the sex-determining chromosome because the presence of the Y ...
of males bearing the surnames MacDonald, MacDougall, MacAlister, and their variants it was found that a substantial proportion of men tested shared the same Y-DNA and a direct paternal ancestor. This distinct
Y-chromosome The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes in therian mammals and other organisms. Along with the X chromosome, it is part of the XY sex-determination system, in which the Y is the sex-determining chromosome because the presence of the Y ...
R1a1 haplotype found in Scotland has been regarded as often showing Norse descent in the Britain and Ireland.


Scottish-Norwegian War

In 1263
Alexander III of Scotland Alexander III (; Modern Gaelic: ; 4 September 1241 – 19 March 1286) was King of Alba (Scotland) from 1249 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of Perth, by which Scotland acquired sovereignty over the Western Isles and the Isle of Man. ...
defeated
Haakon IV of Norway Haakon IV Haakonsson ( – 16 December 1263; ; ), sometimes called Haakon the Old in contrast to his namesake son, was King of Norway from 1217 to 1263. His reign lasted for 46 years, longer than any Norwegian king since Harald Fairhair. Haak ...
at the
Battle of Largs The Battle of Largs (2 October 1263) was a battle between the kingdoms of Kingdom of Norway (872–1397), Norway and Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, on the Firth of Clyde near Largs, Scotland. The conflict formed part of the Scottish–Norwegian ...
. The Clan Donald chief, Aonghas Mor and his clan had technically been vassals of Haakon and so the king of Scots became their new overlord, as confirmed in the
Treaty of Perth The Treaty of Perth, signed 2 July 1266, ended military conflict between Magnus the Lawmender of Norway and Alexander III of Scotland over possession of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. The Hebrides and the Isle of Man had become Norwegian t ...
.


Wars of Scottish Independence

Aongus Mor's son was
Aonghus Óg of Islay Aonghus Óg Mac Domhnaill (died 1314 × 1318/ 1330), or Angus Og MacDonald, was a fourteenth-century Scottish magnate and chief of Clann Domhnaill. He was a younger son of Aonghus Mór mac Domhnaill, Lord of Islay. After the latter's apparent ...
who supported
Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
at the
Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn ( or ) was fought on 23–24 June 1314, between the army of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the army of King Edward II of England, during the First War of Scottish Independence. It was a decisive victory for Ro ...
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.


15th to 16th centuries


Succession to the Earldom of Ross

The title and territory of the
Earl of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland, as well as chief of Clan Ross. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made ...
had originally been held by the Chief of
Clan Ross Clan Ross ( ) is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earl of Ross, Earls of Ross. History Origins The first recorded chief of the Clan Ross was Fearchar, Earl of Ross, "Fearcher Mac an t-Sagairt" which ...
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 Donald, Lord of the Isles (; died 1423), 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 Donald's fath ...
married
Mariota, Countess of Ross Mariota, Countess of Ross (Mairead, also called Mary and Margaret; died 1440) was the daughter of Euphemia I, Countess of Ross and her husband, the crusading war-hero Walter Leslie, Lord of Ross. Upon the death of her brother, Alexander Leslie ...
(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 Dingwall Castle was a medieval fort and royal castle in the town of Dingwall, eastern Ross-shire, Scotland. The castle is believed to have been established by Norse settlers in the area in the 11th century. Wars of Scottish Independence During ...
which was the principal seat of the Earldom of Ross, after he had defeated the powerful
Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I of Scotland, Rober ...
who were supporters of the Stewart confederacy at the
Battle of Dingwall The Battle of Dingwall was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1411, in Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Mackay and the Clan Donald. Accounts of the Battle Sir Robert Gordon (c. 1630) Si ...
. This in turn resulted in the
Battle of Harlaw The Battle of Harlaw () was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland and those from the wes ...
on 24 July 1411, fought between Donald of Islay's forces and those of
Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340 – 3 September 1420) was a member of the Scottish royal family who served as regent (at least partially) to three Scottish monarchs ( Robert II, Robert III, and James I). A ruthless politician, Albany ...
, led by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar. It is believed there were 10,000 men in Donald's army at 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 Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany () (1362 – 25 May 1425) was a leading Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, and the grandson of King Robert II of Scotland, who founded the Stewart dynasty. In 1389, he became Justicia ...
. 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 John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...
as the new Earl of Ross. In 1429 the
Battle of Lochaber The Battle of Lochaber was fought in 1429, in the Scottish Highlands, between the forces of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald against the Royalist army of King James I of Scotland. It is known as the ...
took place where forces led by Donald's son, Alexander of Islay, 3rd
Lord of the Isles Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( or ; ) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was ...
and Earl of Ross, fought against the royalist army of
James I of Scotland James I (late July 1394 – 21 February 1437) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III of Scotland, Robert III and ...
. Two years later the
Battle of Inverlochy (1431) The Battle of Inverlochy (1431) () was fought after Alexander of Islay (''Alasdair Ìle, Rìgh Innse Gall''), Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, had been imprisoned by King James I. A force of Highlanders led by Donald Balloch, Alexander ...
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 Donald Balloch MacDonald (Scottish Gaelic: ''Dòmhnall Ballach Mac Dhòmhnaill'') was a Scottish-Gaelic lord who died about 1476. Biography Donald Balloch MacDonald was a son of John Mór Tanister and Margery Byset, daughter of MacEoin Bisset ...
, who defeated
Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar Alexander Stewart (c. 13751435) was a Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish nobleman and warlord. An illegitimate grandson of Robert II of Scotland, he was originally the Earl of Moray, becoming the Earl of Mar from 1405. He acquired the earldom throug ...
's royal army. The armies of 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 Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald (died 1449; ) was a medieval Scottish nobleman who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles (1423–1449), later rising to the rank of Earl of Ross (1436–49). His lively career, ...
, son of Donald of Islay and Mariota, Countess of Ross, succeeded to the earldom as confirmed by a
charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the ...
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 John of Islay (or John MacDonald) (1434–1503), Earl of Ross, fourth (and last) Lord of the Isles, and ''Mac Domhnaill'' (chief of Clan Donald), was a pivotal figure in late medieval Scotland: specifically in the struggle for power with Jam ...
who surrendered the earldom in 1475 to the King. According to 17th century historian
Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun (14 May 1580 – 1656) was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland. Early life Born at Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Sutherland, on 14 May 1580, he was the fourt ...
who himself was a younger son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland, in 1455 the
Battle of Skibo and Strathfleet A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...
took place where John of Islay invaded
Sutherland Sutherland () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. The name dates from the Scandinavian Scotland, Viking era when t ...
but was defeated by the
Clan Sutherland Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland; however, in the ear ...
who were led by Robert Sutherland, brother of John Sutherland, 7th Earl of Sutherland.


Forfeiture of the Earldom of Ross and Lordship of the Isles

In 1475,
James III of Scotland James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, King James II, at the siege of Roxburg ...
forfeited the MacDonald Earldom of Ross and although the MacDonald Lordship of the Isles was not forfeited until 1493, in many ways 1475 marked 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 Aonghas Óg (died 1490) was a Scottish nobleman who was the last independent Lord of the Isles. Aonghas became a rebel against both his father and the Scottish crown, in a civil clan war which would see the end of the independent Lordship of the ...
who was the fourth illegitimate son of the Lord of the Isles, along with his son,
Domhnall Dubh Domhnall Dubh ("Black Donald", died 1545) was a Scottish nobleman. He was the son of Aonghas Óg, chief of Clan Donald (Clann Domhnaill), and claimant to the Lordship of the Isles, which had been held by his grandfather John of Islay, Earl of R ...
, and also Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh and John Mor MacDonald of Dunyvaig were seeking to restore the MacDonald hegemony in the west. The
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 north of Tobermory, between John MacDonald of Islay, the Lord of the Isles and chie ...
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 James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James I ...
and made an alliance with
Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
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 the Crown's hard men in the north and west: Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (chief of
Clan Gordon Clan Gordon is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire ...
), Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll (chief of
Clan Campbell Clan Campbell ( ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan be ...
) 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 a threat to the central authority. The MacDonnells of Antrim in Ireland were a
sept A sept () is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used both in Scotland and in Ireland, where it may be translated as Irish , meaning "progeny" or "seed", and may indicate the descendants of a person ...
of Clan Donald. MacDonnell migration to the
Glens A glen is a valley, typically one that is long and bounded by gently sloped concave sides, unlike a ravine, which is deep and bounded by steep slopes. The word is Goidelic in origin: ''gleann'' in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, ''glion'' in Manx. ...
and
Rathlin Island Rathlin Island (, ; Local Irish dialect: ''Reachraidh'', ; Scots: ''Racherie'') is an island and civil parish off the coast of County Antrim (of which it is part) in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's northernmost point. As of the 2021 ...
increased in the early 16th century after the clan had rejected overtures from an increasingly powerful
James IV James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauch ...
, King of Scotland.


17th century; Civil War and 1689–1692 Jacobite rising

Loss of the Lordship of the Isles fractured Highland society and the MacDonalds in particular, who were left holding lands on either side of 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 The Massacre of Glencoe took place in Glen Coe in the Argyll region of the Scottish Highlands on 13 February 1692. An estimated 30 members and associates of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were killed by Scottish government forces, allegedly for fa ...
in 1692, was introduced in 1587 to reduce the endemic feuding that resulted. Opponents now had to apply to 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 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 The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities in a personal union un ...
caused huge dislocation and damage throughout the British Isles; in 1641, the Scottish
Covenanter Covenanters were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. It originated in disputes with James VI and his son C ...
government sent an expeditionary force that joined the vicious and bloody Irish Rebellion. All sides committed atrocities, leading to a series of tit-for-tat responses, exacerbated by long-standing animosities; in 1642 on
Rathlin Island Rathlin Island (, ; Local Irish dialect: ''Reachraidh'', ; Scots: ''Racherie'') is an island and civil parish off the coast of County Antrim (of which it is part) in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's northernmost point. As of the 2021 ...
, soldiers from a predominantly
Clan Campbell Clan Campbell ( ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan be ...
-recruited unit led by Sir Duncan Campbell threw scores of MacDonnell women over the cliffs to their deaths on rocks below. p.143 Scotland initially stayed neutral in the
First English Civil War The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. An estimated 15% to 20% of adult males in England and Wales served in the military at some point b ...
but became involved in 1643; the shifting alliances only make sense if one understands that in Scotland, both Royalists and Covenanters agreed that the ''institution'' of monarchy was divinely ordered, but disagreed on the nature and extent of royal authority in relation to that of the church. This makes it hard to categorise clans as wholly "Royalist", "Catholic", or later "Jacobite". In 1644,
Alasdair Mac Colla Alasdair Mac Colla Chiotaich MacDhòmhnaill ( – 13 November 1647), also known by the English variant of his name Sir Alexander MacDonald, was a military officer best known for his participation in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, notably the I ...
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 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 are often presented as a clan battle between Campbells and MacDonalds; while there is certainly some truth in this, many others were involved. The persistence of this idea in Gaelic folklore 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, while Montrose's was 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. In 1692 in the
Massacre of Glencoe The Massacre of Glencoe took place in Glen Coe in the Argyll region of the Scottish Highlands on 13 February 1692. An estimated 30 members and associates of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were killed by Scottish government forces, allegedly for fa ...
, 38 unarmed MacDonalds from the
Clan MacDonald of Glencoe The MacDonalds of Glencoe, also known as Clann Iain Abrach (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clann Iain Abrach''), is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of the larger Clan Donald. Named after Glen Coe, the MacDonalds (or MacIains as they were more speci ...
were murdered when an initiative to suppress
Jacobitism Jacobitism was a political ideology advocating the restoration of the senior line of the House of Stuart to the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British throne. When James II of England chose exile after the November 1688 Glorious Revolution, ...
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 William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702), also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of County of Holland, Holland, County of Zeeland, Zeeland, Lordship of Utrecht, Utrec ...
. The event served as part of the inspiration for "The Red Wedding" as featured in books and TV series ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by David Benioff and for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of high fantasy novels by ...
''.


18th century and Jacobite risings


Jacobite rising of 1715

During the
Jacobite rising of 1715 The Jacobite rising of 1715 ( ; or 'the Fifteen') was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart, James Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland and Kingdom of Scotland ...
the MacDonalds supported the Jacobite cause of the
House of Stuart The House of Stuart, originally spelled Stewart, also known as the Stuart dynasty, was a dynasty, royal house of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland and later Kingdom of Great Britain, Great ...
. Men of
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan MacDonell of Keppoch or Clan Ranald of Lochaber ( ), is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The progenitor of the clan is Alistair Carrach MacDonald, 4th great-grandson of the war ...
, and the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald fought at the
Battle of Sheriffmuir The Battle of Sheriffmuir (, ) was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rising of 1715, Jacobite rising in Scotland. The battlefield has been included in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland and protected by Histor ...
on 13 November 1715 where chief Allan MacDonald of Clanranald was killed. The
Clan MacDonald of Glencoe The MacDonalds of Glencoe, also known as Clann Iain Abrach (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clann Iain Abrach''), is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of the larger Clan Donald. Named after Glen Coe, the MacDonalds (or MacIains as they were more speci ...
also fought at Sherriffmuir.


Jacobite rising of 1745

During the
Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745 was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, when the bulk of t ...
the
Clan MacDonell of Glengarry Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, also known as Clan Ranald of Knoydart & Glengarry () is a Highland Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from River Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch ...
along with the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch and the MacDonalds of Glencoe fought as Jacobites at the
Battle of Prestonpans The Battle of Prestonpans, also known as the Battle of Gladsmuir, was fought on 21 September 1745, near Prestonpans, in East Lothian, the first significant engagement of the Jacobite rising of 1745. Jacobitism, Jacobite forces, led by the Stua ...
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 The Battle of Falkirk Muir, or Battle of Falkirk, took place near Falkirk, Scotland, on 17 January 1746 during the Jacobite rising of 1745. A narrow Jacobite victory, it had little impact on the campaign. After their withdrawal from England in ...
on 17 January 1746 The Clan MacDonald of Glencoe, Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, and Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, fought as Jacobites at the
Battle of Culloden The Battle of Culloden took place on 16 April 1746, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. A Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart was decisively defeated by a British government force commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, thereby endi ...
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 The Independent Highland Companies were irregular militia raised from the Scottish clans of the Scottish Highlands by order of the Scottish (later British) government between 1603 and 1760 in order to help keep the peace and enforce the law in t ...
) 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 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 Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...
.


Chief

In 1947, the Lord Lyon King of Arms granted the
undifferenced arms In heraldry, cadency is any systematic way to distinguish Coat of arms, arms displayed by Lineal descendant, descendants of the holder of a coat of arms when those family members have not been granted arms in their own right. Cadency is necessa ...
of Macdonald to Alexander Godfrey Macdonald, 7th Lord Macdonald, making him the first High Chief of Clan Donald. After his death in 1970, he was succeeded by his son Godfrey James Macdonald of Macdonald, 8th Lord Macdonald, who is the current high chief of Clan Donald. In 1972, the Macdonald estates were sold off to pay death duties. Lord Macdonald lives at
Kinloch Lodge Kinloch Lodge, first opened in 1897, was once the private lodge of the Duke of Sutherland, and is situated near the village of Tongue in Sutherland, Scotland. Background It was sold in 1919 as part of the massive land disposal by the Duke of Suth ...
on Skye with his wife, the food writer
Claire Macdonald Claire, Lady Macdonald OBE is a Scottish cookery writer and former hotelier. Biography Claire Macdonald is one of three daughters of Captain Thomas Noel Catlow CBE DL RN and his wife Jean (née Nuttall), and lived as a child in Thurland Castle ...
(m. 1969).


Historic chiefs

The following is a list of some of the early chiefs of Clan Donald.


Castles

Over the centuries MacDonald castles have included:


Clan Donald castles

*
Finlaggan Castle Finlaggan (, ) is a historic site on Eilean Mòr in Loch Finlaggan, on the island of Islay, around 4 km west of the ferry terminal at Port Askaig. History Finlaggan was the seat of the Lords of the Isles and of Clan Donald. Two of the thr ...
was located on an island, on Loch Finlaggan, on the
Isle of Islay Islay ( ; , ) is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", it lies in Argyll and Bute just south west of Jura and around north of the Northern Irish coast. The island's capital is Bowmor ...
. It was the seat of the chief of Clan Donald,
Lord of the Isles Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( or ; ) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was ...
.. *
Armadale Castle Armadale Castle is a ruined country house in Armadale, Skye, former home of the MacDonalds. A mansion house was first built here around 1790, facing south-east over the Sound of Sleat. In 1815 a square Tudor-Gothic mock-castle, intended for sh ...
on the
Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of ...
was begun in 1815 and today houses the Clan Donald Centre and the Museum of the Isles which are open to the public. *
Knock Castle (Isle of Skye) Knock Castle, also known as Caisteal Chamuis (Castle Camus) is a former fortification, stronghold of Clan MacLeod of Lewis and later, Clan Donald, MacDonalds. It lies on the east coast of Sleat, approximately north of Armadale, Skye, Armadale ...
is a ruined Macdonald castle located on the
Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of ...
. *
Duntulm Castle Duntulm Castle stands ruined on the north coast of Trotternish, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, near the hamlet of Duntulm. During the 17th century it was the seat of the chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Sleat. It is a scheduled monument. History ...
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the
Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of ...
. *
Aros Castle Aros Castle, also known as ''Dounarwyse Castle'', is a ruined 13th-century castle near Salen on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. The castle overlooks the Sound of Mull. History The castle was probably built by one of the MacDougall lords of Lorn in ...
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the
Isle of Mull The Isle of Mull or simply Mull ( ) is the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides (after Skye) and lies off the west coast of Scotland in the Council areas of Scotland, council area of Argyll and Bute. Covering , Mull is the fourth-lar ...
. * Claig Castle is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the
Isle of Jura An isle is an island, land surrounded by water. The term is very common in British English. However, there is no clear agreement on what makes an island an isle or its difference, so they are considered synonyms. Isle may refer to: Geography * I ...
. *
Kildonan Castle Kildonan Castle stands in the small village of Kildonan on the southern coast of the Isle of Arran in Scotland. The castle's name is derived from the name of a former resident, Saint Donan, who is said to be buried on the island. It was built ...
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the
Isle of Arran The Isle of Arran (; ) or simply Arran is an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde and the seventh-largest Scottish island, at . Counties of Scotland, Historically part of Buteshire, it is in the ...
. *
Ardtornish Castle Ardtornish Castle is a castle situated in the grounds of the Ardtornish estate in Morvern, on the west coast of Scotland. It stands at the seaward end of a promontory which extends in a southerly direction into the Sound of Mull, about south- ...
is a ruined MacDonald castle located on the peninsula
Morvern Morvern ( ; "the sea-gap"), historically also spelt Morven, is a peninsula and traditional district in the Highlands, on the west coast of Scotland. It lies south of the districts of Ardgour and Sunart, and is bounded on the north by Loch Su ...
. *
Dunaverty Castle Dunaverty Castle is located at Southend at the southern end of the Kintyre peninsula in western Scotland. The site was once a fort belonging to the Clan Donald (MacDonald). Little remains of the castle, although the site is protected as a sched ...
, is a ruined MacDonald castle, off the coast of
Kintyre Kintyre (, ) is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East Loch Tarbert, Argyll, East and West Loch Tarbert, Argyll, West Loch Tarbert in t ...
, known as ''Blood Rock'' because of the incident known as the
Dunaverty Massacre The Battle of Dunaverty involved a battle and the siege of Dunaverty Castle in Kintyre, Scotland, in 1647. The events involved the Covenanter Army under the command of General David Leslie on one side and 200–300 Highland troops under t ...
.


Clan Donald branch castles

*
Castle Tioram Castle Tioram (; , meaning "dry castle") is a Ruin, ruined castle that sits on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart, Scotland. It is west of Acharacle, approximately from Fort William, Highland, Fort William. Though hidden from the s ...
, Loch Moidart,
Lochaber Lochaber ( ; ) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig. Lochaber once extended from the Northern shore of Loch Leven, a distric ...
was the seat of the Clan Macdonald of Clanranald. *
Borve Castle, Benbecula Borve Castle, also known as Castle Wearie, and ''Caisteal Bhuirgh'' in Scottish Gaelic, is a ruined 14th-century tower house, located at the south-west of the island of Benbecula, in the Western Isles of Scotland. The castle was designated as a Sc ...
was another castle of the MacDonalds of Clanranald. * Ormiclate Castle was another castle of the Macdonalds of Clanranald. *
Invergarry Castle Invergarry Castle in the Scottish Highlands was the clan seat, seat of the Chiefs of the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, a powerful branch of the Clan Donald. The castle's position overlooking Loch Oich on Creagan an Fhithich – the Raven's Rock ...
, built on the ''Rock of the Raven'' was the seat of the
Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, also known as Clan Ranald of Knoydart & Glengarry () is a Highland Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from River Garry, Inverness-shire, River Garry where the river Garry ...
. *
Strome Castle Strome Castle is a ruined castle on the shore of Loch Carron in Stromemore, 3.5 miles south-west of the village of Lochcarron, on the headland between Loch Carron and Loch Kishorn, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands. History The cas ...
on the shore of
Loch Carron Loch Carron (Scottish Gaelic: "Loch Carrann") is a sea loch on the west coast of Ross and Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands, which separates the Lochalsh peninsula from the Applecross peninsula, and from the Stromeferry headland east of Loch ...
was an earlier castle of the MacDonnells of Glengarry. *
Dunluce Castle Dunluce Castle (; ) is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland, the seat of Clan MacDonnell. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim (between Portballintrae and Portrush), and is accessible via a bridge conn ...
in Ireland was the seat of the
Clan MacDonnell of Antrim The MacDonnells of Antrim (Goidelic languages, Gaelic: ''Mac Domhnaill''), also known as the MacDonnells of the Glens, are a branch in Ireland of the Scotland, Scottish-based Clan Donald. Initially part of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg (Clan Donald ...
, ''Earls of Antrim''. *
Glenarm Castle Glenarm Castle, Glenarm, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is the ancestral home of the Earl of Antrim. History There has been a castle at Glenarm since the 13th century, where it resides at the heart of one of Northern Ireland's oldest estates ...
in Ireland was another castle of the MacDonnells of Antrim. *
Dunyvaig Castle Dunyvaig Castle (, Anglicised ''Fort of the galleys'', also known as ''Dunnyveg'') is located on the south side of Islay, in Argyll, Scotland, on the shore of Lagavulin Bay, from Port Ellen. The castle was once a naval base of the Lord of the I ...
on the
Isle of Islay Islay ( ; , ) is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", it lies in Argyll and Bute just south west of Jura and around north of the Northern Irish coast. The island's capital is Bowmor ...
was the seat of the
Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, also known as Clan Donald South, ''Clan Iain Mor, Clan MacDonald of Islay and Kintyre, MacDonalds of the Glens (Antrim)'' and sometimes referred to as ''MacDonnells'', is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. T ...
. * Gorm Castle, on an island in Loch Gorm, which itself is in the Isle of Islay, was another seat of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg. * Island Muller Castle in Kintyre was another seat of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg. *
Dunscaith Castle Dunscaith Castle also known as Dun Scaich, Dun Sgathaich Castle 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 ...
(Dun Sgathaich) on the
Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of ...
was the seat of the Clan MacDonald of Sleat. *Keppoch Castle which was near to
Spean Bridge Spean Bridge () is a village in the parish of Kilmonivaig, in Lochaber in the Highland region of Scotland. The village takes its name from the Highbridge over the River Spean on General Wade's military road between Fort William and Fort A ...
in
Lochaber Lochaber ( ; ) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig. Lochaber once extended from the Northern shore of Loch Leven, a distric ...
was the seat of the
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan MacDonell of Keppoch or Clan Ranald of Lochaber ( ), is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The progenitor of the clan is Alistair Carrach MacDonald, 4th great-grandson of the war ...
until it passed to the Mackintoshes in 1690. *
Mingary Castle Mingary Castle (), also known as Mingarry Castle, is a castle situated southeast of the small village of Kilchoan in Lochaber, Scotland. Nestled on ridge of rock overlooking the sea, it was considered a strategically important site in terms o ...
in
Kilchoan Kilchoan () is a village on the Scotland, Scottish peninsula of Ardnamurchan, beside the Sound of Mull in Lochaber, Highland (council area), Highland. It is the most westerly village in mainland Great Britain, Britain, although several tiny ha ...
, Lochaber was the seat of the
Clan MacDonald of Ardnamurchan The MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan, also known as MacIain of Ardnamurchan, or Clan MacIan, were a Scottish family and a branch of the larger Clan Donald. History Origins of the Clan The founder of the Macdonalds of Ardnamurchan was Iain Sprangac ...
. *
Largie Castle, Rhunahaorine Largie Castle is a ruined castle at Rhunahaorine, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. History The castle was built by Clan MacDonald of Largie. After the battle of Rhunahaorine Moss The Battle of Rhunahaorine Moss took place between Covenanters led ...
was the seat of the
Clan MacDonald of Largie Clan MacDonald of Largie, also known as Clan Ranald Bane, is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The founder of the MacDonalds of Largie is Ranald Bane MacDonald, a son of Iain Mhoir Tanistear Mic Dhòmhnaill (John Mor MacDonald, Lord ...
.


Tartans


See also

*
Gaelic nobility of Ireland This article concerns the Gaelic nobility of Ireland from ancient to modern times. It only partly overlaps with Chiefs of the Name because it excludes Scotland and other discussion. It is one of three groups of Irish nobility, the others bei ...
*
Keppoch murders The Keppoch Murders () is the name given to the murders of Alexander MacDonald, 12th of Keppoch and his brother Ranald, by rival claimants to the chieftainship of the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch. The murders took place on September 25, 1663, during ...
* Macdonald (surname article) * Clandonald, Alberta, Canada


Notes


References

* Gregory, Donald. ''History of the Western Highlands And Isles of Scotland, From A.D. 1493 To A.D. 1625''. Edinburgh: William Tait, 1836. *MacDonald, Donald J. ''Clan Donald''. 1978. * Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Sir Ian. ''The Highland Clans''. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1982. . * Sykes, Bryan. ''Saxons, Vikings, and Celts : the genetic roots of Britain and Ireland''. New York : W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. . * * Thomson, Oliver, ''The Great Feud. The Campbells and the Macdonalds''. Revisited edition 2005. Sutton Publishing Limited. .


External links


Clan Donald Society

Clan Donald Skye – the official Clan Donald museum

Clan Donald USA

Clan Donald USA – DNA Project

Clan Donald Canada

Clandonald Heritage

Donald Tartans
{{Scottish clans 13th-century establishments in Scotland Gaels Donald, Clan Gaelic families of Norse descent Clann Somhairle